Climate
The climate is tropical, though temperatures are rarely extreme due to cooling winds blowing off the surrounding seas. Daytime temperatures are normally 25 to 32 degrees Celsius (77 to 90 °F), falling about 13 to 15 °C (59 °F) at night. From April to October (the Dry Season), the Southeast trade winds blow, gusting at times up to 30 knots (55 km/h) or more. November to March is the wet season—the northwest monsoon—typically warmer and wetter. Cyclones arise in the Coral Sea and the area of the Solomon Islands, but they usually veer toward Vanuatu and New Caledonia or down the coast of Australia.
Geographic coordinates: 8°00′S 159°00′E / 8°S 159°E / -8; 159
Map references: Oceania
Area:
total: 28,896 km² (10,985 mi²)
land: 27,986 km² (10,633 mi²)
water: 910 km² (351 mi²)
Area - comparative: Slightly smaller than the U.S. state of Maryland
Land boundaries: 0 km
Coastline: 5,313 km
Maritime claims:
Measured from claimed archipelagic baselines
continental shelf: 200 nmi (230 mi; 370 km)
exclusive economic zone: 200 nmi (230 mi; 370 km)
territorial sea: 12 nmi (14 mi; 22 km)
Terrain: Mostly rugged mountains with some low coral atolls
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: Mount Popomanaseu 2,332 m (7,651 ft) (not Mount Makarakomburu)
Natural resources: fish, forests, gold, bauxite, phosphates, lead, zinc, nickel
Land use:
arable land: 0.62%
permanent crops: 2.04%
other: 97.34% (2005)
Irrigated land: NA
Natural hazards: Typhoons, but they are rarely destructive; geologically active region with frequent earth tremors; volcanic activity
Environment - current issues: Deforestation; soil erosion; much 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
Read more about this topic: Geography Of The Solomon Islands
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