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The UK
established a protectorate over the Solomon Islands in the 1890s. Some of
the bitterest fighting of World War II occurred on these islands.
Self-government was achieved in 1976 and independence two years later.
Ethnic violence, government malfeasance, and endemic crime have undermined
stability and civil society. In June 2003, Prime Minister Sir Allen KEMAKEZA
sought the assistance of Australia in reestablishing law and order; the
following month, an Australian-led multinational force arrived to restore
peace and disarm ethnic militias. Oceania, group
of islands in the South Pacific Ocean, east of Papua New Guinea 8 00 S, 159 00
E total:
28,450 sq km measured from
claimed archipelagic baselines tropical
monsoon; few extremes of temperature and weather mostly rugged
mountains with some low coral atolls lowest
point: Pacific Ocean 0 m fish, forests,
gold, bauxite, phosphates, lead, zinc, nickel arable
land: 0.64% typhoons, but
rarely destructive; geologically active region with frequent earth tremors;
volcanic activity deforestation;
soil erosion; many of the surrounding coral reefs are dead or dying
strategic
location on sea routes between the South Pacific Ocean, the Solomon Sea, and
the Coral Sea 523,617 (July
2004 est.) Melanesian
93%, Polynesian 4%, Micronesian 1.5%, European 0.8%, Chinese 0.3%, other
0.4% Anglican 45%,
Roman Catholic 18%, United (Methodist/Presbyterian) 12%, Baptist 9%,
Seventh-Day Adventist 7%, other Protestant 5%, indigenous beliefs 4%
Melanesian
pidgin in much of the country is lingua franca; English is official but
spoken by only 1%-2% of the population parliamentary
democracy tending toward anarchy Honiara
9 provinces
and 1 capital territory*; Central, Choiseul, Guadalcanal, Honiara*, Isabel,
Makira, Malaita, Rennell and Bellona, Temotu, Western 7 July 1978
(from UK) Independence
Day, 7 July (1978) 7 July 1978
English common
law, which is widely disregarded June 2003
Prime Minister Sir Allen KEMAKEZA sought the intervention of Australia to
aid in restoring order; parliament approved the request for intervention in
July 2003; troops from Australia, New Zealand, Fiji, Papua New Guinea, and
Tonga arrived 24 July 2003 The bulk of
the population depends on agriculture, fishing, and forestry for at least
part of their livelihood. Most manufactured goods and petroleum products
must be imported. The islands are rich in undeveloped mineral resources such
as lead, zinc, nickel, and gold. However, severe ethnic violence, the
closing of key business enterprises, and an empty government treasury have
led to serious economic disarray, indeed near collapse. Tanker deliveries of
crucial fuel supplies (including those for electrical generation) have
become sporadic due to the government's inability to pay and attacks against
ships. Telecommunications are threatened by the nonpayment of bills and by
the lack of technical and maintenance staff many of whom have left the
country. The disintegration of law and order left the economy in tatters by
mid-2003, and on 24 July 2003 more than 2000 Australian soldiers entered the
Solomon Islands to restore order and to facilitate the restoration of basic
services. 26,840 (1999)
agriculture
75%, industry 5%, services 20% (2000 est.) cocoa beans,
coconuts, palm kernels, rice, potatoes, vegetables, fruit; cattle, pigs;
timber; fish fish (tuna),
mining, timber timber, fish,
copra, palm oil, cocoa China 25.4%,
South Korea 15.3%, Japan 13.6%, Philippines 10.2%, Singapore 5.9%, Thailand
5.9% (2003 est.) food, plant
and equipment, manufactured goods, fuels, chemicals Australia
30.4%, Singapore 22.4%, Fiji 4.8%, New Zealand 4.8%, Papua New Guinea 4%
(2003 est.) Solomon
Islands dollar (SBD) 6,600 (2002)
1,000 (2002)
general
assessment: NA Aola Bay,
Honiara, Lofung, Noro, Viru Harbor, Yandina 33 (2003 est.)
total:
2 total:
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