| Samoa |
Introduction Geography People Government Economy Communications Transportation Military Transnational Issues

Samoa | Introduction | Top of Page

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.

Samoa | Geography | Top of Page

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: | total: 2,860 sq km land: 2,850 sq km water: 10 sq km

Area - 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 highest point: Mauga Silisili 1,857 m

Natural resources: | hardwood forests, fish, hydropower

Land use: | arable land: 19% permanent crops: 24% permanent pastures: 0% forests and woodland: 47% other: 10%

Irrigated land: | NA sq km

Natural hazards: | occasional typhoons; active volcanism

Environment - current issues: | soil erosion

Environment - international agreements: | party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Samoa | People | Top of Page

Population: | 179,058 (July 2001 est.)

Age structure: | 0-14 years: 31.88% (male 29,009; female 28,069) 15-64 years: 62.44% (male 70,491; female 41,304) 65 years and over: 5.68% (male 4,739; female 5,446) (2001 est.)

Population growth rate: | -0.23% (2001 est.)

Birth rate: | 15.59 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Death rate: | 6.29 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Net migration rate: | -11.62 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Sex ratio: | at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.71 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.87 male(s)/female total population: 1.39 male(s)/female (2001 est.)

Infant mortality rate: | 31.75 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: | total population: 69.5 years male: 66.77 years female: 72.37 years (2001 est.)

Total fertility rate: | 3.4 children born/woman (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: | NA%

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: | NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths: | NA

Nationality: | noun: Samoan(s) adjective: Samoan

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: | definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 97% male: 97% female: 97% (1971 est.)

Samoa | Government | Top of Page

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

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

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) head of government: Prime Minister TUILA'EPA Sailele Malielegaoi (since 24 November 1998); note - TUILA'EPA served as deputy prime minister since 1992; he assumed the prime ministership in November 1998 when former Prime Minister TOFILAU Eti Alesana resigned in poor health; 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 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 4 March 2001 (next to be held by March 2006) election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - HRPP 23, SNDP 13, independents 13

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 NAIMOAGA]; Samoan National Development Party or SNDP [TAPUA Tamasese Efi, chairman] (opposition); Samoa National Party [FETU Tiatia, party secretary]; Samoan Progressive Conservative Party [LEOTA Ituau Ale]

Political pressure groups and leaders: | NA

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, WTrO (observer)

Diplomatic representation in the US: | chief of mission: Ambassador Tuiloma Neroni SLADE chancery: 800 Second Avenue, Suite 400D, New York, NY 10017 telephone: [1] (212) 599-6196, 6197 FAX: [1] (212) 599-0797

Diplomatic representation from the US: | chief of mission: Ambassador Carol MOSELEY BRAUN (Ambassador to New Zealand and Samoa, resides in Wellington, New Zealand) embassy: 5th floor, Beach Road, Apia mailing address: P. O. Box 3430, Apia telephone: [685] 21631 FAX: [685] 22030

Flag description: | red with a blue rectangle in the upper hoist-side quadrant bearing five white five-pointed stars representing the Southern Cross constellation

Samoa | Economy | Top of Page

Economy - overview: | The economy of Samoa has traditionally been dependent on development aid, 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. The manufacturing sector mainly processes agricultural products. Tourism is an expanding sector, accounting for 15% of GDP; about 85,000 tourists visited the islands in 2000. 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. Foreign reserves are in a relatively healthy state, the external debt is stable, and inflation is low.

GDP: | purchasing power parity - $571 million (2000 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: | 6.8% (2000 est.)

GDP - per capita: | purchasing power parity - $3,200 (2000 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: | agriculture: 15% industry: 24% services: 61% (2000 est.)

Population below poverty line: | NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share: | lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices): | 0.8% (2000 est.)

Labor force: | 90,000 (2000 est.)

Labor force - by occupation: | agriculture 65%, services 30%, industry 5% (1995 est.)

Unemployment rate: | NA%; note - substantial underemployment

Budget: | revenues: $74.8 million expenditures: $81.4 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1999 est.)

Industries: | food processing, building materials, auto parts

Industrial production growth rate: | 10% (2000 est.)

Electricity - production: | 100 million kWh (1999)

Electricity - production by source: | fossil fuel: 60% hydro: 40% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (1999)

Electricity - consumption: | 93 million kWh (1999)

Electricity - exports: | 0 kWh (1999)

Electricity - imports: | 0 kWh (1999)

Agriculture - products: | coconuts, bananas, taro, yams

Exports: | $17 million (f.o.b., 2000)

Exports - commodities: | coconut oil and cream, copra, fish, beer

Exports - partners: | American Samoa 59%, US 18%, Germany 9%, New Zealand 8% (2000 est.)

Imports: | $90 million (f.o.b., 2000)

Imports - commodities: | machinery and equipment, industrial supplies, foodstuffs

Imports - partners: | New Zealand 37%, Australia 24%, Fiji 14%, US 14% (2000 est.)

Debt - external: | $180 million (1998 est.)

Economic aid - recipient: | $42.9 million (1995)

Currency: | tala (WST)

Currency code: | WST

Exchange rates: | tala per US dollar - 3.3400 (January 2001), 3.2712 (2000), 3.0120 (1999), 2.9429 (1998), 2.5562 (1997), 2.4618 (1996)

Fiscal year: | calendar year

Samoa | Communications | Top of Page

Telephones - main lines in use: | 8,000 (1997)

Telephones - mobile cellular: | 1,545 (February 1998)

Telephone system: | general assessment: adequate domestic: NA international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations: | AM 1, FM 3, shortwave 0 (1998)

Radios: | 178,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations: | 6 (1997)

Televisions: | 11,000 (1997)

Internet country code: | .ws

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): | 2 (2000)

Internet users: | 500 (2000)

Samoa | Transportation | Top of Page

Railways: | 0 km

Highways: | total: 835 km paved: 267 km unpaved: 569 km (1983)

Waterways: | none

Ports and harbors: | Apia, Asau, Mulifanua, Salelologa

Airports: | 3 (2000 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: | total: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 (2000 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways: | total: 2 under 914 m: 2 (2000 est.)

Samoa | Military | Top of Page

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

Samoa | Transnational Issues | Top of Page

Disputes - international: | none