Issues
Slovenia

Disputes - international:

the Croatia-Slovenia land and maritime boundary agreement, which
would have ceded most of Piran Bay and maritime access to Slovenia
and several villages to Croatia, remains unratified and in dispute;
Slovenia also protests Croatia's 2003 claim to an exclusive economic
zone in the Adriatic; as a member state that forms part of the EU's
external border, Slovenia has implemented the strict Schengen border
rules to curb illegal migration and commerce through southeastern
Europe while encouraging close cross-border ties with Croatia

Illicit drugs:

minor transit point for cocaine and Southwest Asian heroin bound for
Western Europe, and for precursor chemicals

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2008

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@Solomon Islands

Introduction
Solomon Islands

Background:

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 Allan 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.

Geography
Solomon Islands

Location:

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

Geographic coordinates:

8 00 S, 159 00 E

Map references:

Oceania

Area:

total: 28,450 sq km
land: 27,540 sq km
water: 910 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly smaller than Maryland

Land boundaries:

0 km

Coastline:

5,313 km

Maritime claims:

measured from claimed archipelagic baselines
territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
continental shelf: 200 nm

Climate:

tropical monsoon; few extremes of temperature and weather

Terrain:

mostly rugged mountains with some low coral atolls

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: Mount Makarakomburu 2,447 m

Natural resourc