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: Oceania, group of islands in the South Pacific Ocean, about one-half of the way from Hawaii to New Zealand

Geographic coordinates: 13 35 S, 172 20 W

Map reference: Oceania

Area
Total: total:2,860 km²; land:2,850 km²; water:10 km²
Comparative: slightly smaller than Rhode Island

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 403 km

Maritime claims: exclusive 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
Extremes: lowest point:Pacific Ocean 0 m; highest point:Mauga Silisili 1,857 m

Natural resources: hardwood forests, fish

Land use: arable land:19%; permanent crops:24%; permanent pastures:0%; forests and woodland:47%; other:10%

Irrigated land: NA km²

Major rivers

Major watersheds area km²

Total water withdrawal

Total renewable water resources

Natural hazards: occasional typhoons; active volcanism

Geography


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Population: 219,509 (July 1997 est.); note:other estimates range as low as 162,000
Growth rate: 2.34% (1997 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 one-half of population associated with the London Missionary Society; includes Congregational, Roman Catholic, Methodist, Latter-Day Saints, Seventh-Day Adventist)

Demographic profile

Age structure: 0-14 years:40% (male 44,281; female 42,876); 15-64 years:56% (male 64,433; female 59,006); 65 years and over:4% (male 4,225; female 4,688) (July 1997 est.)

Dependency ratios

Median age

Population growth rate: 2.34% (1997 est.)

Birth rate: 30.4 births/1000 population (1997 est.)

Death rate: 5.63 deaths/1000 population (1997 est.)

Net migration rate: -1.22 migrant(s)/1000 population (1997 est.)

Population distribution

Urbanization

Major urban areas

Environment
Current issues: soil erosion

Air pollutants

Sex ratio: at birth:1.05 male(s)/female; under 15 years:1.03 male(s)/female; 15-64 years:1.09 male(s)/female; 65 years and over:0.9 male(s)/female; total population:1.06 male(s)/female (1997 est.)

Mothers mean age at first birth

Maternal mortality ratio

Infant mortality rate: 33 deaths/1000 live births (1997 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: total population:69.09 years; male:66.7 years; female:71.6 years (1997 est.)

Total fertility rate: 3.82 children born/woman (1997 est.)

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: definition:age 15 and over can read and write; total population:97%; male:97%; female:97% (1971 est.)

School life expectancy primary to tertiary education

Youth unemployment


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Country 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 areas

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

National holiday: National Day, 1 June (1962)

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: 21 years of age; universal

Executive branch: chief of state:Chief Susuga MALIETOA Tanumafili II (cochief of state from 1 January 1962 until becoming sole chief of state 5 April 1963); head of government:Prime Minister TOFILAU Eti Alesana (since 7 April 1988); Deputy Prime Minister TUILA'EPA Sailele Malielegaoi (since NA 1992); cabinet:Cabinet appointed by the chief of state with the prime minister's advice; elections:upon the death of Chief Susuga MALIETOA Tanumafili II, a new chief of state will be elected by the Legislative Assembly to serve a five-year term; prime minister appointed by the chief of state with the approval of the Legislative Assembly

Legislative branch: unicameral Legislative Assembly or Fono (49 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms); elections:last held 26 April 1996 (next to be held 26 April 2001); election results:percent of vote by party - HRPP 45.17%, SNDP 27.1%, independents 23.7%; seats by party - HRPP 25, SNDP 13, independents 11

Judicial branch: Supreme Court; Court of Appeal

Political parties and leaders

International organization participation: ACP, AsDB, C, ESCAP, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IMF, IMO, Intelsat (nonsignatory user), IOC, ITU, Sparteca, SPC, SPF, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UPU, WHO, WMO

Diplomatic representation
In the us: chief of mission:Ambassador Tuiloma Neroni SLADE; chancery:820 Second Avenue, Suite 800D, New York, NY 10,017; telephone:[1] (212) 599-6,196, 6,197; FAX:[1] (212) 599-0797
From the us: chief of mission:Ambassador Josiah Horton BEEMAN (Ambassador to New Zealand and Western Samoa, resides in Wellington, New Zealand); embassy:5th floor, Beach Road, 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 symbols

National anthem

National heritage


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Economy overview: The economy of Western Samoa has traditionally been dependent on development aid, private family remittances from overseas, and agricultural exports. Increasingly, tourism is becoming a significant source of revenue, earning approximately $34 million in 1995. While registering an overall economic improvement in 1995, however, the country continues to struggle with a series of natural disasters from the early 1990s which wiped out the nation's infrastructure as well as its then-major export crop, taro root. Agriculture continues to be a key source of wealth for Apia, employing more than one-half of the labor force, and furnishing 90% of exports. The bulk of these export earnings comes from the sale of coconut cream, coconut oil, and copra. Family remittances also play a key role in economic viability for the island nation - in 1995, remittances totaled $34.9 million, four times export earnings. The economy did well in 1996, supported by a steady flow of foreign aid and remittances.

Real gdp purchasing power parity

Real gdp growth rate: 6.7% (1995 est.)

Real gdp per capita ppp

Gross national saving

Gdp composition by end use

Gdp composition by sector of origin

Agriculture products: coconuts, bananas, taro, yams

Industries: timber, tourism, food processing, fishing

Industrial production growth rate: NA%

Labor force: total:45,635 (1986 est.); by occupation:agriculture 65%, services 30%, industry 5% (1995 est.)

Unemployment rate: NA%

Youth unemployment

Population below poverty line

Gini index

Household income or consumption by percentage share

Distribution of family income gini index

Budget: revenues:$118 million; expenditures:$128 million, including capital expenditures of $N/A (FY96/97)

Public debt

Taxes and other revenues

Revenue

Fiscal year: calendar year

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: total value:$8.7 million (f.o.b., 1995); commodities:coconut oil and cream, taro, copra, cocoa; partners:New Zealand 44%, Australia 22%, American Samoa, Germany

Imports: total value:$91 million (c.i.f., 1995); commodities:intermediate goods 58%, food 17%, capital goods 12%; partners:New Zealand 37%, Australia 21%, US/American Samoa 13%

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

Debt external: $178.3 million (1995 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment at home

Stock of direct foreign investment abroad

Exchange rates: tala (WS$) per US$1 - 2.4570 (January 1997), 2.4618 (1996), 2.4722 (1995), 2.5349 (1994), 2.5681 (1993), 2.4655 (1992)


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Electricity access

Electricity production: 60 million kWh (1994)

Electricity consumption
Per capita: 287 kWh (1995 est.)

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: domestic:NA; international:satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)

Broadcast media

Internet country code

Internet users

Broadband fixed subscriptions


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Military expenditures
Dollar figure: $N/A
Percent of gdp: NA%

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: 3 (1996 est.)
With paved runways: total:3; 2,438 to 3,047 m:1; under 914 m:2 (1996 est.)

Airports with paved runways: total:3; 2,438 to 3,047 m:1; under 914 m:2 (1996 est.)

Airports with unpaved runways

Heliports

Pipelines

Railways: 0 km

Roadways

Waterways

Merchant marine: total:1 roll-on/roll-off cargo ship (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 3,838 GRT/5,536 DWT (1996 est.)

Ports and terminals


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Disputes international: none

Refugees and internally displaced persons

Illicit drugs