:

NA

Nationality:

noun: Solomon Islander(s)
adjective: Solomon Islander

Ethnic groups:

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

Religions:

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)

Languages:

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

Literacy:

NA

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):

total: 8 years
male: 9 years
female: 8 years (2005)

Education expenditures:

3.3% of GDP (1999)

Government
Solomon Islands

Country name:

conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Solomon Islands
local long form: none
local short form: Solomon Islands
former: British Solomon Islands

Government type:

parliamentary democracy

Capital:

name: Honiara
geographic coordinates: 9 26 S, 159 57 E
time difference: UTC+11 (16 hours ahead of Washington, DC during
Standard Time)

Administrative divisions:

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

Independence:

7 July 1978 (from UK)

National holiday:

Independence Day, 7 July (1978)

Constitution:

7 July 1978

Legal system:

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

Suffrage:

21 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952);
represented by Governor General Nathaniel WAENA (since 7 July 2004)
head of government: Prime Minister Derek SIKUA (since 20 December
2007); note - Prime Minister Manasseh SOGAVARE defeated in a no
confidence vote in parliament on 13 December 2007; SIKUA elected on
20 December 2007
cabinet: Cabinet consists of 20 members appointed by the governor
general on the advice of the prime minister from among the members
of Parliament
elections: the monarch is hereditary; governor general appointed by
the monarch on the advice of Parliament for up to five years
(eligible for a second term); following legislative elections, the
leader of the majority party or the leader of a majority co