Broadcast media (Radio broadcast stations) [time series]

AM 1, FM 0, shortwave 0

Radios [time series]

76,000 (1992 est.)

Telecommunication systems (Telephone system) [time series]

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

Telephones - fixed lines (Telephones) [time series]

7,500 (1988 est.)

Broadcast media (Television broadcast stations) [time series]

6 (1997)

Televisions [time series]

6,000 (1992 est.)

Agricultural products (Agriculture--products) [time series]

coconuts, bananas, taro, yams

Budget [time series]

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

Exchange rates (Currency) [time series]

1 tala (WS$) = 100 sene

Debt - external (Debt--external) [time series]

$167 million (1996 est.)

Economic aid (Economic aid--recipient) [time series]

$42.9 million (1995)

Economic overview (Economy--overview) [time series]

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 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.

Electricity - consumption (Electricity--consumption) [time series]

65 million kWh (1996)

Electricity - exports (Electricity--exports) [time series]

0 kWh (1996)

Electricity - imports (Electricity--imports) [time series]

0 kWh (1996)

Electricity - production (Electricity--production) [time series]

65 million kWh (1996)

Electricity - production by source (Electricity--production by source) [time series]

fossil fuel: 61.54% hydro: 38.46% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (1996)

Exchange rates [time series]

tala (WS$) per US$1--2.9011 (January 1999), 2.9429 (1998), 2.5562 (1997), 2.4618 (1996), 2.4722 (1995), 2.5349 (1994)

Exports [time series]

$14.6 million (f.o.b., 1997)

Exports - commodities (Exports--commodities) [time series]

coconut oil and cream, copra, fish, beer

Exports - partners (Exports--partners) [time series]

Australia 82%, New Zealand 6%, Slovakia, Germany, American Samoa (1996)

Fiscal year [time series]

calendar year

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) (GDP) [time series]

purchasing power parity--$470 million (1997 est.)

GDP - composition, by sector of origin (GDP--composition by sector) [time series]

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

Real GDP per capita (GDP--per capita) [time series]

purchasing power parity?$2,100 (1997 est.)

Real GDP growth rate (GDP--real growth rate) [time series]

3.4% (1997 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share [time series]

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

Imports [time series]

$99.7 million (f.o.b., 1997)

Imports - commodities (Imports--commodities) [time series]

intermediate goods, food, capital goods

Imports - partners (Imports--partners) [time series]

Australia 33%, New Zealand 25%, Japan 15%, Fiji 8%, US 8% (1996)

Industrial production growth rate [time series]

14% (1996 est.)

Industries [time series]

timber, tourism, food processing, fishing

Inflation rate (consumer prices) [time series]

2.2% (1998 est.)

Labor force [time series]

82,500 (1991 est.)

Labor force - by occupation (Labor force--by occupation) [time series]

agriculture 65%, services 30%, industry 5% (1995 est.)

Population below poverty line [time series]

NA%

Unemployment rate [time series]

NA%

Area [time series]

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

Area - comparative (Area--comparative) [time series]

slightly smaller than Rhode Island

Climate [time series]

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

Coastline [time series]

403 km

Elevation (Elevation extremes) [time series]

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

Environment - current issues (Environment--current issues) [time series]

soil erosion

International environmental agreements (Environment--international agreements) [time series]

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

Geographic coordinates [time series]

13 35 S, 172 20 W

Irrigated land [time series]

NA sq km

Land boundaries [time series]

0 km

Land use [time series]

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

Location [time series]

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

Map references [time series]

Oceania

Maritime claims [time series]

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 12 nm

Natural hazards [time series]

occasional typhoons; active volcanism

Natural resources [time series]

hardwood forests, fish

Terrain [time series]

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

Administrative divisions [time series]

11 districts; A'ana, Aiga-i-le-Tai, Atua, Fa'asaleleaga, Gaga'emauga, Gagaifomauga, Palauli, Satupa'itea, Tuamasaga, Va'a-o-Fonoti, Vaisigano

Capital [time series]

Apia

Constitution [time series]

1 January 1962

Country name [time series]

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

Data code [time series]

WS

Diplomatic representation from the US [time series]

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

Diplomatic representation in the US [time series]

chief of mission: Ambassador Tuiloma Neroni SLADE chancery: 820 Second Avenue, Suite 800D, New York, NY 10017

Executive branch [time series]

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 TUILA'EPA Sailele Malielegaoi (since 24 November 1998); note--TUILA'EPA served as deputy prime minister since 1992; 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 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

Flag (Flag description) [time series]

red with a blue rectangle in the upper hoist-side quadrant bearing five white five-pointed stars representing the Southern Cross constellation

Government type [time series]

constitutional monarchy under native chief

Independence [time series]

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

International organization participation [time series]

ACP, AsDB, C, ESCAP, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IMF, IMO, Intelsat (nonsignatory user), IOC, ITU, OPCW, Sparteca, SPC, SPF, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO

Judicial branch [time series]

Supreme Court; Court of Appeal

Legal system [time series]

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 [time series]

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 by NA 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 holiday [time series]

National Day, 1 June (1962)

Political parties (Political parties and leaders) [time series]

Human Rights Protection Party or

Suffrage [time series]

21 years of age; universal

Military and security forces (Military branches) [time series]

no regular armed services; Samoa Police Force

Military expenditures - dollar figure (Military expenditures--dollar figure) [time series]

$NA

Military expenditures (Military expenditures--percent of GDP) [time series]

NA%

Military - note (Military--note) [time series]

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

Age structure [time series]

0-14 years: 39% (male 45,647; female 44,141) 15-64 years: 57% (male 68,054; female 62,612) 65 years and over: 4% (male 4,477; female 5,048) (1999 est.)

Birth rate [time series]

28.81 births/1,000 population (1999 est.)

Death rate [time series]

5.4 deaths/1,000 population (1999 est.)

Ethnic groups [time series]

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

Infant mortality rate [time series]

30.5 deaths/1,000 live births (1999 est.)

Languages [time series]

Samoan (Polynesian), English

Life expectancy at birth [time series]

total population: 69.82 years male: 67.43 years female: 72.33 years (1999 est.)

Literacy [time series]

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

Nationality [time series]

noun: Samoan(s) adjective: Samoan

Net migration rate [time series]

-0.39 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1999 est.)

Population [time series]

229,979 (July 1999 est.) note: other estimates range as low as 162,000

Population growth rate [time series]

2.3% (1999 est.)

Religions [time series]

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 [time series]

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 total population: 1.06 male(s)/female (1999 est.)

Total fertility rate [time series]

3.61 children born/woman (1999 est.)

Disputes - international (Disputes--international) [time series]

none

Airports [time series]

3 (1998 est.)

Airports - with paved runways (Airports--with paved runways) [time series]

total: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 (1998 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways (Airports--with unpaved runways) [time series]

total: 2 under 914 m: 2 (1998 est.)

Roadways (Highways) [time series]

total: 790 km paved: 332 km unpaved: 458 km (1996 est.)

Ports (Ports and harbors) [time series]

Apia, Asau, Mulifanua, Salelologa

Railways [time series]

0 km