2010 Edition

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.

Area

land

2,821 sq km

total

2,831 sq km

water

10 sq km

Area - comparative

slightly smaller than Rhode Island

Climate

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

Coastline

403 km

Elevation extremes

highest point

Mount Silisili 1,857 m

lowest point

Pacific Ocean 0 m

Environment - current issues

soil erosion, deforestation, invasive species, overfishing

Environment - international agreements

party to

Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geographic coordinates

13 35 S, 172 20 W

Geography - note

occupies an almost central position within Polynesia

Irrigated land

NA

Land boundaries

0 km

Land use

arable land

21.13%

other

54.57% (2005)

permanent crops

24.3%

Location

Oceania, group of islands in the South Pacific Ocean, about half way between Hawaii and New Zealand

Map references

Oceania

Maritime claims

contiguous zone

24 nm

exclusive economic zone

200 nm

territorial sea

12 nm

Natural hazards

occasional typhoons; active volcanism

volcanism

Savai'I Island (elev. 1,858 m, 6,096 ft), which last erupted in 1911, is historically active

Natural resources

hardwood forests, fish, hydropower

Terrain

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

Age structure

0-14 years: 37.6% (male 42,117/female 40,603) 15-64 years: 56.7% (male 65,541/female 59,292) 65 years and over: 5.7% (male 5,538/female 6,907) (2010 est.)

Birth rate

22.92 births/1,000 population (2010 est.)

Death rate

5.36 deaths/1,000 population (July 2010 est.)

Education expenditures

5.4% of GDP (2008)

Ethnic groups

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

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths

NA

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

NA

Infant mortality rate

female

18.78 deaths/1,000 live births (2010 est.)

male

27.42 deaths/1,000 live births

total

23.21 deaths/1,000 live births

Languages

Samoan (Polynesian) (official), English

Life expectancy at birth

female

75.13 years (2010 est.)

male

69.28 years

total population

72.13 years

Literacy

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

female

99.7% (2003 est.)

male

99.6%

total population

99.7%

Median age

female

21.9 years (2010 est.)

male

21.7 years

total

21.8 years

Nationality

adjective

Samoan

noun

Samoan(s)

Net migration rate

-11.52 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2010 est.)

Population

192,001 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 (July 2010 est.)

Population growth rate

0.605% (2010 est.)

Religions

Congregationalist 34.8%, Roman Catholic 19.6%, Methodist 15%, Latter-Day Saints 12.7%, Assembly of God 6.6%, Seventh-Day Adventist 3.5%, Worship Centre 1.3%, other Christian 4.5%, other 1.9%, unspecified 0.1% (2001 census)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

female

13 years (2001)

male

12 years

total

12 years

Sex ratio

at birth

1.05 male(s)/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 (2010 est.)

Total fertility rate

3.32 children born/woman (2010 est.)

Urbanization

rate of urbanization

1.7% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

urban population

23% of total population (2008)

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

Capital

geographic coordinates

13 50 S, 171 44 W

name

Apia

time difference

UTC-11 (6 hours behind Washington, DC during Standard Time) +1hr, begins last Sunday in September; ends first Sunday in April

Constitution

1 January 1962

Country name

conventional long form

Independent State of Samoa

conventional short form

Samoa

former

Western Samoa

local long form

Malo Sa'oloto Tuto'atasi o Samoa

local short form

Samoa

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission

US Ambassador to New Zealand is accredited to Samoa

embassy

Accident Corporation Building, 5th Floor, Matafele, Apia

FAX

[685] 22030

mailing address

P. O. Box 3430, Matafele, Apia

telephone

[685] 21436/21631/21452/22696

Diplomatic representation in the US

chancery

800 Second Avenue, Suite 400D, New York, NY 10017

chief of mission

Ambassador Aliioaiga Feturi ELISAIA

consulate(s) general

Pago Pago (American Samoa)

FAX

[1] (212) 599-0797

telephone

[1] (212) 599-6196 through 6197

Executive branch

cabinet

Cabinet consists of 12 members appointed by the chief of state on the prime minister's advice (For more information visit the World Leaders website )

chief of state

TUIATUA Tupua Tamasese Efi (since 20 June 2007)

election results

TUIATUA Tupua Tamasese Efi unanimously elected by the Legislative Assembly

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

head of government

Prime Minister Sailele Malielegaoi TUILA'EPA (since 1998); Deputy Prime Minister MISA Telefoni (since 2001)

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

Government type

parliamentary democracy

Independence

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

International organization participation

ACP, ADB, AOSIS, C, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, 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)

Judicial branch

Court of Appeal; Supreme Court; District Court; Land and Titles Court

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 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)

election results

percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - HRPP 35, SDUP 10, independents 4

elections

election last held on 31 March 2006 (next election to be held not later than March 2011)

National anthem

lyrics/music

Sauni Iiga KURESA note: adopted 1962; the anthem is also known as "Samoa Tula'i" (Samoa Arise)

name

"O le Fu"a o le Sa"olotoga o Samoa" (The Banner of Freedom)

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

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 Party or SP [Su'a Rimoni Ah CHONG]; Samoa Progressive Political Party or SPPP [Toeolesulusulu SIUEVA]

Political pressure groups and leaders

NA

Suffrage

21 years of age; universal

Agriculture - products

coconuts, bananas, taro, yams, coffee, cocoa

Commercial bank prime lending rate

12.08% (31 December 2009 est.) 12.66% (31 December 2008 est.)

Current account balance

-$24 million (2007 est.)

Debt - external

$177 million (2004)

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.

Electricity - consumption

101.4 million kWh (2007 est.)

Electricity - exports

0 kWh (2008 est.)

Electricity - imports

0 kWh (2008 est.)

Electricity - production

109 million kWh (2007 est.)

Exchange rates

tala (SAT) per US dollar - NA (2007), 2.7594 (2006), 2.7103 (2005), 2.7807 (2004), 2.9732 (2003)

Exports

$131 million (2006)

Exports - commodities

fish, coconut oil and cream, copra, taro, automotive parts, garments, beer

Exports - partners

American Samoa 41.12%, Australia 24.74%, Taiwan 6.24%, China 5.61%, US 4.07% (2009)

GDP - composition by sector

agriculture

11.6%

industry

13.1%

services

75.3% (2004 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP)

$5,200 (2010 est.) $5,400 (2009 est.) $5,600 (2008 est.) note: data are in 2010 US dollars

GDP - real growth rate

-2% (2010 est.) -3.5% (2009 est.) -3.4% (2008 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate)

$550 million (2010 est.)

GDP (purchasing power parity)

$1.002 billion (2010 est.) $1.022 billion (2009 est.) $1.059 billion (2008 est.) note: data are in 2010 US dollars

Household income or consumption by percentage share

lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%

Imports

$324 million (2006)

Imports - commodities

machinery and equipment, industrial supplies, foodstuffs

Imports - partners

NZ 24.13%, Fiji 17.34%, Singapore 12.54%, China 10.02%, Australia 9.85%, US 5.95% (2009)

Industrial production growth rate

2.8% (2000)

Industries

food processing, building materials, auto parts

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

6% (2007 est.)

Labor force

66,270 (2007 est.)

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture

NA%

industry

NA%

services

NA%

Market value of publicly traded shares

$NA

Natural gas - consumption

0 cu m (2008 est.)

Natural gas - exports

0 cu m (2008 est.)

Natural gas - imports

0 cu m (2008 est.)

Natural gas - production

0 cu m (2008 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves

0 cu m (1 January 2010 est.)

Oil - consumption

1,000 bbl/day (2009 est.)

Oil - exports

0 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Oil - imports

1,105 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Oil - production

0 bbl/day (2009 est.)

Oil - proved reserves

0 bbl (1 January 2010 est.)

Population below poverty line

NA%

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

$70.15 million (FY03/04)

Stock of broad money

$283.2 million (31 December 2009) $222.9 million (31 December 2008)

Stock of domestic credit

$243 million (31 December 2009) $208.9 million (31 December 2008)

Stock of narrow money

$80.56 million (31 December 2009) $60.13 million (31 December 2008)

Unemployment rate

NA%

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

Internet hosts

17,044 (2010)

Internet users

9,000 (2009)

Telephone system

domestic

combined fixed-line and mobile-cellular teledensity roughly 85 telephones per 100 persons; coverage extended to roughly 95 percent of the country

general assessment

adequate

international

country code - 685; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)

Telephones - main lines in use

31,900 (2009)

Telephones - mobile cellular

151,000 (2009)

Airports

4 (2010)

Airports - with paved runways

total

1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 (2010)

Airports - with unpaved runways

total

3 under 914 m: 3 (2010)

Merchant marine

by type

passenger/cargo 1, cargo 1

foreign-owned

1 (NZ 1) (2010)

total

2

Ports and terminals

Apia

Roadways

paved

332 km

total

2,337 km

unpaved

2,005 km (2001)

Manpower available for military service

males age 16-49: 47,423 (2010 est.)

Manpower fit for military service

males age 16-49: 37,674 females age 16-49: 37,492 (2010 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually

female

2,058 (2010 est.)

male

2,219

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

Military branches

no regular military forces; Samoa Police Force (2008)

Military expenditures

NA

Disputes - international

none page last updated on January 11, 2011 ======================================================================