Map of Western Samoa | Geography | People | Government | Economy | Energy | Communication
Military | Transportation | Transnational Issues | Year: Guide19891990199119921993199419951996199719981999200020012002200320042005200620072008200920102011201220132014201520162017201820192020202120222023 | More stats

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Background: New Zealand occupied the German protectorate of Western Samoa at the outbreak of World War I in 1914. It continued to administer the islands as a mandate and then as a trust territory until 1962 when the islands became the first Polynesian nation to reestablish independence in the 20th century.


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Location

Geographic coordinates

Map reference

Area

Land boundaries: none

Coastline: 403 km

Maritime claims: Extended economic zone:200 nm; Territorial sea:12 nm

Climate: tropical; rainy season (October to March), dry season May to October)

Terrain: narrow coastal plain with volcanic, rocky, rugged mountains in interior

Elevation

Natural resources: hardwood forests, fish

Land use: 19% arable land; 24% permanent crops; NEGL% meadows and pastures; 47% forest and woodland; 10% other

Irrigated land

Major rivers

Major watersheds area km²

Total water withdrawal

Total renewable water resources

Natural hazards

Geography
Note: located 4,300 km southwest of Honolulu in the South Pacific Ocean about halfway between Hawaii and New Zealand Western Samoa Western Samoa Western Samoa


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Population: 181,984 (July 1989), growth rate 2.2% (1989)

Nationality: noun - Western Samoan(s); adjective - Western Samoan

Ethnic groups: Samoan; about 7% Euronesians (persons of European and Polynesian blood), 0.4% Europeans

Languages: Samoan (Polynesian), English

Religions: 99.7% Christian (about half of population associated with the London Missionary Society; includes Congregational, Roman Catholic, Methodist, Latter Day Saints, Seventh-Day Adventist)

Demographic profile

Age structure

Dependency ratios

Median age

Population growth rate

Birth rate: 34 births/1000 population (1989)

Death rate: 7 deaths/1000 population (1989)

Net migration rate: - 5 migrants/1000 population (1989)

Population distribution

Urbanization

Major urban areas

Environment
Current issues: subject to occasional typhoons; active volcanism

Air pollutants

Sex ratio

Mothers mean age at first birth

Maternal mortality ratio

Infant mortality rate: 48 deaths/1000 live births (1989)

Life expectancy at birth: 64 years male, 69 years female (1989)

Total fertility rate: 4.8 children born/woman (1989)

Contraceptive prevalence rate

Drinking water source

Current health expenditure

Physicians density

Hospital bed density

Sanitation facility access

Hiv/Aids

Major infectious diseases

Obesity adult prevalence rate

Alcohol consumption

Tobacco use

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

Education expenditures

Literacy: 90%

School life expectancy primary to tertiary education

Youth unemployment


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Country name: conventional long form: Independent State of Western Samoa

Government type: constitutional monarchy under native chief

Capital: Apia

Administrative divisions: 11 districts; Aana, Aiga-i-le-Tai, Atua, Faasaleleaga, Gagaemauga, Gagaifomauga, Palauli, Satupaitea, Tuamasaga, Vaa-o-Fonoti, Vaisigano

Dependent areas

Independence: 1 January 1962 (from UN trusteeship administered by New Zealand)

National holiday: National Day, 1 June

Constitution: 1 January 1962

Legal system: based on English common law and local customs; judicial review of legislative acts with respect to fundamental rights of the citizen; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

International law organization participation

Citizenship

Suffrage: 45 members of Legislative Assembly are elected by holders of matai (heads of family) titles (about 12,000 persons); two members are elected by universal adult suffrage of persons lacking traditional family ties

Executive branch

Legislative branch: NA

Judicial branch

Political parties and leaders

International organization participation: ADB, Commonwealth, ESCAP, FAO, G-77, IBRD, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IMF, South Pacific Commission, SPF, UN, UNESCO, WHO

Diplomatic representation
In the us: Ambassador Maiava Iulai TOMA; Chancery (temporary) at the Western Samoan Mission to the UN, 820 2nd Avenue, New York, NY 10,017 (212) 599-6,196; US - none

Flag description: red with a blue rectangle in the upper hoist-side quadrant bearing five white five-pointed stars representing the Southern Cross constellation Western Samoa Western Samoa Western Samoa

National symbols

National anthem

National heritage


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Economy overview: Agriculture employs two-thirds of the labor force, contributes 50% to GDP, and is the source of 90% of exports. The bulk of export earnings comes from the sale of coconut oil and copra. The economy, however, depends on emigrant remittances and foreign aid to support a level of imports about six times that of export earnings. Tourism has become the most important growth industry, and construction of the first international hotel is under way.

Real gdp purchasing power parity

Real gdp growth rate

Real gdp per capita ppp

Gross national saving

Gdp composition by end use

Gdp composition by sector of origin

Agriculture products: coconuts, fruit (including bananas, taro, yams)

Industries: timber, tourism, food processing, fishing

Industrial production growth rate: - 4.0% (1987)

Labor force: 37,000; 22,000 employed in agriculture (1983 est.)

Unemployment rate: NA%; shortage of skilled labor

Youth unemployment

Population below poverty line

Gini index

Household income or consumption by percentage share

Distribution of family income gini index

Budget: revenues $54 million; expenditures $54 million, including capital expenditures of $28 million (1988)

Public debt

Taxes and other revenues

Revenue

Fiscal year: calendar year Western Samoa Western SamoaWestern Samoa

Current account balance

Inflation rate consumer prices

Central bank discount rate

Commercial bank prime lending rate

Stock of narrow money

Stock of broad money

Stock of domestic credit

Market value of publicly traded shares

Current account balance

Exports: $8.4 million (f.o.b., 1987)
Commodities: coconut oil and cream 42%, taro 19%, cocoa 14%, copra, timber
Partners: NZ 30%, EC 24%, Australia 21%, American Samoa 7%, US 9%

Imports: $47.3 million (c.i.f., 1987)
Commodities: intermediate goods 58%, food 17%, capital goods 12%
Partners: New Zealand 31%, Australia 20%, Japan 15%, Fiji 15%, US 5%, EC 4%

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

Debt external: $75 million (December 1988 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment at home

Stock of direct foreign investment abroad

Exchange rates: tala (WS$) per US$1 - 2.1608 (January 1989), 2.0790 (1988), 2.1204 (1987), 2.2351 (1986), 2.2437 (1985)


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Electricity access

Electricity production

Electricity consumption

Electricity exports

Electricity imports

Electricity installed generating capacity

Electricity transmission distribution losses

Electricity generation sources

Petroleum

Refined petroleum

Natural gas

Carbon dioxide emissions

Energy consumption per capita


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Telephones fixed lines

Telephones mobile cellular

Telephone system

Broadcast media

Internet country code

Internet users

Broadband fixed subscriptions


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Military expenditures
Dollar figure: NA Western Samoa Western Samoa Western Samoa

Military and security forces

Military service age and obligation

Space program

Terrorist groups


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National air transport system

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

Airports: 4 total, 4 usable; 1 with permanent-surface runways; 1 with runways 2,440-3,659 m

Airports with paved runways

Airports with unpaved runways

Heliports

Pipelines

Railways

Roadways

Waterways

Merchant marine: 3 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 24,930 GRT/34,135 DWT; includes 2 container, 1 roll-on/roll-off cargo

Ports and terminals


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Disputes international

Refugees and internally displaced persons

Illicit drugs