Pacific island countries cannot take the orthodox road to development. Over recent decades, numerous
studies have detailed factors of economic geography that make Pacific island states unique, including: small
size, distance from markets, expensive transport costs, a heavy reliance on imports, a remarkable
vulnerability to natural disasters and, increasingly, exposure to the effects of climate change. These features
of island economies mean that the cost of production in the Pacific is higher than it is in most other parts of
the world. In this context, orthodox prescriptions for economic growth and export-led development do not
hold, and policymakers must look for unique solutions. Increasingly, attention is being paid to opportunities
linked with migration and mobility.