Statistical information Western Samoa 1990

Western Samoa in the World
top of pageBackground: 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.
top of pageLocationGeographic coordinatesMap referenceAreaLand 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
ElevationNatural resources: hardwood forests, fish
Land use: 19% arable land; 24% permanent crops; NEGL% meadows and pastures; 47% forest and woodland; 10% other
Irrigated landMajor riversMajor watersheds area km²Total water withdrawalTotal renewable water resourcesNatural hazardsGeographyNote: 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
top of pagePopulation: 186,031 (July 1990), growth rate 2.3% (1990)
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 profileAge structureDependency ratiosMedian agePopulation growth rateBirth rate: 34 births/1000 population (1990)
Death rate: 7 deaths/1000 population (1990)
Net migration rate: - 5 migrants/1000 population (1990)
Population distributionUrbanizationMajor urban areasEnvironmentCurrent issues: subject to occasional typhoons; active volcanism
Air pollutantsSex ratioMothers mean age at first birthMaternal mortality ratioInfant mortality rate: 48 deaths/1000 live births (1990)
Life expectancy at birth: 64 years male, 69 years female (1990)
Total fertility rate: 4.6 children born/woman (1990)
Contraceptive prevalence rateDrinking water sourceCurrent health expenditurePhysicians densityHospital bed densitySanitation facility accessHiv/AidsMajor infectious diseasesObesity adult prevalence rateAlcohol consumptionTobacco useChildren under the age of 5 years underweightEducation expendituresLiteracy: 90%
School life expectancy primary to tertiary educationYouth unemploymenttop of pageCountry 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 areasIndependence: 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 participationCitizenshipSuffrage: there are two electoral rolls--the matai (head of family) roll and the individuals roll; about 12,000 persons are on the matai roll, hold matai titles, and elect 45 members of the Legislative Assembly; about 1,600 persons are on the individuals roll, lack traditional matai ties, and elect two members of the Legislative Assembly by universal adult suffrage at the age of NA
Executive branch: Chief of State--Susuga Malietoa TANUMAFILI II (Co-Chief of State from 1 January 1962 until becoming sole Chief of State on 5 April 1963); Head of Government--Prime Minister TOFILAU Eti Alesana (since 7 April 1988)
Legislative branch: NA
Judicial branch: Supreme Court, Court of Appeal
Political parties and leadersInternational organization participation: ACP, ADB, Commonwealth, ESCAP, FAO, G-77, IBRD, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IMF, SPC, SPF, UN, UNESCO, WHO
Diplomatic representationIn the us: Ambassador Fili (Felix) Tuaopepe WENDT; Chancery (temporary) at the Western Samoan Mission to the UN, 820 2nd Avenue, New York, NY 10,017 (212) 599-6,196; US--the ambassador to New Zealand is accredited to Western Samoa
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 SamoaWestern Samoa
National symbolsNational anthemNational heritagetop of pageEconomy 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 depends on emigrant remittances and foreign aid to support a level of imports about five times export earnings. Tourism has become the most important growth industry, and construction of the first international hotel is under way.
Real gdp purchasing power parityReal gdp growth rateReal gdp per capitaGross national savingGdp composition by sector of origin
Gdp composition by end useGdp composition by sector of originAgriculture 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 unemploymentPopulation below poverty lineGini indexHousehold income or consumption by percentage shareDistribution of family income gini indexBudget: revenues $54 million; expenditures $54 million, including capital expenditures of $28 million (1988)
Taxes and other revenuesPublic debtRevenueFiscal year: calendar year Western Samoa Western Samoa Western Samoa
Inflation rate consumer pricesCentral bank discount rateCommercial bank prime lending rateStock of narrow moneyStock of broad moneyStock of domestic creditMarket value of publicly traded sharesCurrent account balanceExports: $9.9 million (f.o.b., 1988)
Commodities: coconut oil and cream 42%, taro 19%, cocoa 14%, copra, timber
Partners: NZ 30%, EC 24%, Australia 21%, American Samoa 7%, US 9% (1987)
Imports: $51.8 million (c.i.f., 1988)
Commodities: intermediate goods 58%, food 17%, capital goods 12%
Partners: New Zealand 31%, Australia 20%, Japan 15%, Fiji 15%, US 5%, EC 4% (1987)
Reserves of foreign exchange and goldDebt external: $75 million (December 1988 est.)
Stock of direct foreign investment at homeStock of direct foreign investment abroadExchange rates: tala (WS$) per US$1--2.2857 (January 1990), 2.2686 (1989), 2.0790 (1988), 2.1204 (1987), 2.2351 (1986), 2.2437 (1985)
top of pageElectricityCapacity: 23,000 kW capacity; 35 million kWh produced, 190 kWh per capita (1989)
CoalPetroleumCrude oilRefined petroleumNatural gasCarbon dioxide emissionsEnergy consumption per capitatop of pageTelephonesTelephone systemBroadcast mediaInternetBroadband fixed subscriptionstop of pageMilitary expendituresPercent of gdp: NA Western Samoa Western Samoa Western Samoa
Military and security forcesMilitary service age and obligationSpace programTerrorist groupstop of pageNational air transport systemCivil aircraft registration country code prefixAirports: 4 total, 4 usable; 1 with permanent-surface runways; none with runways over 3,659 m; 1 with runways 2,440-3,659 m; none with runways 1,220-2,439 m
HeliportsPipelinesRailwaysRoadwaysWaterwaysMerchant 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 terminalstop of pageDisputes internationalRefugees and internally displaced personsIllicit drugs