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Central Intelligence Agency
The Work of a Nation. The Center of Intelligence
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| page last updated on January 29, 2013 |
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(CONTAINS DESCRIPTION)
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Click flag or map to enlarge 
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Click map to enlarge
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| no photos available of Solomon Islands |
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| Introduction ::Solomon Islands |
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The UK established a protectorate over the Solomon Islands in the 1890s. Some of the most bitter fighting of World War II occurred on this archipelago. Self-government was achieved in 1976 and independence two years later. Ethnic violence, government malfeasance, and endemic crime have undermined stability and civil society. In June 2003, then Prime Minister Sir Allan KEMAKEZA sought the assistance of Australia in reestablishing law and order; the following month, an Australian-led multinational force arrived to restore peace and disarm ethnic militias. The Regional Assistance Mission to the Solomon Islands (RAMSI) has generally been effective in restoring law and order and rebuilding government institutions.
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| Geography ::Solomon Islands |
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Oceania, group of islands in the South Pacific Ocean, east of Papua New Guinea
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8 00 S, 159 00 E
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total: 28,896 sq km
country comparison to the world: 144
land:
27,986 sq km
water:
910 sq km
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slightly smaller than Maryland
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0 km
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5,313 km
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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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tropical monsoon; few extremes of temperature and weather
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mostly rugged mountains with some low coral atolls
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lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point:
Mount Popomanaseu 2,310 m
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fish, forests, gold, bauxite, phosphates, lead, zinc, nickel
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arable land: 0.62%
permanent crops:
2.04%
other:
97.34% (2005)
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NA
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44.7 cu km (1987)
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typhoons, but rarely destructive; geologically active region with frequent earthquakes, tremors, and volcanic activity; tsunamis
volcanism:
Tinakula (elev. 851 m) has frequent eruption activity, while an eruption of Savo (elev. 485 m) could affect the capital Honiara on nearby Guadalcanal
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deforestation; soil erosion; many of the surrounding coral reefs are dead or dying
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party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Environmental Modification, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Whaling
signed, but not ratified:
none of the selected agreements
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strategic location on sea routes between the South Pacific Ocean, the Solomon Sea, and the Coral Sea; on 2 April 2007 an undersea earthquake measuring 8.1 on the Richter scale occurred 345 km WNW of the capital Honiara; the resulting tsunami devastated coastal areas of Western and Choiseul provinces with dozens of deaths and thousands dislocated; the provincial capital of Gizo was especially hard hit
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| People and Society ::Solomon Islands |
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noun: Solomon Islander(s)
adjective:
Solomon Islander
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Melanesian 94.5%, Polynesian 3%, Micronesian 1.2%, other 1.1%, unspecified 0.2% (1999 census)
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Melanesian pidgin (in much of the country is lingua franca), English (official but spoken by only 1%-2% of the population), 120 indigenous languages
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Protestant 73.7% (Church of Melanesia 32.8%, South Seas Evangelical 17%, Seventh-Day Adventist 11.2%, United Church 10.3%, Christian Fellowship Church 2.4%), Roman Catholic 19%, other Christian 4.4%, other 2.4%, unspecified 0.3%, none 0.2% (1999 census)
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584,578 (July 2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 168
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0-14 years: 37.3% (male 112,201/ female 105,763)
15-64 years:
58.8% (male 175,067/ female 168,474)
65 years and over:
3.9% (male 11,238/ female 11,835) (2012 est.)
population pyramid: 
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total: 21.1 years
male:
20.9 years
female:
21.3 years (2012 est.)
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2.17% (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 43
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27.46 births/1,000 population (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 47
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3.91 deaths/1,000 population (July 2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 207
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-1.86 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 161
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urban population: 19% of total population (2010)
rate of urbanization:
4.2% annual rate of change (2010-15 est.)
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HONIARA (capital) 72,000 (2009)
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at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years:
1.06 male(s)/female
15-64 years:
1.04 male(s)/female
65 years and over:
0.95 male(s)/female
total population:
1.04 male(s)/female (2011 est.)
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93 deaths/100,000 live births (2010)
country comparison to the world: 77
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total: 17.25 deaths/1,000 live births
country comparison to the world: 102
male:
19.65 deaths/1,000 live births
female:
14.74 deaths/1,000 live births (2012 est.)
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total population: 74.42 years
country comparison to the world: 106
male:
71.83 years
female:
77.14 years (2012 est.)
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3.51 children born/woman (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 49
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5.4% of GDP (2009)
country comparison to the world: 130
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0.186 physicians/1,000 population (2005)
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1.4 beds/1,000 population (2005)
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improved:
urban: 98% of population
rural: 18% of population
total: 31% of population
unimproved:
urban: 2% of population
rural: 82% of population
total: 69% of population
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NA
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NA
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NA
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11.5% (2007)
country comparison to the world: 62
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NA
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NA
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total: 9 years
male:
9 years
female:
9 years (2007)
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| Government ::Solomon Islands |
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conventional long form: none
conventional short form:
Solomon Islands
local long form:
none
local short form:
Solomon Islands
former:
British Solomon Islands
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parliamentary democracy and a Commonwealth realm
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name: Honiara
geographic coordinates:
9 26 S, 159 57 E
time difference:
UTC+11 (16 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
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9 provinces and 1 capital territory*; Central, Choiseul, Guadalcanal, Honiara*, Isabel, Makira, Malaita, Rennell and Bellona, Temotu, Western
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7 July 1978 (from the UK)
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Independence Day, 7 July (1978)
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7 July 1978
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mixed legal system of English common law and customary law
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has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt
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21 years of age; universal
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chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952); represented by Governor General Frank KABUI (since 7 July 2009)
head of government:
Prime Minister Gordon Darcy LILO (since 16 November 2011)
cabinet:
Cabinet consists of 20 members appointed by the governor general on the advice of the prime minister from among the members of parliament
(For more information visit the World Leaders website )
elections:
the monarchy is hereditary; governor general appointed by the monarch on the advice of parliament for up to five years (eligible for a second term); following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or the leader of a majority coalition usually elected prime minister by parliament; deputy prime minister appointed by the governor general on the advice of the prime minister from among the members of parliament; Gordon Darcy LILO elected on 16 November 2011
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unicameral National Parliament (50 seats; members elected from single-member constituencies by popular vote to serve four-year terms)
elections:
last held on 4 August 2010 (next to be held in 2014)
election results:
percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - SIDP 14, OUR 4, SIPRA 3, RDP 3, IDP 2, DDP 2, PCP 1, PFP 1, RUPP 1, SILP 1, SINP 1, independents 17
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Court of Appeal
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Direct Development Party or DDP [Dick HA'AMORI]; People's Alliance Party or PAP [James MEKAB]; People's Congress Party or PCP [Fred FONO]; People's Federation Party or PFP [Rudolf DORA]; Ownership, Unity, and Responsibility Party or OUR [Manasseh SOGAVARE]; Reform Democratic Party or RDP [Danny PHILIP]; Rural and Urban Political Party or RUPP [Samuel MANETOALI]; Solomon Islands Democratic Party or SIDP [Steve ABANA]; Solomon Islands Liberal Party or SILP [Derek SIKUA]; Solomon Islands National Party or SINP [Francis HILLY]; Solomon Islands Party for Rural Advancement or SIPRA [Job D. TAUSINGA]; United Party [Sir Peter KENILOREA]
note:
in general, Solomon Islands politics is characterized by fluid coalitions
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Isatabu Freedom Movement (IFM); Malaita Eagle Force (MEF); note - these rival armed ethnic factions crippled the Solomon Islands in a wave of violence from 1999 to 2003
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ACP, ADB, AOSIS, C, EITI (candidate country), ESCAP, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IOC, ITU, MIGA, OPCW, PIF, Sparteca, SPC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WMO, WTO
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chief of mission: Ambassador Collin David BECK
chancery:
800 Second Avenue, Suite 400L, New York, NY 10017
telephone:
[1] (212) 599-6192, 6193
FAX:
[1] (212) 661-8925
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the US does not have an embassy in the Solomon Islands; the US ambassador to Papua New Guinea is accredited to the Solomon Islands
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divided diagonally by a thin yellow stripe from the lower hoist-side corner; the upper triangle (hoist side) is blue with five white five-pointed stars arranged in an X pattern; the lower triangle is green; blue represents the ocean; green the land; and yellow sunshine; the five stars stand for the five main island groups of the Solomon Islands
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name: "God Save Our Solomon Islands"
lyrics/music:
Panapasa BALEKANA and Matila BALEKANA/Panapasa BALEKANA
note:
adopted 1978
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by the end of 2007, the Regional Assistance Mission to the Solomon Islands (RAMSI) - originally made up of police and troops from Australia, NZ, Fiji, Papua New Guinea, and Tonga - had been scaled back to 303 police officers, 197 civilian technical advisers, and 72 military advisers from 15 countries across the region
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| Economy ::Solomon Islands |
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The bulk of the population depends on agriculture, fishing, and forestry for at least part of its livelihood. Most manufactured goods and petroleum products must be imported. The islands are rich in undeveloped mineral resources such as lead, zinc, nickel, and gold. Prior to the arrival of RAMSI, severe ethnic violence, the closing of key businesses, and an empty government treasury culminated in economic collapse. RAMSI's efforts to restore law and order and economic stability have led to modest growth as the economy rebuilds.
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$1.922 billion (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 193
$1.79 billion (2011 est.)
$1.617 billion (2010 est.)
note:
data are in 2012 US dollars
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$1.039 billion (2012 est.)
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7.4% (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 22
10.7% (2011 est.)
7.8% (2010 est.)
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$3,400 (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 169
$3,200 (2011 est.)
$3,000 (2010 est.)
note:
data are in 2012 US dollars
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agriculture: 33.4%
industry:
9.3%
services:
57.4% (2012 est.)
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202,500 (2007)
country comparison to the world: 169
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agriculture: 75%
industry:
5%
services:
20% (2000 est.)
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NA%
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NA%
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lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%:
NA%
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revenues: $339.7 million
expenditures:
$285.4 million (2012 est.)
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32.7% of GDP (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 82
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5.2% of GDP (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 13
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4% (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 114
4.2% (2011 est.)
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11.3% (31 December 2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 65
13.17% (31 December 2011 est.)
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$283.4 million (31 December 2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 174
$254.5 million (31 December 2011 est.)
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$386.4 million (31 December 2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 183
$353.8 million (31 December 2011 est.)
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$54.47 million (31 December 2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 189
$49.2 million (31 December 2011 est.)
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cocoa, coconuts, palm kernels, rice, potatoes, vegetables, fruit; cattle, pigs; fish; timber
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NA%
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-$207.9 million (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 78
-$372.6 million (2010 est.)
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$226.5 million (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 182
$226.5 million (2010 est.)
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timber, fish, copra, palm oil, cocoa
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China 52.4%, Australia 12.1%, Thailand 4.5% (2011)
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$360.3 million (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 193
$360.3 million (2010 est.)
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food, plant and equipment, manufactured goods, fuels, chemicals
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Australia 27%, Singapore 26.1%, China 6.4%, Malaysia 5.8%, NZ 5% (2011)
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$166 million (2004)
country comparison to the world: 186
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Solomon Islands dollars (SBD) per US dollar -
7.359 (2012 est.)
7.6413 (2011 est.)
8.0645 (2010 est.)
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calendar year
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82 million kWh (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 202
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76.26 million kWh (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 201
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0 kWh (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 169
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0 kWh (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 165
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14,000 kW (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 197
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100% of total installed capacity (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 9
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0% of total installed capacity (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 56
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0% of total installed capacity (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 161
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0% of total installed capacity (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 114
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0 bbl/day (2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 114
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0 bbl/day (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 88
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0 bbl/day (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 163
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0 bbl (1 January 2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 111
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0 bbl/day (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 128
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1,728 bbl/day (2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 193
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0 bbl/day (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 157
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1,433 bbl/day (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 187
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0 cu m (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 106
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0 cu m (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 123
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0 cu m (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 165
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0 cu m (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 166
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0 cu m (1 January 2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 116
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359,000 Mt (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 184
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| Communications ::Solomon Islands |
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8,400 (2011)
country comparison to the world: 203
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274,900 (2011)
country comparison to the world: 174
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general assessment: NA
domestic:
mobile-cellular telephone density is about 50 telephones per 100 persons
international:
country code - 677; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)
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Solomon Islands Broadcasting Corporation (SIBC) is the sole TV broadcaster with 1 station; multi-channel pay-TV is available; SIBC operates 2 national radio stations and 2 provincial stations; 2 local commercial radio stations; Radio Australia is available via satellite feed (2009)
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.sb
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4,370 (2012)
country comparison to the world: 148
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10,000 (2009)
country comparison to the world: 201
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| Transportation ::Solomon Islands |
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36 (2012)
country comparison to the world: 111
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total: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m:
1 (2012)
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total: 35
1,524 to 2,437 m:
1
914 to 1,523 m:
9
under 914 m:
25 (2012)
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3 (2012)
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total: 1,360 km
country comparison to the world: 177
paved:
33 km
unpaved:
1,327 km
note:
includes 800 km of private plantation roads (2002)
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Honiara, Malloco Bay, Viru Harbor, Tulaghi
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| Military ::Solomon Islands |
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no regular military forces; Royal Solomon Islands Police Force (2009)
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males age 16-49: 142,913 (2010 est.)
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males age 16-49: 118,921
females age 16-49:
118,164 (2010 est.)
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male: 6,483
female:
6,098 (2010 est.)
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3% of GDP (2006)
country comparison to the world: 44
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| Transnational Issues ::Solomon Islands |
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since 2003, Regional Assistance Mission to Solomon Islands, consisting of police, military, and civilian advisors drawn from 15 countries, has assisted in reestablishing and maintaining civil and political order while reinforcing regional stability and security
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