Internet users (Internet Service Providers (ISPs)) [time series]

2 (2000)

Internet country code [time series]

.ws

Internet users [time series]

3,000 (2002)

Broadcast media (Radio broadcast stations) [time series]

AM 1, FM 3, shortwave 0 (1998)

Radios [time series]

174,849 (1997)

Telecommunication systems (Telephone system) [time series]

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

Telephones - fixed lines (Telephones - main lines in use) [time series]

8,183 (1998)

Telephones - mobile cellular [time series]

1,545 (February 1998)

Broadcast media (Television broadcast stations) [time series]

6 (1997)

Televisions [time series]

8,634 (1999)

Agricultural products (Agriculture - products) [time series]

coconuts, bananas, taro, yams

Budget [time series]

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

Exchange rates (Currency) [time series]

tala (WST)

Exchange rates (Currency code) [time series]

WST

Debt - external [time series]

$192 million (1999)

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

$42.9 million (1995) (1995)

Economic overview (Economy - overview) [time series]

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.

Electricity - consumption [time series]

95.79 million kWh (2000)

Electricity - exports [time series]

0 kWh (2000)

Electricity - imports [time series]

0 kWh (2000)

Electricity - production [time series]

103 million kWh (2000)

Electricity - production by source [time series]

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

Exchange rates [time series]

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

Exports [time series]

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

Exports - commodities [time series]

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

Exports - partners [time series]

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

Fiscal year [time series]

calendar year

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

purchasing power parity - $618 million (2001 est.)

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

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

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

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

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

6% (2001 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share [time series]

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

Imports [time series]

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

Imports - commodities [time series]

machinery and equipment, industrial supplies, foodstuffs

Imports - partners [time series]

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

Industrial production growth rate [time series]

2.8% (2000)

Industries [time series]

food processing, building materials, auto parts

Inflation rate (consumer prices) [time series]

2.5% (2001 est.)

Labor force [time series]

90,000 (2000 est.)

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%; note - substantial underemployment

Area [time series]

total: 2,944 sq km water: 10 sq km land: 2,934 sq km

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 [time series]

soil erosion

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

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

Geographic coordinates [time series]

13 35 S, 172 20 W

Geography - note [time series]

occupies an almost central position within Polynesia

Irrigated land [time series]

NA sq km

Land boundaries [time series]

0 km

Land use [time series]

arable land: 19.43% permanent crops: 23.67% other: 56.9% (1998 est.)

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, hydropower

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

Diplomatic representation from the US [time series]

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

Diplomatic representation in the US [time series]

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

Executive branch [time series]

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

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

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 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

National holiday [time series]

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

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

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

NA

Suffrage [time series]

21 years of age; universal

Background [time series]

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.

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

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

no regular armed services; Samoa Police Force

Military expenditures - dollar figure [time series]

$NA

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

NA%

Age structure [time series]

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.)

Birth rate [time series]

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

Death rate [time series]

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

Ethnic groups [time series]

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

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate [time series]

NA%

HIV/AIDS - deaths [time series]

NA

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS [time series]

NA

Infant mortality rate [time series]

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

Languages [time series]

Samoan (Polynesian), English

Life expectancy at birth [time series]

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

Literacy [time series]

definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 80% male: 81% female: 79% (1999)

Nationality [time series]

noun: Samoan(s) adjective: Samoan

Net migration rate [time series]

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

Population [time series]

178,631 (July 2002 est.)

Population growth rate [time series]

-0.25% (2002 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: 1.69 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.86 male(s)/female total population: 1.39 male(s)/female (2002 est.)

Total fertility rate [time series]

3.3 children born/woman (2002 est.)

Disputes - international [time series]

none

Airports [time series]

3 (2001)

Airports - with paved runways [time series]

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

Airports - with unpaved runways [time series]

total: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2002)

Roadways (Highways) [time series]

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

Merchant marine [time series]

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.)

Ports (Ports and harbors) [time series]

Apia, Asau, Mulifanua, Salelologa

Railways [time series]

0 km

Waterways [time series]

none