sy closed July 1993); the ambassador to Papua
New Guinea is accredited to the Solomon Islands

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

Economy Solomon Islands

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 serious
economic disarray, indeed near collapse. Tanker deliveries of crucial
fuel supplies (including those for electrical generation) have become
sporadic due to the government's inability to pay and attacks against
ships. Telecommunications are threatened by the nonpayment of bills and
by the lack of technical and maintenance staff many of whom have left
the country.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $800 million (2001 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: -10% (2001 est.)

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $1,700 (2001 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 42% industry: 11% services:
47% (2000 est.)

Population below poverty line: NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 7.9% (2001 est.)

Labor force: 26,842

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture 75%, industry 5%, services 20%
(2000 est.)

Unemployment rate: NA%

Budget: revenues: $38 million (2001) expenditures: $NA, including
capital expenditures of $NA

Industries: fish (tuna), mining, timber

Industrial production growth rate: NA%

Electricity - production: 32 million kWh (2000)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% other: 0%
(2000) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption: 29.76 million kWh (2000)

Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (2000)

Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (2000)

Agriculture - products: cocoa, beans, coconuts, palm kernels, rice,
potatoes, vegetables, fruit; cattle, pigs; timber; fish

Exports: $165 million (f.o.b., 1999 est.)

Exports - commodities: timber, fish, copra, palm oil, cocoa

Exports - partners: Japan 22%, China 15%, Phili