Introduction :: SAMOA
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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.
Geography :: SAMOA
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Oceania, group of islands in the South Pacific Ocean, about halfway between Hawaii and New Zealand
13 35 S, 172 20 W
Oceania
total: 2,831 sq km
land: 2,821 sq km
water: 10 sq km
country comparison to the world: 178
slightly smaller than Rhode Island
0 km
403 km
territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 24 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
tropical; rainy season (November to April), dry season (May to October)
two main islands (Savaii, Upolu) and several smaller islands and uninhabited islets; narrow coastal plain with volcanic, rugged mountains in interior
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: Mount Silisili 1,857 m
hardwood forests, fish, hydropower
agricultural land: 12.4%
arable land 2.8%; permanent crops 7.8%; permanent pasture 1.8%
forest: 60.4%
other: 27.2% (2011 est.)
NA
occasional typhoons; active volcanism
volcanism: Savai'I Island (elev. 1,858 m), which last erupted in 1911, is historically active
soil erosion, deforestation, invasive species, overfishing
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
occupies an almost central position within Polynesia
People and Society :: SAMOA
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noun: Samoan(s)
adjective: Samoan
Samoan 92.6%, Euronesians (persons of European and Polynesian blood) 7%, Europeans 0.4% (2001 census)
Samoan (Polynesian) (official), English
Protestant 57.4% (Congregationalist 31.8%, Methodist 13.7%, Assembly of God 8%, Seventh-Day Adventist 3.9%), Roman Catholic 19.4%, Mormon 15.2%, Worship Centre 1.7%, other Christian 5.5%, other 0.7%, none 0.1%, unspecified 0.1% (2011 est.)
197,773
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 2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 185
0-14 years: 32.72% (male 33,393/female 31,324)
15-24 years: 19.96% (male 20,253/female 19,217)
25-54 years: 35.58% (male 36,374/female 33,993)
55-64 years: 6.24% (male 6,283/female 6,057)
65 years and over: 5.5% (male 4,730/female 6,149) (2015 est.)
population pyramid:
total dependency ratio: 74%
youth dependency ratio: 64.9%
elderly dependency ratio: 9.1%
potential support ratio: 11% (2015 est.)
total: 23.5 years
male: 23.3 years
female: 23.8 years (2015 est.)
0.58% (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 152
20.87 births/1,000 population (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 78
5.32 deaths/1,000 population (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 178
-9.78 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 215
urban population: 19.1% of total population (2015)
rate of urbanization: -0.24% annual rate of change (2010-15 est.)
APIA (capital) 37,000 (2014)
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
0-14 years: 1.07 male(s)/female
15-24 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
25-54 years: 1.07 male(s)/female
55-64 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.77 male(s)/female
total population: 1.04 male(s)/female (2015 est.)
51 deaths/100,000 live births (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 72
total: 19.57 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 23.1 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 15.87 deaths/1,000 live births (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 90
total population: 73.46 years
male: 70.58 years
female: 76.48 years (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 131
2.84 children born/woman (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 60
28.7% (2009)
7.5% of GDP (2013)
country comparison to the world: 83
0.45 physicians/1,000 population (2008)
1 beds/1,000 population (2005)
improved:
urban: 97.5% of population
rural: 99.3% of population
total: 99% of population
unimproved:
urban: 2.5% of population
rural: 0.7% of population
total: 1% of population (2015 est.)
improved:
urban: 93.3% of population
rural: 91.1% of population
total: 91.5% of population
unimproved:
urban: 6.7% of population
rural: 8.9% of population
total: 8.5% of population (2015 est.)
NA
NA
NA
41.6% (2014)
country comparison to the world: 6
5.8% of GDP (2008)
country comparison to the world: 48
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 99%
male: 99.1%
female: 98.8% (2015 est.)
total: 19.1%
male: 15.6%
female: 25.3% (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 75
Government :: SAMOA
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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
note: the name "Samoa" is composed of two parts, "sa" meaning sacred and "moa" meaning center, so the name can mean Holy Center; alternatively, it can mean "place of the sacred moa bird" of Polynesian mythology
parliamentary democracy
name: Apia
geographic coordinates: 13 49 S, 171 46 W
time difference: UTC+13 (18 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
+1hr, begins last Sunday in September; ends first Sunday in April
11 districts; A'ana, Aiga-i-le-Tai, Atua, Fa'asaleleaga, Gaga'emauga, Gagaifomauga, Palauli, Satupa'itea, Tuamasaga, Va'a-o-Fonoti, Vaisigano
1 January 1962 (from New Zealand-administered UN trusteeship)
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
several previous (preindependence); latest 1 January 1962; amended several times, last in 2015 (2015)
mixed legal system of English common law and customary law; judicial review of legislative acts with respect to fundamental rights of the citizen
has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction
citizenship by birth: no
citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of Samoa
dual citizenship recognized: no
residency requirement for naturalization: 5 years
21 years of age; universal
chief of state: TUI ATUA Tupua Tamasese Efi (since 20 June 2007)
head of government: Prime Minister TUILA'EPA Lupesoliai Sailele Malielegaoi (since 1998); Deputy Prime Minister FONOTOE Pierre Lauofo (since 2011)
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the chief of state on the prime minister's advice
elections/appointments: chief of state indirectly elected by the Legislative Assembly to serve a 5-year term (no term limits); election last held on 20 July 2012 (next to be held in 2017); following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party usually appointed prime minister by the chief of state, approved by the Legislative Assembly
election results: TUI ATUA Tupua Tamasese Efi unanimously elected by the Legislative Assembly
description: unicameral Legislative Assembly or Fono (49 seats; 47 members - traditional family chiefs or matai and 2 members - part-Samoan or non-Samoan - directly elected by simple majority vote; members serve 5-year terms)
elections: election last held on 4 March 2011 (next election to be held no later than March 2016)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - HRPP 29, Tautua Samoa 13, independents 7
highest court(s): Court of Appeal (consists of the chief justice and 2 Supreme Court judges and meets once or twice a year); Supreme Court (consists of the chief justice and several judges)
judge selection and term of office: chief justice appointed by the head of state upon the advice of the prime minister; other Supreme Court judges appointed by the Judicial Service Commission, a 3-member body chaired by the chief justice and includes the attorney general and an appointee of the Minister of Justice; judges normally appointed until retirement at age 68
subordinate courts: District Court; Magistrates' Courts; Land and Titles Courts; village fono or village chief councils
Human Rights Protection Party or HRPP [Sailele Malielegaoi TUILA'EPA]
Samoa Christian Party or TCP [Tuala Tiresa MALIETOA]
Samoa Progressive Political Party or SPPP [Toalepaiali'i Toesulusulu S'iueva POSE II]
Tautua Samoa [Leatinu'u Salole LESA]
NA
ACP, ADB, AOSIS, C, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IPU, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, OPCW, PIF, Sparteca, SPC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
chief of mission: Ambassador Aliioaiga Feturi ELISAIA (since 4 December 2003)
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)
chief of mission: the US does not have an embassy in Samoa; the 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
red with a blue rectangle in the upper hoist-side quadrant bearing five white five-pointed stars representing the Southern Cross constellation; red stands for courage, blue represents freedom, and white signifies purity
Southern Cross constellation (five, five-pointed stars); national colors: red, white, blue
name: "O le Fu'a o le Sa'olotoga o Samoa" (The Banner of Freedom)
lyrics/music: Sauni Liga KURESA
note: adopted 1962; also known as "Samoa Tula'i" (Samoa Arise)
Economy :: SAMOA
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The economy of Samoa has traditionally been dependent on development aid, family remittances from overseas, tourism, agriculture, and fishing. It has a nominal GDP of $780 million. Agriculture, including fishing, employs roughly two-thirds of the labor force and furnishes 90% of exports, featuring fish, coconut oil, nonu products, and taro. The manufacturing sector mainly processes agricultural products. One factory in the Foreign Trade Zone employs 1,000 people to make automobile electrical harnesses for an assembly plant in Australia, and is responsible for 65% of total exports. Industry accounts for nearly 15% of GDP while employing less than 6% of the work force. The service sector accounts for nearly three-quarters of GDP and employs approximately 50% of the labor force. Tourism is an expanding sector accounting for 25% of GDP; 132,000 tourists visited the islands in 2013. The country is vulnerable to devastating storms. In late September 2009, an earthquake and the resulting tsunami severely damaged Samoa, and nearby American Samoa, disrupting transportation and power generation, and resulting in about 200 deaths. In December 2012, extensive flooding and wind damage from Tropical Cyclone Evan killed four people, displaced over 6,000, and damaged or destroyed an estimated 1,500 homes in Samoa's Upolu Island. 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. Foreign reserves are in a relatively healthy state and inflation is low, but the external debt is approximately 55% of GDP. Samoa became the 155th member of the WTO in May 2012, and graduated from least developed country (LDC) status in January 2014.
$997 million (2014 est.)
$978.3 million (2013 est.)
$989 million (2012 est.)
note: data are in 2014 US dollars
country comparison to the world: 204
$827 million (2014 est.)
1.9% (2014 est.)
-1.1% (2013 est.)
1.2% (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 152
$5,200 (2014 est.)
$5,100 (2013 est.)
$5,200 (2012 est.)
note: data are in 2014 US dollars
country comparison to the world: 164
agriculture: 11.2%
industry: 30.2%
services: 58.6% (2012 est.)
coconuts, nonu, bananas, taro, yams, coffee, cocoa
food processing, building materials, auto parts
-2.1% (2014 est.)
country comparison to the world: 182
49,180 (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 194
agriculture: 65%
industry: NA%
services: NA%
NA%
NA%
lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA%
revenues: $257.3 million
expenditures: $300.2 million (2014 est.)
31.1% of GDP (2014 est.)
country comparison to the world: 84
-5.2% of GDP (2014 est.)
country comparison to the world: 174
June 1 - May 31
-0.4% (2014 est.)
0.6% (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 12
10% (31 December 2014 est.)
10.2% (31 December 2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 84
$113.8 million (31 December 2014 est.)
$104.1 million (31 December 2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 186
$366 million (31 December 2014 est.)
$318.7 million (31 December 2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 187
$371.4 million (31 December 2014 est.)
$319.1 million (31 December 2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 174
$NA
-$66 million (2014 est.)
-$21 million (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 77
$24 million (2013 est.)
$31.2 million (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 208
fish, coconut oil and cream, nonu, copra, taro, automotive parts, garments, beer
American Samoa 56.8%, Australia 18.3% (2014)
$325.3 million (2013 est.)
$308.4 million (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 197
machinery and equipment, industrial supplies, foodstuffs
Fiji 21.5%, NZ 20.5%, China 13.6%, South Korea 8.1%, Australia 5.9%, US 5.6%, Singapore 5.6% (2014)
$140.7 million (31 December 2014 est.)
$170.7 million (31 December 2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 163
$447.2 million (31 December 2013 est.)
$422.9 million (31 December 2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 181
tala (SAT) per US dollar -
2.3318 (2014 est.)
2.3318 (2013 est.)
2.29 (2012 est.)
2.3175 (2011 est.)
2.4847 (2010 est.)
Energy :: SAMOA
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97.2 million kWh (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 199
90.4 million kWh (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 200
0 kWh (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 216
0 kWh (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 218
42,000 kW (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 195
71.4% of total installed capacity (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 104
0% of total installed capacity (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 210
28.6% of total installed capacity (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 81
0% of total installed capacity (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 145
0 bbl/day (2014 est.)
country comparison to the world: 211
0 bbl/day (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 211
0 bbl/day (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 149
0 bbl (1 January 2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 211
0 bbl/day (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 148
1,100 bbl/day (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 199
0 bbl/day (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 146
1,150 bbl/day (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 194
0 cu m (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 149
0 cu m (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 212
0 cu m (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 211
0 cu m (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 82
0 cu m (1 January 2014 est.)
country comparison to the world: 208
161,000 Mt (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 199
Communications :: SAMOA
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total subscriptions: 11,800
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 6 (2014 est.)
country comparison to the world: 196
total: 106,500
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 54 (2014 est.)
country comparison to the world: 190
general assessment: adequate
domestic: combined fixed-line and mobile-cellular teledensity roughly 100 telephones per 100 persons
international: country code - 685; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean) (2007)
state-owned TV station privatized in 2008; 4 privately owned television broadcast stations; about a half dozen privately owned radio stations and one state-owned radio station; TV and radio broadcasts of several stations from American Samoa are available (2009)
AM 2, FM 5, shortwave 0 (2004)
2 (2002)
.ws
total: 27,600
percent of population: 14.1% (2014 est.)
country comparison to the world: 198
Transportation :: SAMOA
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4 (2013)
country comparison to the world: 188
total: 1
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 (2013)
total: 3
under 914 m:
3 (2013)
total: 2,337 km
paved: 332 km
unpaved: 2,005 km (2001)
country comparison to the world: 173
total: 2
by type: cargo 1, passenger/cargo 1
foreign-owned: 1 (NZ 1) (2010)
country comparison to the world: 145
major seaport(s): Apia
Military :: SAMOA
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no regular military forces; Samoa Police Force (2008)
males age 16-49: 47,906 (2010 est.)
males age 16-49: 38,260
females age 16-49: 38,032 (2010 est.)
male: 2,221
female: 2,062 (2010 est.)
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 :: SAMOA
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none
Central Intelligence Agency
