Fact about Melanesia

INDEPENDENT STATE OF PAPUA NEW GUINEA

REPUBLIC OF FIJI

SOLOMON ISLANDS

REPUBLIC OF VANUATU

Population

6million (July 2009 est)

944.720

595, 613

218, 519

Growth Rate

2.06%

1.379%

2.39%

1.398%

Birth rate

28.14births/1000pop

22.15/1000

28.48/1000

21.95/1000

Life Expectancy

66.34
Males:64.08
Females:68.72

70.73
male: 68.18
female: 73.41 years

73.69
Males: 71.14
Femailes:76.37

63.98
Males: 62.37
Females: 65.66

Infant Mortality Rate

45.23deaths/1000live births

11. 58/1000

19.03/1000

49.45/1000

Languages &
Provinces

860
20 provinces

3 (English, Fijian, Hindustani)
4 divisions and 1 dependency

120
9 provinces

100+
6 Provinces

Religion

Catholic, Lutheran, United. SDA

Christian (Methodist) Roman Catholic, Assembly of God, SDA

Church of Melanesia, Catholic, South Sea Evangelical, SDA

Presbyterian, Anglican, Catholic, SDA

Type of Gov’t

Constitutional Parliamentary Democracy
18yrs universal suffrage

Republic

21yrs

Parliamentary Democracy
21yrs

Parliamentary Republic
18yrs

Members in Parliament

109

------

50

52

Law

English Common Law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

British system, has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

English common law, which is widely disregarded; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Unified French & British systems; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Resources

Minerals (gold, copper, silver), fish, timber, gas, oil

timber, fish, gold, copper, offshore oil potential, hydropower

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

Manganese, hardwood forest, fish

Unemployment rate

1.9percent

7.6percent

N/A

1.7percent

Independence

16/09/1975
(Australia)

10 October 1970 (UK)

7 July 1978 (UK)

30 July 1980
(France & UK)

Islands

332 (110 uninhabited)

80 islands