*Solomon Islands, Government
mailing address:
American Embassy, P. O. Box 561, Honiara
telephone:
(677) 23890
FAX:
(677) 23488
Flag:
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
*Solomon Islands, Economy
Overview:
About 90% of the population depend on subsistence agriculture, fishing, and
forestry for at least part of their livelihood. Agriculture, fishing, and
forestry contribute about 70% to GDP, with the fishing and forestry sectors
being important export earners. The service sector contributes about 25% to
GDP. Most manufactured goods and petroleum products must be imported. The
islands are rich in undeveloped mineral resources such as lead, zinc,
nickel, and gold. The economy suffered from a severe cyclone in mid-1986
that caused widespread damage to the infrastructure.
National product:
GDP - exchange rate conversion - $200 million (1990 est.)
National product real growth rate:
6% (1990 est.)
National product per capita:
$600 (1990 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
14.3% (1991)
Unemployment rate:
NA%
Budget:
revenues $48 million; expenditures $107 million, including capital
expenditures of $45 million (1991 est.)
Exports:
$74.2 million (f.o.b., 1991 est.)
commodities:
fish 46%, timber 31%, copra 5%, palm oil 5%
partners:
Japan 51%, UK 12%, Thailand 9%, Netherlands 8%, Australia 2%, US 2% (1985)
Imports:
$87.1 million (c.i.f., 1991 est.)
commodities:
plant and machinery 30%, fuel 19%, food 16%
partners:
Japan 36%, US 23%, Singapore 9%, UK 9%, NZ 9%, Australia 4%, Hong Kong 4%,
China 3% (1985)
External debt:
$128 million (1988 est.)
Industrial production:
growth rate 0% (1987); accounts for 5% of GDP
Electricity:
21,000 kW capacity; 39 million kWh produced, 115 kWh per capita (1990)
Industries:
copra, fish (tuna)
Agriculture:
including fishing and forestry, accounts for about 70% of GDP; mostly
subsistence farming; cash crops - cocoa, beans, coconuts, palm kernels,
timber; other products - rice, potatoes, vegetables, fruit, cattle, pigs;
not self-sufficient in food grains; 90% of the total fish catch of 44,500
metric tons was exported (1988)
Economic aid:
Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1980-89),
$250 million
Currency:
1 Solomon Islands dollar (SI$) = 100 cents
Exchange rates:
Solomon Islands dollars (SI$) per US$1 - 3.1211 (January 1993), 2.9281
(1992), 2.7148 (1991), 2.5288 (1990), 2.2932 (1989), 2.0825 (1988)
Fiscal year:
calendar year
*Solomon Islands, Communications
Highways:
about 2,100 km total (1982); 30 km paved, 290 km gravel, 980 km earth, 800
private logging and plantation roads of varied construction
Ports:
Honiara, Ringi Cove
Airports:
total:
30
usable:
29
with permanent-surface runways:
2
with runways over 3,659 m:
0
with runways 2,440-3,659 m:
0
with runways 1,220-2,439 m:
3
Telecommunications:
3,000 telephones; broadcast stations - 4 AM, no FM, no TV; 1 Pacific Ocean
INTELSAT earth station
*Solomon Islands, Defense Forces
Branches:
Police Force
Manpower availability:
NA
Defense expenditures:
exchange rate conversion - $NA, NA% of GDP
*Somalia, Geography
Location:
Eastern Africa, bordering the northwestern Indian Ocean, south of the
Arabian Peninsula
Map references:
Africa, Standard Time Zones of the World
Area:
total area:
637,660 km2
land area:
627,340 km2
comparative area:
slightly smaller than Texas
Land boundaries:
total 2,366 km, Djibouti 58 km, Ethiopia 1,626 km, Kenya 682 km
Coastline:
3,025 km
Maritime claims:
territorial sea:
200 nm
International disputes:
southern half of boundary with Ethiopia is a Provisional Administrative
Line; territorial dispute with Ethiopia over the Ogaden; possible claims to
Djibouti and parts of Ethiopia and Kenya based on unification of ethnic
Somalis
Climate:
desert; northeast monsoon (December to February), cooler southwest monsoon
(May to October); irregular rainfall; hot, humid periods (tangambili)
between monsoons
Terrain:
mostly flat to undulating plateau rising to hills in north
Natural resources:
uranium and largely unexploited reserves of iron ore, tin, gypsum, bauxite,
copper, salt
Land use:
arable land:
2%
permanent crops:
0%
meadows and pastures:
46%
forest and woodland: 14%
other:
38%
Irrigated land:
1,600 km2 (1989 est.)
Environment:
recurring droughts; frequent dust storms over eastern plains in summer;
deforestation; overgrazing; soil erosion; desertification
Note:
strategic location on Horn of Africa along southern approaches to Bab el
Mandeb and route through Red Sea and Suez Canal