Map of Samoa | Geography | People | Government | Economy | Energy | Communication
Military | Transportation | Transnational Issues | Year: Guide198919901991199219931994199519961997199819992000200120022003200420052006200720082009201020112012201320142015201620172018201920202021202220232024 | 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. The country dropped the 'Western' from its name in 1997.


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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
Comparative: slightly smaller than Rhode Island

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 403 km

Maritime claims

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 hydropower

Land use

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: 179,466 (July 2000 est.)
Growth rate: -0.22% (2000 est.)
Below poverty line: NA%

Nationality

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

Dependency ratios

Median age

Population growth rate: -0.22% (2000 est.)

Birth rate: 15.59 births/1000 population (2000 est.)

Death rate: 6.24 deaths/1000 population (2000 est.)

Net migration rate: -11.59 migrant(s)/1000 population (2000 est.)

Population distribution

Urbanization

Major urban areas

Environment
Current issues: soil erosion

Air pollutants

Sex ratio

Mothers mean age at first birth

Maternal mortality ratio

Infant mortality rate: 32.75 deaths/1000 live births (2000 est.)

Life expectancy at birth

Total fertility rate: 3.5 children born/woman (2000 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

School life expectancy primary to tertiary education

Youth unemployment


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Country name

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

Legislative branch: unicameral Legislative Assembly or Fono (49 seats - 47 elected by Samoans 2 elected by non-Samoans; only chiefs (matai) may stand for election to the Fono; members serve five-year terms)

Judicial branch: Supreme Court; Court of Appeal

Political parties and leaders: Human Rights Protection Party or HRPP [TUILA'EPA Sailele Malielegaoi chairman]; Samoa All People's Party or SAPP [Matatumua MAIMOAGA]; Samoan National Development Party or SNDP [TAPUA Tamasese Efi chairman] (opposition); Samoan Progressive Conservative Party [LEOTA Ituau Ale]

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

Diplomatic representation

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 Samoa has traditionally been dependent on development aid private family remittances from overseas and agricultural exports. The country is vulnerable to devastating storms. Agriculture employs two-thirds of the labor force and furnishes 90% of exports featuring coconut cream coconut oil and copra. Outside of a large automotive wire harness factory the manufacturing sector mainly processes agricultural products. Tourism is an expanding sector; more than 70,000 tourists visited the islands in 1996. The Samoan Government has called for deregulation of the financial sector encouragement of investment and continued fiscal discipline. Observers point to the flexibility of the labor market as a basic strength for future economic advances.

Real gdp purchasing power parity

Real gdp growth rate: 1.8% (1998 est.)

Real gdp per capita: purchasing power parity - $2,100 (1998 est.)

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: 14% (1996 est.)

Labor force: 82,500 (1991 est.)
By occupation agriculture: 65%
By occupation services: 30%
By occupation industry: 5% (1995 est.)

Unemployment rate: NA%

Youth unemployment

Population below poverty line: NA%

Gini index

Household income or consumption by percentage share

Distribution of family income gini index

Budget

Taxes and other revenues

Public debt

Revenue

Fiscal year: calendar year

Inflation rate consumer prices: 2.2% (1998 est.)

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: $20.3 million (f.o.b. 1998)
Commodities: coconut oil and cream copra fish beer
Partners: American Samoa Australia New Zealand US Germany

Imports: $96.6 million (f.o.b. 1998)
Commodities: machinery and equipment foodstuffs
Partners: Australia New Zealand Japan Fiji US

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

Debt external: $156 million (1997 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment at home

Stock of direct foreign investment abroad

Exchange rates: tala (WS$) per US$1 - 3.0460 (January 2000) 3.0120 (1999) 2.9429 (1998) 2.5562 (1997) 2.4618 (1996) 2.4722 (1995)


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Electricity
Production: 65 million kWh (1998)
Consumption: 60 million kWh (1998)
Exports: 0 kWh (1998)
Imports: 0 kWh (1998)

Coal

Petroleum

Crude oil

Refined petroleum

Natural gas

Carbon dioxide emissions

Energy consumption per capita


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Telephones
Main lines in use: 8,000 (1994)
Mobile cellular: 1200 (1994)

Telephone system

Broadcast media

Internet
Service providers isps: NA

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 (1999 est.)

Heliports

Pipelines

Railways: 0 km

Roadways

Waterways

Merchant marine

Ports and terminals


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Disputes international: none

Refugees and internally displaced persons

Illicit drugs