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.

Map reference: Oceania

Area
Total: total area: 2,860 km²; land area: 2,850 km²; comparative area: 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

Natural 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

Population: 209,360 (July 1995 est.)
Growth rate: 2.37% (1995 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)

Age structure: 0-14 years:40% (female 41,503; male 42,844); 15-64 years:56% (female 55,683; male 61,065); 65 years and over:4% (female 4,323; male 3,942) (July 1995 est.)

Population growth rate: 2.37% (1995 est.)

Birth rate: 31.74 births/1000 population (1995 est.)

Death rate: 5.88 deaths/1000 population (1995 est.)

Net migration rate: -2.14 migrant(s)/1000 population (1995 est.)

Environment
Current issues: soil erosion; natural hazards:occasional typhoons; active volcanism; international agreements:party to - Biodiversity, Climate Change, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection; signed, but not ratified - Law of the Sea

Infant mortality rate: 35.5 deaths/1000 live births (1995 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: total population:68.38 years; male:65.99 years; female:70.88 years (1995 est.)

Total fertility rate: 4.04 children born/woman (1995 est.)

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

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

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

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

Suffrage: 21 years of age; universal

Executive branch: chief of state:Chief 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); cabinet:Cabinet; appointed by the head of state with the prime minister's advice

Legislative branch: unicameral; Legislative Assembly (Fono):elections last held 5 April 1991 (next to be held by NA 1996); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (47 total) HRPP 28, SNDP 18, independents 1; note:only matai (head of family) are able to run for the Legislative Assembly

Judicial branch: Supreme Court, Court of Appeal

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

Diplomatic representation
In the us: chief of mission:Ambassador Tuiloma Neroni SLADE; chancery:820 Second Avenue, Suite 800, New York, NY 10,017; telephone:[1] (212) 599-6,196, 6,197; FAX:[1] (212) 599-0797
From the us: chief of mission:the ambassador to New Zealand is accredited to Western Samoa; 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

Economy 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 emigrant remittances and foreign aid to support a level of imports much greater than export earnings. Tourism has become the most important growth industry. The economy continued to falter in 1994, as remittances and tourist earnings remained low. Production of taro, the primary food export crop, has dropped 97% since a fungal disease struck the crop in 1993. The rapid growth in 1994 of the giant African snail population in Western Samoa is also threatening the country's basic food crops, such as bananas and coconuts.

Real gdp growth rate: -4.3% (1992 est.)

Real gdp per capita: $2,000 (1992 est.)

Agriculture products: accounts for about 50% of GDP; coconuts, fruit (including bananas, taro, yams)

Industries: timber, tourism, food processing, fishing

Industrial production growth rate: -0.3% (1992 est.); accounts for 16% of GDP

Labor force: NA; by occupation:agriculture 60%

Unemployment rate: NA%

Budget: revenues:$95.3 million; expenditures:$76.7 million, including capital expenditures of $N/A (1994 est.)

Fiscal year: calendar year

Exports: $6.4 million (f.o.b., 1993)
Commodoties: coconut oil and cream, taro, copra, cocoa
Partners: New Zealand 34%, American Samoa 21%, Germany 18%, Australia 11%

Imports: $11.5 million (c.i.f., 1992 est.)
Commodoties: intermediate goods 58%, food 17%, capital goods 12%
Partners: New Zealand 37%, Australia 25%, Japan 11%, Fiji 9%

Debt external: $141 million (June 1993)

Exchange rates: tala (WS$) per US$1 - 2.4600 (January 1995), 2.5349 (1994), 2.5681 (1993), 2.4655 (1992), 2.3975 (1991), 2.3095 (1990)

Electricity
Capacity: 29,000 kW
Production: 50 million kWh; consumption per capita:200 kWh (1993)

Telephone system: 7,500 telephones; local:NA; intercity:NA; international:1 INTELSAT (Pacific Ocean) earth station

Military expenditures: $N/A, NA% of GDP

Airports: total:3; with paved runways 2,438 to 3,047 m:1; with paved runways under 914 m:2

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

Disputes international: none