Samoa

Independent State of Samoa

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

Samoa as the 1999 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 98 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

229,979 people July 1999 est. · 186,031 in 1990

Population growth% a year

2.3% 1999 est. · 2.37% in 1993

Median ageyears

Not in this edition 23.7 yrs in 2003

Life expectancyyears at birth

69.82 years 1999 est. · 67.58 yrs in 1993

Fertility ratechildren per woman

3.61 children per woman 1999 est. · 4.6 in 1990

Infant mortalitydeaths per 1,000 live births

30.5 deaths per 1,000 live births 1999 est. · 48 in 1990

GDP per capitaeach edition's own dollars

$2,100 1997 est. · $690 in 1993

GDP real growth% a year

3.4% 1997 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

17 fields

Land useshare of 2,860 sq km

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

Area

2,860sq km

land: 2,850 sq kmwater: 10 sq kmslightly smaller than Rhode Island

Coastline

403km

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

Highest point

1,857m

Mauga Silisililowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m

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

Environment--international agreements

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

People

15 fields

Population

229,979

(July 1999 est.)note: other estimates range as low as 162,000growth rate: 2.3% (1999 est.)

Per 1,000 population(1999 est.)

Birth

28.81Death

5.4Net migration

-0.39

Male · female

TotalMale · femaleLife expectancy years (1999 est.)69.82

67.43 · 72.33

TotalMale · femaleLiteracy (1971 est.)97%

97% · 97%

MaleFemaleLiteracy definition: age 15 and over can read and write

Ethnic groups

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

Age structure

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.)

Sex ratio

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.)

Infant mortality rate

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

Nationality

noun:: Samoan(s)
adjective:: 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 (cochief of state from 1 January 1962 until becoming sole chief of state 5 April 1963); Prime Minister TUILA'EPA Sailele Malielegaoi (since 24 November 1998)

18 fields

Presidential electionpercent of vote

45.17%

-HRPP 45.17%SNDP 27.1%independents 23.7%last held 26 April 1996 (next to be held by NA April 2001)

Legislature, 49 seats, elected 26 April 1996one dot, one seat

-HRPP 25SNDP 13independents 11

Percent of vote

-HRPP 45.17%SNDP 27.1%independents 23.7%

Country name

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

Data code

Government type

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 (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

Legislative branch

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

Judicial branch

Supreme Court; Court of Appeal

Political parties and leaders

Human Rights Protection Party or

International organization participation

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

Diplomatic representation in the US

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

Diplomatic representation from the US

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

Flag description

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

Economy

The economy of Samoa has traditionally been | dependent on development aid, private family remittances from | overseas, and agricultural exports.

31 fields

GDP per capita, PPP

$2,100

purchasing power parity? · (1997 est.)

Real growth rate

3.4%

(1997 est.)industrial production growth: 14% (1996 est.)

Inflation, consumer prices

2.2%

(1998 est.)

Labor force

82,500

(1991 est.)

GDP--composition by sector(1996 est.)

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

Budget

Revenues

$52 millionExpenditures

$99 million

expenditures including capital expenditures of $37 million (FY96/97 est.)

Electricity

fossil fuel 61.54%hydro 38.46%nuclear 0% · other 0%

Electricity production

65 million (1996)Electricity consumption

65 million (1996)

Economy--overview

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.

Communications

6 fields

Fixed lines

7,500

(1988 est.)

Telephone system

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

Transportation

6 fields

Airports by runway lengthunpaved only

under 914 m

Networkskm

Highways

790Railways

Highways: paved: 332 km · unpaved: 458 km (1996 est.)

Highways

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

Military

No regular armed services; Samoa Police Force

4 fields

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

Transnational Issues

1 field

Disputes--international

none

Central Intelligence Agency. “Samoa.” The World Factbook 1999. Archived by The Factbook, thefactbook.org/samoa/1999.

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