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.

Oceania, group of islands in the South Pacific Ocean, east of Papua New Guinea

slightly smaller than Maryland

measured from claimed archipelagic baselines

tropical monsoon; few extremes of temperature and weather

mostly rugged mountains with some low coral atolls

fish, forests, gold, bauxite, phosphates, lead, zinc, nickel

typhoons, but rarely destructive; geologically active region with frequent earthquakes, tremors, and volcanic activity; tsunamis

deforestation; soil erosion; many of the surrounding coral reefs are dead or dying

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

595,613 (July 2010 est.)

27.69 births/1,000 population (2010 est.)

3.77 deaths/1,000 population (July 2010 est.)

3.39 children born/woman (2010 est.)

Melanesian 94.5%, Polynesian 3%, Micronesian 1.2%, other 1.1%, unspecified 0.2% (1999 census)

Church of Melanesia 32.8%, Roman Catholic 19%, South Seas Evangelical 17%, Seventh-Day Adventist 11.2%, United Church 10.3%, Christian Fellowship Church 2.4%, other Christian 4.4%, other 2.4%, unspecified 0.3%, none 0.2% (1999 census)

Melanesian pidgin in much of the country is lingua franca; English (official but spoken by only 1%-2% of the population); 120 indigenous languages

parliamentary democracy and a Commonwealth realm

9 provinces and 1 capital territory*; Central, Choiseul, Guadalcanal, Honiara*, Isabel, Makira, Malaita, Rennell and Bellona, Temotu, Western

7 July 1978 (from the UK)

Independence Day, 7 July (1978)

English common law, which is widely disregarded; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

21 years of age; universal

unicameral National Parliament (50 seats; members elected from single-member constituencies by popular vote to serve four-year terms)

Association of Independent Members or AIM [Thomas CHAN]; Christian Alliance Solomon Islands or CASI [Edward RONIA]; LAFARI Party [John GARO]; National Party [Francis HILLY]; People's Alliance Party or PAP [Sir Allan KEMAKEZA]; Social Credit Party or SOCRED [Manasseh Damukana SOGAVARE]; Solomon First Party [David QUAN]; Solomon Islands Democratic Party [Gabriel SURI]; Solomon Islands Labor Party or SILP [Joses TUHANUKU]; Solomon Islands Liberal Party [Bartholomew ULUFA'ALU]; Solomon Islands Party for Rural Advancement or SIPRA [Job D. TAUSINGA]; United Party [Sir Peter KENILOREA]

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

ACP, ADB, AOSIS, C, ESCAP, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IOC, ITU, MIGA, OPCW, PIF, Sparteca, SPC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UPU, WHO, WMO, WTO

the US does not have an embassy in the Solomon Islands; the US ambassador to Papua New Guinea is accredited to the Solomon Islands

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

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

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.

$1.497 billion (2009 est.)

$1.532 billion (2008 est.)

$1.427 billion (2007 est.)

$657 million (2009 est.)

14.44% (31 December 2008)

14.12% (31 December 2007)

$86.96 million (31 December 2008)

$94 million (31 December 2007)

$96.79 million (31 December 2008)

$85.47 million (31 December 2007)

$166.1 million (31 December 2008)

$126.5 million (31 December 2007)

cocoa beans, coconuts, palm kernels, rice, potatoes, vegetables, fruit; timber; cattle, pigs; fish

fish (tuna), mining, timber

71 million kWh (2007 est.)

66.03 million kWh (2007 est.)

0 bbl/day (2009 est.)

2,000 bbl/day (2009 est.)

0 bbl/day (2007 est.)

1,323 bbl/day (2007 est.)

0 bbl (1 January 2009 est.)

0 cu m (1 January 2009 est.)

-$143 million (2007 est.)

timber, fish, copra, palm oil, cocoa

China 54.07%, South Korea 6.19%, Philippines 6.04%, Spain 4.87% (2009)

food, plant and equipment, manufactured goods, fuels, chemicals

Singapore 24.69%, Australia 23.06%, NZ 5.2%, Fiji 4.47%, Papua New Guinea 4.34%, Malaysia 3.98% (2009)

Solomon Islands dollars (SBD) per US dollar - NA (2007), 7.3447 (2006), 7.5299 (2005), 7.4847 (2004), 7.5059 (2003)

Solomon Islands Broadcasting Corporation (SIBC) is the sole TV broadcaster with 1 station; multi-channel pay-TV is available; SIBC, the public service broadcaster, operates 2 national radio stations and 2 provincial stations; 2 local commercial radio stations operating; Radio Australia is obtainable via satellite feed (2009)

Honiara, Malloco Bay, Viru Harbor

no regular military forces; Solomon Islands Police Force (2009)

since 2003, RAMSI, 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