Samoa
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.
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 references: Oceania Area:
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 extremes:
Natural resources: hardwood forests, fish, hydropower Land use:
Irrigated land: NA sq km Natural hazards: occasional typhoons; active volcanism Environment - current issues: soil erosion Environment - international agreements:
Population: 179,466 (July 2000 est.) Age structure:
Population growth rate: -0.22% (2000 est.) Birth rate: 15.59 births/1,000 population (2000 est.) Death rate: 6.24 deaths/1,000 population (2000 est.) Net migration rate: -11.59 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2000 est.) Sex ratio:
Infant mortality rate: 32.75 deaths/1,000 live births (2000 est.) Life expectancy at birth:
Total fertility rate: 3.5 children born/woman (2000 est.) Nationality:
Ethnic groups: Samoan 92.6%, Euronesians 7% (persons of European and Polynesian blood), Europeans 0.4% 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) Languages: Samoan (Polynesian), English Literacy:
Country name:
Data code: WS 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:
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 in the US:
Diplomatic representation from the US:
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 70,000 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. GDP: purchasing power parity - $485 million (1998 est.) GDP - real growth rate: 1.8% (1998 est.) GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $2,100 (1998 est.) GDP - composition by sector:
Population below poverty line: NA% Household income or consumption by percentage share:
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 2.2% (1998 est.) Labor force: 82,500 (1991 est.) Labor force - by occupation: agriculture 65%, services 30%, industry 5% (1995 est.) Unemployment rate: NA% Budget:
Industries: timber, tourism, food processing, fishing Industrial production growth rate: 14% (1996 est.) Electricity - production: 65 million kWh (1998) Electricity - production by source:
Electricity - consumption: 60 million kWh (1998) Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (1998) Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (1998) Agriculture - products: coconuts, bananas, taro, yams Exports: $20.3 million (f.o.b., 1998) Exports - commodities: coconut oil and cream, copra, fish, beer Exports - partners: American Samoa, Australia, New Zealand, US, Germany Imports: $96.6 million (f.o.b., 1998) Imports - commodities: machinery and equipment, foodstuffs Imports - partners: Australia, New Zealand, Japan, Fiji, US Debt - external: $156 million (1997 est.) Economic aid - recipient: $42.9 million (1995) Currency: 1 tala (WS$) = 100 sene 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) Fiscal year: calendar year
Telephones - main lines in use: 8,000 (1994) Telephones - mobile cellular: 1,200 (1994) Telephone system:
Radio broadcast stations: AM 1, FM 3, shortwave 0 (1998) Radios: 178,000 (1997) Television broadcast stations: 6 (1997) Televisions: 11,000 (1997) Internet Service Providers (ISPs): NA
Railways: 0 km Highways:
Ports and harbors: Apia, Asau, Mulifanua, Salelologa Airports: 3 (1999 est.) Airports - with paved runways:
Airports - with unpaved runways:
Military branches: no regular armed services; Samoa Police Force Military expenditures - dollar figure: $NA Military expenditures - percent of GDP: NA% Military - note: Samoa has no formal defense structure or regular armed forces; informal defense ties exist with NZ, which is required to consider any Samoan request for assistance under the 1962 Treaty of Friendship
Disputes - international: none |
|