Solomon Islands' Geography | Solomon Islands Geography |
![]() MapSolomon Islander GeographyLocation: 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 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: 0.64% permanent crops: 2% other: 97.36% (2001) Irrigated land: NA 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, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Environmental Modification, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Whaling signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements Geography - note: strategic location on sea routes between the South Pacific Ocean, the Solomon Sea, and the Coral Sea |