phoons, 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.)

Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 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:
0.95 male(s)/female total population: 1.03 male(s)/female (2002 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 23.68 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: 74.39 years (2002 est.) male: Total fertility
rate: 4.5 children born/woman (2002 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: NA%

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths: NA

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 45%, Roman Catholic 18%, United
(Methodist/Presbyterian) 12%, Baptist 9%, Seventh-Day Adventist 7%,
other Protestant 5%, indigenous beliefs 4%

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

Literacy: definition: NA total population: NA% male: NA% female: NA%

Government Solomon Islands

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

Government type: parliamentary democracy tending toward anarchy

Capital: Honiara

Administrative divisions: 9 provinces and 1 capi