Solomon Islands (2001) | Cayman Islands (2001) | |
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Administrative divisions | 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 | 8 districts; Creek, Eastern, Midland, South Town, Spot Bay, Stake Bay, West End, Western |
Age structure | 0-14 years:
43.79% (male 107,229; female 103,162) 15-64 years: 53.15% (male 129,315; female 126,021) 65 years and over: 3.06% (male 7,190; female 7,525) (2001 est.) |
0-14 years:
22.21% (male 3,807; female 4,084) 15-64 years: 69.74% (male 12,102; female 12,676) 65 years and over: 8.05% (male 1,318; female 1,540) (2001 est.) |
Agriculture - products | cocoa, beans, coconuts, palm kernels, rice, potatoes, vegetables, fruit; cattle, pigs; timber; fish | vegetables, fruit; livestock, turtle farming |
Airports | 31 (2000 est.) | 3 (2000 est.) |
Airports - with paved runways | total:
2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2000 est.) |
total:
2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 (2000 est.) |
Airports - with unpaved runways | total:
29 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 10 under 914 m: 18 (2000 est.) |
total:
1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2000 est.) |
Area | total:
28,450 sq km land: 27,540 sq km water: 910 sq km |
total:
259 sq km land: 259 sq km water: 0 sq km |
Area - comparative | slightly smaller than Maryland | 1.5 times 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. Current issues include government deficits, deforestation, and malaria control. | The Cayman Islands were colonized from Jamaica by the British during the 18th and 19th centuries. Administered by Jamaica from 1863, they remained a British dependency after 1962 when the former became independent. |
Birth rate | 34.05 births/1,000 population (2001 est.) | 13.79 births/1,000 population (2001 est.) |
Budget | revenues:
$147 million expenditures: $168 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1997 est.) |
revenues:
$265.2 million expenditures: $248.9 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1997) |
Capital | Honiara | George Town |
Climate | tropical monsoon; few extremes of temperature and weather | tropical marine; warm, rainy summers (May to October) and cool, relatively dry winters (November to April) |
Coastline | 5,313 km | 160 km |
Constitution | 7 July 1978 | 1959, revised 1972 and 1992 |
Country name | conventional long form:
none conventional short form: Solomon Islands former: British Solomon Islands |
conventional long form:
none conventional short form: Cayman Islands |
Currency | Solomon Islands dollar (SBD) | Caymanian dollar (KYD) |
Death rate | 4.27 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.) | 5.15 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.) |
Debt - external | $152.4 million (1998) | $70 million (1996) |
Dependency status | - | overseas territory of the UK |
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 (overseas territory of the UK) |
Diplomatic representation in the US | chief of mission:
Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires ad interim Jeremiah MANELE chancery: 800 Second Avenue, Suite 400L, New York, NY 10017 telephone: [1] (212) 599-6192, 6193 FAX: [1] (212) 661-8925 |
none (overseas territory of the UK) |
Disputes - international | none | none |
Economic aid - recipient | $47 million (1999 est.), mainly from Japan, Australia, China, and NZ | $NA |
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 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. | With no direct taxation, the islands are a thriving offshore financial center. More than 40,000 companies were registered in the Cayman Islands as of 1997, including almost 600 banks and trust companies; banking assets exceed $500 billion. A stock exchange was opened in 1997. Tourism is also a mainstay, accounting for about 70% of GDP and 75% of foreign currency earnings. The tourist industry is aimed at the luxury market and caters mainly to visitors from North America. Total tourist arrivals exceeded 1.2 million visitors in 1997. About 90% of the islands' food and consumer goods must be imported. The Caymanians enjoy one of the highest outputs per capita and one of the highest standards of living in the world. |
Electricity - consumption | 27.9 million kWh (1999) | 306.9 million kWh (1999) |
Electricity - exports | 0 kWh (1999) | 0 kWh (1999) |
Electricity - imports | 0 kWh (1999) | 0 kWh (1999) |
Electricity - production | 30 million kWh (1999) | 330 million kWh (1999) |
Electricity - production by source | fossil fuel:
100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (1999) |
fossil fuel:
100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (1999) |
Elevation extremes | lowest point:
Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: Mount Makarakomburu 2,447 m |
lowest point:
Caribbean Sea 0 m highest point: The Bluff 43 m |
Environment - current issues | deforestation; soil erosion; much of the surrounding coral reefs are dead or dying | no natural fresh water resources; drinking water supplies must be met by rainwater catchment |
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% | mixed 40%, white 20%, black 20%, expatriates of various ethnic groups 20% |
Exchange rates | Solomon Islands dollars per US dollar - 5.0968 (November 2000), 5.0864 (2000), 4.8381 (1999), 4.8156 (1998), 3.7169 (1997), 3.5664 (1996) | Caymanian dollars per US dollar - 0.83 (3 November 1995), 0.85 (22 November 1993) |
Executive branch | chief of state:
Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by Governor General Father John LAPLI (since NA 1999) head of government: Prime Minister Mannaseh Damukana SOGAVARE (since 1 July 2000); Assistant Prime Minister Nathaniel WAENA (since 1 July 2000); Deputy Prime Minister Allan KEMAKEZA (since 1 July 2000); note - Prime Minister Bartholomew ULUFA'ALU was forced to resign his position in June 2000 following the armed takeover of the capital by elements supporting the opposition parties; Mannaseh Damukana SOGAVARE, who had been opposition leader, was then elected prime minister at a sitting of National Parliament on 30 June 2000 cabinet: Cabinet 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:
Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952); Governor and President of the Executive Council Peter SMITH (since 5 May 1999) head of government: Kurt TIBBETTS (since November 2000) cabinet: Executive Council (three members appointed by the governor, four members elected by the Legislative Assembly) elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; the governor is appointed by the monarch |
Exports | $165 million (f.o.b., 1999 est.) | $1.5 million (1998) |
Exports - commodities | timber, fish, palm oil, cocoa, copra | turtle products, manufactured consumer goods |
Exports - partners | Japan 35.5%, other Asian countries 47.3% (1999) | mostly US |
Fiscal year | calendar year | 1 April - 31 March |
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 | blue, with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant and the Caymanian coat of arms on a white disk centered on the outer half of the flag; the coat of arms includes a pineapple and turtle above a shield with three stars (representing the three islands) and a scroll at the bottom bearing the motto HE HATH FOUNDED IT UPON THE SEAS |
GDP | purchasing power parity - $900 million (2000 est.) | purchasing power parity - $930 million (1997 est.) |
GDP - composition by sector | agriculture:
50% industry: 3.5% services: 46.5% (1995) |
agriculture:
1.4% industry: 3.2% services: 95.4% (1994 est.) |
GDP - per capita | purchasing power parity - $2,000 (2000 est.) | purchasing power parity - $24,500 (1997 est.) |
GDP - real growth rate | 1% (2000 est.) | 4.9% (1999 est.) |
Geographic coordinates | 8 00 S, 159 00 E | 19 30 N, 80 30 W |
Geography - note | - | important location between Cuba and Central America |
Highways | total:
1,360 km paved: 34 km unpaved: 1,326 km (includes about 800 km of private plantation roads) (1996 est.) |
total:
406 km paved: 304 km unpaved: 102 km |
Household income or consumption by percentage share | lowest 10%:
NA% highest 10%: NA% |
lowest 10%:
NA% highest 10%: NA% |
Illicit drugs | - | vulnerable to drug money laundering and drug transshipment to the US and Europe |
Imports | $152 million (f.o.b., 1999 est.) | $507.6 million (1998) |
Imports - commodities | plant and equipment, manufactured goods, food and live animals, fuels, chemicals | foodstuffs, manufactured goods |
Imports - partners | Australia 38.5%, Singapore 15%, Japan 10.6%, NZ 6.2% (1999) | US, Trinidad and Tobago, UK, Netherlands Antilles, Japan |
Independence | 7 July 1978 (from UK) | none (overseas territory of the UK) |
Industrial production growth rate | NA% | NA% |
Industries | fish (tuna), mining, timber | tourism, banking, insurance and finance, construction, construction materials, furniture |
Infant mortality rate | 24.47 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.) | 10.16 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.) |
Inflation rate (consumer prices) | 10% (1999 est.) | 3% (1998) |
International organization participation | ACP, AsDB, C, ESCAP, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat (nonsignatory user), IOC, ITU, Sparteca, SPC, SPF, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WMO, WTrO | Caricom (observer), CDB, Interpol (subbureau), IOC, UNESCO (associate) |
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) | 1 (2000) | 16 (2000) |
Irrigated land | NA sq km | NA sq km |
Judicial branch | Court of Appeal | Summary Court; Grand Court; Cayman Islands Court of Appeal |
Labor force | 26,842 | 19,820 (1995) |
Labor force - by occupation | agriculture NA%, industry NA%, services NA% | agriculture 1.4%, industry 12.6%, services 86% (1995) |
Land boundaries | 0 km | 0 km |
Land use | arable land:
1% permanent crops: 1% permanent pastures: 1% forests and woodland: 88% other: 9% (1993 est.) |
arable land:
0% permanent crops: 0% permanent pastures: 8% forests and woodland: 23% other: 69% (1993 est.) |
Languages | Melanesian pidgin in much of the country is lingua franca, English spoken by 1%-2% of population
note: 120 indigenous languages |
English |
Legal system | English common law | British common law and local statutes |
Legislative branch | unicameral National Parliament (50 seats; members elected from single member constituencies by popular vote to serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 6 August 1997 (next to be held by August 2001) election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - GNUR 21, PAP 7, NAPSI 5, SILP 4, UP 4, independents 6, other 3 |
unicameral Legislative Assembly (18 seats, three appointed members and 15 elected by popular vote; members serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 8 November 2000 (next to be held NA November 2004) election results: percent of vote - NA%; seats - NA |
Life expectancy at birth | total population:
71.55 years male: 69.12 years female: 74.1 years (2001 est.) |
total population:
79.03 years male: 76.24 years female: 81.43 years (2001 est.) |
Literacy | definition:
NA total population: NA% male: NA% female: NA% |
definition:
age 15 and over has ever attended school total population: 98% male: 98% female: 98% (1970 est.) |
Location | Oceania, group of islands in the South Pacific Ocean, east of Papua New Guinea | Caribbean, island group in Caribbean Sea, nearly one-half of the way from Cuba to Honduras |
Map references | Oceania | Central America and the Caribbean |
Maritime claims | measured from claimed archipelagic baselines
continental shelf: 200 NM exclusive economic zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM |
exclusive fishing zone:
200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM |
Merchant marine | none (2000 est.) | total:
106 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 1,656,452 GRT/2,643,036 DWT ships by type: bulk 21, cargo 5, chemical tanker 27, container 4, liquefied gas 1, petroleum tanker 13, refrigerated cargo 30, roll on/roll off 4, specialized tanker 1 note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience: Cyprus 2, Denmark 2, Finland 1, Greece 11, Norway 3, UK 3, US 3 (2000 est.) |
Military - note | - | defense is the responsibility of the UK |
Military branches | no regular military forces; Solomon Islands National Reconnaissance and Surveillance Force; Royal Solomon Islands Police (RSIP) | Royal Cayman Islands Police Force (RCIPF) |
Military expenditures - dollar figure | $NA | - |
Military expenditures - percent of GDP | NA% | - |
National holiday | Independence Day, 7 July (1978) | Constitution Day, first Monday in July |
Nationality | noun:
Solomon Islander(s) adjective: Solomon Islander |
noun:
Caymanian(s) adjective: Caymanian |
Natural hazards | typhoons, but they are rarely destructive; geologically active region with frequent earth tremors; volcanic activity | hurricanes (July to November) |
Natural resources | fish, forests, gold, bauxite, phosphates, lead, zinc, nickel | fish, climate and beaches that foster tourism |
Net migration rate | 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 est.) | 12.58 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 est.)
note: major destination for Cubans trying to migrate to the US |
Political parties and leaders | there are two main coalitions - Coalition for National Unity, Reconciliation, and Peace or CNURP and Alliance for Change; the CNURP took power on 30 June 2000, it comprises members of the Liberal Party, People's Alliance Party, and the United Party, as well as a number of independents; the Alliance for Change, represents the former government and now is the opposition; in general, Solomon Islands politics is characterized by fluid coalitions; Group for National Unity and Reconciliation or GNUR [leader NA]; Liberal Party [Bartholomew ULUFA'ALU]; National Action Party of Solomon Islands or NAPSI [Francis SAEMALA]; People's Alliance Party or PAP [George LEPPING]; People's Progressive Party [Mannaseh Damukana SOGAVARE]; Solomon Islands Labor Party or SILP [Joses TUHANUKU]; United Party or UP [leader NA] | there are no formal political parties but the following loose groupings act as political organizations; National Team; Democratic Alliance; Team Cayman |
Political pressure groups and leaders | NA | NA |
Population | 480,442 (July 2001 est.) | 35,527 (July 2001 est.) |
Population below poverty line | NA% | NA% |
Population growth rate | 2.98% (2001 est.) | 2.12% (2001 est.) |
Ports and harbors | Aola Bay, Honiara, Lofung, Noro, Viru Harbor, Yandina | Cayman Brac, George Town |
Radio broadcast stations | AM 3, FM 0, shortwave 0 (1998) | AM 1, FM 5, shortwave 0 (1998) |
Radios | 57,000 (1997) | 36,000 (1997) |
Railways | 0 km | 0 km |
Religions | Anglican 34%, Roman Catholic 19%, Baptist 17%, United (Methodist/Presbyterian) 11%, Seventh-Day Adventist 10%, other Protestant 5%, indigenous beliefs 4% | United Church (Presbyterian and Congregational), Anglican, Baptist, Roman Catholic, Church of God, other Protestant |
Sex ratio | at birth:
1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.96 male(s)/female total population: 1.03 male(s)/female (2001 est.) |
at birth:
0.86 male(s)/female under 15 years: 0.93 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.95 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.86 male(s)/female total population: 0.94 male(s)/female (2001 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:
NA domestic: NA international: 1 submarine coaxial cable; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) |
Telephones - main lines in use | 8,000 (1997) | 19,000 (1995) |
Telephones - mobile cellular | 658 (1997) | 2,534 (1995) |
Television broadcast stations | 0 (1997) | NA |
Terrain | mostly rugged mountains with some low coral atolls | low-lying limestone base surrounded by coral reefs |
Total fertility rate | 4.65 children born/woman (2001 est.) | 2.04 children born/woman (2001 est.) |
Unemployment rate | NA% | 4.1% (1997) |
Waterways | none | none |