Solomon Islands (2003) | Mayotte (2006) | |
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Administrative divisions | 9 provinces and 1 capital territory*; Central, Choiseul (Lauru), Guadalcanal, Honiara*, Isabel, Makira, Malaita, Rennell/Bellona, Temotu, Western | none (territorial collectivity of France) |
Age structure | 0-14 years: 42.9% (male 111,333; female 107,062)
15-64 years: 54% (male 139,072; female 135,721) 65 years and over: 3.1% (male 7,754; female 8,248) (2003 est.) |
0-14 years: 46% (male 46,512/female 46,067)
15-64 years: 52.3% (male 56,899/female 48,274) 65 years and over: 1.7% (male 1,756/female 1,726) (2006 est.) |
Agriculture - products | cocoa beans, coconuts, palm kernels, rice, potatoes, vegetables, fruit; cattle, pigs; timber; fish | vanilla, ylang-ylang (perfume essence), coffee, copra |
Airports | 32 (2002) | 1 (2006) |
Airports - with paved runways | total: 2
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2002) |
total: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2006) |
Airports - with unpaved runways | total: 30
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 9 under 914 m: 20 (2002) |
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Area | total: 28,450 sq km
land: 27,540 sq km water: 910 sq km |
total: 374 sq km
land: 374 sq km water: 0 sq km |
Area - comparative | slightly smaller than Maryland | slightly more than twice the size of Washington, DC |
Background | 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. | Mayotte was ceded to France along with the other islands of the Comoros group in 1843. It was the only island in the archipelago that voted in 1974 to retain its link with France and forego independence. |
Birth rate | 32.45 births/1,000 population (2003 est.) | 40.95 births/1,000 population (2006 est.) |
Budget | revenues: $38 million
expenditures: $NA, including capital expenditures of $NA (2001) |
revenues: $NA
expenditures: $73 million; including capital expenditures of $NA (1991 est.) |
Capital | Honiara | name: Mamoudzou
geographic coordinates: 12 47 S, 45 14 E time difference: UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) |
Climate | tropical monsoon; few extremes of temperature and weather | tropical; marine; hot, humid, rainy season during northeastern monsoon (November to May); dry season is cooler (May to November) |
Coastline | 5,313 km | 185.2 km |
Constitution | 7 July 1978 | 4 October 1958 (French Constitution) |
Country name | conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Solomon Islands former: British Solomon Islands |
conventional long form: Territorial Collectivity of Mayotte
conventional short form: Mayotte |
Currency | Solomon Islands dollar (SBD) | - |
Death rate | 4.12 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.) | 7.7 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.) |
Debt - external | $137 million (2001 est.) | $NA |
Dependency status | - | departmental collectivity of France |
Diplomatic representation from the US | 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 | none (territorial collectivity of France) |
Diplomatic representation in the US | chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Colin BECK
chancery: 800 Second Avenue, Suite 400L, New York, NY 10017 telephone: [1] (212) 599-6192, 6193 FAX: [1] (212) 661-8925 |
none (territorial collectivity of France) |
Disputes - international | none | claimed by Comoros |
Economic aid - recipient | $28 million mainly from Japan, Australia, China, and NZ (2001 est.) | $208 million; note - extensive French financial assistance (2004) |
Economy - overview | 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. | Economic activity is based primarily on the agricultural sector, including fishing and livestock raising. Mayotte is not self-sufficient and must import a large portion of its food requirements, mainly from France. The economy and future development of the island are heavily dependent on French financial assistance, an important supplement to GDP. Mayotte's remote location is an obstacle to the development of tourism. |
Electricity - consumption | 29.76 million kWh (2001) | 87.79 million kWh NA kWh |
Electricity - exports | 0 kWh (2001) | - |
Electricity - imports | 0 kWh (2001) | - |
Electricity - production | 32 million kWh (2001) | NA kWh |
Electricity - production by source | fossil fuel: 100%
hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001) |
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Elevation extremes | lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: Mount Makarakomburu 2,447 m |
lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
highest point: Benara 660 m |
Environment - current issues | deforestation; soil erosion; many of the surrounding coral reefs are dead or dying | NA |
Environment - international agreements | party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Environmental Modification, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol |
- |
Ethnic groups | Melanesian 93%, Polynesian 4%, Micronesian 1.5%, European 0.8%, Chinese 0.3%, other 0.4% | NA |
Exchange rates | Solomon Islands dollars per US dollar - NA (2002), NA (2001), 5.09 (2000), 4.84 (1999), 4.82 (1998) | euros per US dollar - 0.8041 (2005), 0.8054 (2004), 0.886 (2003), 1.0626 (2002), 1.1175 (2001) |
Executive branch | chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by Governor General Sir John LAPLI (since NA 1999)
head of government: Prime Minister Sir Allan KEMAKEZA (since 17 December 2001); Deputy Prime Minister Snyder RINI (since 17 December 2001) 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; 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 |
chief of state: President Jacques CHIRAC of France (since 17 May 1995), represented by Prefect Jean-Paul KIHL (since 17 January 2005)
head of government: President of the General Council Said Omar OILI (since 8 April 2004) 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 the Interior; president of the General Council elected by the members of the General Council for a six-year term; next election to be held in 2010 |
Exports | NA (2001) | $4.85 million f.o.b. (2004) |
Exports - commodities | timber, fish, copra, palm oil, cocoa | ylang-ylang (perfume essence), vanilla, copra, coconuts, coffee, cinnamon |
Exports - partners | Japan 21.2%, China 18.8%, South Korea 16.3%, Philippines 8.9%, Thailand 7.6%, Singapore 4.1% (2002) | France 80%, Comoros 15%, Reunion (2004) |
Fiscal year | calendar year | calendar year |
Flag description | 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 | unofficial, local flag with the coat of arms of Mayotte centered on a white field, above which the name of the island appears in red capital letters; the main elements of the coat of arms, flanked on either side by a seahorse, appear above a scroll with the motto RA HACHIRI (We are Vigilant); the only official flag is the national flag of France |
GDP | purchasing power parity - $800 million (2001 est.) | - |
GDP - composition by sector | agriculture: 42%
industry: 11% services: 47% (2000 est.) |
agriculture: NA%
industry: NA% services: NA% |
GDP - per capita | purchasing power parity - $1,700 (2001 est.) | - |
GDP - real growth rate | -10% (2001 est.) | NA% |
Geographic coordinates | 8 00 S, 159 00 E | 12 50 S, 45 10 E |
Geography - note | strategic location on sea routes between the South Pacific Ocean, the Solomon Sea, and the Coral Sea | part of Comoro Archipelago; 18 islands |
Highways | total: 1,360 km
paved: 34 km unpaved: 1,326 km (1999 est.) |
- |
Household income or consumption by percentage share | lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA% |
lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA% |
Imports | NA (2001) | $256.7 million f.o.b. (2004) |
Imports - commodities | food, plant and equipment, manufactured goods, fuels, chemicals | food, machinery and equipment, transportation equipment, metals, chemicals |
Imports - partners | Australia 31.3%, Singapore 19.7%, New Zealand 5.1%, Fiji 4.6%, Papua New Guinea 4.5% (2002) | France 66%, Africa 14%, Southeast Asia 11% (2004) |
Independence | 7 July 1978 (from UK) | none (territorial collectivity of France) |
Industrial production growth rate | NA% | NA% |
Industries | fish (tuna), mining, timber | newly created lobster and shrimp industry, construction |
Infant mortality rate | total: 22.88 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 26.03 deaths/1,000 live births female: 19.58 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.) |
total: 60.76 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 66.76 deaths/1,000 live births female: 54.58 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.) |
Inflation rate (consumer prices) | 1.8% (2001 est.) | NA% |
International organization participation | ACP, AsDB, C, ESCAP, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IOC, ITU, Sparteca, SPC, SPF, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WMO, WTrO | UPU |
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) | 1 (2000) | - |
Irrigated land | NA sq km | NA |
Judicial branch | Court of Appeal | Supreme Court or Tribunal Superieur d'Appel |
Labor force | 26,842 | 44,560 (2002) |
Labor force - by occupation | agriculture 75%, industry 5%, services 20% (2000 est.) | - |
Land boundaries | 0 km | 0 km |
Land use | arable land: 1.5%
permanent crops: 0.64% other: 97.86% (1998 est.) |
arable land: NA%
permanent crops: NA% other: NA% |
Languages | Melanesian pidgin in much of the country is lingua franca; English is official but spoken by only 1%-2% of the population
note: 120 indigenous languages |
Mahorian (a Swahili dialect), French (official language) spoken by 35% of the population |
Legal system | English common law, which is widely disregarded | French law |
Legislative branch | unicameral National Parliament (50 seats; members elected from single-member constituencies by popular vote to serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 5 December 2001 (next to be held not later than December 2005) election results: percent of vote by party - PAP 40%, SIACC 40%, PPP 20%; seats by party - PAP 16, SIACC 13, PPP 2, SILP 1, independents 18 |
unicameral General Council or Conseil General (19 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve three-year terms)
elections: last held 21 and 28 March 2004 (next to be held in 2007) election results: percent of vote by party - MDM 23.3%, UMP 22.8%, PS 10.2%, MRC 8.9%, FRAP 6.5%, MPM 1.2%; seats by party - MDM 6, UMP 9, MRC 2, MPM 1, diverse left 1 note: Mayotte elects one member of the French Senate; elections last held 24 September 2001 (next to be held September 2007); results - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NA; Mayotte also elects one member to the French National Assembly; elections last held 16 June 2002 (next to be held in 2007); results - percent of vote by party - UMP-RPR 55.08%, UDF 44.92%; seats by party - UMP-RPR 1 |
Life expectancy at birth | total population: 72.1 years
male: 69.64 years female: 74.68 years (2003 est.) |
total population: 61.76 years
male: 59.57 years female: 64.02 years (2006 est.) |
Literacy | definition: NA
total population: NA% male: NA% female: NA% |
definition: NA
total population: NA male: NA female: NA |
Location | Oceania, group of islands in the South Pacific Ocean, east of Papua New Guinea | Southern Africa, island in the Mozambique Channel, about one-half of the way from northern Madagascar to northern Mozambique |
Map references | Oceania | Africa |
Maritime claims | measured from claimed archipelagic baselines
continental shelf: 200 NM exclusive economic zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM |
territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm |
Merchant marine | none (2002 est.) | - |
Military - note | - | defense is the responsibility of France; small contingent of French forces stationed on the island |
Military branches | no regular military forces; Solomon Islands National Reconnaissance and Surveillance Force; Royal Solomon Islands Police (RSIP) | - |
Military expenditures - dollar figure | $NA | - |
Military expenditures - percent of GDP | NA% | - |
National holiday | Independence Day, 7 July (1978) | Bastille Day, 14 July (1789) |
Nationality | noun: Solomon Islander(s)
adjective: Solomon Islander |
noun: Mahorais (singular and plural)
adjective: Mahoran |
Natural hazards | typhoons, but rarely destructive; geologically active region with frequent earth tremors; volcanic activity | cyclones during rainy season |
Natural resources | fish, forests, gold, bauxite, phosphates, lead, zinc, nickel | NEGL |
Net migration rate | 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.) | 4.48 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.) |
Political parties and leaders | Association of Independents [Snyder RINI]; People's Alliance Party or PAP [Allan KEMAKEZA]; People's Progressive Party or PPP [Mannaseh Damukana SOGAVARE]; Solomon Islands Alliance for Change Coalition or SIACC [Bartholomew ULUFA'ALU]; Solomon Islands Labor Party or SILP [Joses TUHANUKU]
note: in general, Solomon Islands politics is characterized by fluid coalitions |
Democratic Front or FD [Youssouf MOUSSA]; Mahoran Popular Movement or MPM [Ahmed MADI]; Federation of Mahorans or RPR (UMP) [Mansour KAMARDINE]; Force of the Rally and the Alliance for Democracy or FRAP; Movement for Department Status Mayotte or MDM [Mouhoutar SALIM]; Renewed Communist Party of Mayotte or MRC [Omar SIMBA]; Socialist Party or PS (local branch of French Parti Socialiste) [Ibrahim ABUBACAR]; Union for French Democracy or UDF [Henri JEAN-BAPTISTE] |
Political pressure groups and leaders | NA | NA |
Population | 509,190 (July 2003 est.) | 201,234 (July 2006 est.) |
Population below poverty line | NA% | NA% |
Population growth rate | 2.83% (2003 est.) | 3.77% (2006 est.) |
Ports and harbors | Aola Bay, Honiara, Lofung, Noro, Viru Harbor, Yandina | - |
Radio broadcast stations | AM 3, FM 0, shortwave 0 (1998) | AM 1, FM 5, shortwave 0 (2001) |
Railways | 0 km | - |
Religions | Anglican 45%, Roman Catholic 18%, United (Methodist/Presbyterian) 12%, Baptist 9%, Seventh-Day Adventist 7%, other Protestant 5%, indigenous beliefs 4% | Muslim 97%, Christian (mostly Roman Catholic) |
Sex ratio | at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.94 male(s)/female total population: 1.03 male(s)/female (2003 est.) |
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.18 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 1.02 male(s)/female total population: 1.1 male(s)/female (2006 est.) |
Suffrage | 21 years of age; universal | 18 years of age; universal |
Telephone system | general assessment: NA
domestic: NA international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean) |
general assessment: small system administered by French Department of Posts and Telecommunications
domestic: NA international: country code - 269; microwave radio relay and HF radiotelephone communications to Comoros |
Telephones - main lines in use | 8,000 (1997) | 10,000 (2002) |
Telephones - mobile cellular | 658 (1997) | 48,100 (2004) |
Television broadcast stations | 0 (1997) | 3 (2001) |
Terrain | mostly rugged mountains with some low coral atolls | generally undulating, with deep ravines and ancient volcanic peaks |
Total fertility rate | 4.34 children born/woman (2003 est.) | 5.79 children born/woman (2006 est.) |
Unemployment rate | NA% | 32.8% (2003) |
Waterways | none | - |