Solomon Islands Forest Information and Data

According to the U.N. FAO, 79.1% or about 2,213,000 ha of Solomon Islands is forested, according to FAO. Of this 49.9% ( 1,105,000 ) is classified as primary forest, the most biodiverse and carbon-dense form of forest. Solomon Islands had 27,000 ha of planted forest.

Change in Forest Cover: Between 1990 and 2010, Solomon Islands lost an average of 5,550 ha or 0.24% per year. In total, between 1990 and 2010, Solomon Islands lost 4.8% of its forest cover, or around 111,000 ha.

Solomon Islands's forests contain 182 million metric tons of carbon in living forest biomass. Biodiversity and Protected Areas: Solomon Islands has some 402 known species of amphibians, birds, mammals and reptiles according to figures from the World Conservation Monitoring Centre. Of these, 20.9% are endemic, meaning they exist in no other country, and 11.7% are threatened. Solomon Islands is home to at least 3172 species of vascular plants, of which 0.9% are endemic. 0.0% of Solomon Islands is protected under IUCN categories I-V.

The following contains data relating to forest cover in Solomon Islands

Previous version of this profile (2009)

SECTIONS:

Forest Cover | Breakdown of forest types | Change in Forest Cover | Deforestation | Primary forest | Planted forest | Forest designation | Forest ownership | Growing stock | Carbon stock | Disturbances affecting forest land | Removals | Removals Value | Employment | Forest policy | Human resources | Revenue | Agreements | Protected areas | Biodiversity - Wildlife | Biodiversity - Plants | Environment | Land use / Resources | Economy | Population / Demographics | Infrastructure | Health | References | Books

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Solomon Islands: Forest Cover, 2010 Total Land Area (1000 ha) 2799 Total Forest Area (1000 ha) 2213 Percent Forest Cover 79 Primary Forest Cover (1000 ha) 1105 Primary Forest, % total forest 50 Other wooded land (1000 ha) 129 Percent other wooded land 5 Solomon Islands: Breakdown of forest types, 2010 Primary forest (1000 ha | % of forest area) 1105 50 Other naturally regenerated forest (1000 ha | % of forest area) 1081 49 Planted Forest (1000 ha | % of forest area) 27 1 Solomon Islands: Trends in Total (Net) Forest Cover, 1990-2010 TOTAL FOREST COVER (1000 ha) 1990 2000 2005 2010 2324 2268 2241 2213 ANNUAL CHANGE RATE (1000 ha) Negative number represents deforestation 1990-2000 2000-2005 2005-2010 -6 -5 -6 ANNUAL CHANGE RATE (percent) Negative number represents deforestation 1990-2000 2000-2005 2005-2010 -0.24 -0.24 -0.25 Solomon Islands: Trends in Natural Forest Cover (Deforestation), 1990-2010 FOREST COVER (excluding planted forests) (1000 ha) 1990 2000 2005 2010 2280 2240 2214 2186 ANNUAL CHANGE RATE (1000 ha) Negative number represents deforestation 1990-2000 2000-2005 2005-2010 -4 -4 -5 ANNUAL CHANGE RATE (percent) Negative number represents deforestation 1990-2000 2000-2005 2005-2010 -0.2 0 0 Solomon Islands: Trends in Primary or Old Growth Forest Cover, 1990-2010 PRIMARY FOREST COVER (1000 ha) 1990 2000 2005 2010 1105 1105 1105 1105 ANNUAL CHANGE RATE (1000 ha) Negative number represents deforestation 1990-2000 2000-2005 2005-2010 0 0 0 ANNUAL CHANGE RATE (percent) Negative number represents deforestation 1990-2000 2000-2005 2005-2010 0 0 0 Solomon Islands: Trends in Planted Forest Cover, 1990-2010 PLANTED FOREST COVER (1000 ha) 1990 2000 2005 2010 44 28 27 27 ANNUAL CHANGE RATE (1000 ha) Negative number represents deforestation 1990-2000 2000-2005 2005-2010 -2 n.s. 0 ANNUAL CHANGE RATE (percent) Negative number represents deforestation 1990-2000 2000-2005 2005-2010 -4.64 -0.51 0 Solomon Islands: Primary designated function (percent) Production Protection of soil and water Conservation of biodiversity Social services Multiple use Other None or unknown 17 28 22 n.s. 0 0 33 Solomon Islands: Forest ownership and management rights 2005 (percent) OWNERSHIP PATTERN Public ownership Private ownership Other n.s. 100 0 PRIVATE OWNERSHIP Individuals Business entities and institutions Local, indigenous and tribal communities - - - HOLDER OF MANAGEMENT RIGHTS OF PUBLIC FORESTS Public administration Individuals Business entities and Institutions Communities Other 100 0 0 0 0 Solomon Islands: Growing stock in forest GROWING STOCK IN FOREST Total (million m3) Per hectare (m3) Coniferous (million m3) Broadleaved (million m3) % commercial species 208 94 - - 51 GROWING STOCK IN FOREST Total (million m3) Per hectare (m3) Coniferous (million m3) Broadleaved (million m3) % commercial species - - Solomon Islands: Trends in carbon stock in living forest biomass 1990-2010 CARBON STOCK IN LIVING FOREST BIOMASS (million metric tons) 1990 2000 2005 2010 191 186 184 182 CARBON STOCK IN LIVING FOREST BIOMASS (per hectare in tons) 2000 82 ANNUAL CHANGE (1 000 t/yr) 1990 2000 2005 2010 n.s. n.s. n.s. ANNUAL CHANGE PER HECTARE (t/ha/yr) 1990 2000 2005 2010 n.s. n.s. n.s. Solomon Islands: Area of forest affected by fire and other disturbances 2005 FOREST FIRE 1000 ha % wild fire (not managed burn) - - EXCLUDING FOREST FIRE Insects Diseases Other biotic agents Abiotic factors Total (excluding fire) % of 2005 forest area - - - - - - Solomon Islands: Trends in removals of wood products 1990-2005 INDUSTRIAL ROUNDWOOD Total volume (1 000 m3 over bark) 1990 2000 2005 percent of which from forest 2005 371 761 1151 - WOODFUEL Total volume (1 000 m3 over bark) 1990 2000 2005 percent of which from forest 2005 158 159 159 - Solomon Islands: Value of wood and NWFP removals 2005 Value of removals (million US$) Value per ha forest (US$) Industrial roundwood Woodfuel NWFP Total - - - - - Solomon Islands: Employment in forestry 1990-2005 TOTAL (1000 full-time employees) 1990 2000 2005 - - - IN PRIMARY PRODUCTION OF GOODS-FORESTRY (1000 full-time employees) 1990 2000 2005 - - - IN MANAGEMENT OF PROTECTED AREAS-CONSERVATION (1000 full-time employees) 1990 2000 2005 - - - Solomon Islands: Forest policy and legal framework 2008 National forest policy (year): Yes (2008) Sub-national forest policy: No National forest program (year) - status: Yes (-) In implementation National forest law (year): Specific forest law (-) Sub-national forest law: Yes Solomon Islands: Human resources within public forest institutions 2000-2008 2000 2005 2008 # % female # % female # % female - - 59 18 116 25 Solomon Islands: Forest revenue and public expenditure on forestry 2005 Forest revenue Public expenditure (1000 US$) Domestic funding External funding Total (1000 US$) Operational expenditure Transfer payments Operational expenditure Transfer payments Operational expenditure Transfer payments - - - - - - - Solomon Islands: Status of ratification of international conventions and agreements as of 1 January 2010 CbD: UNFCCC: Kyoto Protocol: UNCCD: ITTA: CITeS: Ramsar: World Heritage Convention: NlbI: [an error occurred while processing this directive] Solomon Islands: Environment 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 Natural hazards typhoons, but rarely destructive; geologically active region with frequent earth tremors; volcanic activity Solomon Islands: Land use / Resources Land use (%) arable land: 0.64% permanent crops: 2% other: 97.36% (2001) Natural resources fish, forests, gold, bauxite, phosphates, lead, zinc, nickel Solomon Islands: 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. Prior to the arrival of the Regional Assistance Mission to the Solomon Islands (RAMSI), severe ethnic violence, the closing of key businesses, and an empty government treasury culminated in economic collapse. RAMSI has enabled a return to law and order, a new period of economic stability, and modest growth as the economy rebuilds. GDP - per capita $1,700 (2002 est.) GDP - real growth rate (%) 5.8% (2003 est.) Agriculture - products cocoa beans, coconuts, palm kernels, rice, potatoes, vegetables, fruit; cattle, pigs; timber; fish GDP - composition by sector (%) agriculture: 42%, industry: 11%, services: 47% (2000 est.) Industries fish (tuna), mining, timber Economic aid - recipient $28 million annually, mainly from Australia (2003 est.) Debt - external $180.4 million (2002) Population below poverty line (%) NA Labor force - by occupation (%) agriculture 75%, industry 5%, services 20% (2000 est.) Solomon Islands: Population / Demographics Population (July 2005) 538,032 Population growth rate (%) (2005) 2.68% Population density (people/sq km) (2005) 19.5 Percent rural (2003) 83.5% Median age (years) total: 18.63 years Total fertility rate (children born/woman) 4.04 (2005 est.) Ethnic groups (%) Melanesian 94.5%, Polynesian 3%, Micronesian 1.2%, other 1.1%, unspecified 0.2% (1999 census) [an error occurred while processing this directive]--> Solomon Islands: Infrastructure Telephones - main lines in use 6,600 (2002) Telephones - mobile cellular 1,000 (2002) Roadways (km) total: 1,360 km paved: 34 km unpaved: 1,326 km (1999 est.) Solomon Islands: Health Life expectancy at birth (years) total population: 72.66 years male: 70.16 years female: 75.28 years (2005 est.) Infant mortality rate 21.29 deaths/1,000 live births HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate (%) NA Solomon Islands : References & Data Sources  Environment, Land use / Resources, Economy, Population / Demographics, Infrastructure, Health -- CIA World Factbook, 2005  Forest Cover, Forest types, Breakdown of forest types, Change in Forest Cover, Primary forests, Forest designation, Disturbances affecting forest land, Value of forests, Production, trade and consumption of forest products -- The FOOD AND AGRICULTURE ORGANIZATION OF THE UNITED NATIONS's Global Forest Resources Assessment (2005 & 2010) and the State of the World's Forests (2009, 2007, 2005, 2003, 2001)  Protected Areas, Plant and animal biodiversity -- United Nations Environment Programme - World Conservation Monitoring Centre (UNEP-WCMC). 2004. World Database on Protected Areas.  Biosphere reservers -- United Nations Education, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) - Man and Biosphere Program. 2004. UNESCO - MAB Biosphere Reserves Directory.  RAMSAR sites -- The Bureau of the Convention on Wetlands . 2005. The Ramsar List of Wetlands of International Importance.  World Resources Institute's EarthTrends web site  The 2004 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species  Population Data -- United Nations Population Fund  With additional analysis by Rhett Butler of mongabay.com Select a Country or Region INDEX Afghanistan Albania Algeria American Samoa Andorra Angola Anguilla Antigua and Barbuda Argentina Armenia Aruba Australia Austria Azerbaijan Bahamas Bahrain Bangladesh Barbados Belarus Belgium Belize Benin Bermuda Bhutan Bolivia Bosnia and Herzegovina Botswana Brazil Brunei Brunei Darussalam Bulgaria Burkina Faso Burundi Cambodia Cameroon Canada Cape Verde Caribbean Cayman Islands Central African Republic Central America Chad Chile China Colombia Comoros Congo Costa Rica Cote d�Ivoire Croatia Cuba Cyprus Czech Republic Denmark Djibouti Dominica Dominican Republic DR Congo East Timor Ecuador Egypt El Salvador Equatorial Guinea Eritrea Estonia Ethiopia Falkland Islands Fiji Finland France French Guiana French Polynesia Gabon Gambia Georgia Germany Ghana Greece Greenland Grenada Guadeloupe Guam Guatemala Guinea Guinea-Bissau Guyana Haiti Honduras Hong Kong Hungary Iceland India Indonesia Iran Iraq Ireland Israel Italy Jamaica Japan Jersey Jordan Kazakhstan Kenya Kiribati Kuwait Kyrgyzstan Laos Laos Latvia Lebanon Lesotho Liberia Libya Liechtenstein Lithuania Luxembourg Macau Macedonia Madagascar Malawi Malaysia Maldives Mali Malta Marshall Islands Martinique Mauritania Mauritius Mayotte Mexico Micronesia Moldova Monaco Mongolia Montserrat Morocco Mozambique Myanmar Namibia Nauru Nepal Netherlands Netherlands Antilles New Caledonia New Zealand Nicaragua Niger Nigeria North Korea Norway Oceania Oman Pakistan Palau Palestine Panama Papua New Guinea Paraguay Peru Philippines Pitcairn Poland Portugal Puerto Rico Qatar Reunion Romania Russia Russian Federation Rwanda Saint Helena Saint Lucia Samoa San Marino Sao Tome and Principe Saudi Arabia Senegal Serbia and Montenegro Seychelles Sierra Leone Singapore Slovakia Slovenia Solomon Islands Somalia South Africa South America South Korea Spain Sri Lanka Sudan Suriname Swaziland Sweden Switzerland Syria Taiwan Tajikistan Tanzania Thailand Timor-Leste Togo Tokelau Tonga Trinidad and Tobago Tunisia Turkey Turkmenistan Turks and Caicos Islands Tuvalu Uganda Ukraine United Arab Emirates United Kingdom United States United States of America United States Virgin Islands Uruguay Uzbekistan Vanuatu Venezuela Viet Nam Vietnam Virgin Islands Western Sahara Yemen Zambia Zimbabwe Tropical rainforest information  World Rainforests  Rainforest Structure  Rainforest Biodiversity  Canopy  Forest Floor  Rainforest Waters  Indigenous People  Deforestation  Global Importance  Rainforest Conservation  Country Reports update soon  References  Deforestation Tables  The Amazon Rainforest update soon  The Congo Rainforest update soon  Deforestation in Brazil  Rainforest Images   Web mongabay.com Mongabay Rainforests Mongabay News Mongabay Photos