Map of Samoa | Geography | People | Government | Economy | Energy | Communication
Military | Transportation | Transnational Issues | Year: Guide1989199019911992199319941995199619971998199920002001200220032004200520062007200820092010201120122013201420152016201720182019202020212022202320242025 | 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
Total: 2,944 km²
Water: 10 km²
Land: 2,934 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
Extremes highest point: Mauga Silisili 1,857 m

Natural resources: hardwood forests fish hydropower

Land use
Arable land: 19.43%
Permanent crops: 23.67%
Other: 56.9% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land: NA km²

Major rivers

Major watersheds area km²

Total water withdrawal

Total renewable water resources

Natural hazards: occasional typhoons; active volcanism

Geography
Note: occupies an almost central position within Polynesia


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Population: 178,173 (July 2003 est.)
Growth rate: -0.27% (2003 est.)
Below poverty line: NA%

Nationality
Noun: Samoan
Adjective: 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: 29.4% (male 26,613; female 25,715)
15-64 years: 64.6% (male 72,135; female 42,903)
65 years and over: 6.1% (male 4,980; female 5,827) (2003 est.)

Dependency ratios

Median age
Total: 23.7 years
Male: 26.3 years
Female: 20.2 years (2002)

Population growth rate: -0.27% (2003 est.)

Birth rate: 15.41 births/1000 population (2003 est.)

Death rate: 6.41 deaths/1000 population (2003 est.)

Net migration rate: -11.67 migrant(s)/1000 population (2003 est.)

Population distribution

Urbanization

Major urban areas

Environment
Current issues: soil erosion deforestation invasive species overfishing
International agreements party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection
International agreements signed but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Air pollutants

Sex ratio
At birth: 1.05 male/female
Under 15 years: 1.03 male/female
15-64 years: 1.68 male/female
65 years and over: 0.85 male/female
Total population: 1.39 male/female (2003 est.)

Mothers mean age at first birth

Maternal mortality ratio

Infant mortality rate
Total: 29.73 deaths/1000 live births
Female: 24.21 deaths/1000 live births (2003 est.)
Male: 34.98 deaths/1000 live births

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 70.11 years
Male: 67.35 years
Female: 73 years (2003 est.)

Total fertility rate: 3.21 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Contraceptive prevalence rate

Drinking water source

Current health expenditure

Physicians density

Hospital bed density

Sanitation facility access

Hiv/Aids
Adult prevalence rate: NA%
People living with hivaids: 12
Deaths: 3

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: 99.7%
Male: 99.6%
Female: 99.7% (2003 est.)

School life expectancy primary to tertiary education

Youth unemployment


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Country name
Conventional long form: Independent State of Samoa
Conventional short form: Samoa
Former: 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: Independence Day Celebration 1 June (1962); note - 1 January 1962 is the date of independence from the New Zealand-administered UN trusteeship 1 June 1962 is the date that independence is celebrated

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 Tanumafili II MALIETOA (cochief of state from 1 January 1962 until becoming sole chief of state 5 April 1963)
Head of government: Prime Minister Sailele Malielegaoi TUILA'EPA (since 1996); note - TUILA'EPA served as deputy prime minister from 1992 until he assumed the prime ministership in 1996, when former Prime Minister TOFILAU Eti Alesana resigned in poor health; TUILA'EPA was confirmed as prime minister after TOFILAU died; the post of deputy prime minister is currently vacant
Cabinet: Cabinet consists of 12 members, appointed by the chief of state with the prime minister's advice
Elections: upon the death of Chief Tanumafili II MALIETOA, a new chief of state will be elected by the Legislative Assembly to serve a five-year term; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party is usually appointed prime minister by the chief of state with the approval of the Legislative Assembly

Legislative branch
Elections: election last held 3 March 2001 (next election to be held not later than March 2006)
Election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - HRPP 30, SNDP 13, independents 6

Judicial branch: Supreme Court; Court of Appeal; Land and Titles Court

Political parties and leaders: Christian Democratic Party [leader NA]; Human Rights Protection Party or HRPP [Sailele Malielegaoi TUILA'EPA chairman]; Samoa All People's Party or SAPP [Matatumua MAIMOANA]; Samoan National Development Party or SNDP [LE MAMEA Ropati chairman] (opposition); Samoa National Party [FETU Tiatia party secretary]; Samoan Progressive Conservative Party [LEOTA Ituau Ale]; Samoan United Independents Party or SUIP [Dr. Saleimoa VAAI]

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

Diplomatic representation
In the us chief of mission: Ambassador Feturi ELISAIA
In the us fax: [1] (212) 599-0797
In the us telephone: [1] (212) 599-6,196, 6,197
In the us chancery: 800 Second Avenue, Suite 400D, New York, NY 10,017
From the us chief of mission: the Ambassador to New Zealand is accredited to Samoa
From the us embassy: Vailima
From the us mailing address: P. O. Box 3,430, Apia
From the us telephone: [685] 21,631/22,696
From the us 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 Samoa has traditionally been dependent on development aid family remittances from overseas and agriculture and fishing. 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. The manufacturing sector mainly processes agricultural products. The decline of fish stocks in the area is a continuing problem. Tourism is an expanding sector accounting for 25% of GDP; about 88,000 tourists visited the islands in 2001. The Samoan Government has called for deregulation of the financial sector encouragement of investment and continued fiscal discipline meantime protecting the environment. Observers point to the flexibility of the labor market as a basic strength for future economic advances. Foreign reserves are in a relatively healthy state the external debt is stable and inflation is low.

Real gdp purchasing power parity

Real gdp growth rate: 5% (2002 est.)

Real gdp per capita: purchasing power parity - $5,600 (2002 est.)

Gross national saving

Gdp composition by end use

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Agriculture: 14%
Industry: 23%
Services: 63% (2001 est.)

Agriculture products: coconuts bananas taro yams coffee cocoa

Industries: food processing building materials auto parts

Industrial production growth rate: 2.8% (2000)

Labor force: 90,000 (2000 est.)
By occupation: NA

Unemployment rate: NA%; note - substantial underemployment

Youth unemployment

Population below poverty line: NA%

Gini index

Household income or consumption by percentage share
Lowest 10: NA%
Highest 10: NA%

Distribution of family income gini index

Budget
Revenues: $105 million
Expenditures: $119 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (2001/2002)

Taxes and other revenues

Public debt

Revenue

Fiscal year: June 1 - May 31

Inflation rate consumer prices: 4% (2001 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: $15.5 million f.o.b. (2001)
Commodities: fish coconut oil and cream copra taro automotive parts garments beer
Partners: Australia 66.1% US 10% Japan 3.7% (2002)

Imports: $130.1 million f.o.b. (2001)
Commodities: machinery and equipment industrial supplies foodstuffs
Partners: New Zealand 23.3% Fiji 20.2% Australia 15.7% Japan 13.1% Taiwan 6.4% US 4.2% (2002)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

Debt external: $197 million (2000)

Stock of direct foreign investment at home

Stock of direct foreign investment abroad

Exchange rates: tala per US dollar - 3.37 (2002) 3.48 (2001) 3.29 (2000) 3.01 (1999) 2.95 (1998)


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Electricity
Production: 105.1 million kWh (2001)
Production by source fossil fuel: 58%
Production by source hydro: 42%
Production by source other: 0% (2001)
Production by source nuclear: 0%
Consumption: 97.74 million kWh (2001)
Exports: 0 kWh (2001)
Imports: 0 kWh (2001)

Coal

Petroleum

Crude oil

Refined petroleum

Natural gas

Carbon dioxide emissions

Energy consumption per capita


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Telephones
Main lines in use: 8,183 (1998)
Mobile cellular: 1545 (February 1998)

Telephone system
General assessment: adequate
Domestic: NA
International: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)

Broadcast media

Internet
Country code: .ws
Service providers isps: 2 (2000)
Users: 3,000 (2002)

Broadband fixed subscriptions


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Military expenditures
Dollar figure: $NA
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: 4 (2002)
With paved runways total: 3
With paved runways 2438 to 3047 m: 1
With paved runways under 914 m: 2 (2002)
With unpaved runways total: 1
With unpaved runways under 914 m: 1 (2002)

Heliports

Pipelines

Railways: 0 km

Roadways

Waterways: none

Merchant marine
Total: 1 ship (1,000 GRT or over) 7,091 GRT/8,127 DWT
Ships by type: cargo 1
Note: includes a foreign-owned ship registered here as a flag of convenience: Germany 1 (2002 est.)

Ports and terminals


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Disputes international: none; note - some EEZ demarcations including the one with American Samoa are undefined

Refugees and internally displaced persons

Illicit drugs