https://www.humantruth.info/solomon_islands.html
By Vexen Crabtree 2013
Solomon Islands | ![]() |
---|---|
Status | Independent State |
Social and Moral Index | 179th best |
Capital | Honiara |
Land Area | 27 990km21 |
Location | Australasia, Melanesia |
Groupings | Small Islands |
Population | 0.7m2 |
Life Expectancy | 70.35yrs (2017)3 |
GNI | $2 482 (2017)4 |
ISO3166-1 Codes | SB, SLB, 905 |
Internet Domain | .sb6 |
Currency | Dollar (SBD)7 |
Telephone | +6778 |
“First settled by the French in the early 17th century, the islands represent the sole remaining vestige of France's once vast North American possessions.”
CIA's The World Factbook (2013)9
“For those seeking an authentic Melanesian experience or an off-the-beaten-track destination, the Solomons are hard to beat. From WWII relics scattered in the jungle to leaf-hut villages where traditional culture is alive, the Solomon Islands has so much on offer.
Then there´s the visual appeal, with scenery reminiscent of a Discovery Channel documentary: volcanic islands that jut up dramatically from the cobalt-blue ocean, croc-infested mangroves, huge lagoons, tropical islets and emerald forests.
Don´t expect white-sand beaches, ritzy resorts and wild nightlife - the Solomon Islands is not a beach-holiday destination. With only a smattering of traditional guesthouses and comfortable hideaways, it´s tailor-made for ecotourists.
For outdoorsy types, lots of action-packed experiences can easily be organised: climb an extinct volcano, surf uncrowded waves, snorkel pristine reefs or kayak across a lagoon. Beneath the ocean´s surface, unbeatable diving adventures await. The best part is, there´ll be no crowds to mar the experience.”
#economics #human_development #wealth
UN HDI (2021)11 | ||
---|---|---|
Pos. | Higher is better Value11 | |
1 | Switzerland | 0.962 |
2 | Norway | 0.961 |
3 | Iceland | 0.959 |
... | ||
152 | Kenya | 0.575 |
153 | Congo, (Brazzaville) | 0.571 |
154 | Zambia | 0.565 |
155 | Solomon Islands | 0.564 |
156= | Comoros | 0.558 |
156= | Papua New Guinea | 0.558 |
158 | Mauritania | 0.556 |
159 | Ivory Coast | 0.550 |
Australasia Avg | 0.70 | |
World Avg | 0.72 | |
q=191. |
Gross National Income Per-Capita (2021)11 | ||
---|---|---|
Pos. | Higher is better PPP $11 | |
1 | Liechtenstein | $146 830 |
2 | Singapore | $90 919 |
3 | Qatar | $87 134 |
... | ||
166 | Haiti | $2 848 |
167 | Lesotho | $2 700 |
168 | Tanzania | $2 664 |
169 | Solomon Islands | $2 482 |
170 | Guinea | $2 481 |
171 | Ethiopia | $2 361 |
172 | Rwanda | $2 210 |
173 | Uganda | $2 181 |
Australasia Avg | $12 519 | |
World Avg | $20 136 | |
q=193. |
Social & Moral Development Index12 | ||
---|---|---|
Pos. | Lower is better Avg Rank12 | |
1 | Denmark | 29.1 |
2 | Norway | 32.3 |
3 | Sweden | 34.1 |
... | ||
176 | Turkmenistan | 118.4 |
177 | Micronesia | 118.6 |
178 | Papua New Guinea | 118.8 |
179 | Solomon Islands | 119.3 |
180 | Syria | 120.3 |
181 | Comoros | 120.3 |
182 | Mauritania | 120.3 |
183 | Yemen | 122.5 |
Australasia Avg | 95.6 | |
World Avg | 88.9 | |
q=199. |
The United Nations produces an annual Human Development Report which includes the Human Development Index. The factors taken into account include life expectancy, education and schooling and Gross National Income (GNI) amongst many others..
The Social and Moral Development Index concentrates on moral issues and human rights, violence, public health, equality, tolerance, freedom and effectiveness in climate change mitigation and environmentalism, and on some technological issues. A country scores higher for achieving well in those areas, and for sustaining that achievement in the long term. Those countries towards the top of this index can truly said to be setting good examples and leading humankind onwards into a bright, humane, and free future. See: Which are the Best Countries in the World? The Social and Moral Development Index.
#birth_control #demographics #fertility #health #immigration #life_expectancy #longevity #migration #overpopulation #population #yemen
Population:
The Solomon Islands's population is predicted to rise to 841 161 by 2030. This country has a fertility rate of 3.93. The fertility rate is, in simple terms, the average amount of children that each woman has. The higher the figure, the quicker the population will grow, although, to calculate the rate you also need to take into account morbidity - the rate at which people die. If people live healthy and long lives and morbidity is low, then, 2.0 approximates to the replacement rate (two new children for each set of parents who die), which would keep the population stable. If all countries had such a fertility rate, population growth would end. The actual replacement rate in most developed countries is around 2.1. The highest fertility rate ever detected in a single year was in Yemen in 1985, at 8.86.13Population2 | ||
---|---|---|
Pos. | 2018 Population2 | |
1 | China | 1.4b |
2 | India | 1.4b |
3 | USA | 327.1m |
... | ||
160 | Comoros | 0.8m |
161 | Guyana | 0.8m |
162 | Bhutan | 0.8m |
163 | Solomon Islands | 0.7m |
164 | Montenegro | 0.6m |
165 | Luxembourg | 0.6m |
166 | Suriname | 0.6m |
167 | Cape Verde | 0.5m |
World Avg | 39.0m | |
q=195. |
Life Expectancy Higher is better11 | ||
---|---|---|
Pos. | 2021 Years11 | |
1 | Monaco | 85.9 |
2 | Hong Kong | 85.5 |
3 | Japan | 84.8 |
... | ||
112 | Belize | 70.5 |
113 | Vanuatu | 70.4 |
114 | Iraq | 70.4 |
115 | Solomon Islands | 70.3 |
116 | Suriname | 70.3 |
117 | Paraguay | 70.3 |
118 | Egypt | 70.2 |
119 | Mexico | 70.2 |
World Avg | 71.28 | |
q=195. |
Fertility Rate 2.0 is best14 | ||
---|---|---|
Pos. | 202214 | |
1 | US Virgin Islands | 2.00 |
2 | Ecuador | 2.00 |
3 | Nepal | 2.01 |
... | ||
175 | Samoa | 3.88 |
176 | Sierra Leone | 3.88 |
177 | Comoros | 3.91 |
178= | Solomon Islands | 3.93 |
178= | Guinea-Bissau | 3.93 |
180 | Liberia | 4.02 |
181 | Ethiopia | 4.06 |
182 | Congo, (Brazzaville) | 4.10 |
World Avg | 2.47 | |
q=208. |
Old-Age Dependency Ratio Lower is better15 | ||
---|---|---|
Pos. | 2016 Per 10015 | |
1 | Uganda | 04.3 |
2 | Mali | 04.5 |
3= | Chad | 04.7 |
... | ||
44 | Mauritania | 06.8 |
45= | Kuwait | 06.8 |
46 | Congo, (Brazzaville) | 07.0 |
47= | Solomon Islands | 07.0 |
47= | Rwanda | 07.0 |
49 | Namibia | 07.4 |
50= | Botswana | 07.7 |
50= | UAE | 07.7 |
World Avg | 18.3 | |
q=185. |
Migration:
Immigrants16 | ||
---|---|---|
Pos. | 2017 %16 | |
1 | UAE | 88.4% |
2 | Kuwait | 75.5% |
3 | Qatar | 65.2% |
... | ||
172 | Guatemala | 0.5% |
173 | Cambodia | 0.5% |
174 | Honduras | 0.4% |
175 | Solomon Islands | 0.4% |
176 | Papua New Guinea | 0.4% |
177 | India | 0.4% |
178 | Afghanistan | 0.4% |
179 | Haiti | 0.4% |
World Avg | 9.4% | |
q=195. |
Emigrants17 | ||
---|---|---|
Pos. | 2010 %17 | |
1 | Dominica | 104.8% |
2 | Palestine | 68.4% |
3 | Samoa | 67.3% |
... | ||
173 | Kenya | 1.1% |
174 | Indonesia | 1.1% |
175 | Myanmar (Burma) | 1.0% |
176 | Solomon Islands | 1.0% |
177 | India | 0.9% |
178 | Papua New Guinea | 0.9% |
179 | USA | 0.8% |
180 | Namibia | 0.7% |
World Avg | 11.5% | |
q=192. |
#equality #freedom #freethought #gender_equality #homosexuality #human_rights #international_law #morals #politics #prejudice #religious_tolerance #tolerance #women
Compared to Australasia (2025)18 | ||
---|---|---|
Pos. | Lower is better Avg Rank18 | |
1 | New Zealand | 13.3 |
2 | Australia | 16.0 |
3 | Kiribati | 70.1 |
... | ||
6 | Micronesia | 78.2 |
7 | Palau | 80.7 |
8 | Nauru | 82.3 |
9 | Fiji | 87.1 |
10 | Vanuatu | 98.7 |
11 | Samoa | 100.4 |
12 | Tonga | 105.5 |
13 | Solomon Islands | 108.9 |
14 | Papua New Guinea | 113.5 |
Australasia Avg | 79.23 | |
q=14. |
Human Rights, Equality & Tolerance (2025)18 | ||
---|---|---|
Pos. | Lower is better Avg Rank18 | |
1 | Sweden | 6.1 |
2 | Denmark | 8.6 |
3 | Norway | 9.0 |
... | ||
136 | Kuwait | 108.4 |
137 | Gabon | 108.8 |
138 | Tanzania | 108.9 |
139 | Solomon Islands | 108.9 |
140 | Maldives | 110.2 |
141 | Madagascar | 110.4 |
142 | Zambia | 111.0 |
143 | Jordan | 111.1 |
World Avg | 86.55 | |
q=199. |
The best countries in the world at ensuring human rights, fostering equality and promoting tolerance, are Sweden, Denmark and Norway19. These countries are displaying the best traits that humanity has to offer. The worst countries are Somalia, N. Korea and Afghanistan19.
21 datasets are used to calculate points for each country, including multiple decades of data on supporting press freedom, eliminating modern slavery, supporting personal, civil & economic freedoms, its average Freedom in the World rating, commentary in Human Rights Watch reports, its nominal commitment to Human Rights, speed of uptake of HR treaties, opposing gender inequality, the rate of gender bias (from 7 indicators), the year from which women could participate in democracy, its success in fighting anti-semitic prejudice, LGBT equality and freethought. The regions with the best average results per country are Scandinavia, Baltic States and Europe19, whereas the worst are Africa, The Middle East and Asia19.
For more, see:
Human Rights & Tolerance:
Freedom in the World Lower is better | ||
---|---|---|
Pos. | 2024 Score | |
1= | Norway | 1.0 |
1= | Canada | 1.0 |
1= | Cape Verde | 1.0 |
... | ||
76 | Timor-Leste (E. Timor) | 2.5 |
77= | Senegal | 2.5 |
77= | Israel | 2.5 |
77= | Solomon Islands | 2.5 |
77= | Colombia | 2.5 |
77= | Nauru | 2.5 |
77= | Lesotho | 2.5 |
77= | Namibia | 2.5 |
Australasia Avg | 1.8 | |
World Avg | 3.7 | |
q=205. |
Nominal Commitment to HR Higher is better20 | ||
---|---|---|
Pos. | 2009 Treaties20 | |
1 | Argentina | 24 |
2= | Chile | 23 |
2= | Costa Rica | 23 |
... | ||
154 | Zimbabwe | 11 |
155 | Saudi Arabia | 10 |
156= | Laos | 10 |
156= | Solomon Islands | 10 |
156= | Qatar | 10 |
156= | Vatican City | 10 |
156= | India | 10 |
156= | Fiji | 10 |
Australasia Avg | 8.7 | |
World Avg | 15.1 | |
q=194. |
HR Treaties Lag Lower is better21 | ||
---|---|---|
Pos. | 2019 Avg Yrs/Treaty21 | |
1 | Ecuador | 2.15 |
2 | Uruguay | 2.25 |
3 | Tunisia | 3.65 |
... | ||
186 | Micronesia | 15.55 |
187 | Somalia | 15.71 |
188 | Kiribati | 15.80 |
189 | Solomon Islands | 15.81 |
190 | Nauru | 16.16 |
191 | Sao Tome & Principe | 16.17 |
192 | Tuvalu | 16.33 |
193 | Palau | 16.34 |
Australasia Avg | 14.35 | |
World Avg | 10.02 | |
q=195. |
Gender Equality:
See:
Year Women Can Vote Lower is better | ||
---|---|---|
Pos. | Total Year | |
1 | New Zealand | 1893 |
2 | Australia | 1902 |
3 | Finland | 1906 |
... | ||
162= | San Marino | 1973 |
162= | Andorra | 1973 |
164 | Jordan | 1974 |
165= | Solomon Islands | 1974 |
166 | Sao Tome & Principe | 1975 |
167= | Cape Verde | 1975 |
167= | Angola | 1975 |
167= | Mozambique | 1975 |
Australasia Avg | 1962 | |
World Avg | 1930 | |
q=189. |
Prejudice:
LGBT Equality Higher is better22 | ||
---|---|---|
Pos. | 2017 Score22 | |
1 | Netherlands | 103 |
2 | Belgium | 90 |
3 | Sweden | 86 |
... | ||
188= | Senegal | -39 |
189 | Libya | -42 |
190= | Morocco | -42 |
191 | Solomon Islands | -44 |
192 | Qatar | -54 |
193 | Sudan | -67 |
194 | Saudi Arabia | -72 |
195 | Somalia | -79 |
Australasia Avg | 07.1 | |
World Avg | 12.6 | |
q=196. |
Freedom of Thought Lower is better23 | ||
---|---|---|
Pos. | 202123 | |
1= | Belgium | 1.0 |
1= | Taiwan | 1.0 |
1= | Netherlands | 1.0 |
... | ||
140 | Guyana | 3.5 |
141= | Nicaragua | 3.5 |
141= | Papua New Guinea | 3.5 |
141= | Solomon Islands | 3.5 |
141= | Kazakhstan | 3.5 |
141= | Suriname | 3.5 |
146 | Angola | 3.7 |
147= | Uzbekistan | 3.7 |
Australasia Avg | 2.6 | |
World Avg | 3.0 | |
q=196. |
#alcohol #birth_control #demographics #health #life_expectancy #longevity #obesity #overpopulation #parenting #population #smoking #solomon_islands #vaccines
Compared to Australasia (2025)24 | ||
---|---|---|
Pos. | Lower is better Avg Rank24 | |
1 | New Caledonia | 57.9 |
2 | Australia | 66.3 |
3 | New Zealand | 69.9 |
4 | Guam | 99.3 |
5 | Fiji | 105.9 |
6 | French Polynesia | 114.5 |
7 | Vanuatu | 118.8 |
8 | Solomon Islands | 119.7 |
9 | Palau | 121.6 |
10 | Tonga | 124.3 |
11 | Papua New Guinea | 125.9 |
12 | Tuvalu | 126.7 |
13 | Kiribati | 129.5 |
Australasia Avg | 112.00 | |
q=19. |
Health (2025)24 | ||
---|---|---|
Pos. | Lower is better Avg Rank24 | |
1 | Monaco | 14.3 |
2 | Liechtenstein | 30.1 |
3 | Isle of Man | 32.1 |
... | ||
148 | Bolivia | 117.5 |
149 | Botswana | 118.5 |
150 | Vanuatu | 118.8 |
151 | Solomon Islands | 119.7 |
152 | Jordan | 119.8 |
153 | Honduras | 121.0 |
154 | Sao Tome & Principe | 121.3 |
155 | Lesotho | 121.4 |
World Avg | 97.60 | |
q=213. |
The countries with the best overall approach to public health, in terms of both public policy and individual lifestyle choices, are Monaco, Liechtenstein and The Isle of Man25. These countries are worth emulating. And, although often through no fault of the average citizen, the worst countries are The Cook Islands, The Marshall Islands and Niue25.
25 datasets are used to calculate points for each country, including multiple decades of data on its average life expectancy, its alcohol consumption rate, its fertility rate, its smoking rate, its suicide rate, its food aid and health contributions and WHO compliance, the prevalence of overweight adults, obesity rate, its adolescent birth rate and its immunizations take-up. The regions with the best average results per country are Scandinavia, Europe and The Balkans25, whereas the worst are Micronesia, Africa and Australasia25.
For more, see:
Health:
The Solomon Islands does relatively well in encouraging good health, compared to many other countries. The Solomon Islands does the second-best in its smoking rate26. It does better than average in terms of its alcohol consumption rate27, its immunizations take-up28 and in the prevalence of overweight adults29 (amongst the best in Australasia). But, things still need to improve in The Solomon Islands. The Solomon Islands does worse than average when it comes to its average life expectancy11, its adolescent birth rate30 (amongst the worst in Australasia) and in its fertility rate14 (one of the worst in Australasia). The number of overweight adults has increased by 14% between 1976 and 2016. Life expectancy in the Solomon Islands improved by +5yrs in the 30 years from 1990, less than the global average of +7.9yrs. The Solomon Islands's peak fertility rate was 7.13 in 1974.Life Expectancy Higher is better11 | ||
---|---|---|
Pos. | 2021 Years11 | |
1 | Monaco | 85.9 |
2 | Hong Kong | 85.5 |
3 | Japan | 84.8 |
... | ||
112 | Belize | 70.5 |
113 | Vanuatu | 70.4 |
114 | Iraq | 70.4 |
115 | Solomon Islands | 70.3 |
116 | Suriname | 70.3 |
117 | Paraguay | 70.3 |
118 | Egypt | 70.2 |
119 | Mexico | 70.2 |
Australasia Avg | 70.11 | |
World Avg | 71.28 | |
q=195. |
Alcohol Consumption Lower is better27 | ||
---|---|---|
Pos. | 2016 Per Capita27 | |
1 | Bangladesh | 0.0 |
2 | Kuwait | 0.0 |
3 | Libya | 0.0 |
... | ||
31= | Eritrea | 1.3 |
31= | Guinea | 1.3 |
31= | Mali | 1.3 |
34 | Solomon Islands | 1.4 |
35= | Tonga | 1.5 |
35= | Lebanon | 1.5 |
37 | Chad | 1.6 |
38 | Tuvalu | 1.7 |
Australasia Avg | 4.3 | |
World Avg | 6.2 | |
q=189. |
Fertility Rate 2.0 is best14 | ||
---|---|---|
Pos. | 202214 | |
1 | US Virgin Islands | 2.00 |
2 | Ecuador | 2.00 |
3 | Nepal | 2.01 |
... | ||
175 | Samoa | 3.88 |
176 | Sierra Leone | 3.88 |
177 | Comoros | 3.91 |
178= | Solomon Islands | 3.93 |
178= | Guinea-Bissau | 3.93 |
180 | Liberia | 4.02 |
181 | Ethiopia | 4.06 |
182 | Congo, (Brazzaville) | 4.10 |
Australasia Avg | 2.82 | |
World Avg | 2.47 | |
q=208. |
Smoking Rates Lower is better26 | ||
---|---|---|
Pos. | 201426 | |
1 | Guinea | 15 |
2 | Solomon Islands | 26 |
3 | Kiribati | 28 |
4 | Uganda | 41 |
5 | Rwanda | 53 |
6 | Samoa | 54 |
7 | Congo, DR | 74 |
8 | Ethiopia | 76 |
9 | Vanuatu | 76 |
10 | Guyana | 77 |
11 | Suriname | 79 |
12 | Malawi | 80 |
Australasia Avg | 372 | |
World Avg | 819 | |
q=182. |
Overweight Adults Lower is better29 | ||
---|---|---|
Pos. | 1976 %29 | |
1 | Bangladesh | 4.7 |
2 | Vietnam | 5.1 |
3 | Nepal | 5.4 |
... | ||
77 | Honduras | 25.5 |
78 | Antigua & Barbuda | 25.8 |
79= | St Vincent & Grenadines | 25.9 |
79= | Solomon Islands | 25.9 |
81 | Grenada | 26.2 |
82 | Papua New Guinea | 26.3 |
83 | Tajikistan | 26.4 |
84 | Uzbekistan | 27.1 |
Australasia Avg | 48.8 | |
World Avg | 27.1 | |
q=191. |
Adult Obesity Lower is better31 | ||
---|---|---|
Pos. | 2022 %31 | |
1 | Vietnam | 2.1% |
2 | Timor-Leste (E. Timor) | 2.2% |
3 | Ethiopia | 2.4% |
... | ||
83 | Mauritania | 20.8% |
84 | Montenegro | 21.1% |
85 | Italy | 21.6% |
86 | Solomon Islands | 21.6% |
87 | Pakistan | 21.8% |
88 | Belgium | 22.0% |
89 | Morocco | 22.1% |
90 | Slovenia | 22.2% |
Australasia Avg | 49.3% | |
World Avg | 24.7% | |
q=199. |
Children's Health:
Adolescent Birth Rate Lower is better30 | ||
---|---|---|
Pos. | 2022 Per 100030 | |
1 | Hong Kong | 1.6 |
2 | Denmark | 1.8 |
3 | S. Korea | 2.1 |
... | ||
134 | Belize | 56.6 |
135 | Marshall Islands | 57.5 |
136 | Colombia | 57.6 |
137 | Solomon Islands | 59.4 |
138 | Gambia | 60.7 |
139 | S. Africa | 60.9 |
140 | Iraq | 61.2 |
141 | Ecuador | 62.1 |
Australasia Avg | 40.2 | |
World Avg | 43.8 | |
q=195. |
Infant Immunizations 2011-2015 Higher is better28 | ||
---|---|---|
Pos. | 2015 Avg %28 | |
1= | Hungary | 99.0 |
1= | China | 99.0 |
3 | Uzbekistan | 98.9 |
... | ||
73 | Eritrea | 94.7 |
74 | Singapore | 94.6 |
75 | UK | 94.6 |
76 | Solomon Islands | 94.5 |
77 | Norway | 94.3 |
78 | Bolivia | 94.2 |
79= | UAE | 94.0 |
79= | Bangladesh | 94.0 |
Australasia Avg | 86.4 | |
World Avg | 88.3 | |
q=194. |
#australia #biodiversity #climate_change #deforestation #environmentalism #food #internationalism #malaysia #meat #over-exploitation #the_environment #USA #veganism #vegetarianism
Compared to Australasia (2025)32 | ||
---|---|---|
Pos. | Lower is better Avg Rank32 | |
1 | New Zealand | 75.8 |
2 | Australia | 76.6 |
3 | Fiji | 89.1 |
... | ||
8 | Kiribati | 111.4 |
9 | Micronesia | 114.6 |
10 | Cook Islands | 119.6 |
11 | Solomon Islands | 121.6 |
12 | Marshall Islands | 123.1 |
13 | Palau | 124.5 |
14 | Tuvalu | 127.4 |
15 | Niue | 129.5 |
16 | Nauru | 134.4 |
Australasia Avg | 93.28 | |
q=16. |
Responsibility Towards The Environment (2025)32 | ||
---|---|---|
Pos. | Lower is better Avg Rank32 | |
1 | Sri Lanka | 34.9 |
2 | Uruguay | 43.2 |
3 | Switzerland | 45.0 |
... | ||
180 | Cook Islands | 119.6 |
181 | Libya | 121.4 |
182 | Zimbabwe | 121.5 |
183 | Solomon Islands | 121.6 |
184 | Marshall Islands | 123.1 |
185 | Palau | 124.5 |
186 | Grenada | 125.0 |
187 | Tuvalu | 127.4 |
World Avg | 84.93 | |
q=199. |
We have known for a long term that we must protect the environment from habitation destruction, over-exploitation, pollution, and the emissions that cause climate change. In 1998, Greenpeace wrote that "Environment can no longer be meaningfully separated from health, quality of life, democracy, education, economy or trade"33. What countries have been doing the right thing, via legislation and national culture? All countries' current and historical approach towards the environment is gauged via 21 datasets, including multiple decades of data on its forested percent change 2000-2020, its environmental performance, energy to GDP efficiency, its sign-up rate to major international accords on protecting the environment, the rate of rational beliefs on the environment in the population, reducing annual meat consumption per person and its score on the Green Future Index.
The countries that do the best (Sri Lanka, Uruguay and Switzerland) tend to have avoided the excesses of early industrial countries, and have not yet repeated the same mistakes of environmental destruction - at least, not on the same scale. The regions with the best average results per country are Central America, South America and Scandinavia. The worst are Eritrea, The Vatican City and Timor-Leste (E. Timor), and the worst regions Micronesia, Australasia and Melanesia.
For more, see:
The Solomon Islands is positioned 17th-worst in the world with regard to its responsibility towards the environment. This rank is computed from 21 data sets. The Solomon Islands does better than average when it comes to reducing annual meat consumption per person34 (the lowest in Australasia). But that's it. The Solomon Islands has problems. It does worse than average when it comes to its forested percent change 2000-202035 and in its environmental performance36 (one of the worst in Australasia). And finally, it falls into the worst-performing 20 in terms of its sign-up rate to major international accords on protecting the environment.Forest Area Change 2000-2020 Higher is better35 | ||
---|---|---|
Pos. | Total35 | |
1 | Guernsey | 82.6% |
2 | Bahrain | 75.2% |
3 | Iceland | 64.7% |
... | ||
138 | Finland | -0.2% |
139 | Canada | -0.3% |
140 | Guadeloupe | -0.5% |
141 | Solomon Islands | -0.6% |
142 | Western Sahara | -0.6% |
143 | Mongolia | -0.6% |
144 | Sweden | -0.7% |
145 | Gabon | -0.7% |
Australasia Avg | 0.1% | |
World Avg | -0.1% | |
q=234. |
The world took notice of the large-scale deforestation and logging that was taking place in the Solomon Islands; in the 1990s Greenpeace began a long local campaign, pushing for more sustainable practices, such as Ecotimber, with the Solomon Islands Development Trust (SIDT) - it helped villagers harvest, mill, and export timber in ways that caused minimal damage to the surrounding ecosystem.
“Greenpeace has been working with local and regional groups to develop Ecotimber, a sustainable source of tropical wood. Co-funded by Greenpeace, the New Zealand government and regional industry, Ecotimber offers consumers a chance to be part of a sustainable solution to the destructive logging of Melanesia.”
Greenpeace Annual Report (1997)
Over the next few years, 1000 cubic metres of sustainable, eco-friendlier timber was produced. But despite local community and local industry support, a number of rich and powerful international logging companies lobbied the Solomon Islands' government, coercing them to abandon forestry reform and the would-be Forestry Act. Some of those involved were Australian firms Levers Pacific Timber and Allardyce Lumber Company; the USA Kalena Lumber Company and finally, worst of all, a number of Malaysian timber firms came to aggressively oppose reforms; some of them were also involved in gaining tax-exemptions as a result of corrupt political dealings designed to protect industrial logging.37
“Foreign loggers have largely ignored environmental rules outlined in Standard Logging Agreements. [...] Companies forge the names of species and log grades, conceal high-grade logs in low-grade shipments, and simply under-record prices to lower log export taxes. [...] Schemes to under-record log export prices in 1993 may have cost Solomon Islands government up to SI$94 million. [...]
A broad social base of opposition to loggers appears to be gaining strength [..] Some angry opponents have even sabotaged equipment and burned logging camps”
Peter Dauvergne (1998)37
Some things have improved since then as a result of pressure, and better awareness of the dangers of nonsustainable practices, but, improvements are still resisted (generally successfully) by corporate interests. Malaysian firms in particular are the worst culprits, including Sunrise Investment Ltd, Mas Solo Investment Ltd, Gallego Resources and Tabilo Timber. They have conducted repeated illegal logging, caused environmental damage and polluted rivers, with responses by authorities prevented by corruption-enabled inaction.
Environmental Performance Higher is better36 | ||
---|---|---|
Pos. | 201836 | |
1 | Switzerland | 87.4 |
2 | France | 84.0 |
3 | Denmark | 81.6 |
... | ||
148 | Rwanda | 43.7 |
149 | Zimbabwe | 43.4 |
150 | Cambodia | 43.2 |
151 | Solomon Islands | 43.2 |
152 | Iraq | 43.2 |
153 | Laos | 42.9 |
154 | Burkina Faso | 42.8 |
155 | Sierra Leone | 42.5 |
Australasia Avg | 55.2 | |
World Avg | 56.4 | |
q=180. |
International Accords on the Environment Higher is better | ||
---|---|---|
Pos. | Total Avg Rate | |
1 | Sweden | 83% |
2 | Canada | 82% |
3 | Norway | 81% |
... | ||
175 | Kiribati | 42% |
176 | Cook Islands | 42% |
177 | Niue | 42% |
178 | Solomon Islands | 42% |
179 | Marshall Islands | 42% |
180 | Serbia | 41% |
181 | Grenada | 41% |
182 | Afghanistan | 41% |
Australasia Avg | 48.2% | |
World Avg | 57.5% | |
q=197. |
Meat Consumption Lower is better34 | ||
---|---|---|
Pos. | 2021 kg34 | |
1 | Congo, DR | 03.0 |
2 | Burundi | 03.5 |
3 | Bangladesh | 04.3 |
... | ||
28 | Gambia | 16.7 |
29 | Timor-Leste (E. Timor) | 17.2 |
30 | Nepal | 17.3 |
31 | Solomon Islands | 17.4 |
32 | Syria | 17.8 |
33 | Yemen | 17.8 |
34 | Algeria | 17.9 |
35 | Iraq | 18.3 |
Australasia Avg | 74.2 | |
World Avg | 52.5 | |
q=185. |
#education #modernity #technology #the_internet
Compared to Australasia (2020)38 | ||
---|---|---|
Pos. | Lower is better Avg Rank38 | |
1 | New Zealand | 15.2 |
2 | Australia | 16.6 |
3 | Palau | 47.4 |
... | ||
5 | Fiji | 71.5 |
6 | Samoa | 99.8 |
7 | Marshall Islands | 111.1 |
8 | Vanuatu | 125.6 |
9 | Kiribati | 127.3 |
10 | Micronesia | 133.6 |
11 | Tuvalu | 138.2 |
12 | Solomon Islands | 154.5 |
13 | Papua New Guinea | 158.4 |
Australasia Avg | 97.01 | |
q=13. |
Modernity & Learning (2020)38 | ||
---|---|---|
Pos. | Lower is better Avg Rank38 | |
1 | Finland | 7.1 |
2 | Belgium | 12.9 |
3 | Denmark | 13.6 |
... | ||
176 | Afghanistan | 147.7 |
177 | Djibouti | 148.0 |
178 | Burundi | 148.5 |
179 | Solomon Islands | 154.5 |
180= | Haiti | 155.6 |
180= | Gambia | 155.6 |
182 | Equatorial Guinea | 156.7 |
183 | Papua New Guinea | 158.4 |
World Avg | 86.31 | |
q=190. |
The most modern countries, with the best results from education, the highest levels of research, and with the easiest access to information on the Internet, are Finland, Belgium and Denmark39. The worst countries are Eritrea, S. Sudan and Sierra Leone39. Despite improves in global education, access to tertiary (adult) education is becoming increasingly unequal between the rich haves and the poor have-nots40.
“Education, at all levels and ages, is the single most vital support for equality as well as being a country's most vital economic and social resource. [...] Every successful aspirant to modernisation and economic development, from Japan to South Korea, China to Chile, has got there with a big emphasis on education.”
Bill Emmott (2017)41
15 datasets are used to calculate points for each country, including multiple decades of data on Research and Development, Secondary Education, Length of Schooling, Intellectual Endeavours, Maths, Science & Reading, Religiosity, IQ, the percent of citizens with access to the internet, Freedom On The Internet, IT Security, IPv6 Uptake and digital quality of life. The regions with the best average results per country are Scandinavia, Baltic States and Europe39, whereas the worst are Melanesia, Africa and Micronesia39.
For more, see:
Modernity and Education:
Length of Schooling Higher is better42 | ||
---|---|---|
Pos. | 2021 Years42 | |
1 | Australia | 21.1 |
2 | New Zealand | 20.3 |
3 | Greece | 20.0 |
... | ||
159 | Guatemala | 10.6 |
160 | Liberia | 10.4 |
161 | Papua New Guinea | 10.4 |
162 | Solomon Islands | 10.3 |
163 | Afghanistan | 10.3 |
164 | Marshall Islands | 10.2 |
165 | Mozambique | 10.2 |
166 | Uganda | 10.1 |
Australasia Avg | 13.4 | |
World Avg | 13.5 | |
q=193. |
Technology and Information:
Internet Users Higher is better43 | ||
---|---|---|
Pos. | 201643 | |
1 | Iceland | 100% |
2 | Faroe Islands | 99% |
3 | Norway | 98% |
... | ||
175 | Cambodia | 11% |
176 | Gabon | 10% |
177 | Burkina Faso | 10% |
178 | Solomon Islands | 10% |
179 | Liberia | 9% |
180 | Congo, (Brazzaville) | 8% |
181= | Togo | 7% |
181= | Comoros | 7% |
Australasia Avg | 44.3% | |
World Avg | 48.1% | |
q=201. |
IPv6 Uptake Higher is better44 | ||
---|---|---|
Pos. | 2017 Ratio44 | |
1 | Belgium | 55.4 |
2 | Germany | 41.8 |
3 | Switzerland | 35.1 |
... | ||
135= | Honduras | 0.0 |
135= | Syria | 0.0 |
135= | Nicaragua | 0.0 |
135= | Solomon Islands | 0.0 |
135= | Congo, (Brazzaville) | 0.0 |
135= | Sao Tome & Principe | 0.0 |
135= | Kiribati | 0.0 |
135= | Ivory Coast | 0.0 |
Australasia Avg | 1.55 | |
World Avg | 3.82 | |
q=176. |
#capitalism #corruption #economics #health #inequality #life_expectancy #politics #social_development
National Culture:
Corruption Higher is better45 | ||
---|---|---|
Pos. | 2022 Points45 | |
1 | Denmark | 90.0 |
2= | Finland | 87.0 |
2= | New Zealand | 87.0 |
... | ||
78 | Vietnam | 42.0 |
79= | Trinidad & Tobago | 42.0 |
79= | Burkina Faso | 42.0 |
79= | Solomon Islands | 42.0 |
79= | Kuwait | 42.0 |
79= | Hungary | 42.0 |
84 | Kosovo | 41.0 |
85= | Tunisia | 40.0 |
Australasia Avg | 55.83 | |
World Avg | 42.98 | |
q=180. |
Economic Inequality and Poverty:
Inequality in Life Expectancy Lower is better46 | ||
---|---|---|
Pos. | 201946 | |
1 | Iceland | 2.40 |
2= | Singapore | 2.50 |
2= | Hong Kong | 2.50 |
... | ||
94 | Egypt | 11.60 |
95= | Panama | 12.00 |
95= | Palestine | 12.00 |
97 | Solomon Islands | 12.10 |
98 | Cape Verde | 12.20 |
99 | El Salvador | 12.50 |
100 | Suriname | 12.80 |
101 | Vietnam | 12.90 |
Australasia Avg | 13.47 | |
World Avg | 14.59 | |
q=184. |
Income Inequality (Gini Coefficient) Lower is better47 | ||
---|---|---|
Pos. | 2023 %47 | |
1 | Slovakia | 24.1%48 |
2 | Slovenia | 24.3%48 |
3 | Belarus | 24.4%49 |
... | ||
97= | Yemen | 36.7%50 |
98 | Mauritius | 36.8%51 |
99 | Dominican Rep. | 37.0%52 |
100 | Solomon Islands | 37.1%53 |
101= | Chad | 37.4%52 |
101= | Burkina Faso | 37.4%48 |
103 | Burundi | 37.5%49 |
104 | Sri Lanka | 37.7%54 |
Australasia Avg | 34.8% | |
World Avg | 36.5% | |
q=167. |
Income inequality data is rarely available for Solomon Islands - only for 2 years between 1980 and 2019.
#buddhism #christianity #hinduism #islam #judaism
Data from the Pew Forum, a professional polling outfit, states that in 2010 the religious makeup of this country was as follows in the table below55:
Christian | 97.4% |
Muslim | 0.1% |
Hindu | 0.1% |
Buddhist | 0.3% |
Folk Religion | 1.3% |
Jewish | 0.1% |
Unaffiliated | 0.2% |
The CIA World Factbook has slightly different data, and states: Protestant 73.7% (Church of Melanesia 32.8%, South Seas Evangelical 17%, Seventh-Day Adventist 11.2%, United Church 10.3%, Christian Fellowship Church 2.4%), Roman Catholic 19%, other Christian 4.4%, other 2.4%, unspecified 0.3%, none 0.2% (1999 census)56.
Links: