ervice: 419,456
males reach military age (19) annually: 15,350 (1996 est.)

Defense expenditures: 13.5 billion tolars, 3.6% of GDP (1995
est.); note - conversion of the military budget into US dollars
using the current exchange rate could produce misleading results

======================================================================

@Solomon Islands
---------------

Map
---

Location: 8 00 S, 159 00 E -- Oceania, group of islands in the
South Pacific Ocean, east of Papua New Guinea

Flag
----

Description: 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

Geography
---------

Location: Oceania, group of islands in the South Pacific Ocean,
east of Papua New Guinea

Geographic coordinates: 8 00 S, 159 00 E

Map references: Oceania

Area:
total area: 28,450 sq km
land area: 27,540 sq km
comparative area: slightly larger than Maryland

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 5,313 km

Maritime claims: measured from claimed archipelagic baselines
continental shelf: 200 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
territorial sea: 12 nm

International disputes: none

Climate: tropical monsoon; few extremes of temperature and weather

Terrain: mostly rugged mountains with some low coral atolls
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: Mount Makarakomburu 2,447 m

Natural resources: fish, forests, gold, bauxite, phosphates, lead,
zinc, nickel

Land use:
arable land: 1%
permanent crops: 1%
meadows and pastures: 1%
forest and woodland: 93%
other: 4%

Irrigated land: NA sq km

Environment:
current issues: deforestation; soil erosion; much of the surrounding
coral reefs are dead or dying
natural hazards: typhoons, but they are rarely destructive;
geologically active region with frequent earth tremors; volcanic
activity
international agreements: party to - Biodiversity, Climate Change,
Environmental Modification, Marine Dumping, Marine Life
Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Whaling; signed, but not
ratified - Law of the Sea

People
------

Population: 412,902 (July 1996 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 46% (male 96,241; female 92,722)
15-64 years: 51% (male 107,482; female 104,293)
65 years and over: 3% (male 6,129; female