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Communications

Internet country code [time series]

.ws

Internet users (Internet hosts) [time series]

13,985 (2009) country comparison to the world: 112

Internet users [time series]

9,000 (2008) country comparison to the world: 200

Broadcast media (Radio broadcast stations) [time series]

AM 2, FM 5, shortwave 0 (2004)

Telecommunication systems (Telephone system) [time series]

general assessment: adequate domestic: combined fixed-line and mobile-cellular teledensity roughly 70 telephones per 100 persons; coverage extended to roughly 95 percent of the country international: country code - 685; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)

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

28,800 (2008) country comparison to the world: 179

Telephones - mobile cellular [time series]

124,000 (2008) country comparison to the world: 180

Broadcast media (Television broadcast stations) [time series]

2 (2002)

Economy

Agricultural products (Agriculture - products) [time series]

coconuts, bananas, taro, yams, coffee, cocoa

Budget [time series]

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

Commercial bank prime lending rate [time series]

12.66% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 66 12.65% (31 December 2007)

Current account balance [time series]

-$24 million (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 67

Debt - external [time series]

$177 million (2004) country comparison to the world: 182

Economic overview (Economy - overview) [time series]

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; 122,000 tourists visited the islands in 2007. 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 [time series]

101.4 million kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 190

Electricity - exports [time series]

0 kWh (2008 est.)

Electricity - imports [time series]

0 kWh (2008 est.)

Electricity - production [time series]

109 million kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 189

Exchange rates [time series]

tala (SAT) per US dollar - NA (2007), 2.7594 (2006), 2.7103 (2005), 2.7807 (2004), 2.9732 (2003)

Exports [time series]

$131 million (2006) country comparison to the world: 187

Exports - commodities [time series]

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

Exports - partners [time series]

Australia 36.8%, American Samoa 35.3%, US 2.9% (2008)

GDP (official exchange rate) [time series]

$500 million (2008 est.)

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

$1.021 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 198 $1.057 billion (2007 est.) $996.5 million (2006 est.) note: data are in 2008 US dollars

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

agriculture: 11.6% industry: 13.1% services: 75.3% (2004 est.)

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

$4,700 (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 143 $4,900 (2007 est.) $4,700 (2006 est.) note: data are in 2008 US dollars

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

-3.4% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 214 6.1% (2007 est.) 1.9% (2006 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share [time series]

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

Imports [time series]

$324 million (2006) country comparison to the world: 191

Imports - commodities [time series]

machinery and equipment, industrial supplies, foodstuffs

Imports - partners [time series]

NZ 20.1%, Fiji 18.2%, Singapore 18.1%, China 8.7%, Australia 6.4% (2008)

Industrial production growth rate [time series]

2.8% (2000) country comparison to the world: 90

Industries [time series]

food processing, building materials, auto parts

Inflation rate (consumer prices) [time series]

6% (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 101

Labor force [time series]

66,270 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 179

Labor force - by occupation [time series]

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

Market value of publicly traded shares [time series]

$NA

Natural gas - consumption [time series]

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 120

Natural gas - exports [time series]

0 cu m (2008) country comparison to the world: 87

Natural gas - imports [time series]

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 112

Natural gas - production [time series]

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 112

Natural gas - proved reserves [time series]

0 cu m (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 120

Oil - consumption [time series]

1,000 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 188

Oil - exports [time series]

0 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 154

Oil - imports [time series]

1,105 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 189

Oil - production [time series]

0 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 121

Oil - proved reserves [time series]

0 bbl (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 114

Population below poverty line [time series]

NA%

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold [time series]

$70.15 million (FY03/04) country comparison to the world: 150

Stock of domestic credit [time series]

$208.5 million (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 123 $215.1 million (31 December 2007)

Stock of narrow money (Stock of money) [time series]

$60.13 million (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 116 $69.97 million (31 December 2007)

Stock of narrow money (Stock of quasi money) [time series]

$162.8 million (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 118 $168.7 million (31 December 2007)

Unemployment rate [time series]

NA%

Geography

Area [time series]

total: 2,831 sq km country comparison to the world: 177 land: 2,821 sq km water: 10 sq km

Area - comparative [time series]

slightly smaller than Rhode Island

Climate [time series]

tropical; rainy season (November to April), 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 (Savaii) 1,857 m

Environment - current issues [time series]

soil erosion, deforestation, invasive species, overfishing

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

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 [time series]

13 35 S, 172 20 W

Geography - note [time series]

occupies an almost central position within Polynesia

Irrigated land [time series]

Land boundaries [time series]

0 km

Land use [time series]

arable land: 21.13% permanent crops: 24.3% other: 54.57% (2005)

Location [time series]

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

Map references [time series]

Oceania

Maritime claims [time series]

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

Natural hazards [time series]

occasional typhoons; active volcanism

Natural resources [time series]

hardwood forests, fish, hydropower

Terrain [time series]

two main islands (Savaii, Upolu) and several smaller islands and uninhabited islets; narrow coastal plain with volcanic, rocky, rugged mountains in interior

Government

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]

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

Constitution [time series]

1 January 1962

Country name [time series]

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 [time series]

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 [time series]

chief of mission: Ambassador Aliioaiga Feturi ELISAIA chancery: 800 Second Avenue, Suite 400J, New York, NY 10017 telephone: [1] (212) 599-6196 through 6197 FAX: [1] (212) 599-0797 consulate(s) general: Pago Pago (American Samoa)

Executive branch [time series]

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 (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]

parliamentary democracy

Independence [time series]

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

International organization participation [time series]

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 [time series]

Court of Appeal; Supreme Court; District Court; Land and Titles Court

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 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 [time series]

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 (Political parties and leaders) [time series]

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

Suffrage [time series]

21 years of age; universal

Introduction

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

Manpower available for military service [time series]

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

Manpower fit for military service [time series]

males age 16-49: 43,169 females age 16-49: 40,957 (2009 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually [time series]

male: 2,597 female: 2,477 (2009 est.)

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 military forces; Samoa Police Force (2008)

Military expenditures [time series]

People

Age structure [time series]

0-14 years: 37.6% (male 42,117/female 40,603) 15-64 years: 56.7% (male 65,541/female 59,292) 65 years and over: 5.7% (male 5,538/female 6,907) (2009 est.)

Birth rate [time series]

28.06 births/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 54

Death rate [time series]

5.79 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 170

Education expenditure (Education expenditures) [time series]

4.3% of GDP (2002) country comparison to the world: 95

Ethnic groups [time series]

Samoan 92.6%, Euronesians (persons of European and Polynesian blood) 7%, Europeans 0.4% (2001 census)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate [time series]

HIV/AIDS - deaths [time series]

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

Infant mortality rate [time series]

total: 24.22 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 90 male: 28.61 deaths/1,000 live births female: 19.6 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Languages [time series]

Samoan (Polynesian), English

Life expectancy at birth [time series]

total population: 71.86 years country comparison to the world: 124 male: 69.03 years female: 74.84 years (2009 est.)

Literacy [time series]

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

Median age [time series]

total: 20.8 years male: 21 years female: 20.5 years (2009 est.)

Nationality [time series]

noun: Samoan(s) adjective: Samoan

Net migration rate [time series]

-8.81 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 174

Population [time series]

219,998 country comparison to the world: 184 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 2009 est.)

Population growth rate [time series]

1.346% (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 101

Religions [time series]

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) [time series]

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

Sex ratio [time series]

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: 0.8 male(s)/female total population: 1.06 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Total fertility rate [time series]

4.16 children born/woman (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 44

Urbanization [time series]

urban population: 23% of total population (2008) rate of urbanization: 1.7% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Transnational Issues

Disputes - international [time series]

none

Transportation

Airports [time series]

4 (2009) country comparison to the world: 186

Airports - with paved runways [time series]

total: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2009)

Airports - with unpaved runways [time series]

total: 2 under 914 m: 2 (2009)

Merchant marine [time series]

total: 1 country comparison to the world: 154 by type: cargo 1 foreign-owned: 1 (Cyprus 1) (2008)

Ports (Ports and terminals) [time series]

Apia

Roadways [time series]

total: 2,337 km country comparison to the world: 170 paved: 332 km unpaved: 2,005 km (2001)