Moving to Solomon Islands: visas, cost of living & immigrant guide

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Population

685,097

Population Growth Rate

2.12%

Urban Population

20.500000

Population in Major Urban Areas

HONIARA (capital) 68,000

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Age Structure

35.130000

Median Age

21.300000

Birth Rate - births/1,000 population

27

Death Rate - deaths/1,000 population

3.88

Total Fertility Rate - children born/woman

3.44

Contraceptive Prevalance Rate - female 12-49

34.6%

Contraceptive Prevalence Rate - female 12-49

34.6%

Sex Ratio at Birth - male/female

1.050000

Net Migration Rate - migrant(s)/1,000 population

-1.82

Ethnic Groups

Melanesian 93%, Polynesian 4%, Micronesian 1.5%, European 0.8%, Chinese 0.3%, other 0.4%

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 English, but the grammar is Melanesian. 93% are Melanesians, 4% are Polynesian, and some Micronesians re-settled from the Gilbert Islands.

Nationality Noun

Solomon Islander(s)

Literacy Definition

NA

Education Expenditures - percent of GDP

7.3%

Total School Life Expectancy - (primary to tertiary)

9.000000

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Life Expectancy at Birth

74.660000

Infant Mortality Rate

16.700000

Infant Mortality Rate - total deaths/1,000 live births

16.700000

Maternal Mortality Rate - deaths/100,000 live births

93

Physicians Density - physicians/1,000 population

.22

Hospital Bed Density - beds/1,000 population

1.4

Health Expenditures - percent of GDP

8.8%

Drinking Water Source - percent of urban population improved

93.200000

Sanitation Facility Access - percent of urban population improved

81.400000

Underweight - percent of children under five years

11.5%

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Economic Overview

• Indicators: GDP
• Growth: The Solomon Islands have seen modest economic growth in recent years, driven by sectors such as agriculture, fisheries, forestry, and mining. Tourism and services also contribute to the economy. Agriculture and
• Fisheries: Agriculture, including subsistence farming and cash crops, plays a significant economic role. The fishing industry is crucial for both domestic consumption and export. Forestry and
• Logging: The Solomon Islands export timber and logs, contributing to government revenue. However, concerns about sustainable forestry practices and their environmental impact have been raised.
• Mining: The mining sector, particularly the extraction of minerals like gold and bauxite, has contributed to economic activity and export earnings.
• Tourism: The tourism industry has growth potential, given the country's natural beauty and cultural attractions. However, limited infrastructure and transport connectivity have affected its development. Challenges and
• Issues: Infrastructure
• Deficiency: Limited infrastructure, including transportation and energy, challenges economic development. Improvements in these areas are crucial to support various economic sectors. Governance and
• Corruption: Governance issues, including concerns about corruption, have been raised. Strengthening governance structures is essential for sustainable economic development and attracting foreign investment. Vulnerability to External
• Shocks: The Solomon Islands are susceptible to external shocks, including natural disasters (cyclones and earthquakes) and global economic fluctuations. These events can impact critical sectors like agriculture and tourism.
• Youth Unemployment: Like many developing nations, the Solomon Islands face challenges related to youth unemployment. Creating opportunities for young people and fostering skill development is essential for long-term economic stability. Government Initiatives Development
• Plans: The government has implemented development plans to foster economic growth, reduce poverty, and address infrastructure challenges. These plans often focus on diversifying the economy. Foreign Aid and
• Assistance: Foreign aid and assistance, particularly from regional partners and international organizations, support development projects and address economic challenges. Natural Resource
• Management: Efforts are being made to ensure sustainable management of natural resources, especially in the forestry and fisheries sectors, to balance economic development with environmental conservation.

Industries

fish (tuna), mining, timber

GDP - per capita (PPP)

$2,000.00 (USD)

GDP - real growth rate

3.3%

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GDP - Gross Domestic Product (PPP)

$1,710,000,000 (USD)

GDP Per Capita

$2,000.00 (USD)

GDP - real growth rate

3.3%

GDP - official exchange rate

$1,205,000,000 (USD)

GDP by Sector- agriculture

51.2%

GDP by Sector- Industry

10.2%

GDP by Sector- services

38.7%

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Inflation Rate

6.3%

Exchange Rate per US Dollar

Solomon Islands dollar (SBD)

Currency Name and Code

Solomon Island Dollar (SBD)

Fiscal Year

calendar year

Commercial Bank Prime Lending Rate

11.2%

Labor Force

202,500

Major Industries

fish (tuna), mining, timber

Agriculture Products

• cocoa beans, coconuts, palm kernels, rice, potatoes, vegetables, fruit
• cattle, pigs
• timber
• fish

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Labor Force By Occupation- agriculture

75%

Labor Force By Occupation- industry

5%

Labor Force By Occupation- services

20%

Annual Budget

$49,700,000 (USD)

Budget Surplus or Deficit - percent of GDP

2.5%

Taxes and other revenues - percent of GDP

39.8%

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Full Country Name

none

Country Name

Solomon Islands

Local - Long

none

Local - Short

Solomon Islands

Former Name

British Solomon Islands

Etymology- history of name

Spanish explorer Alvaro de MENDANA named the isles in 1568 after the wealthy biblical King SOLOMON in the mistaken belief that the islands contained great riches

Independence

7 July 1978 (from the UK)

National Holiday

Independence Day, 7 July (1978)

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Government Type

parliamentary democracy under a constitutional monarchy; a Commonwealth realm

Constitution

• history: adopted 31 May 1978, effective 7 July 1978; note - in late 2017, provincial leaders agreed to adopt a new federal constitution; progress has been stalled, but as of February 2023, the draft constitution was with the Constitutional Review Unit in the prime minister's office
• amendments: proposed by the National Parliament; passage of constitutional sections, including those on fundamental rights and freedoms, the legal system, Parliament, alteration of the constitution and the ombudsman, requires three-fourths majority vote by Parliament and assent of the governor general; passage of other amendments requires two-thirds majority vote and assent of the governor general; amended several times, last in 2018

Legal System:

mixed legal system of English common law and customary law

Executive Branch:

• chief of state: King CHARLES III (since 8 September 2022); represented by Governor General David Tiva KAPU (since 7 July 2024)
• head of government: Prime Minister Jeremiah MANELE (since 2 May 2024)
• cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the governor general on the advice of the prime minister election/appointment
• process: the monarchy is hereditary; governor general appointed by the monarch on the advice of the National Parliament for up to 5 years (eligible for a second term); following legislative elections, the National Parliament usually elects the leader of the majority party or majority coalition as prime minister; deputy prime minister appointed by the governor general on the advice of the prime minister

Legislative Branch:

• Description: unicameral National Parliament (50 seats; members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by simple majority vote to serve 4-year terms)
• Elections: last held on 3 April 2019 (next originally scheduled for April 2023 but delayed until 17 April 2024)
• Election Results: percent of vote by party - UDP 10.7%, DAP 7.8%, PAP 4.4%, independent 56.3%, other 20.8%; seats by party - DAP 7, UDP 5, PAP 3, KPSI 1, SIPFP 1, SIPRA 1, independent 32;
• Composition: men 46, women 4, percent of women 8%

Judicial Branch:

• office: Court of Appeal and High Court president, chief justices, and puisne judges appointed by the governor-general upon recommendation of the Judicial and Legal Service Commission, chaired by the chief justice to include 5 members, mostly judicial officials and legal professionals; all judges appointed until retirement at age 60
• subordinate courts: Magistrates' Courts; Customary Land Appeal Court; local courts

Regions or States:

• Summary: 9 provinces
• and 1 city*
• Central
• Choiseul
• Guadalcanal
• Honiara*
• Isabel
• Makira and Ulawa
• Malaita
• Rennell and Bellona
• Temotu
• Western

Political Parties and Leaders:

• Democratic Alliance Party or DAP [Steve ABANA]
• Kadere Party of Solomon Islands or KPSI [Peter BOYERS]
• People's Alliance Party or PAP [Sir Nathaniel WAENA]
• Solomon Islands Party for Rural Advancement or SIPRA [Manasseh MAELANGA]
• Solomon Islands People First Party or SIPFP [Dr. Jimmie RODGERS]
• United Democratic Party or UDP [Sir Thomas Ko CHAN]
• Note: in general, Solomon Islands politics is characterized by fluid coalitions

Suffrage:

21 years of age; universal

Citizenship Criteria:

• birth: no citizenship by descent
• only: at least one parent must be a citizen of the Solomon Islands dual citizenship
• recognized: no residency requirement for
• naturalization: 7 years

Capital Name

Honiara

Capital - geographic coordinate

9 26 S, 159 57 E

Capital Time Difference

UTC+11 (16 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

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International Organization Participation:

• ACP
• ADB
• AOSIS
• EITI (candidate country)
• ESCAP
• FAO
• G-77
• IBRD
• ICAO
• ICRM
• IDA
• IFAD
• IFC
• IFRCS
• ILO
• IMF
• IMO
• IOC
• ITU
• MIGA
• OPCW
• PIF
• Sparteca
• SPC
• UN
• UNCTAD
• UNESCO
• UPU
• WFTU
• WHO
• WMO
• WTO

International Law Organization Participation:

has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt

Diplomatic Representation from US:

• the US does not have an embassy in the Solomon Islands; the US Ambassador to Papua New Guinea is accredited to the Solomon Islands

Diplomatic Representation in the US:

• Chief of Mission: Ambassador Jane Mugafalu Kabui WAETARA (since 16 September 2022)
• Chancery: 685 Third Avenue, 11th Floor, Suite 1102, New York, NY 10017
• Telephone: [1] (212) 599-6192
• FAX: [1] (212) 661-8925
• Email: simun@solomons.com

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Geographic Location

Oceania

Geographic Coordinates

8 00 S, 159 00 E

Total Area

11,157 Square Miles 28,896 Square Kilometers

Land Area

10,805 Square Miles 27,986 Square Kilometers

Water Area

351 Square Miles 910 Square Kilometers

Coastline

3,301 Miles 5,313 Kilometers

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Terrain

mostly rugged mountains with some low coral atolls

Highest Point

2,447 Meters

Highest Point Location

Mount Makarakomburu 2,447 m

Lowest Point Location

Pacific Ocean 0 m

Natural Resources

fish, forests, gold, bauxite, phosphates, lead, zinc, nickel

Time Zone

UTC+11 (16 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

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Climate

tropical monsoon; few extremes of temperature and weather

Terrain

mostly rugged mountains with some low coral atolls

Location

Oceania, group of islands in the South Pacific Ocean, east of Papua New Guinea

Total Area

11,157 Square Miles 28,896 Square Kilometers

Environment - Current Issues

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

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Exports

$237,000,000 (USD)

Imports

$256,000,000 (USD)

Major Exports

timber, fish, copra, palm oil, cocoa

Major Imports

food, plant and equipment, manufactured goods, fuels, chemicals

Top Export Partners

Japan 21.1%, China 18.9%, South Korea 15.6%, Philippines 10%, Thailand 7.8%, Singapore 4.4%

Top Import Partners

Australia 32.3%, Singapore 20.2%, Fiji 5.1%, New Zealand 5.1%, Papua New Guinea 4%

Export Partners

Japan 21.1%, China 18.9%, South Korea 15.6%, Philippines 10%, Thailand 7.8%, Singapore 4.4%

Import Partners

Australia 32.3%, Singapore 20.2%, Fiji 5.1%, New Zealand 5.1%, Papua New Guinea 4%

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Country Description

Solomon Islands form an archipelago in the Southwest Pacific Ocean approximately 1,200 miles northeast of Australia.

The capital, Honiara, is located on the Island of Guadalcanal.

Solomon Islands is a parliamentary democracy within the British Commonwealth.

Tourism facilities are limited, particularly outside Honiara.

Safety & Security

Acts of political violence and civil unrest sometimes occur in Solomon Islands and may coincide with Parliamentary sessions and court cases.

In November 2011, the election of a new Prime Minister was followed by protests in Honiara that resulted in some injuries and property damage.

Civil unrest can also occur at sporting or cultural events that attract large crowds, especially if alcohol is involved.

You can obtain up-to-date safety and security information by calling 1-888-407-4747 toll-free within the U.S. and Canada, or by calling a regular toll line, 1-202-501-4444, from other countries.

These numbers are available from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.

Eastern Time, Monday through Friday (except U.S. federal holidays).

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Crime

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.

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.

Languages 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 English, but the grammar is Melanesian. 93% are Melanesians, 4% are Polynesian, and some Micronesians re-settled from the Gilbert Islands.

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Medical Facilities

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.

Traffic Safety

While in a foreign country, you may encounter road conditions that differ significantly from those in the United States.

The information below concerning Solomon Islands is provided for general reference only and may not be totally accurate in a particular location or circumstance.

Traffic in Solomon Islands moves on the left side of the road.

Paved roads are found only in and around Honiara.

These two-lane paved roads are poorly marked and have many potholes.

Roads are not well lit at night.

The remaining roads in Solomon Islands are made of coral or gravel or are dirt tracks.

Be careful when driving off main roads to avoid trespassing on communal land.

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Airports - total

36

Airports with Paved Runways

1

Heliports

3

Roadways- total

864 Miles 1,390 Kilometers

Roadways- paved

21 Miles 34 Kilometers

Ports and Terminals

Aola Bay, Honiara, Lofung, Noro, Viru Harbor, Yandina

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Telephones

8,200

Cell Phones

10,900

Internet Users

8,000

Internet Country Code

.sb

Internet Hosts

4,065

Broadcast Media

• Solomon Islands Broadcasting Corporation (SIBC) is the sole TV broadcaster with 1 station
• multi-channel pay-TV is available
• SIBC operates 2 national radio stations and 2 provincial stations
• 2 local commercial radio stations
• Radio Australia is available via satellite feed

Telephone System

• domestic: mobile-cellular telephone density is about 50 per 100 persons
• international: country code - 677; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)

Electricity Consumption- Kilowatt Hours (kWh)

66,030,000

Electricity Production- Kilowatt Hours (kWh)

71,000,000

Oil Consumption- Barrels Per Day (bbl/day)

1,728

Anthem Lyrics

• lyrics/music: Panapasa BALEKANA and Matila BALEKANA/Panapasa BALEKANA
• note: adopted 1978

Anthem Lyrics English

God save our Solomon Islands from shore to shore.

Bless all her people and her Lands With Your protecting hands.

Joy, Peace, Progress and Prosperity; That men should brothers be, make nations see.

Our Solomon Islands, Our Solomon Islands, Our Nation, Solomon Islands, Stands for evermore.