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This page was last updated on 8 March, 2007


Map of Samoa



Legend: DefinitionDefinition Field ListingField Listing Rank OrderRank Order
   Introduction    Samoa Top of Page
Background:
Definition Field Listing
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.
   Geography    Samoa Top of Page
Location:
Definition Field Listing
Oceania, group of islands in the South Pacific Ocean, about one-half of the way from Hawaii to New Zealand
Geographic coordinates:
Definition Field Listing
13 35 S, 172 20 W
Map references:
Definition Field Listing
Oceania
Area:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
total: 2,944 sq km
land: 2,934 sq km
water: 10 sq km
Area - comparative:
Definition Field Listing
slightly smaller than Rhode Island
Land boundaries:
Definition Field Listing
0 km
Coastline:
Definition Field Listing
403 km
Maritime claims:
Definition Field Listing
territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 24 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Climate:
Definition Field Listing
tropical; rainy season (November to April), dry season (May to October)
Terrain:
Definition Field Listing
two main islands (Savaii, Upolu) and several smaller islands and uninhabited islets; narrow coastal plain with volcanic, rocky, rugged mountains in interior
Elevation extremes:
Definition Field Listing
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: Mauga Silisili (Savaii) 1,857 m
Natural resources:
Definition Field Listing
hardwood forests, fish, hydropower
Land use:
Definition Field Listing
arable land: 21.13%
permanent crops: 24.3%
other: 54.57% (2005)
Irrigated land:
Definition Field Listing
NA
Natural hazards:
Definition Field Listing
occasional typhoons; active volcanism
Environment - current issues:
Definition Field Listing
soil erosion, deforestation, invasive species, overfishing
Environment - international agreements:
Definition Field Listing
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
Geography - note:
Definition Field Listing
occupies an almost central position within Polynesia
   People    Samoa Top of Page
Population:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
176,908 (July 2006 est.)
Age structure:
Definition Field Listing
0-14 years: 26.1% (male 23,492/female 22,653)
15-64 years: 67.3% (male 74,202/female 44,894)
65 years and over: 6.6% (male 5,299/female 6,368) (2006 est.)
Median age:
Definition Field Listing
total: 25.2 years
male: 28.1 years
female: 22 years (2006 est.)
Population growth rate:
Definition Field Listing
-0.2% (2006 est.)
Birth rate:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
16.43 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Death rate:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
6.62 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Net migration rate:
Definition Field Listing
-11.76 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Sex ratio:
Definition Field Listing
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.65 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.83 male(s)/female
total population: 1.39 male(s)/female (2006 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
total: 26.85 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 31.7 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 21.76 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
total population: 71 years
male: 68.2 years
female: 73.94 years (2006 est.)
Total fertility rate:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
2.94 children born/woman (2006 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
NA
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
12
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
3
Nationality:
Definition Field Listing
noun: Samoan(s)
adjective: Samoan
Ethnic groups:
Definition Field Listing
Samoan 92.6%, Euronesians 7% (persons of European and Polynesian blood), Europeans 0.4%
Religions:
Definition Field Listing
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)
Languages:
Definition Field Listing
Samoan (Polynesian), English
Literacy:
Definition Field Listing
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 99.7%
male: 99.6%
female: 99.7% (2003 est.)
   Government    Samoa Top of Page
Country name:
Definition Field Listing
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:
Definition Field Listing
mix of parliamentary democracy and constitutional monarchy
Capital:
Definition Field Listing
name: Apia
geographic coordinates: 13 50 S, 171 45W
time difference: UTC-11 (6 hours behind Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Administrative divisions:
Definition Field Listing
11 districts; A'ana, Aiga-i-le-Tai, Atua, Fa'asaleleaga, Gaga'emauga, Gagaifomauga, Palauli, Satupa'itea, Tuamasaga, Va'a-o-Fonoti, Vaisigano
Independence:
Definition Field Listing
1 January 1962 (from New Zealand-administered UN trusteeship)
National holiday:
Definition Field Listing
Independence Day Celebration, 1 June (1962); note - 1 January 1962 is the date of independence from the New Zealand-administered UN trusteeship, however it is observed in June
Constitution:
Definition Field Listing
1 January 1962
Legal system:
Definition Field Listing
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:
Definition Field Listing
21 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
Definition Field Listing
chief of state: Malietoa TANUMAFILI II (cochief of state from 1 January 1962 until becoming sole chief of state 5 April 1963)
head of government: Prime Minister Sailele Malielegaoi TUILA'EPA (since 1996); note - TUILA'EPA served as deputy prime minister from 1992 and assumed the duties of acting prime minister in 1996 when former Prime Minister TOFILAU Eti Alesana resigned in poor health; TUILA'EPA was confirmed as prime minister (November 1998) after TOFILAU died; Deputy Prime Minister MISA Telefoni (since 2001)
cabinet: Cabinet consists of 12 members appointed by the chief of state on the prime minister's advice
elections: upon the death of Malietoa TANUMAFILI II, a new chief of state will be elected by the Legislative Assembly to serve a five-year term (no term limits); following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party is usually appointed prime minister by the chief of state with the approval of the Legislative Assembly
Legislative branch:
Definition Field Listing
unicameral Legislative Assembly or Fono (49 seats - 47 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 31 March 2006 (next election to be held not later than March 2011)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - HRPP 35, SDUP 10, independents 4
Judicial branch:
Definition Field Listing
Court of Appeal; Supreme Court; District Court; Land and Titles Court
Political parties and leaders:
Definition Field Listing
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:
Definition Field Listing
NA
International organization participation:
Definition Field Listing
ACP, AsDB, C, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IOC, IPU, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, OPCW, PIF, Sparteca, SPC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer)
Diplomatic representation in the US:
Definition Field Listing
chief of mission: Ambassador Aliioaiga Feturi ELISAIA
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:
Definition Field Listing
chief of mission: none; US Ambassador to New Zealand is accredited to Samoa
embassy: Accident Compensation Board (ACB) Building, 5th Floor, Beach Road, Apia
mailing address: P. O. Box 3430, Apia, 0815
telephone: [685] 21436/21452/21631/22696
FAX: [685] 22030
Flag description:
Definition Field Listing
red with a blue rectangle in the upper hoist-side quadrant bearing five white five-pointed stars representing the Southern Cross constellation
   Economy    Samoa Top of Page
Economy - overview:
Definition Field Listing
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 fish catch declined during the El Nino of 2002-03, but returned to normal by mid-2005. 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; about 100,000 tourists visited the islands in 2005. 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.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
$1 billion (2002 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate):
Definition Field Listing
$399 million (2005)
GDP - real growth rate:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
5.5% (2005 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
$2,100 (2005 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
Definition Field Listing
agriculture: 11.4%
industry: 58.4%
services: 30.2% (2004 est.)
Labor force:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
90,000 (2000 est.)
Labor force - by occupation:
Definition Field Listing
agriculture: NA%
industry: NA%
services: NA%
Unemployment rate:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
NA%
Population below poverty line:
Definition Field Listing
NA%
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
Definition Field Listing
lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA%
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
3.3% (2005)
Budget:
Definition Field Listing
revenues: $171.3 million
expenditures: $78.1 million; including capital expenditures of $NA (FY04/05 est.)
Agriculture - products:
Definition Field Listing
coconuts, bananas, taro, yams, coffee, cocoa
Industries:
Definition Field Listing
food processing, building materials, auto parts
Industrial production growth rate:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
2.8% (2000)
Electricity - production:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
108 million kWh (2004)
Electricity - consumption:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
100.5 million kWh (2004)
Electricity - exports:
Definition Field Listing
0 kWh (2004)
Electricity - imports:
Definition Field Listing
0 kWh (2004)
Oil - production:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
0 bbl/day (2004 est.)
Oil - consumption:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
1,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)
Oil - exports:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
NA bbl/day
Oil - imports:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
NA bbl/day
Natural gas - production:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
0 cu m (2004 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
0 cu m (2004 est.)
Current account balance:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
$-2.428 million (FY03/04)
Exports:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
$94 million f.o.b. (2004 est.)
Exports - commodities:
Definition Field Listing
fish, coconut oil and cream, copra, taro, automotive parts, garments, beer
Exports - partners:
Definition Field Listing
Australia 75.9%, American Samoa 13.6%, US 6.5% (2005)
Imports:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
$285 million f.o.b. (2004 est.)
Imports - commodities:
Definition Field Listing
machinery and equipment, industrial supplies, foodstuffs
Imports - partners:
Definition Field Listing
NZ 31%, Australia 22.6%, US 13.5%, Japan 7.5%, Fiji 6%, China 4.6% (2005)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
$70.15 million (FY03/04)
Debt - external:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
$177 million (2004)
Economic aid - recipient:
Definition Field Listing
$30.8 million (2004)
Currency (code):
Definition Field Listing
tala (SAT)
Exchange rates:
Definition Field Listing
tala per US dollar - 2.7594 (2006), 2.7103 (2005), 2.7807 (2004), 2.9732 (2003), 3.3763 (2002)
Fiscal year:
Definition Field Listing
June 1 - May 31
   Communications    Samoa Top of Page
Telephones - main lines in use:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
13,300 (2003)
Telephones - mobile cellular:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
24,000 (2005)
Telephone system:
Definition Field Listing
general assessment: adequate
domestic: NA
international: country code - 685; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)
Radio broadcast stations:
Definition Field Listing
AM 2, FM 5, shortwave 0 (2004)
Television broadcast stations:
Definition Field Listing
2 (2002)
Internet country code:
Definition Field Listing
.ws
Internet hosts:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
10,680 (2006)
Internet users:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
6,000 (2004)
   Transportation    Samoa Top of Page
Airports:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
4 (2006)
Airports - with paved runways:
Definition Field Listing
total: 3
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
under 914 m: 2 (2006)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
Definition Field Listing
total: 1
under 914 m: 1 (2006)
Roadways:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
total: 2,337 km
paved: 332 km
unpaved: 2,005 km (2004)
Merchant marine:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
total: 1 ship (1000 GRT or over) 7,091 GRT/8,127 DWT
by type: cargo 1
foreign-owned: 1 (Germany 1) (2006)
Ports and terminals:
Definition Field Listing
Apia
   Military    Samoa Top of Page
Military branches:
Definition Field Listing
no regular military forces; Samoa Police Force (2005)
Manpower available for military service:
Definition Field Listing
males age 18-49: 58,722 (2005 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
Definition Field Listing
males age 18-49: 45,294 (2005 est.)
Manpower reaching military service age annually:
Definition Field Listing
males age 18-49: 2,306 (2005 est.)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
NA
Military - note:
Definition Field Listing
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
   Transnational Issues    Samoa Top of Page
Disputes - international:
Definition Field Listing
none

This page was last updated on 8 March, 2007


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