Statistical information Western Samoa 1993

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 pageLocation: Oceania, 4,300 km southwest of Honolulu in the South Pacific; Ocean, about halfway between Hawaii and New Zealand
Geographic coordinatesMap referenceAreaTotal: total: 2,860 km²; land: 2,850 km²
Land boundaries: 0 km
Coastline: 403 km; exclusive economic zone: 200 nm; territorial sea: 12 nm
Maritime claimsClimate: 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: arable land: 19%; permanent crops: 24%; meadows and pastures: 0%; forest and woodland: 47%; other: 10%
Irrigated land: NA km²
Major riversMajor watersheds area km²Total water withdrawalTotal renewable water resourcesNatural hazardsGeographytop of pagePopulation: 199,652 (July 1993 est.)
Growth rate: 2.37% (1993 est.)
Nationality: noun: Western Samoan(s); adjective: Western Samoan
Ethnic groups: Samoan 92.6%, Euronesians 7% (persons of European and; Polynesian blood), Europeans 0.4%
Languages: Samoan (Polynesian), English
Religions: Christian 99.7% (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 rate: 2.37% (1993 est.)
Birth rate: 33 births/1000 population (1993 est.)
Death rate: 6.17 deaths/1000 population (1993 est.)
Net migration rate: -3.14 migrant(s)/1000 population (1993 est.)
Population distributionUrbanizationMajor urban areasEnvironmentCurrent issues: subject to occasional typhoons; active volcanism
Air pollutantsSex ratioMothers mean age at first birthMaternal mortality ratioInfant mortality rate: 38.6 deaths/1000 live births (1993 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: male: 65.19 years; female: 70.08 years (1993 est.)
Total fertility rate: 4.28 children born/woman (1993 est.)
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: age 15 and over can read and write (1971); total population: 97%; male: 97%; female: 97%
School life expectancy primary to tertiary educationYouth unemploymenttop of pageCountry name: conventional long form: Independent State of Western Samoa; conventional short form: Western Samoa
Government type: constitutional monarchy under native chief
Capital: Apia
Administrative divisions: 11 districts; A'ana, Aiga-i-le-Tai, Atua,; Fa'asaleleaga, Gaga'emauga, Gagaifomauga, Palauli, Satupa'itea, Tuamasaga,; Va'a-o-Fonoti, Vaisigano
Dependent areasIndependence: 1 January 1962 (from UN trusteeship administered by New; Zealand)
National holidayConstitution: 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: 21 years of age; universal, but only matai (head of family) are able to run for the Legislative Assembly
Executive branch: chief, Executive Council, prime minister, Cabinet
Legislative branch: unicameral Legislative Assembly (Fono)
Judicial branch: Supreme Court, Court of Appeal
Political parties and leadersInternational organization participation: ACP, AsDB, C, ESCAP, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICFTU, IDA, IFAD, IFC,; IMF, IOC, ITU, LORCS, SPARTECA, SPC, SPF, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UPU, WHO
Diplomatic representationIn the us: chief of mission: Ambassador-designate Neroni SLADE; chancery: (temporary) suite 510, 1155 15th Street NW, Washington, DC 20,005; telephone: (202) 833-1743
From the us: chief of mission: the ambassador to New Zealand is accredited to Western; Samoa; embassy: address NA, Apia; mailing address: P.O. Box 3,430, Apia; telephone: (685) 21-631; fax: (685) 22-030
Flag description
: red with a blue rectangle in the upper hoist-side quadrant bearing five white five-pointed stars representing the Southern Cross constellation
National symbolsNational anthemNational heritagetop of pageEconomy overview: Agriculture employs more than half of the labor force, contributes 50% to GDP, and furnishes 90% of exports. The bulk of export earnings comes from the sale of coconut oil and copra. The economy depends on and construction of the first international hotel is under way.
Real gdp purchasing power parityReal gdp growth rate: -4.5% (1990 est.)
Real gdp per capita: $690 (1990)
Gross national savingGdp composition by sector of origin
Gdp composition by end useGdp composition by sector of originAgriculture products: accounts for 50% of GDP; coconuts, fruit (including bananas, taro, yams)
Industries: timber, tourism, food processing, fishing
Industrial production growth rate: growth rate -4% (1990 est.); accounts for 14% of GDP
Labor force: 38,000; by occupation: agriculture 22,000 (1987 est.)
Unemployment rate: NA%
Youth unemploymentPopulation below poverty lineGini indexHousehold income or consumption by percentage shareDistribution of family income gini indexBudget: revenues $95.3 million; expenditures $95.4 million, including capital expenditures of $41 million (FY92)
Taxes and other revenuesPublic debtRevenueFiscal year: calendar year
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 million (f.o.b., 1990)
Commodoties: coconut oil and cream 54%, taro 12%, copra 9%, cocoa 3%
Partners: NZ 28%, American Samoa 23%, Germany 22%, US 6% (1990)
Imports: $75 million (c.i.f., 1990)
Commodoties: intermediate goods 58%, food 17%, capital goods 12%
Partners: New Zealand 41%, Australia 18%, Japan 13%, UK 6%, US 6%
Reserves of foreign exchange and goldDebt externalStock of direct foreign investment at homeStock of direct foreign investment abroadExchange rates: tala (WS$) per US$1 - 2.5681 (January 1993), 2.4655 (1992), 2.3975 (1991), 2.3095 (1990), 2.2686 (1989), 2.0790 (1988)
top of pageElectricityProduction: 29,000 kW capacity; 45 million kWh produced, 240 kWh per capita (1990)
CoalPetroleumCrude oilRefined petroleumNatural gasCarbon dioxide emissionsEnergy consumption per capitatop of pageTelephonesTelephone systemBroadcast mediaInternetBroadband fixed subscriptionstop of pageMilitary expendituresPercent of gdp: exchange rate conversion - $N/A, NA% of GDP
Military and security forcesMilitary service age and obligationSpace programTerrorist groupstop of pageNational air transport systemCivil aircraft registration country code prefixAirportsHeliportsPipelinesRailwaysRoadwaysWaterwaysMerchant marine: 1 roll-on/roll-off ship (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 3,838 GRT/5,536 DWT; total: 3; usable: 3; with permanent-surface runways: 1; with runways over 3,659 m: 0; with runways 2,440-3,659 m: 1; with runways 1,220-2,439 m: 0
Ports and terminalstop of pageDisputes international: none
Refugees and internally displaced personsIllicit drugs