7 provinces and 1 town*; Central, Guadalcanal, Honiara*, Isabel, Makira, Malaita, Temotu, Western; note - there may be two new provinces of Choiseul (Lauru) and Rennell/Bellona and the administrative unit of Honiara may have been abolished.
Population:
480,442 (July 2001 est.)
Currency:
Solomon Islands dollar (SBD)
Languages:
Melanesian pidgin in much of the country is lingua franca, English spoken by 1%-2% of populationbr>i>note
Elevation:
highest point: Mount Makarakomburu 2,447 m
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
Natural hazards:
typhoons, but they are rarely destructive; geologically active region with frequent earth tremors; volcanic activity
Climate:
tropical monsoon; few extremes of temperature and weather
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 a continuing economic downslide. Deliveries of crucial fuel supplies (including those for electrical generation) by tankers have become sporadic due to the government's inability to pay and attacks against ships. Telecommunications are threatened by the lack of technical and maintenance staff many of whom have left the country.
Industry:
fish (tuna), mining, timber
Ethnicgroups:
Melanesian 93%, Polynesian 4%, Micronesian 1.5%, European 0.8%, Chinese 0.3%, other 0.4%
Yellow fever:
A yellow fever vaccination certificate is required from travellers coming from infected areas.
Malaria:
Malaria risk—predominantly due to P. falciparum—exists throughout the year except in a few eastern and southern outlying islets. P. falciparum resistant to chloroquine and sulfadoxine–pyrimethamine reported.
