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: 2,831 km²
Rank: 178
Land: 2,821 km²
Water: 10 km²
Comparative: slightly smaller than Rhode Island

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 403 km

Maritime claims
Territorial sea: 12 nm
Contiguous zone: 24 nm
Exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Climate: tropical; rainy season (November to April) dry season (May to October)

Terrain: two main islands (Savaii Upolu) and several smaller islands and uninhabited islets; narrow coastal plain with volcanic rocky rugged mountains in interior

Elevation
Extremes lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
Extremes highest point: Mount Silisili 1857 m

Natural resources: hardwood forests fish hydropower

Land use
Arable land: 21.13%
Permanent crops: 24.3%
Other: 54.57% (2005)

Irrigated land: NA

Natural hazards: occasional typhoons; active volcanism
Volcanism: Savai'I Island (elev. 1858 m) which last erupted in 1911 is historically active

Geography
Note: occupies an almost central position within Polynesia

Population: 193,161 (July 2011 est.)
Rank: 184
Note: prior estimates used official net migration data by sex but a highly unusual pattern for 1993 lead to a significant imbalance in the sex ratios (more men and fewer women) and a seeming reduction in the female population; the revised total was calculated using a 1993 number that was an average of the 1992 and 1994 migration figures
Growth rate: 0.6% (2011 est.)
Growth rate rank: 143
Below poverty line: NA%

Nationality
Noun: Samoan
Adjective: Samoan

Ethnic groups: Samoan 92.6% Euronesians (persons of European and Polynesian blood) 7% Europeans 0.4% (2001 census)

Languages: Samoan (Polynesian) (official) English

Religions: Protestant 59.9% (Congregationalist 34.8% Methodist 15% Assembly of God 6.6% Seventh-Day Adventist 3.5%) Roman Catholic 19.6% Mormon 12.7% Worship Centre 1.3% other Christian 4.5% other 1.9% unspecified 0.1% (2001 census)

Age structure
0-14 years: 35.4%
15-64 years: 59.4% (male 59,366/female 55,376)
65 years and over: 5.2% (male 4,472/female 5,654) (2011 est.)

Median age
Total: 22.1 years
Male: 22 years
Female: 22.3 years (2011 est.)

Population growth rate: 0.6% (2011 est.)
Rank: 143

Birth rate: 22.5 births/1000 population (2011 est.)
Rank: 75

Death rate: 5.34 deaths/1000 population (July 2011 est.)
Rank: 176

Net migration rate: -11.16 migrant(s)/1000 population (2011 est.)
Rank: 211

Urbanization
Urban population: 20% of total population
Rate of urbanization: 0% annual rate of change (2010-15 est.)

Environment
Current issues: soil erosion deforestation invasive species overfishing
International agreements party to: Biodiversity Climate Change Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol Desertification Hazardous Wastes Law of the Sea Ozone Layer Protection Ship Pollution Wetlands
International agreements signed but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Sex ratio
At birth: 1.051 male/female
Under 15 years: 1.07 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.08 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.8 male(s)/female
Total population: 1.06 male(s)/female (2011 est.)

Infant mortality rate
Total: 22.74 deaths/1000 live births
Rank: 87
Male: 26.88 deaths/1000 live births
Female: 18.39 deaths/1000 live births (2011 est.)

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 72.4 years
Rank: 128
Male: 69.55 years
Female: 75.39 years (2011 est.)

Total fertility rate: 3.22 children born/woman (2011 est.)
Rank: 51

Drinking water source:

Physicians density: 0.27 physicians/1000 population (2005)
Rank: 145

Hospital bed density: 0.97 beds/1000 population (2005)
Rank: 148

Sanitation facility access:

Hivaids
Adult prevalence rate: NA
People living with hivaids: NA
Deaths: NA

Education expenditures: 5.7% of GDP (2008)
Rank: 37

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
Total: 12 years
Male: 12 years
Female: 13 years (2005)

Country name
Conventional long form: Independent State of Samoa
Conventional short form: Samoa
Local long form: Malo Sa'oloto Tuto'atasi o Samoa
Local short form: Samoa
Former: Western Samoa

Government type: parliamentary democracy

Capital
Name: Apia
Geographic coordinates: 13 50 S 171 44 W
Time difference: UTC-11 (6 hours behind Washington DC during Standard Time): +1hr begins last Sunday in September; ends first Sunday in April

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: Independence Day Celebration 1 June (1962); note - 1 January 1962 is the date of independence from the New Zealand-administered UN trusteeship; it is observed in June

Constitution: 1 January 1962

Legal system: mixed legal system of English common law and customary law; judicial review of legislative acts with respect to fundamental rights of the citizen

International law organization participation: has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

Suffrage: 21 years of age; universal

Executive branch
Chief of state: TUIATUA Tupua Tamasese Efi
Head of government: Prime Minister TUILA'EPA Lupesoliai Sailele Malielegaoi (since 1998); Deputy Prime Minister FONOTOE Pierre Lauofo (since 2011)
Cabinet: Cabinet consists of 12 members appointed by the chief of state on the prime minister's advice
Elections: chief of state elected by the Legislative Assembly to serve a five-year term (no term limits); election last held on 15 June 2007 (next to be held in 2012); following legislative elections the leader of the majority party usually appointed prime minister by the chief of state with the approval of the Legislative Assembly
Election results: TUIATUA Tupua Tamasese Efi unanimously elected by the Legislative Assembly

Legislative branch: unicameral Legislative Assembly or Fono (49 seats 47 members elected by voters affiliated with traditional village-based electoral districts 2 elected by independent mostly non-Samoan or part-Samoan voters who cannot (or choose not to) establish a village affiliation; only chiefs (matai) may stand for election to the Fono from the 47 village-based electorates; members serve five-year terms)
Elections: election last held on 4 March 2011 (next election to be held not later than March 2016)
Election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - HRPP 29 Tautua Samoa 13 independents 7

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

Political parties and leaders: Human Rights Protection Party or HRPP [Sailele Malielegaoi TUILA'EPA]; Samoa Christian Party or TCP [Tuala Tiresa MALIETOA]; Samoa Democratic United Party or SDUP [LE MAMEA Ropati]; Samoa Progressive Political Party or SPPP [Toeolesulusulu SIUEVA]; Tautua Samoa [Vaelua Eti ALESANA]

International organization participation: ACP ADB AOSIS C FAO G-77 IBRD ICAO ICRM IDA IFAD IFC IFRCS ILO IMF IMO Interpol IOC IPU ITU ITUC MIGA OPCW PIF Sparteca SPC UN UNCTAD UNESCO UNIDO UPU WCO WHO WIPO WMO WTO (observer)

Diplomatic representation
In the us chief of mission: Ambassador Aliioaiga Feturi ELISAIA
In the us chancery: 800 Second Avenue Suite 400D New York NY 10,017
In the us telephone: [1] (212) 599-6,196 through 6,197
In the us fax: [1] (212) 599-0797
In the us consulate general: Pago Pago (American Samoa)
From the us chief of mission: US Ambassador to New Zealand is accredited to Samoa
From the us embassy: Accident Corporation Building 5th Floor Matafele Apia
From the us mailing address: P. O. Box 3,430 Matafele Apia
From the us telephone: [685] 21,436/21,631/21,452/22,696
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; red stands for courage blue represents freedom and white signifies purity

National symbols: Southern Cross constellation (five five-pointed stars)

National anthem
Name: 'O le Fu'a o le Sa'olotoga o Samoa'
Lyricsmusic: Sauni Iiga KURESA
Note: adopted 1962; the anthem is also known as 'Samoa Tula'i' (Samoa Arise)

Economy overview: The economy of Samoa has traditionally been dependent on development aid family remittances from overseas 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. One factory in the Foreign Trade Zone employs 3,000 people to make automobile electrical harnesses for an assembly plant in Australia. Tourism is an expanding sector accounting for 25% of GDP; 122,000 tourists visited the islands in 2007. In late September 2009 an earthquake and the resulting tsunami severely damaged Samoa and nearby American Samoa disrupting transportation and power generation and resulting in about 200 deaths. The Samoan Government has called for deregulation of the financial sector encouragement of investment and continued fiscal discipline while at the same time 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:
Rank: 200
Note: data are in 2010 US dollars

Real gdp growth rate:
Rank: 189

Real gdp per capita:
Rank: 142
Note: data are in 2010 US dollars

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Agriculture: 11.6%
Industry: 13.1%
Services: 75.3% (2004 est.)

Agriculture products: coconuts bananas taro yams coffee cocoa

Industries: food processing building materials auto parts

Industrial production growth rate: 2.8% (2000)
Rank: 120

Labor force: 66,270 (2007 est.)
Rank: 184
By occupation agriculture: NA%
By occupation industry: NA%
By occupation services: NA%

Unemployment rate: NA%

Population below poverty line: NA%

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

Budget
Revenues: $201.2 million
Expenditures: $281.7 million (2010 est.)
Surplus or deficit: -14.5% of GDP (2010 est.)
Surplus or deficit rank: 202

Taxes and other revenues: 36.2% of GDP (2010 est.)
Rank: 60

Inflation rate consumer prices: 6.3% (2009 est.)
Rank: 24

Commercial bank prime lending rate: 12.108% (31 December 2009 est.)
Rank: 82

Stock of narrow money: $80.43 million (31 December 2009 est.)
Rank: 184

Stock of broad money: $282.8 million (31 December 2009 est.)
Rank: 181

Stock of domestic credit: $242.6 million (31 December 2009 est.)
Rank: 177

Market value of publicly traded shares: $NA

Current account balance: -$1.14 million (2007 est.)
Rank: 63

Exports: $25.11 million (2006)
Rank: 201
Commodities: fish coconut oil and cream copra taro automotive parts garments beer
Partners: American Samoa 45.4% Australia 30.1% (2010)

Imports: $207.9 million (2009 est.)
Rank: 196
Commodities: machinery and equipment industrial supplies foodstuffs
Partners: NZ 21.8% China 16.6% Fiji 16.2% Singapore 13% Japan 7.5% Australia 6.3% US 4.6% (2010)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $165.9 million (31 December 2009 est.)
Rank: 162

Debt external: $177 million (2004)
Rank: 176

Exchange rates:

Electricity
Production: 108 million kWh (2009 est.)
Production rank: 192
Consumption: 98.58 million kWh (2008 est.)
Consumption rank: 193
Exports: 0 kWh (2009 est.)
Imports: 0 kWh (2009 est.)

Natural gas
Production: 0 m³ (2009 est.)
Production rank: 144
Consumption: 0 m³ (2009 est.)
Consumption rank: 125
Exports: 0 m³ (2009 est.)
Exports rank: 206
Imports: 0 m³ (2009 est.)
Imports rank: 204
Proven reserves: 0 m³ (1 January 2011 est.)
Proven reserves rank: 206

Telephones
Main lines in use: 35,300 (2010)
Main lines in use rank: 175
Mobile cellular: 167,400 (2010)
Mobile cellular rank: 180

Telephone system
General assessment: adequate
Domestic: combined fixed-line and mobile-cellular teledensity roughly 85 telephones per 100 persons; coverage extended to roughly 95 percent of the country
International: country code - 685; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)

Broadcast media: state-owned television station privatized in 2008; 4 privately-owned television broadcast stations; about a half dozen privately-owned radio stations and one state-owned radio station; television and radio broadcasts of several stations from American Samoa are available (2009)

Internet
Country code: .ws
Hosts: 17,044 (2010)
Hosts rank: 114
Users: 9,000 (2009)
Users rank: 201

Military expenditures: NA

Airports: 4 (2010)
Rank: 187
With paved runways total: 1
With paved runways 2438 to 3047 m: 1 (2010)
With unpaved runways total: 3
With unpaved runways under 914 m: 3 (2010)

Roadways
Total: 2,337 km
Rank: 171
Paved: 332 km
Unpaved: 2005 km (2001)

Merchant marine
Total: 2
Rank: 147
By type: passenger/cargo 1 cargo 1
Foreign owned: 1 (NZ 1) (2010)

Ports and terminals: Apia

Disputes international: none