Samoa

Internet country code

.ws

Internet hosts

11,307 (2008)

Internet users

8,000 (2006)

Radio broadcast stations

AM 2, FM 5, shortwave 0 (2004)

Telephone system

general assessment: adequate domestic: combined fixed-line and mobile-cellular teledensity roughly 50 telephones per 100 persons international: country code - 685; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)

Telephones - main lines in use

19,500 (2005)

Telephones - mobile cellular

86,000 (2007)

Television broadcast stations

2 (2002)

Agriculture - products

coconuts, bananas, taro, yams, coffee, cocoa

Budget

revenues: $171.3 million expenditures: $78.1 million (FY04/05 est.)

Commercial bank prime lending rate

12.65% (31 December 2007)

Currency (code)

tala (SAT)

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 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; 116,000 tourists visited the islands in 2006. 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 (2006 est.)

Electricity - exports

0 kWh (2007 est.)

Electricity - imports

0 kWh (2007 est.)

Electricity - production

109 million kWh (2006 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 f.o.b. (2006)

Exports - commodities

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

Exports - partners

Australia 48.1%, American Samoa 30%, Taiwan 8% (2007)

GDP (official exchange rate)

$397 million (2007 est.)

GDP (purchasing power parity)

$1.029 billion (2007 est.)

GDP - composition by sector

agriculture: 11.4% industry: 58.4% services: 30.2% (2004 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP)

$5,400 (2007 est.)

GDP - real growth rate

6% (2007 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

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

Imports

$324 million f.o.b. (2006)

Imports - commodities

machinery and equipment, industrial supplies, foodstuffs

Imports - partners

NZ 22.1%, Fiji 17.2%, Singapore 16.1%, Australia 7.9%, Japan 6.8%, Indonesia 5.4%, US 5.3% (2007)

Industrial production growth rate

2.8% (2000)

Industries

food processing, building materials, auto parts

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

6% (2007 est.)

Labor force

90,000 (2000 est.)

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture: NA% industry: NA% services: NA%

Market value of publicly traded shares

$NA

Natural gas - consumption

0 cu m (2007 est.)

Natural gas - exports

0 cu m (2007 est.)

Natural gas - imports

0 cu m (2007 est.)

Natural gas - production

0 cu m (2007 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves

0 cu m (1 January 2006 est.)

Oil - consumption

1,130 bbl/day (2006 est.)

Oil - exports

0 bbl/day (2005)

Oil - imports

1,128 bbl/day (2005)

Oil - production

0 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Oil - proved reserves

0 bbl (1 January 2006 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

$70.15 million (FY03/04)

Stock of domestic credit

$215.1 million (31 December 2007)

Stock of money

$69.97 million (31 December 2007)

Stock of quasi money

$168.7 million (31 December 2007)

Unemployment rate

NA%

Area

total: 2,944 sq km land: 2,934 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

lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: Mauga Silisili (Savaii) 1,857 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% permanent crops: 24.3% other: 54.57% (2005)

Location

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

Map references

Oceania

Maritime claims

territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Natural hazards

occasional typhoons; active volcanism

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

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

name: Apia geographic coordinates: 13 50 S, 171 44 W time difference: UTC-11 (6 hours behind Washington, DC during Standard Time)

Constitution

1 January 1962

Country name

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

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission: none; US Ambassador to New Zealand is accredited to Samoa embassy: Accident Corporation Building, 5th Floor, Matafele, Apia mailing address: P. O. Box 3430, Matafele, Apia telephone: [685] 21436/21631/21452/22696 FAX: [685] 22030

Diplomatic representation in the US

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

Executive branch

chief of state: TUIATUA Tupua Tamasese Efi (since 20 June 2007) head of government: Prime Minister Sailele Malielegaoi TUILA'EPA (since 1998); 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: chief of state is elected by the Legislative Assembly to serve a five-year term (no term limits); election last held 15 June 2007 (next to be held in 2012); 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 election results: TUIATUA Tupua Tamasese Efi unanimously elected by the Legislative Assembly

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

parliamentary democracy

Independence

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

International organization participation

ACP, ADB, 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)

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 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

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

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.

Manpower available for military service

males age 16-49: 53,417 (2008 est.)

Manpower fit for military service

males age 16-49: 42,359 (2008 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually

male: 2,571 female: 2,454 (2008 est.)

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

Age structure

0-14 years: 37.9% (male 41,834/female 40,343) 15-64 years: 56.5% (male 64,402/female 58,257) 65 years and over: 5.6% (male 5,481/female 6,766) (2008 est.)

Birth rate

28.2 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)

Death rate

5.84 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)

Education expenditures

4.3% of GDP (2002)

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

total: 25.04 deaths/1,000 live births male: 29.56 deaths/1,000 live births female: 20.29 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.)

Languages

Samoan (Polynesian), English

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 71.58 years male: 68.76 years female: 74.55 years (2008 est.)

Literacy

definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 99.7% male: 99.6% female: 99.7% (2003 est.)

Median age

total: 20.6 years male: 20.8 years female: 20.4 years (2008 est.)

Nationality

noun: Samoan(s) adjective: Samoan

Net migration rate

-9.14 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.)

Population

217,083 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 2008 est.)

Population growth rate

1.322% (2008 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)

total: 12 years male: 12 years female: 12 years (2001)

Sex ratio

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.1 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.81 male(s)/female total population: 1.06 male(s)/female (2008 est.)

Total fertility rate

4.18 children born/woman (2008 est.)

Disputes - international

none

Airports

4 (2007)

Airports - with paved runways

total: 3 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 under 914 m: 2 (2007)

Airports - with unpaved runways

total: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2007)

Merchant marine

total: 1 by type: cargo 1 foreign-owned: 1 (Cyprus 1) (2008)

Ports and terminals

Apia

Roadways

total: 2,337 km paved: 332 km unpaved: 2,005 km (2001)