Natural hazards: typhoons, but rarely destructive; geologically active region with frequent earth tremors; volcanic activity
Environment - current issues: deforestation; soil erosion; many of the surrounding coral reefs are dead or dying
Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate
Change, Desertification, Environmental Modification, Law of the Sea,
Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection,
Whaling signed, but not ratified: Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol
Geography - note: strategic location on sea routes between the South
Pacific Ocean, the Solomon Sea, and the Coral Sea
People Solomon Islands
Population: 494,786 (July 2002 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: 43.4% (male 109,339; female 105,170) 15-64 years: 53.5% (male 134,125; female 130,804) 65 years and over: 3.1% (male 7,467; female 7,881) (2002 est.)
Population growth rate: 2.91% (2002 est.)
Birth rate: 33.26 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Death rate: 4.19 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)