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.

Geographic coordinates: 13 35 S, 172 20 W

Map reference: Oceania

Area
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
Extremes 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

Natural hazards: occasional typhoons; active volcanism

Population: 224,713 (July 1998 est.)
Note: other estimates range as low as 162,000
Growth rate: 2.33% (1998 est.)

Nationality
Noun: Samoan(s)
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)

Age structure
0-14 years: 39% (male 44,991; female 43,537)
15-64 years: 57% (male 66,201; female 60,764)
65 years and over: 4% (male 4,352; female 4,868) (July 1998 est.)

Population growth rate: 2.33% (1998 est.)

Birth rate: 29.62 births/1000 population (1998 est.)

Death rate: 5.51 deaths/1000 population (1998 est.)

Net migration rate: -0.8 migrant(s)/1000 population (1998 est.)

Environment
Current issues: soil erosion
International agreements party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection
International agreements signed but not ratified: Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol

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: 0.89 male(s)/female (1998 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 31.76 deaths/1000 live births (1998 est.)

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 69.45 years
Male: 67.07 years
Female: 71.96 years (1998 est.)

Total fertility rate: 3.72 children born/woman (1998 est.)

Literacy
Definition: age 15 and over can read and write
Total population: 97%
Male: 97%
Female: 97% (1971 est.)

Country name
Conventional long form: Independent State of Samoa
Conventional short form: 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 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

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): ead of
Government: Prime Minister TOFILAU Eti Alesana (since 7 April 1988); Deputy Prime Minister TUILA'EPA Sailele Malielegaoi (since NA 1992)
Cabinet: Cabinet consists of 12 members, 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_47 elected by Samoans, 2 elected by non-Samoans; only chiefs (matai) may stand for election to the Fono; members 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

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, Sparteca, SPC, SPF, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UPU, WHO, WMO

Diplomatic representation
In the us chief of mission: Ambassador Tuiloma Neroni SLADE
In the us chancery: 820 Second Avenue, Suite 800D, New York, NY 10,017
In the us telephone: [1] (212) 599-6,196, 6,197
In the us fax: [1] (212) 599-0797
From the us chief of mission: Ambassador Josiah Horton BEEMAN (Ambassador to New Zealand and Samoa, resides in Wellington, New Zealand)
From the us embassy: 5th floor, Beach Road, Apia
From the us mailing address: P.O. Box 3,430, Apia
From the us telephone: [685] 21,631
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

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 70,0000 tourists visited the islands in 1996. The 1998 Samoan budget calls for deregulation of the financial sector, development of more financial investments, and forecasts 3% to 4% growth.

Real gdp growth rate: 5.9% (1996 est.)

Real gdp per capita: purchasing power parity: $2,100 (1996 est.)

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Agriculture: 40%
Industry: 25%
Services: 35% (1996 est.)

Agriculture products: coconuts, bananas, taro, yams

Industries: timber, tourism, food processing, fishing

Industrial production growth rate: 14% (1996 est.)

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

Unemployment rate: NA%

Budget
Revenues: $52 million
Expenditures: $99 million, including capital expenditures of $37 million (FY96/97 est.)

Fiscal year: calendar year

Exports: total value:$10 million (f.o.b., 1996)
Commodoties: coconut oil and cream, copra, fish, beer (1996)
Partners: New Zealand 48%, American Samoa 11%, Australia 10%, Germany 7%, US 3% (1996)

Imports: total value:$100 million (c.i.f., 1996)
Commodoties: intermediate goods 50%, food 26%, capital goods 12% (1996)
Partners: New Zealand 37%, Australia 22%, Fiji 15%, US 13%

Debt external: $169.4 million (1996 est.)

Exchange rates: tala (WS$) per US$1_2.7556 (January 1998), 2.5562 (1997), 2.4618 (1996), 2.4722 (1995), 2.5349 (1994), 2.5681 (1993)

Electricity
Capacity: 21,700 kW (1996 est.)
Production: 56.3 million kWh (1996 est.)
Consumption per capita: 310 kWh (1995)

Telephones: 7,500 (1988 est.)

Telephone system
Domestic: NA
International: satellite earth station_1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)

Military expenditures
Dollar figure: $NA
Percent of gdp: NA%

Airports: 3 (1997 est.)
With paved runways total: 1
With paved runways 2438 to 3047 m: 1 (1997 est.)
With unpaved runways total: 2
With unpaved runways under 914 m: 2 (1997 est.)

Railways: 0 km

Merchant marine: total:1 roll-on/roll-off cargo ship (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 3,838 GRT/5,536 DWT (1997 est.)

Disputes international: none