| Solomon Islands (03/99) Bureau of East Asian and Pacific Affairs March 1999 Background Note: Solomon Islands PROFILE OFFICIAL NAME: Solomon Islands Geography Area: Land 27,556 sq. km. (11,599 sq. mi.). Archipelago 725,197 sq. km. (280,000 sq. mi.). Cities: Capital Honiara (on the island of Guadalcanal), pop. 30,000. Other townsGizo, Auki, Kirakira. Terrain: Mountainous islands. Climate: Tropical monsoon. People Nationality: Noun and adjectiveSolomon Islander(s). Population (1997): 426,855 (45% under age 14). Annual growth rate: 3.3%. Ethnic groups (1987): Melanesian 93%, Polynesian 4%, Micronesian 1.5%, other 1.5%. Religions: Christian 95%more than one-third Anglican (Archdiocese of Melanesia), Roman Catholic 19%, South Sea Evangelical 17%, United Church (Methodist) 11%, Seventh-day Adventist 10%. Languages: English (official); about 90 vernaculars, including Solomon Islands pidgin. Education: (1995) Years compulsorynone. Attendance97% primary school; 17% secondary school. Adult literacy64%. Health: (1996) Infant mortality rate24/1,000. Life expectancy71.1 yrs. Work force (217,700, 1995): Agriculture77%. Industry and commerce7%. Services16%. Government Type: Parliamentary democracy within the Commonwealth. Constitution: May 1978. Independence: July 7,1978. Branches: ExecutiveBritish monarch represented by a governor general (head of state); prime minister (head of government). Legislative50-member Parliament elected every 4 years. Judicialhigh court plus magistrates court; system of custom land courts throughout islands. Subdivisions: Nine provinces and Honiara town. Political parties: United Party, People's Alliance Party, National Front for Progress, SAS Party, Liberal Party. Suffrage: Universal over 18. National holiday: July 7. Flag: Rectangle divided diagonally by a thin yellow line from bottom of staff to opposite top; the lower part is forest green; the upper, ocean blue containing five stars for the major island groups. Economy GNP (1995): $300 million. Annual growth rate (1991-96): 4.5%. Per capita income (1995): $910. Avg. inflation rate (1996): 10.4%. Natural resources: Forests, fish, agricultural land, marine products, gold. Agriculture: Productscopra, cocoa, palm oil, palm kernels and subsistence crops of yams, taro, bananas, pineapple. Industry: Typespalm oil milling, fish canning, sawmilling, rice milling, boats, rattan and wood furniture, fiberglass products, shell jewelry, tobacco, clothing, soap, nails, handicrafts. Trade (1995): Exports$170 million: fish, logs and timber, cocoa, copra, palm oil and kernels. Major marketsJapan 39%, U.K. 23%, U.S. 2%. Imports$152 million: machinery and transport equipment, fuel, food and beverages. Major suppliersAustralia 34%, Japan 16%, New Zealand 9%. Official exchange rate: Solomon Islands $1=about US$0.21. GEOGRAPHY The Solomon Islands form an archipelago in the Southwest Pacific about 1,900 kilometers (1,200 mi.) northeast of Australia. With terrain ranging from ruggedly mountainous islands to low-lying coral atolls, the Solomons stretch in a 1,450-kilometer (900 mi.) chain southeast from Papua New Guinea across the Coral Sea to Vanuatu. The main islands of Choiseul, New Georgia, Santa Isabel, Guadalcanal, Malaita, and Makira have rainforested mountain ranges of mainly volcanic origin, deep narrow valleys, and coastal belts lined with coconut palms and ringed by reefs. The smaller islands are atolls and raised coral reefs, often spectacularly beautiful. The Solomon Islands region is geologically active, and earth tremors are frequent. The islands' ocean-equatorial climate is extremely humid throughout the year, with a mean temperature of 27° C (80° F) and few extremes of temperature or weather. June through August is the cooler period. Though seasons are not pronounced, the northwesterly winds of November through April bring more frequent rainfall and occasional squalls or cyclones. The annual rainfall is about 305 centimeters (120 in.). More than 90% of the islands is forested. The coastal strips are sheltered by mangrove and coconut trees. Luxuriant rainforest covers the interiors of the large islands. Soil quality ranges from extremely rich volcanic to relatively infertile limestone. More than 230 varieties of orchids and other tropical flowers brighten the landscape. PEOPLE The Solomon Islanders comprise diverse cultures, languages, and customs. Of its 427,000 persons, 93.3% are Melanesian, 4% Polynesian, and 1.5% Micronesian. In addition, small numbers of Europeans and Chinese are registered. About 70 vernaculars are spoken. Most people reside in small, widely dispersed settlements along the coasts. Sixty percent live in localities with fewer than 200 persons, and only 11% reside in urban areas. The capital city of Honiara, situated on Guadalcanal, the largest island, has over 35,000 inhabitants. The other principal towns are Gizo, Auki, and Kirakira. Most Solomon Islanders are Christian, with the Anglican, Roman Catholic, South Seas Evangelical, and Seventh-day Adventist faiths predominating. About 5% of the population maintain traditional beliefs. The chief characteristics of the traditional Melanesian social structure are: The practice of subsistence economy; The recognition of bonds of kinship, with important obligations extending beyond the immediate family group; Generally egalitarian relationships, emphasizing acquired rather than inherited status; and A strong attachment of the people to the land. Most Solomon Islanders maintain this traditional social structure and find their roots in village life. HISTORY Although little prehistory of the Solomon Islands is known, material excavated on Santa Ana, Guadalcanal, and Gawa indicates that a hunter-gatherer people lived on the larger islands as early as 1000 B.C. Some Solomon Islanders are descendants of Neolithic, Austronesian-speaking peoples who migrated somewhat later to the Pacific Islands from Southeast Asia. The European discoverer of the Solomons was the Spanish explorer Alvaro de Mendana Y Neyra, who set out from Peru in 1567 to seek the legendary Isles of Solomon. British mariner Philip Carteret , entered Solomon waters in 1767. In the years that followed, visits by explorers were more frequent. Missionaries began visiting the Solomons in the mid-1800s. They made little progress at first, however, because "blackbirding"the often brutal recruitment of laborers for the sugar plantations in Queensland and Fijiled to a series of reprisals and massacres. The evils of the labor trade prompted the United Kingdom to declare a protectorate over the southern Solomons in 1893. In 1898 and 1899, more outlying islands were added to the protectorate; in 1900 the remainder of the archipelago, an area previously under German jurisdiction, was transferred to British administration. Under the protectorate, missionaries settled in the Solomons, converting most of the population to Christianity. In the early 20th century, several British and Australian firms began largescale coconut planting. Economic growth was slow, however, and the islanders benefited little. With the outbreak of World War II, most planters and traders were evacuated to Australia, and most cultivation ceased. From May 1942, when the Battle of the Coral Sea was fought, until December 1943, the Solomons were almost constantly a scene of combat. Although U.S. forces landed on Guadalcanal virtually unopposed in August 1942, they were soon engaged in a bloody fight for control of the islands' airstrip, which the U.S. forces named Henderson Field. One of the most furious sea battles ever fought took place off Savo Island, near Guadalcanal, also in August 1942. Before the Japanese completely withdrew from Guadalcanal in February 1943, over 7,000 Americans and 21,000 Japanese died. By December 1943, the Allies were in command of the entire Solomon chain. Postwar Developments Following the end of World War II, the British colonial government returned. The capital was moved from Tulagi to Honiara to take advantage of the infrastructure left behind by the U.S. military. A native movement known as the Marching Rule defied government authority. There was much disorder until some of the leaders were jailed in late 1948. Throughout the 1950s, other indigenous dissident groups appeared and disappeared without gaining strength. In 1960, an advisory council of Solomon Islanders was superseded by a legislative council, and an executive council was created as the protectorate's policymaking body. The council was given progressively more authority. In 1974, a new constitution was adopted establishing a parliamentary democracy and ministerial system of government. In mid-1975, the name Solomon Islands officially replaced that of British Solomon Islands Protectorate. On January 2, 1976, the Solomons became self-governing, and independence followed on July 7, 1978. GOVERNMENT The Solomon Islands is a parliamentary democracy within the Commonwealth, with a unicameral Parliament and a ministerial system of government. The British monarch is represented by a governor general, chosen by the Parliament for a 5-year term. The national Parliament has 50 members, elected for 4-year terms. However, Parliament may be dissolved by majority vote of its members before the completion of its term. Parliamentary representation is based on single-member constituencies. Suffrage is universal for citizens over age 18. The prime minister, elected by Parliament, chooses the other members of the cabinet. Each ministry is headed by a cabinet member, who is assisted by a permanent secretary, a career public servant, who directs the staff of the ministry. For local government, the country is divided into 10 administrative areas, of which nine are provinces administered by elected provincial assemblies, and the 10th is the town of Honiara, administered by the Honiara Town Council. Land ownership is reserved for Solomon Islanders. At the time of independence, citizenship was granted to all persons whose parents are or were both British protected persons and members of a group, tribe, or line indigenous to the Solomon Islands. The law provides that resident expatriates, such as the Chinese and Kiribati, may obtain citizenship through naturalization. Land generally is still held on a family or village basis and may be handed down from mother or father according to local custom. The islanders are reluctant to provide land for nontraditional economic undertakings, and this has resulted in continual disputes over land ownership. No military forces are maintained by the Solomon Islands, although the police force of nearly 500 includes a border protection element. The police also have responsibility for fire service, disaster relief, and maritime surveillance. The police force is headed by a commissioner, appointed by the Governor General and responsible to the prime minister. POLITICAL CONDITIONS Solomon Islands governments are characterized by weak political parties and highly unstable parliamentary coalitions. They are subject to frequent votes of no confidence, and government leadership changes frequently as a result. Cabinet changes are common. The first post-independence government was elected in August 1980. Prime Minister Peter Kenilorea was head of government until September 1981, when he was succeeded by Solomon Mamaloni as the result of a realignment within the parliamentary coalitions. Following the November 1984 elections, Kenilorea was again elected Prime Minister, to be replaced in 1986 by his former deputy Ezekiel Alebua following shifts within the parliamentary coalitions. The next election, held in early 1989, returned Solomon Mamaloni as Prime Minister. Francis Billy Hilly was elected Prime Minister following the national elections in June, 1993, and headed the government until November 1994 when a shift in parliamentary loyalties brought Solomon Mamaloni back to power. The last national election was held on August 6, 1997. Bartholomew Ulufa'alu was elected Prime Minister to head a coalition government which christened itself the Solomon Islands Alliance for Change. Former Prime Minister Mamaloni is currently Leader of the Opposition. Principal Government Officials Governor GeneralSir Moses Pitikaka Prime MinisterBartholomew Ulufa'alu Minister for Foreign AffairsPatteson Oti The Solomon Islands mission to the United Nations is located at 800 Second Avenue, Suite 400L, New York, NY 10017 (tel: 212-599-6192/93; fax: 212-661-8925). ECONOMY Although its per capita GDP of $900 ranks Solomon Islands as a middle-income developing nation, over 75% of its labor force are engaged in subsistence farming and fishing. Until 1998, when world prices for tropical timber fell steeply, timber was Solomon Islands main export product, and, in recent years, Solomon Islands forests were dangerously overexploited. Other important cash crops and exports include copra and palm oil. In 1998 Ross Mining of Australia began producing gold at Gold Ridge on Guadalcanal. Minerals exploration in other areas continues, and there are hopes for further gold production. Exploitation of Solomon Islands rich fisheries offers the best prospect for further export and domestic economic expansion. Currently, a Japanese joint venture, Solomon Tiayo Ltd., operates the only fish cannery in the country. Tourism, particularly diving, is an important service industry for Solomon Islands. Growth in that industry is hampered, however, by lack of infrastructure and transportation limitations. Solomon Islands was particularly hard hit by the Asian economic crisis. The Asian Development Bank estimates that the crash of the market for tropical timber reduced Solomon Island's GDP by between 15%-25%. About one-half of all jobs in the timber industry were lost. However, the government has said it will use the fall in demand to reform timber harvesting policies with the aim of resuming logging on a more sustainable basis. Since 1998 the Government of Solomon Islands has pursued a program of government and fiscal management reform intended to restore its financial credibility. The initial steps in the program, for which it hopes to obtain support from the World Bank and the IMF, include downsizing the public service by 5%, payment of outstanding arrears on government debt, and increasing revenues both by applying new taxes and by eliminating import and export duty exemptions granted by previous governments. Foreign aid accounts for about 13% of Solomon Islands GDP. Principal aid donors are Australia, the European Union, Japan, and the Republic of China. FOREIGN RELATIONS Countries with diplomatic missions in the Solomon Islands are Australia, United Kingdom, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, and Japan. The Solomon Islands also has diplomatic relations with the Republic of China, which has a resident representative in Honiara. The U.S. Ambassador resident in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea, also is accredited to Solomon Islands. The Solomon Islands' Permanent Representative to the United Nations also is accredited as its ambassador to the United States and Canada. Relations with Papua New Guinea, which had become strained because of an influx of refugees from the Bougainville rebellion and attacks on the northern islands of the Solomon Islands by elements pursuing Bougainvillean rebels, have been repaired. A peace accord on Bougainville confirmed in 1998 has removed the armed threat, but refugee return has been slow. Membership in International Organizations Solomon Islands is a member of the United Nations, Commonwealth, South Pacific Commission, South Pacific Forum, International Monetary Fund, and the European Economic Community/African, Caribbean, Pacific Group (EEC/ACP)/(Lome Convention). U.S.-SOLOMON ISLANDS RELATIONS The United States and Solomon Islands established diplomatic relations following its independence on July 7, 1978. U.S. representation is handled by the United States Embassy at Port Moresby where the Ambassador is resident. In recognition of the close ties forged between the United States and the people of the Solomon Islands during World War II, the U.S. Congress financed the construction of the Solomon Islands Parliament building. There are approximately 150 American citizens residing permanently in Solomon Islands. The two nations belong to a variety of regional organizations, including the South Pacific Commission and the South Pacific Regional Environmental Program. The United States and Solomon Islands also cooperate under the U.S.-Pacific Islands multilateral Tuna Fisheries Treaty, under which the U.S. grants $18 million per year to Pacific island parties and the latter provide access to U.S. fishing vessels. A United States National Marine Fisheries Service Officer works with the South Pacific Forum Fisheries Agency in Honiara. The United States also supports efforts to protect biodiversity in the Solomon Islands. In addition to supporting the establishment of local conservation areas, the United States supports the International Coral Reef Initiative aimed at protecting reefs in tropical nations such as Solomon Islands. U.S. military forces, through the Pacific Theater Command in Honolulu, Hawaii, carry out annual bilateral meetings as well as smallscale exercises with the Solomon Islands Police Border Protection Force. The U.S. also provides appropriate military education and training courses to national security officials. The U.S. Peace Corps has been present in the Solomon Islands since 1971. Currently, more than 70 volunteers serve throughout the country. Volunteer work is concentrated in rural community development, education, environmental management, and youth programs. There is a Peace Corps Administrative Office in Honiara. U.S. trade with Solomon Islands is limited. In 1997 U.S. exports to Solomon Islands were $2.3 million, consisting primarily of machinery and aircraft. Solomon Islands exports to the United States in that year were about $700,000, consisting primarily of fish and shell products. Principal U.S. Embassy Officials Ambassador Arma Jane Karaer (resident in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea) Peace Corps Country Director Wesley Mukoyama American Embassy Port Moresby is located on Douglas Street, Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea, P.O. Box 1492, Port Moresby (tel: (675) 321-1455; fax: (675) 321-3423). TRAVEL AND BUSINESS INFORMATION The U.S. Department of State's Consular Information Program provides Consular Information Sheets, Travel Warnings, and Public Announcements. Consular Information Sheets exist for all countries and include information on entry requirements, currency regulations, health conditions, areas of instability, crime and security, political disturbances, and the addresses of the U.S. posts in the country. Travel Warnings are issued when the State Department recommends that Americans avoid travel to a certain country. Public Announcements are issued as a means to disseminate information quickly about terrorist threats and other relatively short-term conditions overseas which pose significant risks to the security of American travelers. Free copies of this information are available by calling the Bureau of Consular Affairs at 202-647-5225 or via the fax-on-demand system: 202-647-3000. Consular Information Sheets and Travel Warnings also are available on the Consular Affairs Internet home page: http://travel.state.gov. Consular Affairs Tips for Travelers publication series, which contain information on obtaining passports and planning a safe trip abroad are on the internet and hard copies can be purchased from the Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office, telephone: 202-512-1800; fax 202-512-2250. Emergency information concerning Americans traveling abroad may be obtained from the Office of Overseas Citizens Services at (202) 647-5225. For after-hours emergencies, Sundays and holidays, call 202-647-4000. Passport information can be obtained by calling the National Passport Information Center's automated system ($.35 per minute) or live operators 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. (EST) Monday-Friday ($1.05 per minute). The number is 1-900-225-5674 (TDD: 1-900-225-7778). Major credit card users (for a flat rate of $4.95) may call 1-888-362-8668 (TDD: 1-888-498-3648). It also is available on the internet. Travelers can check the latest health information with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta, Georgia. A hotline at 877-FYI-TRIP (877-394-8747) and a web site at http://www.cdc.gov/travel/index.htm give the most recent health advisories, immunization recommendations or requirements, and advice on food and drinking water safety for regions and countries. A booklet entitled Health Information for International Travel (HHS publication number CDC-95-8280) is available from the U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington, DC 20402, tel. (202) 512-1800. Information on travel conditions, visa requirements, currency and customs regulations, legal holidays, and other items of interest to travelers also may be obtained before your departure from a country's embassy and/or consulates in the U.S. (for this country, see "Principal Government Officials" listing in this publication). U.S. citizens who are long-term visitors or traveling in dangerous areas are encouraged to register at the U.S. embassy upon arrival in a country (see "Principal U.S. Embassy Officials" listing in this publication). This may help family members contact you in case of an emergency. Further Electronic Information Department of State Web Site. Available on the Internet at http://state.gov, the Department of State web site provides timely, global access to official U.S. foreign policy information, including Background Notes; daily press briefings; Country Commercial Guides; directories of key officers of Foreign Service posts and more. National Trade Data Bank (NTDB). Operated by the U.S. Department of Commerce, the NTDB contains a wealth of trade-related information. It is available on the Internet (www.stat-usa.gov) and on CD-ROM. Call the NTDB Help-Line at (202) 482-1986 for more information. This site is managed by the Bureau of Public Affairs, U.S. Department of State. 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