US State Dept Travel Advisory: The US Department of State currently recommends US citizens exercise increased caution traveling to Solomon Islands due to low COVID-19 vaccination rates. Consult its website via the link below for updates to travel advisories and statements on safety, security, local laws, and special circumstances in this country.

https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/traveladvisories/traveladvisories.html
Passport/Visa Requirements: US citizens should make sure their passport is valid at the date of their entering the country. They should also make sure they have at least 1 blank page in their passport for any entry stamp that will be required.  A visa is not required.
US Embassy/Consulate: US does not have an embassy in the Solomon Islands; the US Ambassador to Papua New Guinea is accredited to the Solomon Islands; +(675) 321-1455; EMER: +(675) 7200-9439; US Embassy Port Moresby, Courier Service Address: Douglas Street, adjacent to the Bank of Papua New Guinea, Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea; ConsularPortMoresby@state.gov; https://pg.usembassy.gov/
Telephone Code: 677
Local Emergency Phone: 911
Vaccinations: An International Certificate of Vaccination for yellow fever is required for travelers arriving from countries with a risk of yellow fever transmission and for travelers having transited through the airport of a country with risk of yellow fever transmission. See WHO recommendations.

http://www.who.int/
Climate: Tropical monsoon; few temperature and weather extremes
Currency (Code): Solomon Islands dollars (SBD)
Electricity/Voltage/Plug Type(s): 230 V / 50 Hz / plug types(s): G, I

Major Languages: Melanesian pidgin, English; note: 120 indigenous languages
Major Religions: Protestant 73.4% (Church of Melanesia, South Sea Evangelical, Seventh Day Adventist, United Church, Christian Fellowship Church), Roman Catholic 19.6%, other Christian 2.9%
Time Difference: UTC+11 (16 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
Potable Water: Opt for bottled water
International Driving Permit: Suggested
Road Driving Side: Left
Tourist Destinations: East Rennell; Guadalcanal American Memorial; Bonegi I & II; Morovo Lagoon; Tenaru Falls
Major Sports: Rugby, soccer, futsal (indoor court soccer), beach soccer
Cultural Practices: Tourists are advised to dress modestly and cursing is a crime punishable by a fine, jail time, or both.
Tipping Guidelines: There is no tipping and visitors are requested to honor this local custom. However, visitors can contribute to a shared tipping box whose contents are distributed at Christmas.
Souvenirs: Wood carvings, woven baskets and other woven goods, mother-of-pearl and shell jewelry and other decorative items
Traditional Cuisine: Poi — a savory side dish of rinsed taro roots turned into a pastePlease visit the following links to find further information about your desired destination.

World Health Organization (WHO) - To learn what vaccines and health precautions to take while visiting your destination.

US State Dept Travel Information - Overall information about foreign travel for US citizens.

To obtain an international driving permit (IDP). Only two organizations in the US issue IDPs:
American Automobile Association (AAA) and American Automobile Touring Alliance (AATA)

How to get help in an emergency?
Contact the nearest US embassy or consulate, or call one of these numbers:
from the US or Canada - 1-888-407-4747 or from Overseas - +1 202-501-4444

Page last updated: Wednesday, July 20, 2022


Topic: Photos of Azerbaijan

Topic: Introduction
Background: Azerbaijan - a secular nation with a majority-Turkic and majority-Shia Muslim population - was briefly independent (from 1918 to 1920) following the collapse of the Russian Empire; it was subsequently incorporated into the Soviet Union for seven decades. Azerbaijan remains involved in the protracted Nagorno-Karabakh conflict with Armenia. Nagorno-Karabakh was a primarily ethnic Armenian region that Moscow recognized in 1923 as an autonomous oblast within Soviet Azerbaijan. In the late Soviet period, a separatist movement developed which sought to end Azerbaijani control over the region. Fighting over Nagorno-Karabakh began in 1988 and escalated after Armenia and Azerbaijan attained independence from the Soviet Union in 1991. By the time a ceasefire took effect in May 1994, separatists, with Armenian support, controlled Nagorno‑Karabakh and seven surrounding Azerbaijani territories. Under the terms of a cease-fire agreement following Azerbaijan’s victory in the Second Nagorno-Karabakh War that took place from September-November 2020, Armenia returned to Azerbaijan the remaining territories it had occupied and also the southern part of Nagorno-Karabakh, including the culturally and historically important city that Azerbaijanis call Shusha and Armenians call Shushi. Despite Azerbaijan’s territorial gains, peace in the region remains elusive because of unsettled issues concerning the delimitation of borders, the opening of regional transportation and communication links, the status of ethnic enclaves near border regions, and the final status of the Nagorno-Karabakh region. Russian peacekeepers deployed to Nagorno-Karabakh to supervise the cease-fire for a minimum five-year term have not prevented the outbreak of sporadic, low-level military clashes along the Azerbaijan-Armenia border in 2021.

In the three decades following its independence in 1991, Azerbaijan has succeeded in significantly reducing the poverty rate and has directed revenues from its oil and gas production to develop the country’s infrastructure. However, corruption remains a burden on the economy, and Western observers and members of the country’s political opposition have accused the government of authoritarianism, pointing to elections that are neither free nor fair, state control of the media, and the systematic abuse of human rights targeting individuals and groups who are perceived as threats to the administration. The country’s leadership has remained in the ALIYEV family since Heydar ALIYEV, formerly the most highly ranked Azerbaijani member of the Communist Party during the Soviet period, became president in the midst of the first Nagorno-Karabakh War in 1993. Heydar ALIYEV groomed his son to succeed him, and Ilham ALIYEV subsequently became president in 2003. As a result of two national referendums that eliminated presidential term limits and extended the presidential term from 5 to 7 years, President ALIYEV secured a fourth term in April 2018 in an election that international observers noted had serious shortcomings. Reforms are underway to diversify the country’s economy away from its dependence on oil and gas; additional reforms are needed to address weaknesses in government institutions, particularly in the education and health sectors, and the court system.Azerbaijan - a secular nation with a majority-Turkic and majority-Shia Muslim population - was briefly independent (from 1918 to 1920) following the collapse of the Russian Empire; it was subsequently incorporated into the Soviet Union for seven decades. Azerbaijan remains involved in the protracted Nagorno-Karabakh conflict with Armenia. Nagorno-Karabakh was a primarily ethnic Armenian region that Moscow recognized in 1923 as an autonomous oblast within Soviet Azerbaijan. In the late Soviet period, a separatist movement developed which sought to end Azerbaijani control over the region. Fighting over Nagorno-Karabakh began in 1988 and escalated after Armenia and Azerbaijan attained independence from the Soviet Union in 1991. By the time a ceasefire took effect in May 1994, separatists, with Armenian support, controlled Nagorno‑Karabakh and seven surrounding Azerbaijani territories.Under the terms of a cease-fire agreement following Azerbaijan’s victory in the Second Nagorno-Karabakh War that took place from September-November 2020, Armenia returned to Azerbaijan the remaining territories it had occupied and also the southern part of Nagorno-Karabakh, including the culturally and historically important city that Azerbaijanis call Shusha and Armenians call Shushi. Despite Azerbaijan’s territorial gains, peace in the region remains elusive because of unsettled issues concerning the delimitation of borders, the opening of regional transportation and communication links, the status of ethnic enclaves near border regions, and the final status of the Nagorno-Karabakh region. Russian peacekeepers deployed to Nagorno-Karabakh to supervise the cease-fire for a minimum five-year term have not prevented the outbreak of sporadic, low-level military clashes along the Azerbaijan-Armenia border in 2021.

In the three decades following its independence in 1991, Azerbaijan has succeeded in significantly reducing the poverty rate and has directed revenues from its oil and gas production to develop the country’s infrastructure. However, corruption remains a burden on the economy, and Western observers and members of the country’s political opposition have accused the government of authoritarianism, pointing to elections that are neither free nor fair, state control of the media, and the systematic abuse of human rights targeting individuals and groups who are perceived as threats to the administration. The country’s leadership has remained in the ALIYEV family since Heydar ALIYEV, formerly the most highly ranked Azerbaijani member of the Communist Party during the Soviet period, became president in the midst of the first Nagorno-Karabakh War in 1993. Heydar ALIYEV groomed his son to succeed him, and Ilham ALIYEV subsequently became president in 2003. As a result of two national referendums that eliminated presidential term limits and extended the presidential term from 5 to 7 years, President ALIYEV secured a fourth term in April 2018 in an election that international observers noted had serious shortcomings. Reforms are underway to diversify the country’s economy away from its dependence on oil and gas; additional reforms are needed to address weaknesses in government institutions, particularly in the education and health sectors, and the court system.Visit the Definitions and Notes page to view a description of each topic.

Topic: Geography
Location: Southwestern Asia, bordering the Caspian Sea, between Iran and Russia, with a small European portion north of the Caucasus range
Geographic coordinates: 40 30 N, 47 30 E
Map references: Asia
Area: total: 86,600 sq km

land: 82,629 sq km

water: 3,971 sq km

note: includes the exclave of Naxcivan Autonomous Republic and the Nagorno-Karabakh region; the region's autonomy was abolished by Azerbaijani Supreme Soviet on 26 November 1991
Area - comparative: about three-quarters the size of Pennsylvania; slightly smaller than Maine
Land boundaries: total: 2,468 km

border countries (5): Armenia 996 km; Georgia 428 km; Iran 689 km; Russia 338 km; Turkey 17 km
Coastline: 0 km (landlocked); note - Azerbaijan borders the Caspian Sea (713 km)
Maritime claims: none (landlocked)
Climate: dry, semiarid steppe
Terrain: large, flat Kur-Araz Ovaligi (Kura-Araks Lowland, much of it below sea level) with Great Caucasus Mountains to the north, Qarabag Yaylasi (Karabakh Upland) to the west; Baku lies on Abseron Yasaqligi (Apsheron Peninsula) that juts into Caspian Sea
Elevation: highest point: Bazarduzu Dagi 4,466 m

lowest point: Caspian Sea -28 m

mean elevation: 384 m
Natural resources: petroleum, natural gas, iron ore, nonferrous metals, bauxite
Land use: agricultural land: 57.6% (2018 est.)

arable land: 22.8% (2018 est.)

permanent crops: 2.7% (2018 est.)

permanent pasture: 32.1% (2018 est.)

forest: 11.3% (2018 est.)

other: 31.1% (2018 est.)
Irrigated land: 14,277 sq km (2012)
Major lakes (area sq km): Salt water lake(s): Caspian Sea (shared with Iran, Russia, Turkmenistan, and Kazakhstan) - 374,000 sq km
Population distribution: highest population density is found in the far eastern area of the country, in and around Baku; apart from smaller urbanized areas, the rest of the country has a fairly light and evenly distributed population
Natural hazards: droughts
Geography - note: both the main area of the country and the Naxcivan exclave are landlocked
Map description: Azerbaijan map showing major cities as well as parts of surrounding countries and the Caspian Sea.Azerbaijan map showing major cities as well as parts of surrounding countries and the Caspian Sea.

Topic: People and Society
Population: 10,353,296 (2022 est.)
Nationality: noun: Azerbaijani(s)

adjective: Azerbaijani
Ethnic groups: Azerbaijani 91.6%, Lezghin 2%, Russian 1.3%, Armenian 1.3%, Talysh 1.3%, other 2.4% (2009 est.)

note: the Nagorno-Karabakh region, which is part of Azerbaijan on the basis of the borders recognized when the Soviet Union dissolved in 1991, is populated almost entirely by ethnic Armenians; Azerbaijan has over 80 ethnic groups
Languages: Azerbaijani (Azeri) (official) 92.5%, Russian 1.4%, Armenian 1.4%, other 4.7% (2009 est.)

major-language sample(s):
Dünya fakt kitabı, əsas məlumatlar üçün əvəz olunmaz mənbədir (Azerbaijani)

The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.

note: Russian is widely spoken
Religions: Muslim 97.3% (predominantly Shia), Christian 2.6%, other <0.1, unaffiliated <0.1 (2020 est.)

note: religious affiliation for the majority of Azerbaijanis is largely nominal, percentages for actual practicing adherents are probably much lower
Age structure: 0-14 years: 22.84% (male 1,235,292/female 1,095,308)

15-24 years: 13.17% (male 714,718/female 629,494)

25-54 years: 45.29% (male 2,291,600/female 2,330,843)

55-64 years: 11.41% (male 530,046/female 634,136)

65 years and over: 7.29% (2020 est.) (male 289,604/female 454,769)
Dependency ratios: total dependency ratio: 43.4

youth dependency ratio: 33.7

elderly dependency ratio: 9.7

potential support ratio: 10.3 (2020 est.)
Median age: total: 32.6 years

male: 31.1 years

female: 34.2 years (2020 est.)
Population growth rate: 0.67% (2022 est.)
Birth rate: 13.59 births/1,000 population (2022 est.)
Death rate: 6.92 deaths/1,000 population (2022 est.)
Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2022 est.)
Population distribution: highest population density is found in the far eastern area of the country, in and around Baku; apart from smaller urbanized areas, the rest of the country has a fairly light and evenly distributed population
Urbanization: urban population: 57.2% of total population (2022)

rate of urbanization: 1.38% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

note: data include Nagorno-Karabakh
Major urban areas - population: 2.401 million BAKU (capital) (2022)
Sex ratio: at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female

0-14 years: 1.11 male(s)/female

15-24 years: 1.15 male(s)/female

25-54 years: 0.99 male(s)/female

55-64 years: 0.82 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.49 male(s)/female

total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2022 est.)
Mother's mean age at first birth: 24 years (2019 est.)
Maternal mortality ratio: 26 deaths/100,000 live births (2017 est.)
Infant mortality rate: total: 23.51 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 24.62 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 22.33 deaths/1,000 live births (2022 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 74.15 years

male: 71.08 years

female: 77.41 years (2022 est.)
Total fertility rate: 1.86 children born/woman (2022 est.)
Contraceptive prevalence rate: 54.9% (2011)
Drinking water source: improved: urban: 100% of population

rural: 93.3% of population

total: 97.1% of population

unimproved: urban: 0% of population

rural: 6.7% of population

total: 2.9% of population (2020 est.)
Current Health Expenditure: 4% (2019)
Physicians density: 3.17 physicians/1,000 population (2019)
Hospital bed density: 4.8 beds/1,000 population (2014)
Sanitation facility access: improved: urban: 100% of population

rural: NA

total: NA

unimproved: urban: 0% of population

rural: NA

total: (2020 est.) NA
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 0.1% (2020 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: 9,900 (2020 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths: (2020 est.) <200
Obesity - adult prevalence rate: 19.9% (2016)
Tobacco use: total: 24% (2020 est.)

male: 47.9% (2020 est.)

female: 0.1% (2020 est.)
Children under the age of 5 years underweight: 4.9% (2013)
Education expenditures: 2.7% of GDP (2019 est.)
Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 99.8%

male: 99.9%

female: 99.7% (2019)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education): total: 14 years

male: 13 years

female: 14 years (2020)
Unemployment, youth ages 15-24: total: 12.4%

male: 10.9%

female: 14.2% (2019 est.)

Topic: Environment
Environment - current issues: local scientists consider the Abseron Yasaqligi (Apsheron Peninsula) (including Baku and Sumqayit) and the Caspian Sea to be the ecologically most devastated area in the world because of severe air, soil, and water pollution; soil pollution results from oil spills, from the use of DDT pesticide, and from toxic defoliants used in the production of cotton; surface and underground water are polluted by untreated municipal and industrial wastewater and agricultural run-off
Environment - international agreements: party to: Air Pollution, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping-London Convention, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Air pollutants: particulate matter emissions: 18.2 micrograms per cubic meter (2016 est.)

carbon dioxide emissions: 37.62 megatons (2016 est.)

methane emissions: 44.87 megatons (2020 est.)
Climate: dry, semiarid steppe
Land use: agricultural land: 57.6% (2018 est.)

arable land: 22.8% (2018 est.)

permanent crops: 2.7% (2018 est.)

permanent pasture: 32.1% (2018 est.)

forest: 11.3% (2018 est.)

other: 31.1% (2018 est.)
Urbanization: urban population: 57.2% of total population (2022)

rate of urbanization: 1.38% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

note: data include Nagorno-Karabakh
Revenue from forest resources: forest revenues: 0.02% of GDP (2018 est.)
Revenue from coal: coal revenues: 0% of GDP (2018 est.)
Waste and recycling: municipal solid waste generated annually: 2,930,349 tons (2015 est.)
Major lakes (area sq km): Salt water lake(s): Caspian Sea (shared with Iran, Russia, Turkmenistan, and Kazakhstan) - 374,000 sq km
Total water withdrawal: municipal: 449.6 million cubic meters (2017 est.)

industrial: 3.062 billion cubic meters (2017 est.)

agricultural: 9.27 billion cubic meters (2017 est.)
Total renewable water resources: 34.675 billion cubic meters (2017 est.)

Topic: Government
Country name: conventional long form: Republic of Azerbaijan

conventional short form: Azerbaijan

local long form: Azarbaycan Respublikasi

local short form: Azarbaycan

former: Azerbaijan Soviet Socialist Republic

etymology: the name translates as "Land of Fire" and refers to naturally occurring surface fires on ancient oil pools or from natural gas discharges
Government type: presidential republic
Capital: name: Baku (Baki, Baky)

geographic coordinates: 40 23 N, 49 52 E

time difference: UTC+4 (9 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

daylight saving time: does not observe daylight savings time

etymology: the name derives from the Persian designation of the city "bad-kube" meaning "wind-pounded city" and refers to the harsh winds and severe snow storms that can hit the city

note: at approximately 28 m below sea level, Baku's elevation makes it the lowest capital city in the world
Administrative divisions: 66 districts (rayonlar; rayon - singular), 11 cities (saharlar; sahar - singular); rayons: Abseron, Agcabadi, Agdam, Agdas, Agstafa, Agsu, Astara, Babak, Balakan, Barda, Beylaqan, Bilasuvar, Cabrayil, Calilabad, Culfa, Daskasan, Fuzuli, Gadabay, Goranboy, Goycay, Goygol, Haciqabul, Imisli, Ismayilli, Kalbacar, Kangarli, Kurdamir, Lacin, Lankaran, Lerik, Masalli, Neftcala, Oguz, Ordubad, Qabala, Qax, Qazax, Qobustan, Quba, Qubadli, Qusar, Saatli, Sabirabad, Sabran, Sadarak, Sahbuz, Saki, Salyan, Samaxi, Samkir, Samux, Sarur, Siyazan, Susa, Tartar, Tovuz, Ucar, Xacmaz, Xizi, Xocali, Xocavand, Yardimli, Yevlax, Zangilan, Zaqatala, Zardab cities: Baku, Ganca, Lankaran, Mingacevir, Naftalan, Naxcivan (Nakhichevan), Saki, Sirvan, Sumqayit, Xankandi, Yevlax66 districts (rayonlar; rayon - singular), 11 cities (saharlar; sahar - singular);rayons: Abseron, Agcabadi, Agdam, Agdas, Agstafa, Agsu, Astara, Babak, Balakan, Barda, Beylaqan, Bilasuvar, Cabrayil, Calilabad, Culfa, Daskasan, Fuzuli, Gadabay, Goranboy, Goycay, Goygol, Haciqabul, Imisli, Ismayilli, Kalbacar, Kangarli, Kurdamir, Lacin, Lankaran, Lerik, Masalli, Neftcala, Oguz, Ordubad, Qabala, Qax, Qazax, Qobustan, Quba, Qubadli, Qusar, Saatli, Sabirabad, Sabran, Sadarak, Sahbuz, Saki, Salyan, Samaxi, Samkir, Samux, Sarur, Siyazan, Susa, Tartar, Tovuz, Ucar, Xacmaz, Xizi, Xocali, Xocavand, Yardimli, Yevlax, Zangilan, Zaqatala, Zardabcities: Baku, Ganca, Lankaran, Mingacevir, Naftalan, Naxcivan (Nakhichevan), Saki, Sirvan, Sumqayit, Xankandi, Yevlax
Independence: 30 August 1991 (declared from the Soviet Union); 18 October 1991 (adopted by the Supreme Council of Azerbaijan)
National holiday: Republic Day (founding of the Democratic Republic of Azerbaijan), 28 May (1918)
Constitution: history: several previous; latest adopted 12 November 1995

amendments: proposed by the president of the republic or by at least 63 members of the National Assembly; passage requires at least 95 votes of Assembly members in two separate readings of the draft amendment six months apart and requires presidential approval after each of the two Assembly votes, followed by presidential signature; constitutional articles on the authority, sovereignty, and unity of the people cannot be amended; amended 2002, 2009, 2016
Legal system: civil law system
International law organization participation: has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt
Citizenship: citizenship by birth: yes

citizenship by descent only: yes

dual citizenship recognized: no

residency requirement for naturalization: 5 years
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch: chief of state: President Ilham ALIYEV (since 31 October 2003); First Vice President Mehriban ALIYEVA (since 21 February 2017)

head of government: Prime Minister Ali ASADOV (since 8 October 2019); First Deputy Prime Minister Yaqub EYYUBOV (since June 2006)

cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president and confirmed by the National Assembly

elections/appointments: president directly elected by absolute majority popular vote in 2 rounds (if needed) for a 7-year term; a single individual is eligible for unlimited terms; election last held on 11 April 2018 (next to be held in 2025); prime minister and first deputy prime minister appointed by the president and confirmed by the National Assembly; note - a constitutional amendment approved in a September 2016 referendum expanded the presidential term from 5 to 7 years; a separate constitutional amendment approved in the same referendum also introduced the post of first vice-president and additional vice-presidents, who are directly appointed by the president

election results: Ilham ALIYEV reelected president (11 April 2018) in first round; percent of vote - Ilham ALIYEV (YAP) 86%, Zahid ORUJ (independent) 3.1%, other 10.9%

note: OSCE observers noted shortcomings in the election, including a restrictive political environment, limits on fundamental freedoms, a lack of genuine competition, and ballot box stuffing
Legislative branch: description: unicameral National Assembly or Milli Mejlis (125 seats; members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by simple majority vote to serve 5-year terms)

elections: last held early on 9 February 2020 (next to be held in 2025)

election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - YAP 69, CSP 3, AVP 1, CUP 1, ADMP 1, PDR 1, Great Order 1, National Front Party 1, REAL 1, VP 1, Whole Azerbaijan Popular Front 1, party unknown 1, independent 41; composition - men 103, women 22, percent of women 17.6%
Judicial branch: highest courts: Supreme Court (consists of the chairman, vice chairman, and 23 judges in plenum sessions and organized into civil, economic affairs, criminal, and rights violations chambers); Constitutional Court (consists of 9 judges)

judge selection and term of office: Supreme Court judges nominated by the president and appointed by the Milli Majlis; judges appointed for 10 years; Constitutional Court chairman and deputy chairman appointed by the president; other court judges nominated by the president and appointed by the Milli Majlis to serve single 15-year terms

subordinate courts: Courts of Appeal (replaced the Economic Court in 2002); district and municipal courts
Political parties and leaders: Azerbaijan Democratic Enlightenment Party or ADMP [Elshan MASAYEV]
Civic Solidarity Party or VHP [Sabir RUSTAMKHANLI]
Civic Unity Party or CUP [Sabir HAJIYEV]
Great Order Party [Fazil MUSTAFA]
Islamic Party of Azerbaijan or AiP [Mavsum SAMADOV]
Musavat [Arif HAJILI]
Popular Front Party [Ali KARIMLI]
Motherland Party or AVP [Fazail AGAMALI]
National Front Party [Razi NURULLAYEV]
National Revival Movement Party [Faraj GULIYEV]
Party for Democratic Reforms or PDR [Asim MOLLAZADE]
Republican Alternative Party or REAL [Ilgar MAMMADOV]
Social Democratic Party [Ayaz MUTALIBOV]
Social Prosperity Party [Asli KAZIMOVA]
Unity Party or VP [Tahir KARIMLI]
Whole Azerbaijan Popular Front Party [Gudrat HASANGULIYEV]
New Azerbaijan Party (Yeni Azərbaycan Partiyasi) or YAP [Ilham ALIYEV]
International organization participation: ADB, BSEC, CD, CE, CICA, CIS, EAPC, EBRD, ECO, FAO, GCTU, GUAM, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (NGOs), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, NAM, OAS (observer), OIC, OPCW, OSCE, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer)
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Kahzar IBRAHIM (since 15 September 2021)

chancery: 2741 34th Street NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone: [1] (202) 337-3500

FAX: [1] (202) 337-5911

email address and website:
azerbaijan@azembassy.us; consul@azembassy.us

https://washington.mfa.gov.az/en

consulate(s) general: Los Angeles
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Lee LITZENBERGER (since 12 March 2019)

embassy: 111 Azadlig Avenue, AZ1007 Baku

mailing address: 7050 Baku Place, Washington, DC 20521-7050

telephone: [994] (12) 488-3300

FAX: [994] (12) 488-3330

email address and website:
BakuACS@state.gov

https://az.usembassy.gov/
Flag description: three equal horizontal bands of sky blue (top), red, and green; a vertical crescent moon and an eight-pointed star in white are centered in the red band; the blue band recalls Azerbaijan's Turkic heritage, red stands for modernization and progress, and green refers to Islam; the crescent moon and star are a Turkic insignia; the eight star points represent the eight Turkic peoples of the world
National symbol(s): flames of fire; national colors: blue, red, green
National anthem: name: "Azerbaijan Marsi" (March of Azerbaijan)

lyrics/music: Ahmed JAVAD/Uzeyir HAJIBEYOV

note: adopted 1992; although originally written in 1919 during a brief period of independence, "Azerbaijan Marsi" did not become the official anthem until after the dissolution of the Soviet Union
National heritage: total World Heritage Sites: 3 (all cultural)

selected World Heritage Site locales: Walled City of Baku; Gobustan Rock Art Cultural Landscape; Historic Center of Sheki

Topic: Economy
Economic overview: Prior to the decline in global oil prices since 2014, Azerbaijan's high economic growth was attributable to rising energy exports and to some non-export sectors. Oil exports through the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan Pipeline, the Baku-Novorossiysk, and the Baku-Supsa Pipelines remain the main economic driver, but efforts to boost Azerbaijan's gas production are underway. The expected completion of the geopolitically important Southern Gas Corridor (SGC) between Azerbaijan and Europe will open up another source of revenue from gas exports. First gas to Turkey through the SGC is expected in 2018 with project completion expected by 2020-21.   Declining oil prices caused a 3.1% contraction in GDP in 2016, and a 0.8% decline in 2017, highlighted by a sharp reduction in the construction sector. The economic decline was accompanied by higher inflation, a weakened banking sector, and two sharp currency devaluations in 2015. Azerbaijan’s financial sector continued to struggle. In May 2017, Baku allowed the majority state-owed International Bank of Azerbaijan (IBA), the nation’s largest bank, to default on some of its outstanding debt and file for restructuring in Azerbaijani courts; IBA also filed in US and UK bankruptcy courts to have its restructuring recognized in their respective jurisdictions.   Azerbaijan has made limited progress with market-based economic reforms. Pervasive public and private sector corruption and structural economic inefficiencies remain a drag on long-term growth, particularly in non-energy sectors. The government has, however, made efforts to combat corruption, particularly in customs and government services. Several other obstacles impede Azerbaijan's economic progress, including the need for more foreign investment in the non-energy sector and the continuing conflict with Armenia over the Nagorno-Karabakh region. While trade with Russia and the other former Soviet republics remains important, Azerbaijan has expanded trade with Turkey and Europe and is seeking new markets for non-oil/gas exports - mainly in the agricultural sector - with Gulf Cooperation Council member countries, the US, and others. It is also improving Baku airport and the Caspian Sea port of Alat for use as a regional transportation and logistics hub.   Long-term prospects depend on world oil prices, Azerbaijan's ability to develop export routes for its growing gas production, and its ability to improve the business environment and diversify the economy. In late 2016, the president approved a strategic roadmap for economic reforms that identified key non-energy segments of the economy for development, such as agriculture, logistics, information technology, and tourism. In October 2017, the long-awaited Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railway, stretching from the Azerbaijani capital to Kars in north-eastern Turkey, began limited service.Prior to the decline in global oil prices since 2014, Azerbaijan's high economic growth was attributable to rising energy exports and to some non-export sectors. Oil exports through the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan Pipeline, the Baku-Novorossiysk, and the Baku-Supsa Pipelines remain the main economic driver, but efforts to boost Azerbaijan's gas production are underway. The expected completion of the geopolitically important Southern Gas Corridor (SGC) between Azerbaijan and Europe will open up another source of revenue from gas exports. First gas to Turkey through the SGC is expected in 2018 with project completion expected by 2020-21. Declining oil prices caused a 3.1% contraction in GDP in 2016, and a 0.8% decline in 2017, highlighted by a sharp reduction in the construction sector. The economic decline was accompanied by higher inflation, a weakened banking sector, and two sharp currency devaluations in 2015. Azerbaijan’s financial sector continued to struggle. In May 2017, Baku allowed the majority state-owed International Bank of Azerbaijan (IBA), the nation’s largest bank, to default on some of its outstanding debt and file for restructuring in Azerbaijani courts; IBA also filed in US and UK bankruptcy courts to have its restructuring recognized in their respective jurisdictions. Azerbaijan has made limited progress with market-based economic reforms. Pervasive public and private sector corruption and structural economic inefficiencies remain a drag on long-term growth, particularly in non-energy sectors. The government has, however, made efforts to combat corruption, particularly in customs and government services. Several other obstacles impede Azerbaijan's economic progress, including the need for more foreign investment in the non-energy sector and the continuing conflict with Armenia over the Nagorno-Karabakh region. While trade with Russia and the other former Soviet republics remains important, Azerbaijan has expanded trade with Turkey and Europe and is seeking new markets for non-oil/gas exports - mainly in the agricultural sector - with Gulf Cooperation Council member countries, the US, and others. It is also improving Baku airport and the Caspian Sea port of Alat for use as a regional transportation and logistics hub. Long-term prospects depend on world oil prices, Azerbaijan's ability to develop export routes for its growing gas production, and its ability to improve the business environment and diversify the economy. In late 2016, the president approved a strategic roadmap for economic reforms that identified key non-energy segments of the economy for development, such as agriculture, logistics, information technology, and tourism. In October 2017, the long-awaited Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railway, stretching from the Azerbaijani capital to Kars in north-eastern Turkey, began limited service.
Real GDP (purchasing power parity): $138.51 billion (2020 est.)

$144.74 billion (2019 est.)

$141.24 billion (2018 est.)

note: data are in 2017 dollars
Real GDP growth rate: 0.1% (2017 est.)

-3.1% (2016 est.)

0.6% (2015 est.)
Real GDP per capita: $13,700 (2020 est.)

$14,400 (2019 est.)

$14,200 (2018 est.)

note: data are in 2017 dollars
GDP (official exchange rate): $48.104 billion (2019 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 2.6% (2019 est.)

2.3% (2018 est.)

12.8% (2017 est.)
Credit ratings: Fitch rating: BB+ (2016)

Moody's rating: Ba2 (2017)

Standard & Poors rating: BB+ (2016)
GDP - composition, by sector of origin: agriculture: 6.1% (2017 est.)

industry: 53.5% (2017 est.)

services: 40.4% (2017 est.)
GDP - composition, by end use: household consumption: 57.6% (2017 est.)

government consumption: 11.5% (2017 est.)

investment in fixed capital: 23.6% (2017 est.)

investment in inventories: 0.5% (2017 est.)

exports of goods and services: 48.7% (2017 est.)

imports of goods and services: -42% (2017 est.)
Agricultural products: milk, wheat, potatoes, barley, tomatoes, watermelons, cotton, apples, maize, onions
Industries: petroleum and petroleum products, natural gas, oilfield equipment; steel, iron ore; cement; chemicals and petrochemicals; textiles
Industrial production growth rate: -3.8% (2017 est.)
Labor force: 4.939 million (2019 est.)
Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: 37%

industry: 14.3%

services: 48.9% (2014)
Unemployment rate: 5% (2017 est.)

5% (2016 est.)
Unemployment, youth ages 15-24: total: 12.4%

male: 10.9%

female: 14.2% (2019 est.)
Population below poverty line: 4.9% (2015 est.)
Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income: 33.7 (2008)

36.5 (2001)
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 3.4%

highest 10%: 27.4% (2008)
Budget: revenues: 9.556 billion (2017 est.)

expenditures: 10.22 billion (2017 est.)
Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-): -1.6% (of GDP) (2017 est.)
Public debt: 54.1% of GDP (2017 est.)

50.7% of GDP (2016 est.)
Taxes and other revenues: 23.5% (of GDP) (2017 est.)
Fiscal year: calendar year
Current account balance: $1.685 billion (2017 est.)

-$1.363 billion (2016 est.)
Exports: $15.21 billion (2020 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

$23.63 billion (2019 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

$25.48 billion (2018 est.) note: data are in current year dollars
Exports - partners: Italy 28%, Turkey 15%, Israel 7%, Germany 5%, India 5% (2017)
Exports - commodities: crude petroleum, natural gas, refined petroleum, tomatoes, gold (2019)
Imports: $15.54 billion (2020 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

$17.71 billion (2019 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

$17.71 billion (2018 est.) note: data are in current year dollars
Imports - partners: United Kingdom 17%, Russia 17%, Turkey 12%, China 6% (2019)
Imports - commodities: gold, cars, refined petroleum, wheat, packaged medical supplies (2019)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $6.681 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$7.142 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
Debt - external: $17.41 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$13.83 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
Exchange rates: Azerbaijani manats (AZN) per US dollar -

1.723 (2017 est.)

1.5957 (2016 est.)

1.5957 (2015 est.)

1.0246 (2014 est.)

0.7844 (2013 est.)

Topic: Energy
Electricity access: electrification - total population: 100% (2020)
Electricity: installed generating capacity: 7.677 million kW (2020 est.)

consumption: 21,026,630,000 kWh (2019 est.)

exports: 1.491 billion kWh (2020 est.)

imports: 137 million kWh (2020 est.)

transmission/distribution losses: 2.226 billion kWh (2019 est.)
Electricity generation sources: fossil fuels: 94.2% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

nuclear: 0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

solar: 0.2% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

wind: 0.4% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

hydroelectricity: 4.4% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

tide and wave: 0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

geothermal: 0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

biomass and waste: 0.8% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
Coal: production: 0 metric tons (2020 est.)

consumption: 19,000 metric tons (2020 est.)

exports: 0 metric tons (2020 est.)

imports: 19,000 metric tons (2020 est.)

proven reserves: 0 metric tons (2019 est.)
Petroleum: total petroleum production: 711,700 bbl/day (2021 est.)

refined petroleum consumption: 107,500 bbl/day (2019 est.)

crude oil and lease condensate exports: 679,900 barrels/day (2018 est.)

crude oil and lease condensate imports: 0 barrels/day (2018 est.)

crude oil estimated reserves: 7 billion barrels (2021 est.)
Refined petroleum products - production: 138,900 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Refined petroleum products - exports: 46,480 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Refined petroleum products - imports: 5,576 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Natural gas: production: 23,075,077,000 cubic meters (2019 est.)

consumption: 11,467,681,000 cubic meters (2019 est.)

exports: 11,586,357,000 cubic meters (2019 est.)

imports: 1,233,225,000 cubic meters (2019 est.)

proven reserves: 1,699,008,000,000 cubic meters (2021 est.)
Carbon dioxide emissions: 35.389 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)

from coal and metallurgical coke: 29,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)

from petroleum and other liquids: 12.863 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)

from consumed natural gas: 22.497 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)
Energy consumption per capita: 64.416 million Btu/person (2019 est.)

Topic: Communications
Telephones - fixed lines: total subscriptions: 1,652,688 (2020 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 16 (2020 est.)
Telephones - mobile cellular: total subscriptions: 10,344,300 (2020 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 102 (2020 est.)
Telecommunication systems: general assessment: in spite of the telecom sector being one of the major contributors to Azerbaijan’s non-oil GDP, overall development, growth, and investment in the sector has been held back by years of political and civil unrest coupled with endemic corruption; mobile subscription rates reached 100% as far back as 2011, but have largely stagnated since then; the MNOs are slowly extending the reach of their LTE networks around the country, and this increased coverage (along with access to faster data-based services) is expected to produce a moderate resurgence for both mobile and mobile broadband over the next few years as customers migrate from 3G to 4G; 5G services are still some ways off, as the demand for high-speed data and fast broadband can easily be met by existing capacity on LTE networks; fixed-line teledensity continues to drop down each year as customers consolidate their telecommunications services around the mobile platform; the rate of decline is comparatively slow to other countries, since Azerbaijan has a relatively high proportion of (87%) of fixed-line broadband customers still on DSL; fibre (12% of fixed broadband connections) is gradually being rolled out in urban areas, and this makes up the bulk of the (limited) growth being seen in the overall fixed broadband market. DSL’s predominance, however, will serve to keep Azerbaijan’s average access speeds in the sub-10Mbps range for the future. (2022)

domestic: teledensity of some 16 fixed-lines per 100 persons; mobile-cellular teledensity of 102 telephones per 100 persons; satellite service connects Baku to a modern switch in its exclave of Naxcivan (Nakhchivan) (2020)

international: country code - 994; the TAE fiber-optic link transits Azerbaijan providing international connectivity to neighboring countries; the old Soviet system of cable and microwave is still serviceable; satellite earth stations - 2 (2019)

note: the COVID-19 pandemic continues to have a significant impact on production and supply chains globally; since 2020, some aspects of the telecom sector have experienced a downturn, particularly in mobile device production; progress towards 5G implementation has resumed, as well as upgrades to infrastructure; consumer spending on telecom services has increased due to the surge in demand for capacity and bandwidth; the crucial nature of telecom services as a tool for work and school from home is still evident, and the spike in this area has seen growth opportunities for development of new tools and increased services
Broadcast media: 3 state-run and 1 public TV channels; 4 domestic commercial TV stations and about 15 regional TV stations; cable TV services are available in Baku; 1 state-run and 1 public radio network operating; a small number of private commercial radio stations broadcasting; local FM relays of Baku commercial stations are available in many localities; note - all broadcast media is pro-government, and most private broadcast media outlets are owned by entities directly linked to the government
Internet country code: .az
Internet users: total: 8,579,153 (2020 est.)

percent of population: 85% (2020 est.)
Broadband - fixed subscriptions: total: 1,995,474 (2020 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 20 (2020 est.)

Topic: Transportation
National air transport system: number of registered air carriers: 42 (2020)

inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 44

annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers: 2,279,546 (2018)

annual freight traffic on registered air carriers: 44.09 million (2018) mt-km
Civil aircraft registration country code prefix: 4K
Airports: total: 23 (2021)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 30

over 3,047 m: 5

2,438 to 3,047 m: 5

1,524 to 2,437 m: 13

914 to 1,523 m: 4

under 914 m: 3 (2021)
Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 7

under 914 m: 7 (2021)
Heliports: 1 (2021)
Pipelines: 89 km condensate, 3,890 km gas, 2,446 km oil (2013)
Railways: total: 2,944.3 km (2017)

broad gauge: 2,944.3 km (2017) 1.520-m gauge (approx. 1,767 km electrified)
Roadways: total: 24,981 km (2013)

note: total roadway length has increased significantly and continues to grow due to the recovery of Armenian-held territories and related reconstruction efforts. No updated figure is currently available.
Merchant marine: total: 305

by type: general cargo 38, oil tanker 43, other 224 (2021)
Ports and terminals: major seaport(s): Baku (Baki) located on the Caspian Sea

Topic: Military and Security
Military and security forces: Azerbaijan Armed Forces: Land Forces (Combined Arms Army), Air Forces, Navy Forces; Ministry of Internal Affairs: State Border Service (includes Coast Guard), Internal Security Troops (2022)
Military expenditures: 5.2% of GDP (2021 est.)

5.4% of GDP (2020 est.)

3.8% of GDP (2019 est.) (approximately $3.4 billion)

3.6% of GDP (2018 est.) (approximately $3.2 billion)

3.8% of GDP (2017 est.) (approximately $3.26 billion)
Military and security service personnel strengths: information varies; approximately 65,000 active armed forces (55,000 Army; 2,000 Navy; 8,000 Air Force); approximately 15,000 Ministry of Internal Affairs troops (2022)
Military equipment inventories and acquisitions: the inventory of the Azerbaijan military is comprised mostly of Russian and Soviet-era weapons systems with a small mix of equipment from other countries, including Israel and Turkey (2022)
Military service age and obligation: men age 18-35 years for compulsory military service; service obligation 18 months (non-university graduate) or 12 months (university graduates); 17 years of age for voluntary service (men and women); 17-year-olds are considered to be on active service at cadet military schools (2021)

note: as of 2018, women made up an estimated 3% of the active duty military
Military - note: since November 2020, Russia has deployed about 2,000 peacekeeping troops to the area in and around Nagorno-Karabakh as part of a cease-fire agreement between Armenia and Azerbaijan; fighting erupted between the two countries over the Nagorno-Karabakh region in September of 2020; Nagorno-Karabakh lies within Azerbaijan but has been under control of ethnic Armenian forces (the "Nagorno-Karabakh Defense Army") backed by Armenia since a separatist war there ended in 1994; six weeks of fighting resulted in about 6,500 deaths and ended after Armenia ceded swathes of Nagorno-Karabakh territory; tensions remained high in 2022, and both sides have accused the other of provocations since the fighting ended; Armenia has accused Azerbaijani forces of a series of border intrusions and of seizing pockets of territory

Topic: Terrorism
Terrorist group(s): Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham (ISIS); Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC)/Qods Force

note: details about the history, aims, leadership, organization, areas of operation, tactics, targets, weapons, size, and sources of support of the group(s) appear(s) in Appendix-T

Topic: Transnational Issues
Disputes - international: Local border forces struggle to control the illegal transit of goods and people across the porous, undemarcated Armenian, Azerbaijani, and Georgian borders.

Armenia-Azerbaijan: The dispute over the break-away Nagorno-Karabakh region and the Armenian military occupation of surrounding lands in Azerbaijan remains the primary focus of regional instability. Residents have evacuated the former Soviet-era small ethnic enclaves in Armenia and Azerbaijan.

Azerbaijan-Georgia: A joint boundary commission agrees on most of the alignment, leaving only small areas at certain crossing points in dispute.  Consequently, the two states have yet to agree on a delimitation or demarcation of their common boundary. One area of contention is where the international boundary should run through the 6th-13th Century David-Gareja monastery complex.

Azerbaijan-Iran: None identified

Azerbaijan-Russia: Russia complains of cross-border smuggling.

Azerbaijan-Turkey: None identified

Caspian Sea (Maritime Boundary): Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, and Russia ratified the Caspian seabed delimitation treaties based on equidistance, while Iran continues to insist on a one-fifth slice of the sea. Bilateral talks continue with Turkmenistan on dividing the seabed and contested oilfields in the middle of the Caspian.Local border forces struggle to control the illegal transit of goods and people across the porous, undemarcated Armenian, Azerbaijani, and Georgian borders.

Armenia-Azerbaijan: The dispute over the break-away Nagorno-Karabakh region and the Armenian military occupation of surrounding lands in Azerbaijan remains the primary focus of regional instability. Residents have evacuated the former Soviet-era small ethnic enclaves in Armenia and Azerbaijan.

Azerbaijan-Georgia: A joint boundary commission agrees on most of the alignment, leaving only small areas at certain crossing points in dispute.  Consequently, the two states have yet to agree on a delimitation or demarcation of their common boundary. One area of contention is where the international boundary should run through the 6th-13th Century David-Gareja monastery complex.

Azerbaijan-Iran: None identified

Azerbaijan-Russia: Russia complains of cross-border smuggling.

Azerbaijan-Turkey: None identified

Caspian Sea (Maritime Boundary): Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, and Russia ratified the Caspian seabed delimitation treaties based on equidistance, while Iran continues to insist on a one-fifth slice of the sea. Bilateral talks continue with Turkmenistan on dividing the seabed and contested oilfields in the middle of the Caspian.
Refugees and internally displaced persons: IDPs: 655,000 (conflict with Armenia over Nagorno-Karabakh; IDPs are mainly ethnic Azerbaijanis but also include ethnic Kurds, Russians, and Turks predominantly from occupied territories around Nagorno-Karabakh; includes IDPs' descendants, returned IDPs, and people living in insecure areas and excludes people displaced by natural disasters; around half the IDPs live in the capital Baku) (2021)

stateless persons: 3,585 (mid-year 2021)
Trafficking in persons: current situation: human traffickers exploit domestic and foreign victims in Azerbaijan and exploit Azerbaijanis abroad; Azerbaijani men and boys experience forced labor domestically and in Qatar, Russia, and the UAE; Azerbaijani women and children are subjected to sex trafficking domestically and in Iran, Malaysia, Pakistan, Qatar, Russia, Turkey, and the UAE; Azerbaijan is a destination country for sex and forced labor trafficking victims from China, Russia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, and Uzbekistan; some children are exploited domestically for forced begging and forced labor as roadside vendors and at tea houses and wedding venues

tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List — Azerbaijan does not fully meet the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking but is making significant efforts to do so; more traffickers were convicted and judges received guidance to issue stricter sentences; the government significantly increased funding for victim protection by establishing grants for civil society; however, authorities identified fewer victims than in the previous year, did not regularly screen vulnerable populations, and continued to lack proactive identification methods, resulting in victims being penalized for unlawful acts traffickers compelled them to commit (2020)
Illicit drugs: limited illicit cultivation of cannabis and opium poppy, mostly for CIS consumption; small government eradication program; transit point for Southwest Asian opiates bound for Russia and to a lesser extent the rest of Europe


Topic: Photos of Solomon Islands

Topic: Introduction
Background: Settlers from Papua arrived on Solomon Islands around 30,000 years ago. About 6,000 years ago, Austronesian settlers came to Solomon Islands and the two groups mixed extensively. Despite significant inter-island trade, no attempts were made to unite the islands into a single political entity. In 1568, Spanish explorer Alvaro de MENDANA became the first European to spot the islands. After a failed Spanish attempt at creating a permanent European settlement on the islands in the late 1500s, Solomon Islands remained free of European contact until 1767 when British explorer Philip CARTERET sailed by the islands. The islands were regularly visited by European explorers and American and British whaling ships into the 1800s, followed by missionaries in the 1850s.

Germany declared a protectorate over the northern Solomon Islands in 1885, and the UK established a protectorate over the southern islands in 1893. In 1899, Germany transferred its Solomon Islands to the UK in exchange for the UK relinquishing all claims in Samoa. The UK tried to encourage plantation farming, but few Europeans were willing to go to Solomon Islands and the UK left most services - such as education and medical services - to missionaries. In 1942, Japan invaded Solomon Islands and significant battles against Allied forces during the Guadalcanal Campaign proved a turning point in the Pacific war. World War II destroyed large parts of Solomon Islands and a nationalism movement emerged near the end of the war. By 1960, the British relented to allow for some local autonomy. The islands were granted self-government in 1976 and independence two years later under Prime Minister Sir Peter KENILOREA.

In 1999, longstanding ethnic tensions between ethnic Guale in Honiara and ethnic Malaitans in Honiara’s suburbs erupted in civil war, leading thousands of Malaitans to take refuge in Honiara and Guale to flee the city. In 2000, newly-elected Prime Minister Manasseh SOGAVARE focused on peace agreements and distributing resources equally among groups, but his actions bankrupted the government in 2001 and led to SOGAVARE’s ouster. In 2003, Solomon Islands requested international assistance to reestablish law and order. The Australian-led Regional Assistance Mission to the Solomon Islands, which ended in 2017, was generally effective in improving the security situation. In 2006, riots broke out in Honiara and the city’s Chinatown burned over allegations that the prime minister took money from China. SOGAVARE was reelected prime minister for a fourth time following elections in 2019 and that same year announced Solomon Islands would switch diplomatic recognition from Taiwan to China. In late November 2021, protestors, mostly from the island of Malaita, calling for SOGAVARE’s removal and more development in Malaita, sparked rioting in Honiara. Settlers from Papua arrived on Solomon Islands around 30,000 years ago. About 6,000 years ago, Austronesian settlers came to Solomon Islands and the two groups mixed extensively. Despite significant inter-island trade, no attempts were made to unite the islands into a single political entity. In 1568, Spanish explorer Alvaro de MENDANA became the first European to spot the islands. After a failed Spanish attempt at creating a permanent European settlement on the islands in the late 1500s, Solomon Islands remained free of European contact until 1767 when British explorer Philip CARTERET sailed by the islands. The islands were regularly visited by European explorers and American and British whaling ships into the 1800s, followed by missionaries in the 1850s.

Germany declared a protectorate over the northern Solomon Islands in 1885, and the UK established a protectorate over the southern islands in 1893. In 1899, Germany transferred its Solomon Islands to the UK in exchange for the UK relinquishing all claims in Samoa. The UK tried to encourage plantation farming, but few Europeans were willing to go to Solomon Islands and the UK left most services - such as education and medical services - to missionaries. In 1942, Japan invaded Solomon Islands and significant battles against Allied forces during the Guadalcanal Campaign proved a turning point in the Pacific war. World War II destroyed large parts of Solomon Islands and a nationalism movement emerged near the end of the war. By 1960, the British relented to allow for some local autonomy. The islands were granted self-government in 1976 and independence two years later under Prime Minister Sir Peter KENILOREA.

In 1999, longstanding ethnic tensions between ethnic Guale in Honiara and ethnic Malaitans in Honiara’s suburbs erupted in civil war, leading thousands of Malaitans to take refuge in Honiara and Guale to flee the city. In 2000, newly-elected Prime Minister Manasseh SOGAVARE focused on peace agreements and distributing resources equally among groups, but his actions bankrupted the government in 2001 and led to SOGAVARE’s ouster. In 2003, Solomon Islands requested international assistance to reestablish law and order. The Australian-led Regional Assistance Mission to the Solomon Islands, which ended in 2017, was generally effective in improving the security situation. In 2006, riots broke out in Honiara and the city’s Chinatown burned over allegations that the prime minister took money from China. SOGAVARE was reelected prime minister for a fourth time following elections in 2019 and that same year announced Solomon Islands would switch diplomatic recognition from Taiwan to China. In late November 2021, protestors, mostly from the island of Malaita, calling for SOGAVARE’s removal and more development in Malaita, sparked rioting in Honiara. Visit the Definitions and Notes page to view a description of each topic.

Topic: Geography
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: 28,896 sq km

land: 27,986 sq km

water: 910 sq km
Area - comparative: slightly smaller than Maryland
Land boundaries: total: 0 km
Coastline: 5,313 km
Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

continental shelf: 200 nm

measured from claimed archipelagic baselines
Climate: tropical monsoon; few temperature and weather extremes
Terrain: mostly rugged mountains with some low coral atolls
Elevation: highest point: Mount Popomanaseu 2,335 m

lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
Natural resources: fish, forests, gold, bauxite, phosphates, lead, zinc, nickel
Land use: agricultural land: 3.9% (2018 est.)

arable land: 0.7% (2018 est.)

permanent crops: 2.9% (2018 est.)

permanent pasture: 0.3% (2018 est.)

forest: 78.9% (2018 est.)

other: 17.2% (2018 est.)
Irrigated land: 0 sq km (2012) NA
Population distribution: most of the population lives along the coastal regions; about one in five live in urban areas, and of these some two-thirds reside in Honiara, the largest town and chief port
Natural hazards: tropical cyclones, but rarely destructive; geologically active region with frequent earthquakes, tremors, and volcanic activity; tsunamisvolcanism: Tinakula (851 m) has frequent eruption activity, while an eruption of Savo (485 m) could affect the capital Honiara on nearby Guadalcanaltropical cyclones, but rarely destructive; geologically active region with frequent earthquakes, tremors, and volcanic activity; tsunamisvolcanism: Tinakula (851 m) has frequent eruption activity, while an eruption of Savo (485 m) could affect the capital Honiara on nearby Guadalcanal
Geography - note: strategic location on sea routes between the South Pacific Ocean, the Solomon Sea, and the Coral Sea; Rennell Island, the southernmost in the Solomon Islands chain, is one of the world’s largest raised coral atolls; the island’s Lake Tegano, formerly a lagoon on the atoll, is the largest lake in the insular Pacific (15,500 hectares)
Map description: Solomon Islands map showing the major islands of this archipelagic country in the South Pacific Ocean.

Topic: People and Society
Population: 702,694 (2022 est.)
Nationality: noun: Solomon Islander(s)

adjective: Solomon Islander
Ethnic groups: Melanesian 95.3%, Polynesian 3.1%, Micronesian 1.2%, other 0.3% (2009 est.)
Languages: Melanesian pidgin (in much of the country is lingua franca), English (official but spoken by only 1%-2% of the population), 120 indigenous languages
Religions: Protestant 73.4% (Church of Melanesia 31.9%, South Sea Evangelical 17.1%, Seventh Day Adventist 11.7%, United Church 10.1%, Christian Fellowship Church 2.5%), Roman Catholic 19.6%, other Christian 2.9%, other 4%, unspecified 0.1% (2009 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: 32.99% (male 116,397/female 109,604)

15-24 years: 19.82% (male 69,914/female 65,874)

25-54 years: 37.64% (male 131,201/female 126,681)

55-64 years: 5.04% (male 17,844/female 16,704)

65 years and over: 4.51% (2020 est.) (male 14,461/female 16,417)
Dependency ratios: total dependency ratio: 77.6

youth dependency ratio: 71.1

elderly dependency ratio: 6.5

potential support ratio: 15.3 (2020 est.)
Median age: total: 23.5 years

male: 23.2 years

female: 23.7 years (2020 est.)
Population growth rate: 1.72% (2022 est.)
Birth rate: 22.71 births/1,000 population (2022 est.)
Death rate: 3.96 deaths/1,000 population (2022 est.)
Net migration rate: -1.55 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2022 est.)
Population distribution: most of the population lives along the coastal regions; about one in five live in urban areas, and of these some two-thirds reside in Honiara, the largest town and chief port
Urbanization: urban population: 25.6% of total population (2022)

rate of urbanization: 3.57% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Major urban areas - population: 82,000 HONIARA (capital) (2018)
Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

0-14 years: 1.06 male(s)/female

15-24 years: 1.06 male(s)/female

25-54 years: 1.04 male(s)/female

55-64 years: 1.08 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.74 male(s)/female

total population: 1.04 male(s)/female (2022 est.)
Mother's mean age at first birth: 22.6 years (2015 est.)

note: median age at first birth among women 25-29
Maternal mortality ratio: 104 deaths/100,000 live births (2017 est.)
Infant mortality rate: total: 20.02 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 23.89 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 15.96 deaths/1,000 live births (2022 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 76.7 years

male: 74.05 years

female: 79.49 years (2022 est.)
Total fertility rate: 2.87 children born/woman (2022 est.)
Contraceptive prevalence rate: 29.3% (2015)
Drinking water source: improved: urban: 95% of population

rural: 65.9% of population

total: 73.1% of population

unimproved: urban: 5% of population

rural: 34.1% of population

total: 26.9% of population (2020 est.)
Current Health Expenditure: 4.8% (2019)
Physicians density: 0.19 physicians/1,000 population (2016)
Hospital bed density: 1.4 beds/1,000 population (2012)
Sanitation facility access: improved: urban: 95.6% of population

rural: 22.6% of population

total: 40.6% of population

unimproved: urban: 4.4% of population

rural: 77.4% of population

total: 59.4% of population (2020 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: NA
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: NA
HIV/AIDS - deaths: NA
Major infectious diseases: degree of risk: high (2020)

food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea

vectorborne diseases: malaria
Obesity - adult prevalence rate: 22.5% (2016)
Tobacco use: total: 36.5% (2020 est.)

male: 53.8% (2020 est.)

female: 19.2% (2020 est.)
Children under the age of 5 years underweight: 16.2% (2015)
Education expenditures: 10.1% of GDP (2015 est.)
Literacy: total population: NA

male: NA

female: NA
Unemployment, youth ages 15-24: total: 1.3%

male: 1%

female: 1.6% (2013)

Topic: Environment
Environment - current issues: deforestation; soil erosion; many of the surrounding coral reefs are dead or dying; effects of climate change and rising sea levels
Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping-London Convention, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Whaling

signed, but not ratified: Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban
Air pollutants: particulate matter emissions: 10.67 micrograms per cubic meter (2016 est.)

carbon dioxide emissions: 0.17 megatons (2016 est.)

methane emissions: 0.43 megatons (2020 est.)
Climate: tropical monsoon; few temperature and weather extremes
Land use: agricultural land: 3.9% (2018 est.)

arable land: 0.7% (2018 est.)

permanent crops: 2.9% (2018 est.)

permanent pasture: 0.3% (2018 est.)

forest: 78.9% (2018 est.)

other: 17.2% (2018 est.)
Urbanization: urban population: 25.6% of total population (2022)

rate of urbanization: 3.57% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Revenue from forest resources: forest revenues: 20.27% of GDP (2018 est.)
Revenue from coal: coal revenues: 0% of GDP (2018 est.)
Major infectious diseases: degree of risk: high (2020)

food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea

vectorborne diseases: malaria
Waste and recycling: municipal solid waste generated annually: 179,972 tons (2013 est.)
Total renewable water resources: 44.7 billion cubic meters (2017 est.)

Topic: Government
Country name: conventional long form: none

conventional short form: Solomon Islands

local long form: none

local short form: Solomon Islands

former: British Solomon Islands

etymology: Spanish explorer Alvaro de MENDANA named the isles in 1568 after the wealthy biblical King SOLOMON in the mistaken belief that the islands contained great riches
Government type: parliamentary democracy under a constitutional monarchy; a Commonwealth realm
Capital: name: Honiara

geographic coordinates: 9 26 S, 159 57 E

time difference: UTC+11 (16 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

etymology: the name derives from "nagho ni ara," which in one of the Guadalcanal languages roughly translates as "facing the eastern wind"
Administrative divisions: 9 provinces and 1 city*; Central, Choiseul, Guadalcanal, Honiara*, Isabel, Makira and Ulawa, Malaita, Rennell and Bellona, Temotu, Western
Independence: 7 July 1978 (from the UK)
National holiday: Independence Day, 7 July (1978)
Constitution: history: adopted 31 May 1978, effective 7 July 1978; note - in late 2017, provincial leaders agreed to adopt a new federal constitution, with passage expected in 2018, but it has been postponed indefinitely

amendments: proposed by the National Parliament; passage of constitutional sections, including those on fundamental rights and freedoms, the legal system, Parliament, alteration of the constitution and the ombudsman, requires three-fourths majority vote by Parliament and assent of the governor general; passage of other amendments requires two-thirds majority vote and assent of the governor general; amended several times, last in 2018; note - a new constitution was drafted in mid-2009 and the latest version drafted in 2013
Legal system: mixed legal system of English common law and customary law
International law organization participation: has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt
Citizenship: citizenship by birth: no

citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of the Solomon Islands

dual citizenship recognized: no

residency requirement for naturalization: 7 years
Suffrage: 21 years of age; universal
Executive branch: chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952); represented by Governor General David VUNAGI (since 8 July 2019)

head of government: Prime Minister Manasseh SOGAVARE (since 24 April 2019)

cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the governor general on the advice of the prime minister

elections/appointments: the monarchy is hereditary; governor general appointed by the monarch on the advice of the National Parliament for up to 5 years (eligible for a second term); following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or majority coalition usually elected prime minister by the National Parliament; deputy prime minister appointed by the governor general on the advice of the prime minister from among members of the National Parliament

election results: Manasseh SOGAVARE elected prime minister on 24 April 2019, 34 votes out of 50 seat National Parliament
Legislative branch: description: unicameral National Parliament (50 seats; members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by simple majority vote to serve 4-year terms)

elections: last held on 3 April 2019 (next to be held in April 2023)

election results: percent of vote by party - UDP 10.7%, DAP 7.8%, PAP 4.4%, other 20.8%, independent 56.3%; seats by party - DAP 7, UDP 5, PAP 3, KPSI 1, SIPFP 1, SIPRA 1, independent 32; composition - men 46, women 4, percent of women 8%
Judicial branch: highest courts: Court of Appeal (consists of the court president and ex officio members including the High Court chief justice and its puisne judges); High Court (consists of the chief justice and puisne judges, as prescribed by the National Parliament)

judge selection and term of office: Court of Appeal and High Court president, chief justices, and puisne judges appointed by the governor general upon recommendation of the Judicial and Legal Service Commission, chaired by the chief justice and includes 5 members, mostly judicial officials and legal professionals; all judges serve until retirement at age 60

subordinate courts: Magistrates' Courts; Customary Land Appeal Court; local courts
Political parties and leaders: Democratic Alliance Party or DAP [Steve ABANA]
Kadere Party of Solomon Islands or KPSI [Peter BOYERS]
People's Alliance Party or PAP [Nathaniel WAENA]
Solomon Islands People First Party or SIPFP [Dr. Jimmie RODGERS]
Solomon Islands Party for Rural Advancement or SIPRA [Manasseh MAELANGA]
United Democratic Party or UDP [Sir Thomas Ko CHAN]

note: in general, Solomon Islands politics is characterized by fluid coalitions
International organization participation: ACP, ADB, AOSIS, C, EITI (candidate country), ESCAP, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IOC, ITU, MIGA, OPCW, PIF, Sparteca, SPC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Janice Mose KEMAKEZA

chancery: 685 Third Avenue, 11th Floor, Suite 1102, New York, NY 10017

telephone: [1] (212) 599-6192; [1] (212) 599-6193

FAX: [1] (212) 661-8925

email address and website:
simun@solomons.com
Diplomatic representation from the US: embassy: the US does not have an embassy in the Solomon Islands; the US 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; blue represents the ocean, green the land, and yellow sunshine; the five stars stand for the five main island groups of the Solomon Islands
National symbol(s): national colors: blue, yellow, green, white
National anthem: name: "God Save Our Solomon Islands"

lyrics/music: Panapasa BALEKANA and Matila BALEKANA/Panapasa BALEKANA

note: adopted 1978
National heritage: total World Heritage Sites: 1 (natural)

selected World Heritage Site locales: East Rennell

Topic: Economy
Economic overview: The bulk of the population depends on agriculture, fishing, and forestry for at least part of its 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. Prior to the arrival of The Regional Assistance Mission to the Solomon Islands (RAMSI), severe ethnic violence, the closure of key businesses, and an empty government treasury culminated in economic collapse. RAMSI's efforts, which concluded in Jun 2017, to restore law and order and economic stability have led to modest growth as the economy rebuilds.
Real GDP (purchasing power parity): $1.71 billion (2020 est.)

$1.78 billion (2019 est.)

$1.76 billion (2018 est.)

note: data are in 2017 dollars
Real GDP growth rate: 3.5% (2017 est.)

3.5% (2016 est.)

2.5% (2015 est.)
Real GDP per capita: $2,500 (2020 est.)

$2,700 (2019 est.)

$2,700 (2018 est.)

note: data are in 2017 dollars
GDP (official exchange rate): $1.298 billion (2017 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 0.5% (2017 est.)

0.5% (2016 est.)
Credit ratings: Moody's rating: B3 (2015)
GDP - composition, by sector of origin: agriculture: 34.3% (2017 est.)

industry: 7.6% (2017 est.)

services: 58.1% (2017 est.)
GDP - composition, by end use: household consumption: NA

government consumption: NA

investment in fixed capital: NA

investment in inventories: NA

exports of goods and services: 25.8% (2011 est.)

imports of goods and services: -49.6% (2011 est.)
Agricultural products: oil palm fruit, sweet potatoes, coconuts, taro, yams, fruit, pulses nes, vegetables, cocoa, cassava
Industries: fish (tuna), mining, timber
Industrial production growth rate: 3.6% (2017 est.)
Labor force: 202,500 (2007 est.)
Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: 75%

industry: 5%

services: 20% (2000 est.)
Unemployment rate: NANA
Unemployment, youth ages 15-24: total: 1.3%

male: 1%

female: 1.6% (2013)
Population below poverty line: 12.7% (2012 est.)
Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income: 37.1 (2013 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA

highest 10%: NA
Budget: revenues: 532.5 million (2017 est.)

expenditures: 570.5 million (2017 est.)
Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-): -2.9% (of GDP) (2017 est.)
Public debt: 9.4% of GDP (2017 est.)

7.9% of GDP (2016 est.)
Taxes and other revenues: 41% (of GDP) (2017 est.)
Fiscal year: calendar year
Current account balance: -$54 million (2017 est.)

-$49 million (2016 est.)
Exports: $430 million (2020 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

$590 million (2019 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

$680 million (2018 est.) note: data are in current year dollars
Exports - partners: China 65%, Italy 9%, India 6% (2019)
Exports - commodities: lumber, fish, aluminum, palm oil, cocoa beans (2019)
Imports: $560 million (2020 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

$750 million (2019 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

$750 million (2018 est.) note: data are in current year dollars
Imports - partners: China 24%, Australia 13%, South Korea 12%, Singapore 12%, Malaysia 10% (2019)
Imports - commodities: refined petroleum, fish, insulated wiring, broadcasting equipment, excavation machinery (2019)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $0 (31 December 2017 est.)

$421 million (31 December 2016 est.)
Debt - external: $757 million (31 December 2017 est.)

$643 million (31 December 2016 est.)
Exchange rates: Solomon Islands dollars (SBD) per US dollar -

8.06126 (2020 est.)

8.10373 (2019 est.)

8.01282 (2018 est.)

7.9147 (2014 est.)

7.3754 (2013 est.)

Topic: Energy
Electricity access: electrification - total population: 66.7% (2018)

electrification - urban areas: 76.7% (2018)

electrification - rural areas: 63.5% (2018)
Electricity: installed generating capacity: 40,000 kW (2020 est.)

consumption: 93.527 million kWh (2019 est.)

exports: 0 kWh (2020 est.)

imports: 0 kWh (2020 est.)

transmission/distribution losses: 14 million kWh (2019 est.)
Electricity generation sources: fossil fuels: 94.8% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

nuclear: 0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

solar: 2.7% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

wind: 0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

hydroelectricity: 0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

tide and wave: 0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

geothermal: 0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

biomass and waste: 2.6% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
Coal: production: 0 metric tons (2020 est.)

consumption: 0 metric tons (2020 est.)

exports: 0 metric tons (2020 est.)

imports: 0 metric tons (2020 est.)

proven reserves: 0 metric tons (2019 est.)
Petroleum: total petroleum production: 0 bbl/day (2021 est.)

refined petroleum consumption: 2,200 bbl/day (2019 est.)

crude oil and lease condensate exports: 0 barrels/day (2018 est.)

crude oil and lease condensate imports: 0 barrels/day (2018 est.)

crude oil estimated reserves: 0 barrels (2021 est.)
Refined petroleum products - production: 0 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Refined petroleum products - exports: 0 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Refined petroleum products - imports: 1,577 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Natural gas: production: 0 cubic meters (2021 est.)

consumption: 0 cubic meters (2021 est.)

exports: 0 cubic meters (2021 est.)

imports: 0 cubic meters (2021 est.)

proven reserves: 0 cubic meters (2021 est.)
Carbon dioxide emissions: 333,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)

from coal and metallurgical coke: 0 metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)

from petroleum and other liquids: 333,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)

from consumed natural gas: 0 metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)
Energy consumption per capita: 6.955 million Btu/person (2019 est.)

Topic: Communications
Telephones - fixed lines: total subscriptions: 7,000 (2020 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 1 (2020 est.)
Telephones - mobile cellular: total subscriptions: 478,116 (2019)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 71 (2019)
Telecommunication systems: general assessment: mobile services have continually expanded in the Solomon Islands; 3G services became available in 2010, leading to an increase in mobile broadband uptake; Solomon Islands currently host three ISPs: Solomon Telekom, Bmobile and SATSOL; fixed broadband services are largely limited to government, corporations, and educational organizations in the Solomon Islands; telecommunication infrastructure in the Solomon Islands requires significant investment due to the geographical make-up of the islands; this presents a great challenge to rural connectivity in the country; although various international organizations such as the World Bank and the Asian Development Bank have taken a special interest in having communication services improved in both the Solomon Islands and the Pacific region in general, internet and broadband penetration remain low; the provision of broadband infrastructure, particularly to rural areas, is also hindered by land disputes; internet services have, improved with the build-out of the Coral Sea Cable System linking Papua New Guinea to the Solomon Islands, as also with a connecting cable to a landing station at Sydney; the Australian government provided most of the funding for the Coral Sea Cable System, with contributions and support from the Solomon Islands and Papua New Guinea governments; the launch of the Kacific-1 satellite in late 2019 also improved broadband satellite capacity for the region, though for telcos in Solomon Islands satellite services are now largely used as backup for international traffic; in recent years, the country has stabilized both politically and economically and this, along with improvements to mobile infrastructure, has led to a rise in mobile services and the slow uptake of broadband services; while the first LTE services were launched in late 2017 in the capital Honiara, the main platform for mobile voice and data services remains 3G, while in outlying areas GSM is still an important technology for the provision of services; geopolitical concerns have also come to the fore as the government pursues stronger ties with China; this is a growing source of tension with Australia, which is the Solomon Islands’ largest aid donor; in April 2022, the country signed a security agreement with China, although the full details of the agreement have not been published. (2022)

domestic: fixed-line is just over 1 per 100 persons and mobile-cellular telephone density is about 71 per 100 persons; domestic cable system to extend to key major islands (2019)

international: country code - 677; landing points for the CSCS and ICNS2 submarine cables providing connectivity from Solomon Islands, to PNG, Vanuatu and Australia; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean) (2019)

note: the COVID-19 pandemic continues to have a significant impact on production and supply chains globally; since 2020, some aspects of the telecom sector have experienced a downturn, particularly in mobile device production; progress towards 5G implementation has resumed, as well as upgrades to infrastructure; consumer spending on telecom services has increased due to the surge in demand for capacity and bandwidth; the crucial nature of telecom services as a tool for work and school from home is still evident, and the spike in this area has seen growth opportunities for development of new tools and increased services
Broadcast media: Solomon Islands Broadcasting Corporation (SIBC) does not broadcast television; multi-channel pay-TV is available; SIBC operates 2 national radio stations and 2 provincial stations; there are 2 local commercial radio stations; Radio Australia is available via satellite feed (since 2009) (2019)
Internet country code: .sb
Internet users: total: 80,379 (2019 est.)

percent of population: 12% (2019 est.)
Broadband - fixed subscriptions: total: 1,000 (2020 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 0.2 (2020 est.)

Topic: Transportation
National air transport system: number of registered air carriers: 1 (2020)

inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 6

annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers: 427,806 (2018)

annual freight traffic on registered air carriers: 3.84 million (2018) mt-km
Civil aircraft registration country code prefix: H4
Airports: total: 36 (2021)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 1

1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2021)
Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 35

1,524 to 2,437 m: 1

914 to 1,523 m: 10

under 914 m: 24 (2021)
Heliports: 3 (2021)
Roadways: total: 1,390 km (2011)

paved: 34 km (2011)

unpaved: 1,356 km (2011)

note: includes 920 km of private plantation roads
Merchant marine: total: 24

by type: general cargo 8, oil tanker 1, other 15 (2021)
Ports and terminals: major seaport(s): Honiara, Malloco Bay, Viru Harbor, Tulagi

Topic: Military and Security
Military and security forces: no regular military forces; the Royal Solomon Islands Police is responsible for internal and external security and reports to the Ministry of Police, National Security, and Correctional Services (2022)
Military equipment inventories and acquisitions: the maritime branch of the Royal Solomon Islands Police Force operates patrol boats provided by Australia (2021)
Military - note: Australia and New Zealand provide material and training assistance to the Royal Solomon Islands Police (2022)

Topic: Transnational Issues
Disputes - international: from 2003 to 2017, at the request of the Solomon Islands Governor-General, the Regional Assistance Mission to Solomon Islands (RAMSI), consisting of police, military, and civilian advisors drawn from 15 countries, assisted in reestablishing and maintaining civil and political order while reinforcing regional stability and securityfrom 2003 to 2017, at the request of the Solomon Islands Governor-General, the Regional Assistance Mission to Solomon Islands (RAMSI), consisting of police, military, and civilian advisors drawn from 15 countries, assisted in reestablishing and maintaining civil and political order while reinforcing regional stability and security


Topic: Introduction
Background: Afghanistan served as a buffer between the British and Russian Empires until it won independence from British control in 1919. In August 2021, the Islamic fundamentalist Taliban overran the country; the latest group to rule in this war-torn country since 1979.

Topic: Geography
Area: total: 652,230 sq km

land: 652,230 sq km

water: 0 sq km
Climate: arid to semiarid; cold winters and hot summers
Natural resources: natural gas, petroleum, coal, copper, chromite, talc, barites, sulfur, lead, zinc, iron ore, salt, precious and semiprecious stones, arable land

Topic: People and Society
Population: 38,346,720 (2022 est.)
Ethnic groups: Current, reliable statistical data on ethnicity in Afghanistan are not available; Afghanistan's 2004 Constitution cited Pashtun, Tajik, Hazara, Uzbek, Turkman, Baluch, Pachaie, Nuristani, Aymaq, Arab, Qirghiz, Qizilbash, Gujur, and Brahwui ethnicities; Afghanistan has dozens of other small ethnic groups
Languages: Afghan Persian or Dari (official, lingua franca) 77%, Pashto (official) 48%, Uzbeki 11%, English 6%, Turkmani 3%, Urdu 3%, Pachaie 1%, Nuristani 1%, Arabic 1%, Balochi 1%, other <1% (2020 est.)
Religions: Muslim 99.7% (Sunni 84.7 - 89.7%, Shia 10 - 15%), other <0.3% (2009 est.)
Population growth rate: 2.3% (2022 est.)

Topic: Government
Government type: the United States does not recognize the Taliban governmentthe United States does not recognize the Taliban government
Capital: name: Kabul
Executive branch: chief of state: president (vacant); note – before 15 August, 2021, the president was both chief of state and head of government; President Ashraf GHANI departed the country on 15 August 2021; on 7 September 2021, the Taliban announced Mullah Mohammad HASSAN Akhund as the so-called “acting Prime Minister” of a so-called “interim government”; as of November 2021, the group had announced three acting so-called “Deputy Prime Ministers”: Mullah Abdul Ghani BERADER, Mullah Abdul Salam HANAFI, and Maulawi Abdul KABIR

head of government: president (vacant); note - President Ashraf GHANI departed the country on 15 August 2021; on 7 September 2021, the Taliban announced Mullah Mohammad HASSAN Akhund as the acting Prime Minister of an interim Taliban government; the US does not recognize the Taliban government; as of November 2021, the group had announced three acting Deputy Prime Ministers: Mullah Abdul Ghani BERADER, Mullah Abdul Salam HANAFI, and Maulawi Abdul KABIRpresident (vacant); note – before 15 August, 2021, the president was both chief of state and head of government; President Ashraf GHANI departed the country on 15 August 2021; on 7 September 2021, the Taliban announced Mullah Mohammad HASSAN Akhund as the so-called “acting Prime Minister” of a so-called “interim government”; as of November 2021, the group had announced three acting so-called “Deputy Prime Ministers”: Mullah Abdul Ghani BERADER, Mullah Abdul Salam HANAFI, and Maulawi Abdul KABIR
Legislative branch: description: before 15 August, 2021, Afghanistan had a bicameral National Assembly that consisted of a House of Elders and a House of People; since August 15, the Taliban’s so-called “interim government” has not purported to announce the formation of a legislative branch

Topic: Economy
Economic overview: extremely low-income South Asian economy; import drops, currency depreciation, disappearing central bank reserves, and increasing inflation after Taliban takeover; increasing Chinese trade; hit hard by COVID; ongoing sanctions
Real GDP (purchasing power parity): $77.04 billion (2020 est.)
Real GDP per capita: $2,000 (2020 est.)
Agricultural products: wheat, milk, grapes, vegetables, potatoes, watermelons, melons, rice, onions, apples
Industries: small-scale production of bricks, textiles, soap, furniture, shoes, fertilizer, apparel, food products, non-alcoholic beverages, mineral water, cement; handwoven carpets; natural gas, coal, copper
Exports: $1.48 billion (2020 est.)
Exports - partners: United Arab Emirates 45%, Pakistan 24%, India 22%, China 1% (2019)
Exports - commodities: gold, grapes, opium, fruits and nuts, insect resins, cotton, handwoven carpets, soapstone, scrap metal (2019)
Imports: $6.98 billion (2020 est.)
Imports - partners: United Arab Emirates 23%, Pakistan 17%, India 13%, China 9%, United States 9%, Uzbekistan 7%, Kazakhstan 6% (2019)
Imports - commodities: wheat flours, broadcasting equipment, refined petroleum, rolled tobacco, aircraft parts, synthetic fabrics (2019)
Exchange rates: afghanis (AFA) per US dollar -Page last updated: Tuesday, May 10, 2022