| Area: | 2 000 sq.km |
| Climate: | Tropical wet-dry; one hot rainy season with cyclone probability; June-October dry and cool |
| Population: | 0.65 million (1995 estimate); G.N.P. per caput: U.S.$ 520 (1993) |
| Specific characteristics of the country: | Low-income food-deficit country; archipelago of four small islands |
| Logistics: | - |
| Major foodcrops: | Rice, roots, tubers, bananas and coconuts |
| Marketing year: | January/December |
| Share of cereals in total calorie intake: | 44 percent |
CURRENT SITUATION
Most of the country's agricultural land is planted to cash crops, bananas and root crops. Only one-third of the cereal requirement is produced locally and, consequently, there is a structural deficit of some 44 000 tons of cereals, largely covered by commercial imports. Food aid needs, estimated at 7 000 tons, are fully covered by donor pledges.
CEREAL SUPPLY/DEMAND BALANCE FOR THE 1995 MARKETING YEAR (in thousand tons)
| Wheat | Rice | Coarse grains | Total | |
| Normal production | - | 10 | 4 | 14 |
| Normal imports (incl. re-exports) | 3 | 38 | 2 | 43 |
| of which: Structural food aid | 2 | 5 | 1 | 8 |
| 1995 Production | - | 15 | 4 | 19 |
| 1995 Utilization | 4 | 55 | 4 | 63 |
| Food use | 4 | 53 | 3 | 60 |
| Non-food use | - | 2 | 1 | 3 |
| 1995 Import Requirement | 4 | 40 | - | 44 |
| Anticipated commercial imports | 3 | 34 | - | 37 |
| Food aid needs | 1 | 6 | - | 7 |
| Current Aid Position | ||||
| Food aid pledges | - | 9 | - | 9 |
| of which: Delivered | - | 9 | - | 9 |
| Estimated per caput consumption (kg/year) | 6 | 72 | 3 | 81 |
| Indexes | ||||
| 1995 production as % of normal: | 136 | |||
| 1995 import requirement as % of normal: | 102 | |||
| 1995 food aid requirement as % of normal (including refugee needs): | 88 | |||