Solomon Islands Overview People
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Solomon Islands Demographics

What is the population of Solomon Islands?

Population 685,097
Population Growth Rate 2.12%
Urban Population 20.5%
Population in Major Urban Areas HONIARA (capital) 68,000
Nationality Noun Solomon Islander(s)
Nationality Adjective Solomon Islander
Ethnic Groups Melanesian 93%, Polynesian 4%, Micronesian 1.5%, European 0.8%, Chinese 0.3%, other 0.4%
Languages Spoken Melanesian pidgin in much of the country is lingua franca; English is official but spoken by only 1%-2% of the population
Language Note While English is the official language, there are 65 indigenous languages spoken in the Solomons. Solomon Island Pijin enables islanders from differing language groups to communicate. The vocabulary is basically English, but the grammar is Melanesian. 93% are Melanesians, 4% are Polynesian, and some Micronesians re-settled from the Gilbert Islands.

Solomon Islands Health Information

What are the health conditions in Solomon Islands?

Contraceptive Prevalence Rate - female 15-49 34.6%
Death Rate - deaths/1,000 population 3.88
Drinking Water Source - percent of rural population improved 77.2%
Drinking Water Source - percent of total population unimproved 19.5%
Drinking Water Source - percent of urban population improved 93.2%
Health Expenditures - percent of GDP 8.8%
Hospital Bed Density - beds/1,000 population 1.4
Infant Mortality Rate - female deaths/1,000 live births 14.26
Infant Mortality Rate - male deaths/1,000 live births 19.03
Infant Mortality Rate - total deaths/1,000 live births 16.7
Maternal Mortality Rate - deaths/100,000 live births 93
Physicians Density - physicians/1,000 population .22
Sanitation Facility Access - percent of total population unimproved 71.2%
Sanitation Facility Access - percent of urban population improved 81.4%
Sanitation Facility Access - percent of rural population improved 15%
Total Fertility Rate - children born/woman 3.44
Underweight - percent of children under five years 11.5%

Solomon Islands Life Expectancy

How long do people live in Solomon Islands?

Life Expectancy at Birth 74 Years
Life Expectancy at Birth - female 77 Years
Life Expectancy at Birth - male 72 Years
Median Age 21 Years
Median Age - female 21 Years
Median Age - male 21 Years

Solomon Islands Infant Mortality - per 1,000 live births

Solomon Islands median age, birth rate and death rates

Birth Rate - births/1,000 population 27
Death Rate - deaths/1,000 population 3.88
Median Age 21 Years
Median Age - female 21 Years
Median Age - male 21 Years
Net Migration Rate - migrant(s)/1,000 population -1.82
Population Growth Rate 2.12%
Sex Ratio 0-14 Years - male/female 1.06
Sex Ratio 15-24 Years - male/female 1.06
Sex Ratio 25-54 Years - male/female 1.04
Sex Ratio 55-64 Years - male/female 1.04
Sex Ratio at Birth - male/female 1.05
Sex Ratio of Total Population - male/female 1.04
Sex Ratio Over 64 Years - male/female .95

Solomon Islands Medical Information

What are the health conditions in Solomon Islands?

Medical Facilities and Health Information

Hospitals and pharmacies in Solomon Islands are limited to populated areas and religious missions. The nearest reliable medical facilities are in Australia or New Zealand. There is a hyperbaric recompression chamber in Honiara at the In-the-Zone Medical Centre, phone (677) 23485 or (677) 23482; however, medical conditions resulting from diving accidents may require medical evacuation to Australia or New Zealand. Serious medical treatment requiring hospitalization and/or medical evacuation to Australia, New Zealand, or the United States can cost thousands of dollars. Doctors and hospitals often expect immediate cash payment for health services. If you anticipate the possible need for medical treatment in Australia, obtain entry permission for Australia in advance. Entry permission for Australia can be granted by the Australian High Commission in Honiara but is easier to obtain before you leave the United States (see section above on Entry/Exit Requirements).

Malaria occurs throughout the year in most areas of Solomon Islands. We recommend that you seek medical advice on taking prophylaxis against malaria and that you use an insect repellent at all times. Outbreaks of the mosquito-borne illness, dengue fever, occur from time to time. For information on dengue fever, see the World Health Organization Factsheet. Water-borne, food-borne, parasitic, and other infectious diseases (including hepatitis, tuberculosis, filariasis and sexually transmitted infections) are prevalent, with more serious outbreaks occurring from time to time. We encourage you to consider having vaccinations before traveling. We advise you to boil all drinking water or drink bottled water, and avoid ice cubes and raw and undercooked food. Seek medical advice if you have a fever or are suffering from diarrhea.

Solomon Islands Education

What is school like in Solomon Islands?

Education Expenditures - percent of GDP 7.3%
Literacy Definition NA
School Life Expectancy - female 9 Years
School Life Expectancy - male 10 Years
Total School Life Expectancy - (primary to tertiary) 9 Years

Solomon Islands Literacy

Can people in Solomon Islands read?

Literacy Definition NA
Predominant Language Melanesian pidgin in much of the country is lingua franca; English is official but spoken by only 1%-2% of the population

Solomon Islands Crime

Is Solomon Islands a safe place to visit?

Crime Information

Petty theft is common in some parts of Solomon Islands, so take extra care while walking the streets, going to the market, or going out at night. Guided or group tours are generally safer than traveling alone. Landowners may demand money if you enter their land without permission. Home invasions, burglaries, and violent crime typically increase in the months approaching the Christmas holiday season.

Gang-based criminal activity has increased in and around the Burns Creek area in East Honiara and in the Borderline area, which is close to the Japanese WWII memorial. You should not go alone to the Japanese memorial . Use caution when shopping in the central market area as purse and mobile phone snatching is common. Police have established a post at the Market area where you can report crimes.

Yacht-related robberies have increased. The perpetrators—usually armed with knives and clubs—board yachts at night while the occupants are asleep and steal valuables and money. Most criminals are not deterred even when boats are anchored off-shore.

Don’t buy counterfeit and pirated goods, even if they are widely available. Not only are the bootlegs illegal in the United States, you may be breaking local law too. Every care should be given when purchasing pharmaceuticals. There are no guarantees that the medicines you purchase in Solomon Islands are genuine.

Solomon Islands Penalties for Crime

Criminal Penalties

While you are traveling in another country, you are subject to its laws. U.S. laws don’t apply, and your U.S. passport won’t help you if you do something illegal overseas. Foreign laws, legal systems, and criminal penalties can be vastly different than those in the United States. There are also some things that might be legal in the country you visit, but still illegal in the United States. Engaging in sexual conduct with children or using or disseminating child pornography in a foreign country is a crime prosecutable in the United States.

Based on the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations, bilateral agreements, and customary international law, if you are arrested in Solomon Islands, you have the option to request that the police, prison officials, or other authorities alert the nearest U.S. embassy of your arrest. You may also request to have communications from you forwarded to the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate.

Solomon Islands Population Comparison

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