1998 Edition

Area

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

Area-comparative

slightly smaller than Rhode Island

Climate

tropical; rainy season (October to March), dry season (May to October)

Coastline

403 km

Elevation extremes

lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: Mauga Silisili 1,857 m

Environment-current issues

soil erosion

Environment-international agreements

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection signed, but not ratified: Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol

Geographic coordinates

13 35 S, 172 20 W

Irrigated land

NA sq km

Land boundaries

0 km

Land use

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

Location

Oceania, group of islands in the South Pacific Ocean, about one-half of the way from Hawaii to New Zealand

Map references

Oceania

Maritime claims

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 12 nm

Natural hazards

occasional typhoons; active volcanism

Natural resources

hardwood forests, fish

Terrain

narrow coastal plain with volcanic, rocky, rugged mountains in interior

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.)

Birth rate

29.62 births/1,000 population (1998 est.)

Death rate

5.51 deaths/1,000 population (1998 est.)

Ethnic groups

Samoan 92.6%, Euronesians 7% (persons of European and Polynesian blood), Europeans 0.4%

Infant mortality rate

31.76 deaths/1,000 live births (1998 est.)

Languages

Samoan (Polynesian), English

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 69.45 years male: 67.07 years female: 71.96 years (1998 est.)

Literacy

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

Nationality

noun: Samoan(s) adjective: Samoan

Net migration rate

-0.8 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1998 est.)

Population

224,713 (July 1998 est.) note: other estimates range as low as 162,000

Population growth rate

2.33% (1998 est.)

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)

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.)

Total fertility rate

3.72 children born/woman (1998 est.)

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

Constitution

1 January 1962

Country name

conventional long form: Independent State of Samoa conventional short form: Samoa

Data code

WS

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 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

FAX

[1] (212) 599-0797 Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Josiah Horton BEEMAN (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

[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

Government type

constitutional monarchy under native chief

Independence

1 January 1962 (from New Zealand-administered UN trusteeship)

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 chancery: 820 Second Avenue, Suite 800D, New York, NY 10017 telephone: [1] (212) 599-6196, 6197

Judicial branch

Supreme Court; Court of Appeal Political parties and leaders: Human Rights Protection Party (HRPP), TOFILAU Eti Alesana, chairman; Samoan National Development Party (SNDP), TAPUA Tamasese Efi, chairman (opposition); Samoan Progressive Conservative Party, LEOTA Ituau Ale; Samoa All People's Party (SAPP), Matatumua MAIMOAGA

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

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

National capital

Apia

National holiday

National Day, 1 June (1962)

Suffrage

21 years of age; universal

Agriculture-products

coconuts, bananas, taro, yams

Budget

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

Currency

1 tala (WS$) = 100 sene

Debt-external

$169.4 million (1996 est.)

Economic aid

recipient: ODA; $8.7 million bilateral aid from Australia (FY96/97 est.); $5 million bilateral aid from NZ (FY95/96)

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.

Electricity-capacity

21,700 kW (1996 est.)

Electricity-consumption per capita

310 kWh (1995)

Electricity-production

56.3 million kWh (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)

Exports

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

Fiscal year

calendar year Communications

GDP

purchasing power parity-$450 million (1996 est.)

GDP-composition by sector

agriculture: 40% industry: 25% services: 35% (1996 est.)

GDP-per capita

purchasing power parity-$2,100 (1996 est.)

GDP-real growth rate

5.9% (1996 est.)

Imports

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

Industrial production growth rate

14% (1996 est.)

Industries

timber, tourism, food processing, fishing

Inflation rate-consumer price index

7.5% (1996)

Labor force

total: 82,500 (1991 est.) by occupation: agriculture 65%, services 30%, industry 5% (1995 est.)

Radio broadcast stations

AM 1, FM 0, shortwave 0

Radios

76,000 (1992 est.)

Telephone system

domestic: NA international: satellite earth station-1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)

Telephones

7,500 (1988 est.)

Television broadcast stations

0

Televisions

6,000 (1992 est.)

Unemployment rate

NA%

Airports

3 (1997 est.) Airports-with paved runways: total: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 (1997 est.) Airports-with unpaved runways: total: 2 under 914 m: 2 (1997 est.)

Highways

total: 790 km paved: 332 km unpaved: 458 km (1996 est.) Ports and harbors: Apia, Asau, Mulifanua, Salelologa

Merchant marine

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

Railways

0 km

Military branches

no regular armed services; Samoa Police Force

Military expenditures-dollar figure

$NA

Military expenditures-percent of GDP

NA%

Disputes-international

none