Geography of the Solomon Islands
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:
Area - comparative:
slightly smaller than Maryland
Land boundaries:
0 km
Coastline:
5,313 km
Maritime claims:
measured from claimed archipelagic baselines
Climate:
tropical monsoon; few extremes of temperature and weather
Terrain:
mostly rugged mountains with some low coral atolls
Elevation extremes:
Natural resources:
fish, forests, gold, bauxite, phosphates, lead, zinc, nickel
Land use:
Irrigated land:
NA sq km
Natural hazards:
typhoons, but they are rarely destructive; geologically active region with frequent earth tremors; volcanic activity
Environment - current issues:
deforestation; soil erosion; much of the surrounding coral reefs are dead or dying
Environment - international agreements:
total:
28,450 sq km
land:
27,540 sq km
water:
910 sq km
continental shelf:
200 nm
exclusive economic zone:
200 nm
territorial sea:
12 nm
lowest point:
Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point:
Mount Makarakomburu 2,447 m
arable land:
1%
permanent crops:
1%
permanent pastures:
1%
forests and woodland:
88%
other:
9% (1993 est.)
party to:
Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Environmental Modification, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Whaling
signed, but not ratified:
Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol