Short facts about the geography of 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:

total:  28,450 sq km land:  27,540 sq km water:  910 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly smaller than Maryland

Land boundaries:

0 km

Coastline:

5,313 km

Maritime claims:

measured from claimed archipelagic baselines continental shelf:  200 NM exclusive economic zone:  200 NM territorial sea:  12 NM

Climate:

tropical monsoon; few extremes of temperature and weather

Terrain:

mostly rugged mountains with some low coral atolls

Elevation extremes:

lowest point:  Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point:  Mount Makarakomburu 2,447 m

Natural resources:

fish, forests, gold, bauxite, phosphates, lead, zinc, nickel

Land use:

arable land:  1% permanent crops:  1% permanent pastures:  1% forests and woodland:  88% other:  9% (1993 est.)

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:

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

Source: World Factbook