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Compare Martinique (2006) - Solomon Islands (2007)

Compare Martinique (2006) z Solomon Islands (2007)

 Martinique (2006)Solomon Islands (2007)
 MartiniqueSolomon Islands
Administrative divisions none (overseas department of France) 9 provinces and 1 capital territory*; Central, Choiseul, Guadalcanal, Honiara*, Isabel, Makira, Malaita, Rennell and Bellona, Temotu, Western
Age structure 0-14 years: 22.1% (male 48,988/female 47,525)


15-64 years: 67.3% (male 147,082/female 146,470)


65 years and over: 10.6% (male 20,791/female 25,275) (2006 est.)
0-14 years: 40.7% (male 117,739/female 113,125)


15-64 years: 55.9% (male 160,310/female 156,773)


65 years and over: 3.3% (male 9,036/female 9,859) (2007 est.)
Agriculture - products pineapples, avocados, bananas, flowers, vegetables, sugarcane cocoa beans, coconuts, palm kernels, rice, potatoes, vegetables, fruit; timber; cattle, pigs; fish
Airports 2 (2006) 35 (2007)
Airports - with paved runways total: 1


over 3,047 m: 1 (2006)
total: 2


1,524 to 2,437 m: 1


914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2007)
Airports - with unpaved runways total: 1


under 914 m: 1 (2006)
total: 33


1,524 to 2,437 m: 1


914 to 1,523 m: 9


under 914 m: 23 (2007)
Area total: 1,100 sq km


land: 1,060 sq km


water: 40 sq km
total: 28,450 sq km


land: 27,540 sq km


water: 910 sq km
Area - comparative slightly more than six times the size of Washington, DC slightly smaller than Maryland
Background The French began to settle this island in 1635, overcoming resistance from the local Carib inhabitants. In 1660, the suviving natives were rounded up and permanently expelled. The island has subsequently remained a French possession except for three brief periods of foreign occupation. The UK established a protectorate over the Solomon Islands in the 1890s. Some of the bitterest fighting of World War II occurred on this archipelago. 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, then 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. The Regional Assistance Mission to the Solomon Islands (RAMSI) has generally been effective in restoring law and order and rebuilding government institutions.
Birth rate 13.74 births/1,000 population (2006 est.) 29.27 births/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Budget revenues: $317.5 million


expenditures: $317.5 million; including capital expenditures of $140 million (1996)
revenues: $49.7 million


expenditures: $75.1 million (2003)
Capital name: Fort-de-France


geographic coordinates: 14 36 N, 61 05 W


time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
name: Honiara


geographic coordinates: 9 26 S, 159 57 E


time difference: UTC+11 (16 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Climate tropical; moderated by trade winds; rainy season (June to October); vulnerable to devastating cyclones (hurricanes) every eight years on average; average temperature 17.3 degrees C; humid tropical monsoon; few extremes of temperature and weather
Coastline 350 km 5,313 km
Constitution 4 October 1958 (French Constitution) 7 July 1978
Country name conventional long form: Department of Martinique


conventional short form: Martinique


local long form: Departement de la Martinique


local short form: Martinique
conventional long form: none


conventional short form: Solomon Islands


local long form: none


local short form: Solomon Islands


former: British Solomon Islands
Death rate 6.48 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.) 3.87 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Debt - external $180 million (1994) $166 million (2004)
Dependency status overseas department of France -
Diplomatic representation from the US none (overseas department of France) the US does not have an embassy in Solomon Islands (embassy closed July 1993); the ambassador to Papua New Guinea is accredited to the Solomon Islands
Diplomatic representation in the US none (overseas department of France) chief of mission: Ambassador Collin David BECK


chancery: 800 Second Avenue, Suite 400L, New York, NY 10017


telephone: [1] (212) 599-6192, 6193


FAX: [1] (212) 661-8925
Disputes - international none since 2003, Australian Defense Force leads the Regional Assistance Mission to the Solomon Islands (RAMSI) to maintain civil and political order and reinforce regional security
Economic aid - recipient $NA; note - substantial annual aid from France (1998) $198.2 million annually, mainly from Australia (2005 est.)
Economy - overview The economy is based on sugarcane, bananas, tourism, and light industry. Agriculture accounts for about 6% of GDP and the small industrial sector for 11%. Sugar production has declined, with most of the sugarcane now used for the production of rum. Banana exports are increasing, going mostly to France. The bulk of meat, vegetable, and grain requirements must be imported, contributing to a chronic trade deficit that requires large annual transfers of aid from France. Tourism, which employs more than 11,000 people, has become more important than agricultural exports as a source of foreign exchange. The bulk of the population depends on agriculture, fishing, and forestry for at least part of its 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. Prior to the arrival of the Regional Assistance Mission to the Solomon Islands (RAMSI), severe ethnic violence, the closing of key businesses, and an empty government treasury culminated in economic collapse. RAMSI's efforts to restore law and order and economic stability have led to modest growth as the economy rebuilds.
Electricity - consumption 1.12 billion kWh (2003) 55.8 million kWh (2005)
Electricity - exports 0 kWh (2003) 0 kWh (2005)
Electricity - imports 0 kWh (2003) 0 kWh (2005)
Electricity - production 1.205 billion kWh (2003) 60 million kWh (2005)
Elevation extremes lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m


highest point: Montagne Pelee 1,397 m
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m


highest point: Mount Makarakomburu 2,447 m
Environment - current issues NA deforestation; soil erosion; many of the surrounding coral reefs are dead or dying
Environment - international agreements - party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Environmental Modification, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Whaling


signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Ethnic groups African and African-white-Indian mixture 90%, white 5%, East Indian and Chinese less than 5% Melanesian 94.5%, Polynesian 3%, Micronesian 1.2%, other 1.1%, unspecified 0.2% (1999 census)
Exchange rates euros per US dollar - 0.8041 (2005), 0.8054 (2004), 0.886 (2003), 1.0626 (2002), 1.1175 (2001) Solomon Islands dollars per US dollar - 7.3447 (2006), 7.5299 (2005), 7.4847 (2004), 7.5059 (2003), 6.7488 (2002)
Executive branch chief of state: President Jacques CHIRAC of France (since 17 May 1995); Prefect Yves DASSONVILLE (since 14 January 2004); note - took office 8 February 2004


head of government: President of the General Council Claude LISE (since 22 March 1992); President of the Regional Council Alfred MARIE-JEANNE (since NA March 1998)


cabinet: NA


elections: French president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; prefect appointed by the French president on the advice of the French Ministry of Interior; the presidents of the General and Regional Councils are elected by the members of those councils for six-year terms
chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952); represented by Governor General Nathaniel WAENA (since 7 July 2004)


head of government: Prime Minister Manasseh SOGAVARE (since 4 May 2006); note - Prime Minister Snyder RINI, elected on 18 April 2006 and sworn in on 20 April 2006, resigned on 26 April prior to no confidence vote in parliament; SOGAVARE elected on 4 May 2006


cabinet: Cabinet consists of 20 members appointed by the governor general on the advice of the prime minister from among the members of Parliament


elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; governor general appointed by the monarch on the advice of Parliament for up to five years (eligible for a second term); following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or the leader of a majority coalition is usually elected prime minister by Parliament; deputy prime minister appointed by the governor general on the advice of the prime minister from among the members of Parliament
Exports NA bbl/day NA bbl/day
Exports - commodities refined petroleum products, bananas, rum, pineapples timber, fish, copra, palm oil, cocoa
Exports - partners France 45%, Guadeloupe 28% (2004) China 48%, South Korea 9.5%, Japan 8.9%, Thailand 4.7%, Italy 4.4%, Philippines 4.2% (2006)
Fiscal year calendar year calendar year
Flag description unofficial flag, derives from the civil ensign flown by French merchant ships and dates to 1766; a blue field quartered by a white cross; in the center of each rectangle is a white, coiled snake representing the venomous Fer-de-lance; the flag of France is used for official occasions divided diagonally by a thin yellow stripe from the lower hoist-side corner; the upper triangle (hoist side) is blue with five white five-pointed stars arranged in an X pattern; the lower triangle is green
GDP - composition by sector agriculture: 6%


industry: 11%


services: 83% (1997 est.)
agriculture: 42%


industry: 11%


services: 47% (2000 est.)
GDP - real growth rate NA% 4.4% (2005 est.)
Geographic coordinates 14 40 N, 61 00 W 8 00 S, 159 00 E
Geography - note the island is dominated by Mount Pelee, which on 8 May 1902 erupted and completely destroyed the city of Saint Pierre, killing 30,000 inhabitants strategic location on sea routes between the South Pacific Ocean, the Solomon Sea, and the Coral Sea; on 2 April 2007 an undersea earthquake measuring 8.1 on the Richter scale occurred 345 km WNW of the capital Honiara, the resulting tsunami devastated coastal areas of Western and Choiseul provinces with dozens of deaths and thousands dislocated; the provincial capital of Gizo was especially hard hit
Government - note - by 2006, the Regional Assistance Mission to the Solomon Islands (RAMSI) - originally made up of troops from Australia, NZ, Fiji, Papua New Guinea, and Tonga - had been scaled back to 259 police officers and 20 military, in addition to civilian technical advisers; in response to rioting that broke out in mid-April 2006, Australia dispatched an additional 220 troops and 70 police officers to help restore order
Heliports - 3 (2007)
Household income or consumption by percentage share lowest 10%: NA%


highest 10%: NA%
lowest 10%: NA%


highest 10%: NA%
Illicit drugs transshipment point for cocaine and marijuana bound for the US and Europe -
Imports NA bbl/day NA bbl/day
Imports - commodities petroleum products, crude oil, foodstuffs, construction materials, vehicles, clothing and other consumer goods food, plant and equipment, manufactured goods, fuels, chemicals
Imports - partners France 62%, Venezuela 6%, Germany 4%, Italy 4%, US 3% (2004) Australia 25.5%, Singapore 23.5%, Japan 7.8%, NZ 5.1%, Fiji 4.2%, Papua New Guinea 4.1% (2006)
Independence none (overseas department of France) 7 July 1978 (from UK)
Industrial production growth rate NA% NA%
Industries construction, rum, cement, oil refining, sugar, tourism fish (tuna), mining, timber
Infant mortality rate total: 6.95 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 4.68 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 9.27 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)
total: 19.97 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 22.8 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 17.01 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) NA 6.6% (2005 est.)
International organization participation UPU, WCL, WFTU ACP, AsDB, C, ESCAP, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IOC, ITU, MIGA, OPCW, PIF, Sparteca, SPC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WMO, WTO
Irrigated land 70 sq km (2003) NA
Judicial branch Court of Appeal or Cour d'Appel Court of Appeal
Labor force 165,900 (1998) 249,200 (1999)
Labor force - by occupation agriculture: 10%


industry: 17%


services: 73% (1997)
agriculture: 75%


industry: 5%


services: 20% (2000 est.)
Land boundaries 0 km 0 km
Land use arable land: 9.09%


permanent crops: 10%


other: 80.91% (2005)
arable land: 0.62%


permanent crops: 2.04%


other: 97.34% (2005)
Languages French, Creole patois Melanesian pidgin in much of the country is lingua franca; English (official; but spoken by only 1%-2% of the population); 120 indigenous languages
Legal system French legal system English common law, which is widely disregarded
Legislative branch unicameral General Council or Conseil General (45 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve six-year terms) and a unicameral Regional Council or Conseil Regional (41 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve six-year terms)


elections: General Council - last held March 2000 (next to be held in 2006); Regional Council - last held on 28 March 2004 (next to be held by March 2010)


election results: General Council - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - left-wing candidates 13, PPM 11, RPR 6, right-wing candidates 5, PCM 3, UDF 3, PMS 2, independents 2; note - the PPM won a plurality; Regional Council (second round) - percent of vote by party - MIM 53.8%, PPM 30.6%; seats by party - MIM 28, PPM 9, other 4


note: Martinique elects 2 seats to the French Senate; elections last held September 2004 (next to be held September 2008); results - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PPM 1, left-wing candidate 1; Martinique also elects 4 seats to the French National Assembly; elections last held, first round - 9 June 2002, second round - 16 June 2002 (next to be held not later than June 2007); results - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - UMP-RPR 1, PMS 1, MIM 1, left-wing candidate 1 (candidacy of the left-wing candidate was found invalid by the Constitutional Council; new elections will be called)
unicameral National Parliament (50 seats; members elected from single-member constituencies by popular vote to serve four-year terms)


elections: last held on 5 April 2006 (next to be held in 2010)


election results: percent of vote by party - National Party 6.9%, PAP 6.3%, SIPRA 6.3%, Liberal 5%, Democratic 4.9%, SOCRED 4.3%, LAFARI 2.8%, independents 60.3%; seats by party - National Party 4, SIPRA 4, Democratic 3, PAP 3, LAFARI 2, Liberal 2, SOCRED 2, independents 30
Life expectancy at birth total population: 79.18 years


male: 79.5 years


female: 78.85 years (2006 est.)
total population: 73.16 years


male: 70.64 years


female: 75.81 years (2007 est.)
Literacy definition: age 15 and over can read and write


total population: 97.7%


male: 97.4%


female: 98.1% (2003 est.)
definition: NA


total population: NA


male: NA


female: NA
Location Caribbean, island between the Caribbean Sea and North Atlantic Ocean, north of Trinidad and Tobago Oceania, group of islands in the South Pacific Ocean, east of Papua New Guinea
Map references Central America and the Caribbean Oceania
Maritime claims territorial sea: 12 nm


exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
measured from claimed archipelagic baselines


territorial sea: 12 nm


exclusive economic zone: 200 nm


continental shelf: 200 nm
Military - note defense is the responsibility of France -
Military branches no regular military forces; Gendarmerie no regular military forces; Royal Solomon Islands Police (RSIP)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP - 3% (2006)
National holiday Bastille Day, 14 July (1789) Independence Day, 7 July (1978)
Nationality noun: Martiniquais (singular and plural)


adjective: Martiniquais
noun: Solomon Islander(s)


adjective: Solomon Islander
Natural hazards hurricanes, flooding, and volcanic activity (an average of one major natural disaster every five years) typhoons, but rarely destructive; geologically active region with frequent earthquakes, tremors, and volcanic activity; tsunamis
Natural resources coastal scenery and beaches, cultivable land fish, forests, gold, bauxite, phosphates, lead, zinc, nickel
Net migration rate -0.03 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.) 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Political parties and leaders Martinique Communist Party or PCM [Georges ERICHOT]; Martinique Independence Movement or MIM [Alfred MARIE-JEANNE]; Martinique Progressive Party or PPM [Pierre SUEDILE]; Martinique Socialist Party or PMS [Ernest WAN-AJOUHU]; Movement of Democrats and Ecologists for a Sovereign Martinique or Modemas [Garcin MALSA]; Rally for the Republic or RPR [Michel CHARLONE]; Socialist Revolution Group or GRS [Philippe PIERRE-CHARLES]; Union for French Democracy or UDF [Jean MAREN] Association of Independent Members or AIM [Thomas CHAN]; Christian Alliance Solomon Islands or CASI [Edward RONIA]; LAFARI Party [John GARO]; National Party [Francis HILLY]; People's Alliance Party or PAP [Sir Allan KEMAKEZA]; Social Credit Party or SOCRED [Manasseh Damukana SOGAVARE]; Solomon First Party [David QUAN]; Solomon Islands Democratic Party [Gabriel SURI]; Solomon Islands Labor Party or SILP [Joses TUHANUKU]; Solomon Islands Liberal Party [Bartholomew ULUFA'ALU]; Solomon Islands Party for Rural Advancement or SIPRA [Job D. TAUSINGA]; United Party [Sir Peter KENILOREA]


note: in general, Solomon Islands politics is characterized by fluid coalitions
Political pressure groups and leaders Caribbean Revolutionary Alliance or ARC; Central Union for Martinique Workers or CSTM [Marc PULVAR]; Frantz Fanon Circle; League of Workers and Peasants; Proletarian Action Group or GAP Isatabu Freedom Movement (IFM); Malaita Eagle Force (MEF); note - these rival armed ethnic factions crippled the Solomon Islands in a wave of violence from 1999 to 2003
Population 436,131 (July 2006 est.) 566,842 (July 2007 est.)
Population below poverty line NA% NA%
Population growth rate 0.72% (2006 est.) 2.54% (2007 est.)
Radio broadcast stations AM 0, FM 14, shortwave 0 (1998) AM 1, FM 1, shortwave 1 (2004)
Religions Roman Catholic 85%, Protestant 10.5%, Muslim 0.5%, Hindu 0.5%, other 3.5% (1997) Church of Melanesia 32.8%, Roman Catholic 19%, South Seas Evangelical 17%, Seventh-Day Adventist 11.2%, United Church 10.3%, Christian Fellowship Church 2.4%, other Christian 4.4%, other 2.4%, unspecified 0.3%, none 0.2% (1999 census)
Sex ratio at birth: 1.02 male(s)/female


under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female


15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female


65 years and over: 0.82 male(s)/female


total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2006 est.)
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female


under 15 years: 1.041 male(s)/female


15-64 years: 1.023 male(s)/female


65 years and over: 0.917 male(s)/female


total population: 1.026 male(s)/female (2007 est.)
Suffrage 18 years of age; universal 21 years of age; universal
Telephone system general assessment: domestic facilities are adequate


domestic: NA


international: country code - 596; microwave radio relay to Guadeloupe, Dominica, and Saint Lucia; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
general assessment: NA


domestic: NA


international: country code - 677; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)
Telephones - main lines in use 172,000 (2001) 7,400 (2005)
Telephones - mobile cellular 319,900 (2002) 6,000 (2005)
Television broadcast stations 11 (plus nine repeaters) (1997) -
Terrain mountainous with indented coastline; dormant volcano mostly rugged mountains with some low coral atolls
Total fertility rate 1.79 children born/woman (2006 est.) 3.78 children born/woman (2007 est.)
Unemployment rate 27.2% (1998) NA%
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