Road trip!

But of course the laws in NZ are different, 18 is the legal drinking age and if you're 16 you can drink with your parents.. only 2 years and 17 days until I'm legal!

Anyways don't worry the drink wasn't for me, I'm quite happy with my secret(uh oh not so secret now stash of coke)

Onwards to the spam museum we go!

Sam, happily sporting her complimentary mars T-shirt. Acorn is feeling a bit rocket-ship sick, anyone got any water??



(Or maybe she got into the booze??)

On the high seas

We are underway! Whilst enroute to the South Pacific, you can partake of various relaxations, such as listening to music:


Sheet music

Click on the song title: Anchors Aweigh

Watch from the main deck, to get the feel of sailing:


View from deck whilst underway

Of course, you'll want to go aloft for a view from the rigging:


Aloft

Or, if you wish, you may retire to your cabin:


Cabin

At meal time, you can join the captain and discuss our journey:


Captain's mess

Expert crews are at their stations, so relax and enjoy the cruise:


Sailing past island

Nor need you fear illness or injury, as every vessel is equipped with modern medical facilities:


Sick bay

You can see the array of instruments available to the surgeons, should the need arise:


Surgeon's instruments

Our friends the dolphins will accompany us on this voyage, so there is nothing to fear:


Dolphin



=^..^=

Great! Should it be mentioned that Polynesia is part of the orient! So we've got the entire south pacific to go through!

Australia, Indonesia, Salomon Islands, NZ, And everything in between!

Sam: Here the drinking age is 18.

Oh NO!!! I fear I have arrived too late for the journey!!! I have already missed not only Mars, but the great Spam museum as well!! Not to mention I missed some of Victor's rum!!! I have just been too preoccupied with school and homework lately...but I called the college and told them I won't be around for a few months because I am going on a tour of the world...starting with the Orient...via Joe! They said they totally understood and that accounting classes and the like could wait!

So am I too late?? I may be absent here and there but I WILL be along for the ride!!!!!

So what about snacks??? We need some! How about I bring along some Kit Kats and Chili Cheese Fritos???

Debby you're never too late and glad you've joined us. Did ya bring Gus??

After we visit the orient, can we head on over to Hawaii?!?!?!?

Pretty please!!

I'm glad to see so many of you up on deck! Yes, we can visit anyplace you like--as long as it's south of the Equator and west of the International Date Line yet east of Africa. (We've decided not to limit ourselves to what's traditionally considered the Orient.)



Debby, you're never too late! Anyone can join us, at any time during our journey--thanks to that wonder of modern technology, the inter-net.



=^..^=

Hi Debby! Good to see you!!

Trent is having loads of fun running around the deck of the ship, although I must admit that he's giving Mommy a bit of a heart attack every couple minutes! Anyone have a kitty-sized life preserver????

Onward HO!

Oh boy am I sea sick.. and I've run out of coca-cola.. *pines*

Good to see alot of ya though!!

Sasha, the Bengal kitty just loves water! He has been swimming every day during our long voyage to the Orient!
Where is our first stop going to be, we need to know what to wear???

NOTICE!

Our first port of call shall be Tarawa in the Republic of Kiribati. This will be at the Equator, so take necessary precautions against heat and humidity. Remember, one advantage of sailing there rather than simply stepping off an aircraft is that your body will be more used to the climate upon arrival.



The following data were gleaned from The World Factbook:

Kiribati

Introduction
Background: The Gilbert Islands were granted self-rule by the UK in 1971 and complete independence in 1979 under the new name of Kiribati. The US relinquished all claims to the sparsely inhabited Phoenix and Line Island groups in a 1979 treaty of friendship with Kiribati.



Geography
Location: Oceania, group of 33 coral atolls in the Pacific Ocean, straddling the equator; the capital Tarawa is about one-half of the way from Hawaii to Australia; note - on 1 January 1995, Kiribati proclaimed that all of its territory lies in the same time zone as its Gilbert Islands group (GMT +12) even though the Phoenix Islands and the Line Islands under its jurisdiction lie on the other side of the International Date Line
Geographic coordinates: 1 25 N, 173 00 E
Map references: Oceania
Area: total: 811 sq km
note: includes three island groups - Gilbert Islands, Line Islands, Phoenix Islands
water: 0 sq km
land: 811 sq km
Area - comparative: four times the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries: 0 km
Coastline: 1,143 km
Maritime claims: exclusive economic zone: 200 NM
territorial sea: 12 NM
Climate: tropical; marine, hot and humid, moderated by trade winds
Terrain: mostly low-lying coral atolls surrounded by extensive reefs
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: unnamed location on Banaba 81 m
Natural resources: phosphate (production discontinued in 1979)
Land use: arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 50.68%
other: 49.32% (1998 est.)
Irrigated land: NA sq km
Natural hazards: typhoons can occur any time, but usually November to March; occasional tornadoes; low level of some of the islands make them very sensitive to changes in sea level
Environment - current issues: heavy pollution in lagoon of south Tarawa atoll due to heavy migration mixed with traditional practices such as lagoon latrines and open-pit dumping; ground water at risk
Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography - note: 21 of the 33 islands are inhabited; Banaba (Ocean Island) in Kiribati is one of the three great phosphate rock islands in the Pacific Ocean - the others are Makatea in French Polynesia, and Nauru



People
Population: 98,549 (July 2003 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: 39.7% (male 19,839; female 19,333)
15-64 years: 57% (male 27,705; female 28,438)
65 years and over: 3.3% (male 1,385; female 1,849) (2003 est.)
Median age: total: 19.7 years
male: 19.3 years
female: 20.2 years (2002)
Population growth rate: 2.26% (2003 est.)
Birth rate: 31.24 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Death rate: 8.63 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.75 male(s)/female
total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2003 est.)
Infant mortality rate: total: 51.26 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 45.82 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
male: 56.45 deaths/1,000 live births
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 60.93 years
male: 57.97 years
female: 64.03 years (2003 est.)
Total fertility rate: 4.28 children born/woman (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: NA%
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: NA
HIV/AIDS - deaths: NA
Nationality: noun: I-Kiribati (singular and plural)
adjective: I-Kiribati
Ethnic groups: predominantly Micronesian with some Polynesian
Religions: Roman Catholic 52%, Protestant (Congregational) 40%, some Seventh-Day Adventist, Muslim, Baha'i, Latter-day Saints, and Church of God (1999)
Languages: I-Kiribati, English (official)
Literacy: definition: NA
total population: NA%
male: NA%
female: NA%



Government
Country name: conventional long form: Republic of Kiribati
conventional short form: Kiribati
former: Gilbert Islands
note: pronounced keer-ree-bahss
Government type: republic
Capital: Tarawa
Administrative divisions: 3 units; Gilbert Islands, Line Islands, Phoenix Islands; note - in addition, there are 6 districts (Banaba, Central Gilberts, Line Islands, Northern Gilberts, Southern Gilberts, Tarawa) and 21 island councils - one for each of the inhabited islands (Abaiang, Abemama, Aranuka, Arorae, Banaba, Beru, Butaritari, Kanton, Kiritimati, Kuria, Maiana, Makin, Marakei, Nikunau, Nonouti, Onotoa, Tabiteuea, Tabuaeran, Tamana, Tarawa, Teraina)
Independence: 12 July 1979 (from UK)
National holiday: Independence Day, 12 July (1979)
Constitution: 12 July 1979
Legal system: NA
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch: chief of state: President Anote TONG (since 10 July 2003); Vice President NA; note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government
elections: the House of Parliament chooses the presidential candidates from among their members and then those candidates compete in a general election; president is elected by popular vote for a four-year term; election last held 4 July 2003 (next to be held not later than July 2007); vice president appointed by the president
election results: Anote TONG 47.4%, Harry TONG 43.5%, Banuera BERINA 9.1%
cabinet: 12-member Cabinet appointed by the president from among the members of the House of Parliament
head of government: President Anote TONG (since 10 July 2003); Vice President NA; note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government
Legislative branch: unicameral House of Parliament or Maneaba Ni Maungatabu (42 seats; 39 elected by popular vote, one ex officio member - the attorney general, one appointed to represent Banaba, and one other; members serve four-year terms)
elections: first round elections last held 29 November 2002; second round elections held 6 December 2002 (next to be held by November 2006)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - BTK 17, MTM 16, independents 7, other 2 (includes attorney general)
note: new legislative elections were held in two rounds - the first round on 9 May 2003 and the second round on 14 May 2003
Judicial branch: Court of Appeal; High Court; 26 Magistrates' courts; judges at all levels are appointed by the president
Political parties and leaders: Boutokaan Te Koaua Party or BTK [Taberannang TIMEON]; Maneaban Te Mauri Party or MTM [Teburoro TITO]; Maurin Kiribati Pati or MKP [leader NA]; National Progressive Party or NPP [Dr. Harry TONG]
note: there is no tradition of formally organized political parties in Kiribati; they more closely resemble factions or interest groups because they have no party headquarters, formal platforms, or party structures
Political pressure groups and leaders: NA
International organization participation: ACP, AsDB, C, ESCAP, FAO, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, ITU, OPCW, Sparteca, SPC, SPF, UN, UNESCO, UPU, WHO, WTrO (applicant)
Diplomatic representation in the US: Kiribati does not have an embassy in the US; there is an honorary consulate in Honolulu
Diplomatic representation from the US: the US does not have an embassy in Kiribati; the ambassador to the Marshall Islands is accredited to Kiribati
Flag description: the upper half is red with a yellow frigate bird flying over a yellow rising sun, and the lower half is blue with three horizontal wavy white stripes to represent the ocean



Economy
Economy - overview: A remote country of 33 scattered coral atolls, Kiribati has few natural resources. Commercially viable phosphate deposits were exhausted at the time of independence from the UK in 1979. Copra and fish now represent the bulk of production and exports. The economy has fluctuated widely in recent years. Economic development is constrained by a shortage of skilled workers, weak infrastructure, and remoteness from international markets. Tourism provides more than one-fifth of GDP. The financial sector is at an early stage of development as is the expansion of private sector initiatives. Foreign financial aid from UK, Japan, Australia, New Zealand, and China is a critical supplement to GDP, equal to 25%-50% of GDP in recent years. Remittances from workers abroad account for more than $5 million each year.
GDP: purchasing power parity - $79 million - supplemented by a nearly equal amount from external sources (2001 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: 1.5% (2001 est.)
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $800 (2001 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 30%
industry: 7%
services: 63% (1998 est.)
Population below poverty line: NA%
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA%
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 2.5% (2001 est.)
Labor force: 7,870 economically active, not including subsistence farmers
Unemployment rate: 2%; underemployment 70% (1992 est.)
Budget: revenues: $28.4 million
expenditures: $37.2 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (2000 est.)
Industries: fishing, handicrafts
Industrial production growth rate: 0.7% (1991 est.)
Electricity - production: 7 million kWh (2001)
Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 100%
hydro: 0%
other: 0% (2001)
nuclear: 0%
Electricity - consumption: 6.51 million kWh (2001)
Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (2001)
Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (2001)
Oil - production: 0 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - consumption: 190 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - exports: NA (2001)
Oil - imports: NA (2001)
Agriculture - products: copra, taro, breadfruit, sweet potatoes, vegetables; fish
Exports: $6 million f.o.b. (1998)
Exports - commodities: copra 62%, coconuts, seaweed, fish
Exports - partners: Japan 56.7%, Thailand 16.6%, South Korea 16.3% (2002)
Imports: $44 million c.i.f. (1999)
Imports - commodities: foodstuffs, machinery and equipment, miscellaneous manufactured goods, fuel
Imports - partners: France 28.7%, Australia 26.3%, Fiji 12.5%, Japan 9.5%, Latvia 5.4%, US 4.6%, New Zealand 4% (2002)
Debt - external: $10 million (1999 est.)
Economic aid - recipient: $15.5 million largely from UK and Japan (1995)
Currency: Australian dollar (AUD)
Currency code: AUD
Exchange rates: Australian dollars per US dollar - 1.84 (2002), 1.93 (2001), 1.72 (2000), 1.55 (1999), 1.59 (1998)
Fiscal year: NA



Communications
Telephones - main lines in use: 3,800 (1999)
Telephones - mobile cellular: NA
Telephone system: general assessment: NA
domestic: NA
international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)
note: Kiribati is being linked to the Pacific Ocean Cooperative Telecommunications Network, which should improve telephone service
Radio broadcast stations: AM 1, FM 2, shortwave 1
note: the shortwave station may be inactive (2002)
Radios: 17,000 (1997)
Television broadcast stations: 1 (not reported to be active) (2002)
Televisions: 1,000 (1997)
Internet country code: .ki
Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 1 (2000)
Internet users: 1,000 (2000)



Transportation
Railways: 0 km
Highways: total: 670 km
paved: NA km
unpaved: NA km (1999 est.)
Waterways: 5 km (small network of canals in Line Islands)
Ports and harbors: Banaba, Betio, English Harbour, Kanton
Merchant marine: total: 1 ship (1,000 GRT or over) 1,291 GRT/1,295 DWT
ships by type: passenger/cargo 1 (2002 est.)
Airports: 20 (2002)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 4
1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 (2002)
Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 16
914 to 1,523 m: 12
under 914 m: 4 (2002)



Military
Military branches: no regular military forces; Police Force (carries out law enforcement functions and paramilitary duties; small police posts are on all islands)
Military expenditures - dollar figure: $NA
Military expenditures - percent of GDP: NA%
Military - note: Kiribati does not have military forces; defense assistance is provided by Australia and NZ



Transnational Issues
Disputes - international: none



=^..^=

VÃ:censor:ctor being the only one who comes from the tropics (at latitude 18 N) is the only one who is wearing a jacket and long jeans without feeling hot. I presume this is the kind of place that people are trembling and wearing coats when its 70 degrees.

Folks, I've already got all my money in euros, ATM and Mastercard and I am going for a while across the city. No better way of traveling than to go alone and have a look for yourself. I think I am going to rent a car and have a good trip through the entire island. Anybody wants to come with me?

Me, Victor! Me! I want to go with you!



I'm so glad I brought shorts, sunglasses and T-shirts! Oh, a hat: Mustn't forget to wear a hat, against the sun. The weather forecast calls for a high temperature of 84 degrees Fahrenheit and a low of 82 degrees.



=^..^=

It sure is hot here! *phew*

Everyone slap on the sunscreen.

What's to eat?

Any questions?



And for a bit of levity. . . .





=^..^=

*yawns... stretches....rubs eyes*

Are we there yet???? *wonders how long I've been sleeping*

*has a sudden craving for Spam Cheesecake*

yoviher, Sasha and I are from the tropics too The line that divides the temperate and tropical zones is about 45 minutes north of us somewhere near West Palm Beach.

When we get to Tarawa lets have a "luau"
What shall we bring to the party???
I am glad I packed my hula skirt!!!

OK, I have somewhat recovered from the nauseating ship journey, and have crawled up from the hull. Although if I see one more piece of spam, I may barf again.

*Putting on hat*, *Slapping on sunscreen* and *kittyscreen* for the furrballs. We're ready to explore!

It's time once more to weigh anchor and head on out to sea! Our next port of call will be . . .

Guadalcanal in the Solomon Islands!

Not every place we visit will be totally secure; and the Solomon Islands are experiencing some civil unrest. But there's no need to worry as long as nobody wanders off somewhere.

So, read up on our destination! The weather will be similar to that we experienced on Tarawa.



The following data were gleaned from The World Factbook:

Solomon Islands


Cove on Guadalcanal

Introduction
Background: The UK established a protectorate over the Solomon Islands in the 1890s. Some of the bitterest fighting of World War II occurred on these islands. Self-government was achieved in 1976 and independence two years later. Ethnic violence, government malfeasance, and endemic crime have undermined stability and civil society.



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: 28,450 sq km
water: 910 sq km
land: 27,540 sq km
Area - comparative: slightly smaller than Maryland
Land boundaries: 0 km
Coastline: 5,313 km
Maritime claims: measured from claimed archipelagic baselines
territorial sea: 12 NM
exclusive economic zone: 200 NM
continental shelf: 200 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: 1.5%
permanent crops: 0.64%
other: 97.86% (1998 est.)
Irrigated land: NA sq km
Natural hazards: typhoons, but rarely destructive; geologically active region with frequent earth tremors; volcanic activity
Environment - current issues: deforestation; soil erosion; many 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
Geography - note: strategic location on sea routes between the South Pacific Ocean, the Solomon Sea, and the Coral Sea



People
Population: 509,190 (July 2003 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: 42.9% (male 111,333; female 107,062)
15-64 years: 54% (male 139,072; female 135,721)
65 years and over: 3.1% (male 7,754; female 8,248) (2003 est.)
Median age: total: 18.2 years
male: 18.1 years
female: 18.3 years (2002)
Population growth rate: 2.83% (2003 est.)
Birth rate: 32.45 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Death rate: 4.12 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.94 male(s)/female
total population: 1.03 male(s)/female (2003 est.)
Infant mortality rate: total: 22.88 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 19.58 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
male: 26.03 deaths/1,000 live births
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 72.1 years
male: 69.64 years
female: 74.68 years (2003 est.)
Total fertility rate: 4.34 children born/woman (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: NA%
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: NA
HIV/AIDS - deaths: NA
Nationality: noun: Solomon Islander(s)
adjective: Solomon Islander
Ethnic groups: Melanesian 93%, Polynesian 4%, Micronesian 1.5%, European 0.8%, Chinese 0.3%, other 0.4%
Religions: Anglican 45%, Roman Catholic 18%, United (Methodist/Presbyterian) 12%, Baptist 9%, Seventh-Day Adventist 7%, other Protestant 5%, indigenous beliefs 4%
Languages: Melanesian pidgin in much of the country is lingua franca; English is official but spoken by only 1%-2% of the population
note: 120 indigenous languages
Literacy: definition: NA
total population: NA%
male: NA%
female: NA%



Government
Country name: conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Solomon Islands
former: British Solomon Islands
Government type: parliamentary democracy tending toward anarchy
Capital: Honiara
Administrative divisions: 9 provinces and 1 capital territory*; Central, Choiseul (Lauru), Guadalcanal, Honiara*, Isabel, Makira, Malaita, Rennell/Bellona, Temotu, Western
Independence: 7 July 1978 (from UK)
National holiday: Independence Day, 7 July (1978)
Constitution: 7 July 1978
Legal system: English common law, which is widely disregarded
Suffrage: 21 years of age; universal
Executive branch: chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by Governor General Sir John LAPLI (since NA 1999)
elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; governor general appointed by the monarch on the advice of Parliament for up to five years; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or the leader of a majority coalition is usually elected prime minister by Parliament; deputy prime minister appointed by the governor general on the advice of the prime minister from among the members of Parliament
cabinet: Cabinet consists of 20 members appointed by the governor general on the advice of the prime minister from among the members of Parliament
head of government: Prime Minister Sir Allan KEMAKEZA (since 17 December 2001); Deputy Prime Minister Snyder RINI (since 17 December 2001)
Legislative branch: unicameral National Parliament (50 seats; members elected from single-member constituencies by popular vote to serve four-year terms)
election results: percent of vote by party - PAP 40%, SIACC 40%, PPP 20%; seats by party - PAP 16, SIACC 13, PPP 2, SILP 1, independents 18
elections: last held 5 December 2001 (next to be held not later than December 2005)
Judicial branch: Court of Appeal
Political parties and leaders: Association of Independents [Snyder RINI]; People's Alliance Party or PAP [Allan KEMAKEZA]; People's Progressive Party or PPP [Mannaseh Damukana SOGAVARE]; Solomon Islands Alliance for Change Coalition or SIACC [Bartholomew ULUFA'ALU]; Solomon Islands Labor Party or SILP [Joses TUHANUKU]
note: in general, Solomon Islands politics is characterized by fluid coalitions
Political pressure groups and leaders: NA
International organization participation: ACP, AsDB, C, ESCAP, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IOC, ITU, Sparteca, SPC, SPF, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WMO, WTrO
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Colin BECK
chancery: 800 Second Avenue, Suite 400L, New York, NY 10017
telephone: [1] (212) 599-6192, 6193
FAX: [1] (212) 661-8925
Diplomatic representation from the US: the US does not have an embassy in Solomon Islands (embassy closed July 1993); the 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



Economy
Economy - overview: The bulk of the population depends on agriculture, fishing, and forestry for at least part of their 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. However, severe ethnic violence, the closing of key business enterprises, and an empty government treasury have led to serious economic disarray, indeed near collapse. Tanker deliveries of crucial fuel supplies (including those for electrical generation) have become sporadic due to the government's inability to pay and attacks against ships. Telecommunications are threatened by the nonpayment of bills and by the lack of technical and maintenance staff many of whom have left the country.
GDP: purchasing power parity - $800 million (2001 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: -10% (2001 est.)
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $1,700 (2001 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 42%
industry: 11%
services: 47% (2000 est.)
Population below poverty line: NA%
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA%
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 1.8% (2001 est.)
Labor force: 26,842
Labor force - by occupation: agriculture 75%, industry 5%, services 20% (2000 est.)
Unemployment rate: NA%
Budget: revenues: $38 million
expenditures: $NA, including capital expenditures of $NA (2001)
Industries: fish (tuna), mining, timber
Industrial production growth rate: NA%
Electricity - production: 32 million kWh (2001)
Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 100%
hydro: 0%
other: 0% (2001)
nuclear: 0%
Electricity - consumption: 29.76 million kWh (2001)
Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (2001)
Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (2001)
Oil - production: 0 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - consumption: 1,250 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - exports: NA (2001)
Oil - imports: NA (2001)
Agriculture - products: cocoa beans, coconuts, palm kernels, rice, potatoes, vegetables, fruit; cattle, pigs; timber; fish
Exports: $47 million f.o.b. (2001 est.)
Exports - commodities: timber, fish, copra, palm oil, cocoa
Exports - partners: Japan 21.2%, China 18.8%, South Korea 16.3%, Philippines 8.9%, Thailand 7.6%, Singapore 4.1% (2002)
Imports: $82 million f.o.b. (2001 est.)
Imports - commodities: food, plant and equipment, manufactured goods, fuels, chemicals
Imports - partners: Australia 31.3%, Singapore 19.7%, New Zealand 5.1%, Fiji 4.6%, Papua New Guinea 4.5% (2002)
Debt - external: $137 million (2001 est.)
Economic aid - recipient: $28 million mainly from Japan, Australia, China, and NZ (2001 est.)
Currency: Solomon Islands dollar (SBD)
Currency code: SBD
Exchange rates: Solomon Islands dollars per US dollar - NA (2002), NA (2001), 5.09 (2000), 4.84 (1999), 4.82 (1998)
Fiscal year: calendar year



Communications
Telephones - main lines in use: 8,000 (1997)
Telephones - mobile cellular: 658 (1997)
Telephone system: general assessment: NA
domestic: NA
international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)
Radio broadcast stations: AM 3, FM 0, shortwave 0 (1998)
Radios: 57,000 (1997)
Television broadcast stations: 0 (1997)
Televisions: 3,000 (1997)
Internet country code: .sb
Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 1 (2000)
Internet users: 8,400 (2002)



Transportation
Railways: 0 km
Highways: total: 1,360 km
paved: 34 km
unpaved: 1,326 km (1999 est.)
Waterways: none
Ports and harbors: Aola Bay, Honiara, Lofung, Noro, Viru Harbor, Yandina
Merchant marine: none (2002 est.)
Airports: 32 (2002)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 2
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2002)
Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 30
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 9
under 914 m: 20 (2002)


Sergeant Major Vouza, British Solomon Islands Constabulary, as he first appeared to U.S. Marines in 1942. Vouza was captured by the Japanese, tortured and repeatedly bayonetted; but he refused to divulge information. Despite serious wounds he escaped; and he survived not only to conduct many patrols but to receive British and U.S. decorations.

Military
Military branches: no regular military forces; Solomon Islands National Reconnaissance and Surveillance Force; Royal Solomon Islands Police (RSIP)
Military expenditures - dollar figure: $NA
Military expenditures - percent of GDP: NA%



Transnational Issues
Disputes - international: none



=^..^=

Don't anyone worry about something untoward happening whilst we're on Guadalcanal. We've brought along two layers of protection:

1. As you know, my close personal friend Britney always accompanies us on these trips; and she'll be standing guard during the day.



2. At night, while we're sleeping, my other close personal friend whom I've brought along--Björk--will be invoking indigenous spirits to watch over us.



So, no fear! You can relax and enjoy our brief stay on this island.



=^..^=