Samoa

Independent State of Western Samoa

constitutional monarchy under native chief

Samoa as the 1993 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 73 fields, one of 36 editions from 1990 to 2025.

field in that editiontext changed from the edition beforenot in that editionthe open editionEach field below ends in its editions, 1990 to 2025. Point at a year above to follow it down.

CapitalApia

Area2,860 km2 land area:

LocationOceania, 4,300 km southwest of Honolulu in the South Pacific Ocean, about

Populationas each edition published it

199,652 people July 1993 est. · 186,031 in 1990

Population growth% a year

2.37% 1993 est. · 0.66% in 2025

Median ageyears

Not in this edition 23.7 yrs in 2003

Life expectancyyears at birth

67.58 years 1993 est. · 75.7 yrs in 2025

Fertility ratechildren per woman

4.28 children per woman 1993 est. · 4.6 in 1990

Infant mortalitydeaths per 1,000 live births

38.6 deaths per 1,000 live births 1993 est. · 48 in 1990

GDP per capitaeach edition's own dollars

$690 1990 · $6,900 in 2025

GDP real growth% a year

-4.5% 1990 est. · 9.4% in 2025

Geography

Oceania, 4,300 km southwest of Honolulu in the South Pacific Ocean, about | halfway between Hawaii and New Zealand

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Land use

arable land 19%permanent crops 24%meadows and pastures 0%forest and woodland 47%other 10%

Coastline

403km

land boundaries: 0 kmexclusive economic zone: 200 nmterritorial sea: 12 nm

Location

Oceania, 4,300 km southwest of Honolulu in the South Pacific Ocean, about halfway between Hawaii and New Zealand

Map references

Oceania, Standard Time Zones of the World

Area

total area:: 2,860 km2 land area: 2,850 km2
comparative area:: slightly smaller than Rhode Island

Climate

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

Terrain

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

Environment

subject to occasional typhoons; active volcanism

People

14 fields

Population

199,652

(July 1993 est.)growth rate: 2.37% (1993 est.)

Per 1,000 population(1993 est.)

Birth

33Death

6.17Net migration

-3.14

Ethnic divisions

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

Labor force

38,000

by occupation: agriculture 22,000 (1987 est.)

Literacy

15and over can read and write

age · (1971)total population: 97%male: 97%female: 97%

Infant mortality rate

38.6 deaths/1,000 live births (1993 est.)

Life expectancy at birth

total population:: 67.58 years male: 65.19 years
female:: 70.08 years (1993 est.)

Nationality

noun:: Western Samoan(s)
adjective:: Western Samoan

Religions

Christian 99.7% (about half of population associated with the London Missionary Society; includes Congregational, Roman Catholic, Methodist, Latter Day Saints, Seventh-Day Adventist)

Government

Constitutional monarchy under native chief

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Names

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

Type

constitutional monarchy under native chief

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 UN trusteeship administered by New Zealand)

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

Political parties and leaders

Human Rights Protection Party (HRPP), TOFILAU Eti, chairman; Samoan National Development Party (SNDP), TAPUA Tamasese Efi, chairman

Suffrage

21 years of age; universal, but only matai (head of family) are able to run for the Legislative Assembly

Elections

Legislative Assembly:: last held 5 April 1991 (next to be held by NA 1996);
results - percent of vote by party NA;
seats - (47 total) HRPP 28, SNDP 18, independents 1

Executive branch

chief, Executive Council, prime minister, Cabinet

Leaders

Chief of State:: Chief Susuga Malietoa TANUMAFILI II (Co-Chief of State from 1 January 1962 until becoming sole Chief of State on 5 April 1963)
Head of Government:: Prime Minister TOFILAU Eti Alesana (since 7 April 1988)

Member of

ACP, AsDB, C, ESCAP, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICFTU, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IMF, IOC, ITU, LORCS, SPARTECA, SPC, SPF, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UPU, WHO

Diplomatic representation in US

chief of mission:: Ambassador-designate Neroni SLADE
chancery:: (temporary) suite 510, 1155 15th Street NW, Washington, DC 20005
telephone:: (202) 833-1743

US diplomatic representation

chief of mission:: the ambassador to New Zealand is accredited to Western Samoa
embassy:: address NA, Apia
mailing address:: P.O. Box 3430, Apia
telephone:: (685) 21-631
FAX:: (685) 22-030

Flag

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

Economy

Agriculture employs more than half of the labor force, contributes 50% to | GDP, and furnishes 90% of exports.

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GDP per capita, PPP

$690

(1990)

Real growth rate

-4.5%

(1990 est.)industrial production growth: growth rate -4% (1990 est.); accounts for 14% of GDP

Inflation, consumer prices

15%

(1990)

External debt

$83million

(December 1990 est.)

Budget

Revenues

$95.3 millionExpenditures

$95.4 million

expenditures, including capital expenditures of $41 million (FY92)

Agriculture employs more than half of the labor force, contributes 50% to GDP, and furnishes 90% of exports. The bulk of export earnings comes from the sale of coconut oil and copra. The economy depends on emigrant remittances and foreign aid to support a level of imports several times export earnings. Tourism has become the most important growth industry, and construction of the first international hotel is under way.

National product

GDP - exchange rate conversion - $115 million (1990)

Unemployment rate

NA%

Exports

$9 million (f.o.b., 1990)

commodities:: coconut oil and cream 54%, taro 12%, copra 9%, cocoa 3%
partners:: NZ 28%, American Samoa 23%, Germany 22%, US 6% (1990)

Imports

$75 million (c.i.f., 1990)

commodities:: intermediate goods 58%, food 17%, capital goods 12%
partners:: New Zealand 41%, Australia 18%, Japan 13%, UK 6%, US 6%

Electricity

29,000 kW capacity; 45 million kWh produced, 240 kWh per capita (1990)

Industries

timber, tourism, food processing, fishing

Agriculture

accounts for 50% of GDP; coconuts, fruit (including bananas, taro, yams)

Economic aid

US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-89), $18 million;
Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-89), $306 million;
OPEC bilateral aid (1979-89), $4 million

Communications

5 fields

Highways

2,042 km total;
375 km sealed;
1,667 km mostly gravel, crushed stone, or earth

total:: 3
usable:: 3
with permanent-surface runways:: 1
with runways over 3,659 m:: 0
with runways 2,440-3,659 m:: 1
with runways 1,220-2,439 m:: 0

Telecommunications

7,500 telephones;
70,000 radios;
broadcast stations - 1 AM, no FM, no TV;
1 Pacific Ocean INTELSAT ground station

Defense Forces

Department of Police and Prisons

3 fields

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