Solomon Islands [11]
(Independent in 1978 from United Kingdom)
ISO COUNTRY CODE: SB
LAND AREA: 27556 sq. km SEA AREA: 1340000 sq. km
NUMBER OF ISLANDS BY SIZE (sq. km):
| >17,000 | >10,000 | >1,000 | >100 | >10 | >1 | <1 | Unknown | TOTAL |
| 0 | 0 | 6 | 14 | 6 | 2 | 0 | 110 | 138 |
DEMOGRAPHY
POPULATION: 391000 (1996)
DENSITY: 14 persons/sq. km GROWTH RATE: 4%/year
POP AGR/FISH/MINING: 33%
URBAN POP: 17% (1994), versus 9% (1960), Annual Growth: 6.4%
LIFE EXPECTANCY: 70.8 years, ADULT LITERACY: 62.0%
INFANT MORTALITY: 25 per/1000 (1994), versus 120 (1960)
HUMAN DEVELOPMENT INDEX: 0.556
ECONOMY
GNP: US$0.3 billion, Annual GNP Growth Rate 1980-1993: 6.6%, Annual Growth Rate GNP/Capita: 2.6%
GDP/Capita: $623 GDP/Capita PPP: $2118
GDP/Capita: 1960 $0, 1970 $404, 1980 $434, 1990 $585
OVERSEAS DEVELOPMENT ASSISTANCE: $47 million ODA%GNP: 15.1%
ODA/Capita: $127
ENVIRONMENT (see also individual islands)
TOTAL FOREST AREA: 2389,000 ha, 85.4% of land area, 6.3 ha/capita
NATURAL FOREST AREA: 2371,000 ha
ARABLE LAND: 1.4% of land area
NATURE CONSERVATION INTEREST:
Plants:
ca. 400 fern species and 1,750 flowering plants; endemism low, only 3
endemic genera.
estimated 230 orchids, likely to double with further field work
Insects:
130 species of butterflies, of which 35 occur only in Solomon Islands
and 54
are shared with Papua New Guinea.
Graphium meeki (butterfly) Choiseul, Santa Isabel & Bougainville, Rare
(RDB)
Graphium mendana (butterfly) Rare (RDB)
Papilio toboroi (butterfly) Rare (RDB)
Other invertebrates:
high generic endemicity of land snails
15 species of Papuina (Camaenidae)
8 species of Partulidae
Reptiles-amphibians:
72 species, including 8 endemic species and 1 endemic genus
Corucia zebrata (Scincidae) endemic to Solomon Islands and
Bougainville
Sphenomorphus bignelli (Scincidae) group endemic, Guadalcanal,
Kolombangara,
Nggela, Russell Islands?
Crocodylus porosus (Estuarine or Saltwater Crocodile) Endangered
Loveridgelaps elapoides, monospecific genus, group endemic, Gizo,
Nggela,
Guadalcanal, Santa Isabel, Malaita, very rare, Insufficiently
Known.
Solomonelaps par (Elapidae) monospecific genus, endemic to
Bougainville,
Buka and Solomon Islands
Birds:
126 species, including 40 endemics (32%)
Gallicolumba salamonis (San Cristobal or Thick-billed Ground Dove)
group
endemic, San Cristobal group, rain forest, Rare.
Mammals:
Uromys (Giant Rats) 3 endemic species
Dugong dugon (Dugong) Vulnerable (RDB)
Marine life:
87 hard corals in 33 genera
SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT
ELECTRICITY CONSUMPTION: 82 kw-hr/capita, versus 55 kw-hr/cap (1970)
TRADITIONAL FUEL CONSUMPTION: 62% (1993), versus 61% (1973)
INTERNAL RENEWABLE WATER RESOURCES: 118.3,000 cu.m/cap/year
SEAFOOD CONSUMPTION (1990-92): 56 kg/cap/year
CHANGE IN ANNUAL MARINE CATCH 1980-82 to 1990-92: 36%
INSTITUTIONS
GOVERNMENT ENVIRONMENT/SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY: