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NAVIGATION
Solomon Islands
former: British Solomon Islands
INTRODUCTION
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Background:
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The UK established a protectorate over the Solomon Islands in the 1890s. Some of the bitterest fighting of World War II occurred on these islands. Self-government was achieved in 1976 and independence two years later. Ethnic violence, government malfeasance, and endemic crime have undermined stability and civil society. |
GEOGRAPHY
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Location:
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Oceania, group of islands in the South Pacific Ocean, east of Papua New Guinea |
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Geographic coordinates:
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8 00 S, 159 00 E |
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Map references:
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Oceania |
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Area:
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total: 28,450 sq km
water: 910 sq km land: 27,540 sq km |
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Area - comparative:
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slightly smaller than Maryland |
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Land boundaries:
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0 km |
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Coastline:
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5,313 km |
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Maritime claims:
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measured from claimed archipelagic baselines
territorial sea: 12 NM exclusive economic zone: 200 NM continental shelf: 200 NM |
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Climate:
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tropical monsoon; few extremes of temperature and weather |
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Terrain:
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mostly rugged mountains with some low coral atolls |
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Elevation extremes:
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lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: Mount Makarakomburu 2,447 m |
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Natural resources:
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fish, forests, gold, bauxite, phosphates, lead, zinc, nickel |
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Land use:
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arable land: 1.5%
permanent crops: 0.64% other: 97.86% (1998 est.) |
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Irrigated land:
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NA sq km |
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Natural hazards:
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typhoons, but rarely destructive; geologically active region with frequent earth tremors; volcanic activity |
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Environment - current issues:
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deforestation; soil erosion; many of the surrounding coral reefs are dead or dying |
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Environment - international agreements:
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party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Environmental Modification, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol |
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Geography - note:
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strategic location on sea routes between the South Pacific Ocean, the Solomon Sea, and the Coral Sea |
PEOPLE
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Population:
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509,190 (July 2003 est.) |
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Age structure:
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0-14 years: 42.9% (male 111,333; female 107,062)
15-64 years: 54% (male 139,072; female 135,721) 65 years and over: 3.1% (male 7,754; female 8,248) (2003 est.) |
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Median age:
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total: 18.2 years
male: 18.1 years female: 18.3 years (2002) |
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Population growth rate:
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2.83% (2003 est.) |
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Birth rate:
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32.45 births/1,000 population (2003 est.) |
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Death rate:
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4.12 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.) |
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Net migration rate:
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0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.) |
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Sex ratio:
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at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.94 male(s)/female total population: 1.03 male(s)/female (2003 est.) |
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Infant mortality rate:
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total: 22.88 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 19.58 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.) male: 26.03 deaths/1,000 live births |
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Life expectancy at birth:
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total population: 72.1 years
male: 69.64 years female: 74.68 years (2003 est.) |
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Total fertility rate:
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4.34 children born/woman (2003 est.) |
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HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
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NA% |
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HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
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NA |
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HIV/AIDS - deaths:
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NA |
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Nationality:
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noun: Solomon Islander(s)
adjective: Solomon Islander |
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Ethnic groups:
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Melanesian 93%, Polynesian 4%, Micronesian 1.5%, European 0.8%, Chinese 0.3%, other 0.4% |
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Religions:
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Anglican 45%, Roman Catholic 18%, United (Methodist/Presbyterian) 12%, Baptist 9%, Seventh-Day Adventist 7%, other Protestant 5%, indigenous beliefs 4% |
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Languages:
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Melanesian pidgin in much of the country is lingua franca; English is official but spoken by only 1%-2% of the population
note: 120 indigenous languages |
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Literacy:
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definition: NA
total population: NA% male: NA% female: NA% |