tified : Law of the Sea

@Solomon Islands:People

Population: 426,855 (July 1997 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 45% (male 98,797; female 95,162)
15-64 years : 52% (male 111,702; female 108,505)
65 years and over: 3% (male 6,345; female 6,344) (July 1997 est.)

Population growth rate: 3.3% (1997 est.)

Birth rate: 37.3 births/1,000 population (1997 est.)

Death rate: 4.31 deaths/1,000 population (1997 est.)

Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1997 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth : 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years : 1.03 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 1 male(s)/female
total population: 1.03 male(s)/female (1997 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 24.9 deaths/1,000 live births (1997 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 71.45 years
male: 68.96 years
female: 74.07 years (1997 est.)

Total fertility rate: 5.27 children born/woman (1997 est.)

Nationality:
noun: Solomon Islander(s)
adjective: Solomon Islander

Ethnic groups: Melanesian 93%, Polynesian 4%, Micronesian 1.5%,
European 0.8%, Chinese 0.3%, other 0.4%

Religions: Anglican 34%, Roman Catholic 19%, Baptist 17%, United
(Methodist/Presbyterian) 11%, Seventh-Day Adventist 10%, other
Protestant 5%, traditional beliefs 4%

Languages: Melanesian pidgin in much of the country is lingua franca,
English spoken by 1%-2% of population
note: 120 indigenous languages

Literacy: NA

@Solomon Islands:Government

Country name:
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Solomon Islands
former: British Solomon Islands

Data code: BP

Government type: parliamentary democracy

National capital: Honiara

Administrative divisions: 7 provinces and 1 town*; Central,
Guadalcanal, Honiara*, Isabel, Makira, Malaita, Temotu, Western
note: there may be two new provinces of Choiseul (Lauru) and
Rennell/Bellona and the administrative unit of Honiara may have been
abolished

Independence: 7 July 1978 (from UK)

National holiday: Independence Day, 7 July (1978)

Constitution: 7 July 1978

Legal system: common law

Suffrage: 21 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II of the UK (since 6 February 1952),
represented by Governor General Moses PITAKAKA (since 10 June 1994)
head of government: Prime Minister Solomon MAMALONI (since 7 November
1994); Deputy Prime Minister Francis SAEMALA (since NA February 1997)
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the governo