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 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

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