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Solomon Islands

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Solomon Islands is a state of Oceania, located east of Papua New Guinea, and has maritime borders with Nauru, Kiribati, Tuwalu, Fiji, Vanuatu and Australia. Consisting of 28,400 square kilometers (10,965 sq. mi.) of land area, it contains several active and inactive volcanoes, with the Tinakula and Kavachi volcanoes as the most active in recent history. Its highest point is Mount Makarakomburu at 2,447 meters and its lowest point is the level of the Pacific Ocean at rest. With a coastline measuring 5,313 kilometers long, it consists of a backdrop a terrain of rugged mountains with natural forests. Its location in the region allows it to have the natural hazards of tsunamis, typhoons, earthquakes and volcanic activity, while it continues to contend with such environmental issues as deforestation, soil erosion and drying coral reefs. It comprises 17 main islands topped by Guadalcanal where capital Honiara is located, and which include the islands of Choiseul, Shortland, New Georgia, Santa Isabel, Russell, Florida, Malaita, Shaiana, Maramasika, Ulawa, Uki, Makira, Santa Ana, Rennell, Bellona and Santa Cruz.

Majority of the population belong to ethnic groups of Melanesian at 94.5%, Polynesia, 3%, and Micronesian, 1.2%. Their urban population is 18% of the total population. The people’s age structure is divided into 39.5% for 1-14 years old, 57.1% for 15-64 years old, and 3.5% for people aged 65 and above. The life expectancy for the male population is 71.14 years old, and 76.37 for the female. In education, the school life expectancy for the males from the primary to the tertiary level is nine years, compared to the eight years for the females.