Samoa

Independent State of Western Samoa

constitutional monarchy under native chiefIndependence 1 January 1962 (from New Zealand-administered UN

Samoa as the 1996 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 84 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

Position13 35 S, 172 20 W

Area2,860 sq km

LocationOceania, group of islands in the South Pacific Ocean,

Populationas each edition published it

214,384 people July 1996 est. · 186,031 in 1990

Population growth% a year

2.37% 1996 est. · 2.37% in 1993

Median ageyears

Not in this edition 23.7 yrs in 2003

Life expectancyyears at birth

68.73 years 1996 est. · 67.58 yrs in 1993

Fertility ratechildren per woman

3.93 children per woman 1996 est. · 4.6 in 1990

Infant mortalitydeaths per 1,000 live births

34.3 deaths per 1,000 live births 1996 est. · 48 in 1990

GDP per capitaeach edition's own dollars

$1,900 1995 est. · $690 in 1993

GDP real growth% a year

5% 1995 est. · -4.5% in 1993

Geography

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

14 fields

Land useshare of 2,860 sq km

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

Area

2,860sq km

land area: 2,850 sq kmcomparative area: slightly smaller than Rhode Island

Coastline

403km

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

Location

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

Climate

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

Terrain

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

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

Environment

current issues:: soil erosion
natural hazards:: occasional typhoons; active volcanism
international agreements:: party to - Biodiversity, Climate Change, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection

People

15 fields

Population

214,384

(July 1996 est.)growth rate: 2.37% (1996 est.)

Per 1,000 population(1996 est.)

Birth

31.12Death

5.75Net migration

-1.67

Male · female(1996 est.)

TotalMale · femaleLife expectancy years68.73

66.35 · 71.24

TotalMale · femaleLiteracy97%

97% · 97%

MaleFemaleLiteracy age 15 and over can read and write (1971 est.)

Ethnic divisions

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

Age structure

0-14 years:: 40% (male 43,540; female 42,185)
15-64 years:: 56% (male 62,742; female 57,323)
65 years and over:: 4% (male 4,089; female 4,505) (July 1996 est.)

Sex ratio

at birth:: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years:: 1.03 male(s)/female
15-64 years:: 1.1 male(s)/female
65 years and over:: 0.91 male(s)/female
all ages:: 1.06 male(s)/female (1996 est.)

Infant mortality rate

34.3 deaths/1,000 live births (1996 est.)

Nationality

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

Religions

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)

Government

Constitutional monarchy under native chief; Chief Susuga MALIETOA Tanumafili II (co-chief of state from 1 January 1962 until becoming sole chief of state 5 April 1963); Prime Minister TOFILAU Eti Alesana (since 7 April 1988) was appointed by the chief of state with approval of the Legislative Assembly

21 fields

Legislature, 47 seatsone dot, one seat

HRPP 28SNDP 18independents 1

Name of country

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

Data code

Type of government

constitutional monarchy under native chief

Capital

Apia

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 New Zealand-administered UN trusteeship)

National holiday

National Day, 1 June (1962)

Constitution

1 January 1962

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

Suffrage

21 years of age; universal

Executive branch

chief of state:: Chief Susuga MALIETOA Tanumafili II (co-chief of state from 1 January 1962 until becoming sole chief of state 5 April 1963);
upon his death, a new chief of state will be elected by the Legislative Assembly to serve a five-year term
head of government:: Prime Minister TOFILAU Eti Alesana (since 7 April 1988) was appointed by the chief of state with approval of the Legislative Assembly
cabinet:: Cabinet was appointed by the chief of state with the prime minister's advice

Legislative branch

unicameral

Legislative Assembly (Fono)

elections last held 5 April 1991 (next to be held 26 April 1996);
results - percent of vote by party NA;
seats - (47 total) HRPP 28, SNDP 18, independents 1

note: only matai (head of family) are able to run for the Legislative Assembly

Judicial branch

Supreme Court; Court of Appeal

Political parties and leaders

Human Rights Protection Party (HRPP), TOFILAU Eti Alesana, chairman;
Samoan National Development Party (SNDP), TAPUA Tamasese Efi, chairman;
Samoan Progressive Conservative Party, LEOTA Ituau Ale;
Samoa All People's Party (SAPP), Matatumua MAIMOAGA

International organization participation

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

Diplomatic representation in US

chief of mission:: Ambassador Tuiloma Neroni SLADE
chancery:: 820 Second Avenue, Suite 800, New York, NY 10017
telephone:: [1] (212) 599-6196, 6197

FAX

[1] (212) 599-0797

US diplomatic representation

chief of mission:: Ambassador Josiah Horton BEEMAN (Ambassador to New Zealand and Western Samoa, resides in Wellington, New Zealand)
embassy:: 5th floor, Beach Road, Apia
mailing address:: P.O. Box 3430, Apia
telephone:: [685] 21631

FAX

[685] 22030

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 one-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.

20 fields

GDP per capita, PPP

$1,900

(1995 est.)

Real growth rate

(1995 est.)industrial production growth: NA%

Inflation, consumer prices

18%

(1994)

Labor force

45,635

(1986 est.)by occupation: agriculture 65%, services 30%, industry 5% (1995 est.)

Budget

Revenues

$78.6 millionExpenditures

$81.9 million (1995 est.)

expenditures including capital expenditures of $NA

Installed generating capacity, 29,000 kW

Electricity production

50 millionElectricity consumption per capita

200 (1993)

Economic overview

Agriculture employs more than one-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 supplement GDP and to support a level of imports much greater than export earnings.

Tourism has become the most important growth industry. The economy continued to falter in 1994, as remittances and tourist earnings remained low. Production of taro, the primary food export crop, dropped 97% in 1993/94 when a fungal disease threatened the country's basic food crops.

Nevertheless, the government is relying on recovery and further expansion in agricultural production to sustain economic growth of around 5% over the next several years.