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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.

[edit] Geography

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: 2,944 sq km
water: 10 sq km
land: 2,934 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: 19.43%
permanent crops: 23.67%
other: 56.9% (1998 est.)

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

Geography - note 

occupies an almost central position within Polynesia

[edit] People

Population 

178,631 (July 2002 est.)

Age structure 

0-14 years: 30.6% (male 27,774; female 26,854)
15-64 years: 63.5% (male 71,358; female 42,150)
65 years and over: 5.9% (male 4,859; female 5,636) (2002 est.)

Population growth rate 

-0.25% (2002 est.)

Birth rate 

15.53 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Death rate 

6.35 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Net migration rate 

-11.64 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Sex ratio 

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.69 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.86 male(s)/female
total population: 1.39 male(s)/female (2002 est.)

Infant mortality rate 

30.74 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)

Life expectancy at birth 

total population: 69.8 years
female: 72.69 years (2002 est.)
male: 67.06 years

Total fertility rate 

3.3 children born/woman (2002 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: 80%
male: 81%
female: 79% (1999)

[edit] Government

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 Tanumafili II MALIETOA (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 24 November 1998); note - TUILA'EPA served as deputy prime minister from 1992 until 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 Tanumafili II MALIETOA, a new chief of state will be elected by the Legislative Assembly to serve a five-year term; 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 

unicameral Legislative Assembly or Fono (49 seats - 47 elected by Samoans, 2 elected by non-Samoans; only chiefs or matai may stand for election to the Fono; members serve five-year terms)
elections: byelection last held NA November 2001 (next byelection to be held 29 March 2002)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - HRPP 30, SNDP 13, independents 6

Judicial branch 

Supreme Court; Court of Appeal

Political parties and leaders 

Christian Democratic Party [leader NA]; Human Rights Protection Party or HRPP [Sailele Malielegaoi TUILA'EPA, chairman]; Samoa All People's Party or SAPP [Matatumua NAIMOAGA]; Samoan National Development Party or SNDP [LE MAMEA Ropati, chairman] (opposition); Samoa National Party [FETU Tiatia, party secretary]; Samoan Progressive Conservative Party [LEOTA Ituau Ale]; Samoan United Independent Party or SUIP [leader NA]

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, IOC, ITU, OPCW (signatory), Sparteca, SPC, SPF, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO (observer)

Diplomatic representation in the US 

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

Diplomatic representation from the US 

chief of mission: the Ambassador to New Zealand is accredited to Samoa
embassy: 5th floor John Williams Building, 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

[edit] Economy

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. The decline of fish stocks in the area is a continuing problem. Tourism is an expanding sector, accounting for 16% 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 - $618 million (2001 est.)

GDP - real growth rate 

6% (2001 est.)

GDP - per capita 

purchasing power parity - $3,500 (2001 est.)

GDP - composition by sector 

agriculture: 16%
industry: 18%
services: 66% (2000 est.)

Population below poverty line 

NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share 

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 

2.5% (2001 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: $105 million
expenditures: $119 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (2001/2002)

Industries 

food processing, building materials, auto parts

Industrial production growth rate 

2.8% (2000)

Electricity - production 

103 million kWh (2000)

Electricity - production by source 

fossil fuel: 59%
hydro: 41%
other: 0% (2000)
nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption 

95.79 million kWh (2000)

Electricity - exports 

0 kWh (2000)

Electricity - imports 

0 kWh (2000)

Agriculture - products 

coconuts, bananas, taro, yams

Exports 

$17 million f.o.b. (2000)

Exports - commodities 

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

Exports - partners 

Australia 62%, Indonesia 13%, US 11%, American Samoa 3%, New Zealand 3% (2000)

Imports 

$90 million f.o.b. (2000)

Imports - commodities 

machinery and equipment, industrial supplies, foodstuffs

Imports - partners 

Australia 27%, US 26%, New Zealand 14%, Fiji 12%, Japan 9% (2000)

Debt - external 

$192 million (1999)

Economic aid - recipient 

$42.9 million (1995) (1995)

Currency 

tala (WST)

Currency code 

WST

Exchange rates 

tala per US dollar - 3.5236 (January 2002), 3.4722 (2001), 3.2712 (2000), 3.0120 (1999), 2.9429 (1998), 2.5562 (1997)

Fiscal year 

calendar year

[edit] Communications

Telephones - main lines in use 

8,183 (1998)

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 

174,849 (1997)

Television broadcast stations 

6 (1997)

Televisions 

8,634 (1999)

Internet country code 

.ws

Internet Service Providers (ISPs) 

2 (2000)

Internet users 

3,000 (2002)

[edit] Transportation

Railways 

0 km

Highways 

total: 836 km
paved: 267 km
unpaved: 569 km (1983)

Waterways 

none

Ports and harbors 

Apia, Asau, Mulifanua, Salelologa

Merchant marine 

total: 1 ship (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 7,091 GRT/ 8,127 DWT
ships by type: cargo 1
note: includes a foreign-owned ship registered here as a flag of convenience: Germany 1 (2002 est.)

Airports 

3 (2001)

Airports - with paved runways 

total: 3
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 (2002)

Airports - with unpaved runways 

total: 1
under 914 m: 1 (2002)

[edit] Military

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

[edit] Transnational Issues

Disputes - international 

none