South Pacific quake
Last reviewed: 02-04-2007
Solomon Islands
| Capital: | Honiara |
| Area size (Land only): | 27990 sq. km Slightly smaller than Belgium |
| Time zone: | GMT +11 |
| Currency: | Solomon Islands dollar |
| Area code: | (+) 677 |
| Driving: | Left |
| Climate description: | Tropical monsoon climate, with temperature around 23-31 C throughout the year. December to March is rainier, with a greater chance of cyclones. |
People
Standard of living
Economy & aid
Health
Disasters, conflict & migration
Language
English is the official language, but most people speak English-derived pidgin or one of over 120 local languages and dialects.
Source: New Internationalist World Guide
Population
Future population estimates
1.0 million (2050)
Source: U.N. DESA (2009)
Ethnic groups
People of Melanesian origin make up 93 percent of the population, and 4 percent are Polynesians. There are also Micronesian, Chinese and European minorities.
Source: NI World Guide
Religion
Anglicans 45 percent, Catholic 18 percent, Methodist and Presbyterian 12 percent. There are also Baptists, Seventh Day Adventists, other Protestants and followers of local beliefs.
Source: NI World Guide
Percentage urban population
Year women granted right to vote
1974
Source: U.N. Development Programme (UNDP) Human Development Report
Where two figures are shown, the first refers to a partial recognition of the right to vote and the second to the year women received the right to vote on a universal and equal basis.
Net percentage of girls enrolled in primary education
No data available (2007)
Percentage of population under 15
English is the official language, but most people speak English-derived pidgin or one of over 120 local languages and dialects.
Source: New Internationalist World Guide
Population
| 2009 | 0.5 million | U.N. Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA) Population Division (2009) |
| 2007 | 0.5 million | U.N. Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA) Population Division (2006) |
| 2006 | 0.5 million | U.N. DESA (2006) |
| 2005 | 0.5 million | U.N. DESA (2006) |
| 2004 | 0.5 million | U.N. DESA (2006) |
| 2003 | 0.4 million | U.N. DESA (2006) |
| 2002 | 0.4 million | U.N. DESA (2006) |
| 2001 | 0.4 million | U.N. DESA (2006) |
| 2000 | 0.4 million | U.N. DESA (2006) |
Future population estimates
1.0 million (2050)
Source: U.N. DESA (2009)
Ethnic groups
People of Melanesian origin make up 93 percent of the population, and 4 percent are Polynesians. There are also Micronesian, Chinese and European minorities.
Source: NI World Guide
Religion
Anglicans 45 percent, Catholic 18 percent, Methodist and Presbyterian 12 percent. There are also Baptists, Seventh Day Adventists, other Protestants and followers of local beliefs.
Source: NI World Guide
Percentage urban population
| 2007 | 17.6 percent | U.N. DESA - World Urbanisation Prospects 2005 |
| 2006 | 17.3 percent | U.N. DESA (2005) |
| 2005 | 17.0 percent | U.N. DESA (2005) |
| 2004 | 16.7 percent | U.N. DESA (2005) |
| 2003 | 16.4 percent | U.N. DESA (2005) |
| 2002 | 16.2 percent | U.N. DESA (2005) |
| 2001 | 15.9 percent | U.N. DESA (2005) |
| 2000 | 15.7 percent | U.N. DESA (2005) |
Year women granted right to vote
1974
Source: U.N. Development Programme (UNDP) Human Development Report
Where two figures are shown, the first refers to a partial recognition of the right to vote and the second to the year women received the right to vote on a universal and equal basis.
Net percentage of girls enrolled in primary education
No data available (2007)
Percentage of population under 15
| 2005 | 40.5 percent | UNDP - Human Development Report 2007/2008 |
| 2004 | 41.0 percent | UNDP - Human Development Report 2006 |
| 2003 | 41.3 percent | UNDP - Human Development Report 2005 |
| 2002 | 42.9 percent | UNDP - Human Development Report 2004 |
| 2001 | 43.3 percent | UNDP - Human Development Report 2003 |
| 2000 | 44.8 percent | UNDP - Human Development Report 2002 |
Average life expectancy
Life expectancy - male
Life expectancy - female
Infant mortality
Child mortality - deaths before the age of five
Births attended by skilled personnel
Maternal mortality
Human development index (HDI rank)
Percentage of children under weight for age (under age 5)
No data available percent (1996-2005)
Percentage of undernourished population
Food intake falls below the minimum requirement.
Population with access to improved water
Population with access to improved sanitation
Literacy - average
Literacy - male
No data available percent
Literacy - female
No data available percent
Landlines telephones
Cellular telephone subscribers
Internet users
Transparency International corruption ranking (Scale: 1 = least corrupt, >175 = most corrupt)
Signatory of International Convention on the Prevention and Punishment for the crime of Genocide
No (1948)
Source: UNDP - Human Development Report
Signatory of the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment
No (1984)
Source: UNDP - Human Development Report
Signatory of the Convention on the Rights of the Child
Yes (1989)
Source: UNDP - Human Development Report
| 2005 | 63.0 years | UNDP - Human Development Report 2007/2008 |
| 2004 | 62.6 years | UNDP - Human Development Report 2006 |
| 2003 | 62.3 years | UNDP - Human Development Report 2005 |
| 2002 | 69.0 years | UNDP - Human Development Report 2004 |
| 2001 | 68.7 years | UNDP - Human Development Report 2003 |
| 2000 | 68.3 years | UNDP - Human Development Report 2002 |
Life expectancy - male
| 2005 | 62.2 years | UNDP - Human Development Report 2007/2008 |
| 2004 | 61.9 years | UNDP - Human Development Report 2006 |
| 2003 | 61.6 years | UNDP - Human Development Report 2005 |
| 2002 | 67.8 years | UNDP - Human Development Report 2004 |
| 2001 | 67.5 years | UNDP - Human Development Report 2003 |
| 2000 | 67.2 years | UNDP - Human Development Report 2002 |
Life expectancy - female
| 2005 | 63.8 years | UNDP - Human Development Report 2007/2008 |
| 2004 | 63.3 years | UNDP - Human Development Report 2006 |
| 2003 | 63.0 years | UNDP - Human Development Report 2005 |
| 2002 | 70.5 years | UNDP - Human Development Report 2004 |
| 2001 | 70.1 years | UNDP - Human Development Report 2003 |
| 2000 | 69.7 years | UNDP - Human Development Report 2002 |
Infant mortality
| 2007 | 53 per 1,000 live births | U.N. Children's Fund (UNICEF) - State of the World's Children 2009 |
| 2006 | 55 per 1,000 live births | UNICEF - State of the World's Children 2008 |
| 2005 | 24 per 1,000 live births | U.N. Children's Fund (UNICEF) - State of the World's Children 2007 |
| 2004 | 34 per 1,000 live births | UNICEF - State of the World's Children 2006 |
| 2003 | 19 per 1,000 live births | UNDP - Human Development Report 2005 |
| 2002 | 20 per 1,000 live births | UNDP - Human Development Report 2004 |
| 2001 | 20 per 1,000 live births | UNDP - Human Development Report 2003 |
| 2000 | 21 per 1,000 live births | UNDP - Human Development Report 2002 |
Child mortality - deaths before the age of five
| 2007 | 70 per 1,000 live births | U.N. Children's Fund (UNICEF) - State of the World's Children 2009 |
| 2006 | 73 per 1,000 live births | UNICEF - State of the World's Children 2008 |
| 2005 | 29 per 1,000 live births | UNICEF - State of the World's Children 2007 |
| 2004 | 56 per 1,000 live births | UNICEF - State of the World's Children 2006 |
| 2000 | 25 per 1,000 live births | UNDP - Human Development Report 2002 |
Births attended by skilled personnel
| 1997-2005 | 85 percent | UNDP - Human Development Report 2007/2008 |
| 1996-2004 | 85 percent | UNDP - Human Development Report 2006 |
| 1995-2003 | 85 percent | UNDP - Human Development Report 2005 |
| 1995-2002 | 85 percent | UNDP - Human Development Report 2004 |
| 1995-2001 | 85 percent | UNDP - Human Development Report 2003 |
| 1995-2000 | 85 percent | UNDP - Human Development Report 2002 |
Maternal mortality
| 2005 | 220 per 100,000 live births | UNDP - Human Development Report 2007/2008 |
| 2000 | 130 per 100,000 live births | UNDP - Human Development Report 2006 |
Human development index (HDI rank)
| 2005 | 129 | UNDP - Human Development Report 2007/2008 |
| 2004 | 128 | UNDP - Human Development Report 2006 |
| 2003 | 128 | UNDP - Human Development Report 2005 |
| 2002 | 124 | UNDP - Human Development Report 2004 |
| 2001 | 123 | UNDP - Human Development Report 2003 |
| 2000 | 121 | UNDP - Human Development Report 2002 |
Percentage of children under weight for age (under age 5)
No data available percent (1996-2005)
Percentage of undernourished population
| 2003-2005 | 9 percent | U.N. Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) 2008 |
| 2002-2004average | 21 percent | U.N. Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) 2006 |
| 2001-2003average | 20 percent | FAO 2006 |
| 1999-2001average | No data available percent | |
| 1998-2000average | No data available percent |
Food intake falls below the minimum requirement.
Population with access to improved water
| 2006 | 70 percent | UNICEF and WHO 2008 |
| 2004 | 70 percent | UNICEF and World Health Organisation (WHO) 2006 |
| 2002 | 70 percent | UNDP - Human Development Report 2005 |
| 2000 | 71 percent | UNDP - Human Development Report 2004 |
Population with access to improved sanitation
| 2006 | 32 percent | UNICEF and WHO 2008 |
| 2004 | 31 percent | UNICEF and WHO 2006 |
| 2002 | 31 percent | UNDP - Human Development Report 2005 |
Literacy - average
| 2004 | No data available percent | |
| 2003 | No data available percent | |
| 2002 | 76.6 percent | UNDP - Human Development Report 2004 |
| 2001 | 76.6 percent | UNDP - Human Development Report 2003 |
| 2000 | 76.6 percent | UNDP - Human Development Report 2002 |
Literacy - male
No data available percent
Literacy - female
No data available percent
Landlines telephones
| 2008 | 16 per 1,000 people | ITU 2009 |
| 2007 | 16 per 1,000 people | ITU 2009 |
| 2006 | 16 per 1,000 people | ITU 2009 |
| 2005 | 16 per 1,000 people | ITU 2009 |
| 2004 | 15 per 1,000 people | ITU 2009 |
| 2003 | 14 per 1,000 people | ITU 2009 |
| 2002 | 15 per 1,000 people | ITU 2009 |
| 2001 | 17 per 1,000 people | ITU 2009 |
| 2000 | 19 per 1,000 people | ITU 2009 |
Cellular telephone subscribers
| 2008 | 22 per 1,000 people | ITU 2009 |
| 2007 | 22 per 1,000 people | ITU 2009 |
| 2006 | 14 per 1,000 people | ITU 2009 |
| 2005 | 13 per 1,000 people | ITU 2009 |
| 2004 | 7 per 1,000 people | ITU 2009 |
| 2003 | 2 per 1,000 people | ITU 2009 |
| 2002 | 2 per 1,000 people | ITU 2009 |
| 2001 | 2 per 1,000 people | ITU 2009 |
| 2000 | 3 per 1,000 people | ITU 2009 |
Internet users
| 2008 | 18 per 1,000 people | ITU 2009 |
| 2007 | 18 per 1,000 people | ITU 2009 |
| 2006 | 16 per 1,000 people | ITU 2009 |
| 2005 | 8 per 1,000 people | ITU 2009 |
| 2004 | 6 per 1,000 people | ITU 2009 |
| 2003 | 6 per 1,000 people | ITU 2009 |
| 2002 | 5 per 1,000 people | ITU 2009 |
| 2001 | 5 per 1,000 people | ITU 2009 |
| 2000 | 5 per 1,000 people | ITU 2009 |
Transparency International corruption ranking (Scale: 1 = least corrupt, >175 = most corrupt)
| 2008 | 109 (joint) | Transparency International 2008 |
| 2007 | 111 (joint) | Transparency International 2007 |
| 2006 | Not ranked |
Signatory of International Convention on the Prevention and Punishment for the crime of Genocide
No (1948)
Source: UNDP - Human Development Report
Signatory of the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment
No (1984)
Source: UNDP - Human Development Report
Signatory of the Convention on the Rights of the Child
Yes (1989)
Source: UNDP - Human Development Report
International humanitarian aid flows
Access the Financial Tracking Service, a global real-time database which records all reported humanitarian aid - including that for NGOs, the Red Cross/Crescent Movement, bilateral aid, in-kind aid and private donations - searchable by country.
Source: Financial Tracking Service, ReliefWeb
Percentage of population living on less than US$1 a day
No data available percent
GNI per capita, Atlas method
The purpose of the Atlas conversion factor is to reduce the impact of exchange rate fluctuations in a cross-country comparison of national incomes. The Atlas conversion factor for any year is the average of a country's exchange rate (or alternative conversion factor) for that year and its exchange rates for the two preceding years.
GDP
Annual GDP growth
Annual inflation
Share of income or consumption (poorest 10 percent)
No data available
Share of income or consumption (richest 10 percent)
No data available
No data available percent
GNI per capita, Atlas method
| 2007 | 750 current US$ | World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009 |
| 2006 | 680 current US$ | World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009 |
| 2005 | 630 current US$ | World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009 |
| 2004 | 600 current US$ | World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009 |
| 2003 | 560 current US$ | World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009 |
| 2002 | 560 current US$ | World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009 |
| 2001 | 640 current US$ | World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009 |
| 2000 | 690 current US$ | World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009 |
The purpose of the Atlas conversion factor is to reduce the impact of exchange rate fluctuations in a cross-country comparison of national incomes. The Atlas conversion factor for any year is the average of a country's exchange rate (or alternative conversion factor) for that year and its exchange rates for the two preceding years.
GDP
| 2007 | 0.4 current US$ billions | World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009 |
| 2006 | 0.3 current US$ billions | World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009 |
| 2005 | 0.3 current US$ billions | World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009 |
| 2004 | 0.3 current US$ billions | World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009 |
| 2003 | 0.2 current US$ billions | World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009 |
| 2002 | 0.2 current US$ billions | World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009 |
| 2001 | 0.3 current US$ billions | World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009 |
| 2000 | 0.3 current US$ billions | World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009 |
Annual GDP growth
| 2006 | 6.1 percent | World Bank Data Profile Tables 2008 |
| 2005 | 5.0 percent | World Bank Data Profile Tables 2008 |
| 2004 | 8.0 percent | World Bank Data Profile Tables 2008 |
| 2003 | 6.4 percent | World Bank Data Profile Tables 2008 |
| 2002 | -1.6 percent | World Bank Data Profile Tables 2008 |
| 2001 | -9.0 percent | World Bank Data Profile Tables 2008 |
| 2000 | -14.3 percent | World Bank Data Profile Tables 2008 |
Annual inflation
| 2007 | 6.0 percent | World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009 |
| 2006 | 8.5 percent | World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009 |
| 2005 | 7.2 percent | World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009 |
| 2004 | 5.7 percent | World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009 |
| 2003 | 6.3 percent | World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009 |
| 2002 | 7.9 percent | World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009 |
| 2001 | 3.2 percent | World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009 |
| 2000 | 10.7 percent | World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009 |
Share of income or consumption (poorest 10 percent)
No data available
Share of income or consumption (richest 10 percent)
No data available
Physicians
Percentage HIV+ (adults aged 15-49)
No data available percent
Malaria
Risk from P.falciparum throughout the year except a few eastern and southern islets. Resistance to chloroquine and sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine reported.
Source: WHO
TB cases
| 2000-2004 | No data available per 100,000 people | |
| 1990-2004 | 13 per 100,000 people | UNDP - Human Development Report 2006 |
| 1990-2003 | 13 per 100,000 people | UNDP - Human Development Report 2004 |
| 1990-2002 | 13 per 100,000 people | UNDP - Human Development Report 2003 |
Percentage HIV+ (adults aged 15-49)
No data available percent
Malaria
Risk from P.falciparum throughout the year except a few eastern and southern islets. Resistance to chloroquine and sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine reported.
Source: WHO
TB cases
| 2007 | 128 per 100,000 people | WHO 2009 |
| 2006 | 135 per 100,000 people | WHO 2009 |
| 2005 | 142 per 100,000 people | WHO 2009 |
| 2004 | 150 per 100,000 people | WHO 2009 |
| 2003 | 158 per 100,000 people | WHO 2009 |
| 2002 | 166 per 100,000 people | WHO 2009 |
| 2001 | 175 per 100,000 people | WHO 2009 |
| 2000 | 185 per 100,000 people | WHO 2009 |
Chronology of natural disasters
Access EM-DAT, a database of natural disasters from 1900 to the present - death tolls and numbers of affected people - searchable by country.
Source: Centre for Research on the Epidemiology of Disasters, Catholic University of Louvain, Belgium
Number of refugees originating here
Number of refugees residing here
No data available
Number of internally displaced people\Estimate
Landmine casualties per year
Casualty figures may include both civilians and military personnel injured or killed by landmines and unexploded ordnance.
Signatory to landmine convention?
Yes (1997 )
Source: Landmine Monitor Report
Percentage of GDP spent on military
No data available percent
Percentage of GDP spent on education
Percentage of GDP spent on health
| 2008 | 52 | UNHCR |
| 2007 | 48 | UNHCR |
| 2006 | 38 | Office of the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) |
| 2005 | 27 | UNHCR |
| 2004 | 61 | UNHCR |
| 2003 | No data available | |
| 2002 | No data available | |
| 2001 | No data available | |
| 2000 | No data available |
Number of refugees residing here
No data available
Number of internally displaced people\Estimate
| No data available | |||
Landmine casualties per year
| 2004 | 0 | Landmine Monitor Report 2005 |
| 2003 | 0 | Landmine Monitor Report 2004 |
Casualty figures may include both civilians and military personnel injured or killed by landmines and unexploded ordnance.
Signatory to landmine convention?
Yes (1997 )
Source: Landmine Monitor Report
Percentage of GDP spent on military
No data available percent
Percentage of GDP spent on education
| 2002-2005 | No data available percent | |
| 2002-2004 | No data available percent | |
| 2000-2002 | 3.4 percent | UNDP - Human Development Report 2005 |
| 1999-2001 | 3.5 percent | UNDP - Human Development Report 2004 |
| 1998-2000 | 3.6 percent | UNDP - Human Development Report 2003 |
Percentage of GDP spent on health
| 2004 | 5.6 percent | UNDP - Human Development Report 2007/2008 |
| 2003-2004 | 4.5 percent | UNDP - Human Development Report 2006 |
| 2002 | 4.5 percent | UNDP - Human Development Report 2005 |
| 2001 | 4.7 percent | UNDP - Human Development Report 2004 |
| 2000 | 5.6 percent | UNDP - Human Development Report 2003 |
AlertNet makes every effort to ensure statistics are updated from the relevant sources as soon as they are available.
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