ower 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

- Economy
Overview: About 90% of the population depend on subsistence
agriculture, fishing, and forestry for at least part of their livelihood.
Agriculture, fishing, and forestry contribute about 75% to GDP, with the
fishing and forestry sectors being important export earners. The service
sector contributes about 25% to GDP. Manufacturing activity is
negligible. Most manufactured goods and petroleum products must be
imported. The islands are rich in undeveloped mineral resources such as
lead, zinc, nickel, and gold. The economy suffered from a severe cyclone
in mid-1986 which caused widespread damage to the infrastructure.

GDP: $156 million, per capita $500; real growth rate 4.3% (1988)

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 11.2% (1988)

Unemployment rate: NA%

Budget: revenues $139.0 million; expenditures $154.4 million, including
capital expenditures of $113.4 million (1987)

Exports: $80.1 million (f.o.b., 1988); commodities--fish 46%,
timber 31%, copra 5%, palm oil 5%; partners--Japan 51%, UK 12%,
Thailand 9%, Netherlands 8%, Australia 2%, US 2% (1985)

Imports: $101.7 million (f.o.b., 1988); commodities--plant and
machinery 30%, fuel 19%, food 16%; partners--Japan 36%, US 23%,
Singapore 9%, UK 9%, NZ 9%, Australia 4%, Hong Kong 4%, China 3% (1985)

External debt: $128 million (1988 est.)

Industrial production: growth rate 0% (1987)

Electricity: 15,000 kW capacity; 30 million kWh produced,
90 kWh per capita (1989)

Industries: copra, fish (tuna)

Agriculture: including fishing and forestry, accounts for about
75% of GDP; mostly subsistence farming; cash crops--cocoa, beans,
coconuts, palm kernels, timber; other products--rice, potatoes,
vegetables, fruit, cattle, pigs; not self-sufficient in food grains;
90% of the total fish catch of 44,500 metric tons was exported (1988)

Aid: Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments
(1985), $16.1 million

Currency: Solomon Islands dollar (plural--dollars);
1 Solomon Islands dollar (SI$) = 100 cents

Exchange rates: Solomon Islands dollars (SI$) per US$1--2.4067
(January 1990), 2.3090 (1989), 2.0825 (1988), 2.0033 (1987), 1.7415 (1986),
1.4808 (1985)

Fiscal year: calendar year

- Communications
Highways: about 2,100 km total (1982); 30 km sealed, 290 km gravel,
980 km earth, 800 priva