6 Nov 2006

Solomons population to reach one-million mark in 16 years

2:07 pm on 6 November 2006

The population growth in Solomon Islands is estimated to have doubled in the last six years to reach 4.4 percent.

The last census was held in 1999 when the population growth was 2.8 percent.

But a survey carried out by the Statistics Division known as the Household Income and Expenditure Survey showed that the population had reached more than 533,000.

The Solomon Islands Broadcasting Corporation says the survey estimated that with the current growth rate, the population will reach the one million mark in 16 years.

The survey however casts some doubt on previous growth figures which may have been distorted by the ethnic tensions, which prevented information being collected from a number of houses.