Transcript Solomon Islands

SOLOMON ISLANDS COUNTRY PAPER
Enhancing Entrepreneurship in SME Development and Export
Consortia - 20 July – 14 August
Mekong Institute, Thailand
Brief overview
An archipelagic state situated in the South
West Pacific Ocean
 Population:508, 000 (2007 census) is
predominantly Melanesian (about 95%)
although there are also smaller
Polynesian, Micronesian, Chinese and
European communities.
 There are 63 distinct languages in the
country, with numerous local dialects.
English is the official language of Solomon
Islands but Solomon’s Pijin is the lingua
franca for the majority of people.
 Climate: Tropical

Cont..
Economy:
 GDP: US $460m (2008)
 GDP per Capita: US $881 (2008)
 Economic growth rate: 7.3% (2008)
Major Commodities:
 timber, fish, cocoa, copra, Palm Oil and
Gold. The forestry sector is currently the
main driver of the economy.
Global merchandise trade
relationships
Principal Export Destinations - Principal Import Sources - 2007
2007
1. China (50.8%)
1. Singapore (28.2%)
2. Republic of Korea (7.0%)
2. Australia (25.4%)
3. Thailand (6.8%)
3. Japan (4.6%)
4. Australia (2.1%)
A summary of international donor agencies delivering
technical assistance to the service sector in Solomon
Islands.
major bilateral aid donors to the Solomon
Islands are Australia, Japan, Kuwait, New
Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Taipei, China
and the United Kingdom.
 major multilateral aid donors are the ADB,
the World Bank, the UN agencies, and the
European Union.
 smaller regional organizations (such as
the Pacific Community, Forum Secretariat,
and Forum Fisheries Agency) have also
provided assistance to the Solomon
Islands.

Tourism attraction
Islands and Islets
 Diverse culture
 Palm trees and beautiful beaches
 Diving spots
 World War II sites & relics
 Marovo Lagoon: biggest lagoon in the
world
 World Heritage Site

END OF PRESENTATION
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