Natural resources: manganese, hardwood forests, fish
Land use:
arable land: 1%
permanent crops: 5%
meadows and pastures: 2%
forest and woodland: 1%
other: 91%
Irrigated land: NA sq km
Environment:
current issues: a majority of the population does not have access to
a potable and reliable supply of water
natural hazards: tropical cyclones or typhoons (January to April);
volcanism causes minor earthquakes
international agreements: party to - Biodiversity, Climate Change,
Endangered Species, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship
Pollution; signed, but not ratified - Desertification, Law of the Sea
People ———
Population: 177,504 (July 1996 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 40% (male 36,409; female 35,105)
15-64 years: 57% (male 51,969; female 48,901)
65 years and over: 3% (male 2,802; female 2,318) (July 1996 est.)
Population growth rate: 2.17% (1996 est.)
Birth rate: 30.57 births/1,000 population (1996 est.)
Death rate: 8.84 deaths/1,000 population (1996 est.)