Samoa

Broadcast media

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)

Internet country code

.ws

Internet hosts

18,013 (2012) country comparison to the world: 120

Internet users

9,000 (2009) country comparison to the world: 202

Telephone system

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)

Telephones - main lines in use

35,300 (2010) country comparison to the world: 173

Telephones - mobile cellular

167,400 (2010) country comparison to the world: 183

Agriculture - products

coconuts, bananas, taro, yams, coffee, cocoa

Budget

revenues: $258.6 million expenditures: $301.7 million (2012 est.)

Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-)

-6.1% of GDP (2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 173

Commercial bank prime lending rate

10.4% (31 December 2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 91 9.97% (31 December 2011 est.)

Current account balance

-$76.11 million (2011 est.) country comparison to the world: 67 -$58.66 million (2010 est.)

Debt - external

$235.5 million (31 December 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 183 $177 million (2004)

Economy - overview

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 roughly two-thirds of the labor force and furnishes 90% of exports, featuring coconut cream, coconut oil, and copra. 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. 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. 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.

Exchange rates

tala (SAT) per US dollar - 2.32 (2012 est.) 2.3175 (2011 est.) 2.4847 (2010 est.)

Exports

$27.38 million (2011 est.) country comparison to the world: 205 $27.38 million (2011 est.)

Exports - commodities

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

Exports - partners

American Samoa 50%, Australia 23.6% (2011)

Fiscal year

June 1 - May 31

GDP (official exchange rate)

$712 million (2012 est.)

GDP (purchasing power parity)

$1.128 billion (2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 203 $1.112 billion (2011 est.) $1.09 billion (2010 est.) note: data are in 2012 US dollars

GDP - composition by sector

agriculture: 9.2% industry: 28.6% services: 62.2% (2012 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP)

$6,200 (2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 141 $6,100 (2011 est.) $6,000 (2010 est.) note: data are in 2012 US dollars

GDP - real growth rate

1.5% (2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 152 2% (2011 est.) 0.4% (2010 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

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

Imports

$318.7 million (2011 est.) country comparison to the world: 196 $280 million (2010 est.)

Imports - commodities

machinery and equipment, industrial supplies, foodstuffs

Imports - partners

NZ 23.9%, Fiji 17.1%, Singapore 15.4%, China 8.4%, Japan 8.1%, Australia 6.7%, US 5.3% (2011)

Industrial production growth rate

2.8% (2000) country comparison to the world: 111

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

3.7% (2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 110 5.2% (2011 est.)

Labor force

66,270 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 186

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture: 65% industry: NA% services: NA%

Market value of publicly traded shares

$NA

Population below poverty line

NA%

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

$166.8 million (31 December 2011 est.) country comparison to the world: 160 $209.5 million (31 December 2010 est.)

Stock of broad money

$327.9 million (31 December 2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 185 $307.6 million (31 December 2011 est.)

Stock of domestic credit

$301.7 million (31 December 2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 179 $304 million (31 December 2011 est.)

Stock of narrow money

$100.3 million (31 December 2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 183 $97.65 million (31 December 2011 est.)

Taxes and other revenues

36.3% of GDP (2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 64

Unemployment rate

NA%

Carbon dioxide emissions from consumption of energy

147,400 Mt (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 202

Crude oil - exports

0 bbl/day (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 207

Crude oil - imports

0 bbl/day (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 143

Crude oil - production

0 bbl/day (2011 est.) country comparison to the world: 207

Crude oil - proved reserves

0 bbl (1 January 2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 206

Electricity - consumption

96.91 million kWh (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 196

Electricity - exports

0 kWh (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 149

Electricity - from fossil fuels

70.6% of total installed capacity (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 105

Electricity - from hydroelectric plants

29.2% of total installed capacity (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 79

Electricity - from nuclear fuels

0% of total installed capacity (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 205

Electricity - from other renewable sources

0.2% of total installed capacity (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 87

Electricity - imports

0 kWh (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 150

Electricity - installed generating capacity

41,100 kW (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 187

Electricity - production

104.2 million kWh (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 196

Natural gas - consumption

0 cu m (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 210

Natural gas - exports

0 cu m (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 81

Natural gas - imports

0 cu m (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 80

Natural gas - production

0 cu m (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 210

Natural gas - proved reserves

0 cu m (1 January 2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 207

Refined petroleum products - consumption

1,070 bbl/day (2011 est.) country comparison to the world: 199

Refined petroleum products - exports

0 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 145

Refined petroleum products - imports

1,125 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 191

Refined petroleum products - production

0 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 211

Area

total: 2,831 sq km country comparison to the world: 178 land: 2,821 sq km water: 10 sq km

Area - comparative

slightly smaller than Rhode Island

Climate

tropical; rainy season (November to April), dry season (May to October)

Coastline

403 km

Elevation extremes

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

Environment - current issues

soil erosion, deforestation, invasive species, overfishing

Environment - international agreements

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

13 35 S, 172 20 W

Geography - note

occupies an almost central position within Polynesia

Irrigated land

NA

Land boundaries

0 km

Land use

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

Location

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

Map references

Oceania

Maritime claims

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

Natural hazards

occasional typhoons; active volcanism volcanism: Savai'I Island (elev. 1,858 m), which last erupted in 1911, is historically active

Natural resources

hardwood forests, fish, hydropower

Terrain

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

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

Capital

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

Constitution

1 January 1962

Country name

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

chief of mission: 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

chief of mission: Ambassador Aliioaiga Feturi ELISAIA chancery: 800 Second Avenue, Suite 400D, 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

chief of state: TUIATUA 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 consists of 12 members appointed by the chief of state on the prime minister's advice (For more information visit theWorld Leaders website) elections: chief of state elected by the Legislative Assembly to serve a five-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 with the approval of the Legislative Assembly election results: TUIATUA Tupua Tamasese Efi unanimously elected by the Legislative Assembly

Flag description

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

Government type

parliamentary democracy

Independence

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

International law organization participation

has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

International organization participation

ACP, ADB, AOSIS, C, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, 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

Judicial branch

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

Legal system

mixed legal system of English common law and customary law; judicial review of legislative acts with respect to fundamental rights of the citizen

Legislative branch

unicameral Legislative Assembly or Fono (49 seats, 47 members 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 on 4 March 2011 (next election to be held not later than March 2016) election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - HRPP 29, Tautua Samoa 13, independents 7

National anthem

name: "O le Fu"a o le Sa"olotoga o Samoa" (The Banner of Freedom) lyrics/music: Sauni Iiga KURESA note: adopted 1962; the anthem is also known as "Samoa Tula'i" (Samoa Arise)

National holiday

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

National symbol(s)

Southern Cross constellation (five, five-pointed stars)

Political parties and leaders

Human Rights Protection Party or HRPP [Sailele Malielegaoi TUILA'EPA]; Samoa Christian Party or TCP [Tuala Tiresa MALIETOA]; Samoa Progressive Political Party or SPPP [NA]; Tautua Samoa [Palusalue FA'APO II]

Political pressure groups and leaders

NA

Suffrage

21 years of age; universal

Background

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.

Manpower available for military service

males age 16-49: 47,906 (2010 est.)

Manpower fit for military service

males age 16-49: 38,260 females age 16-49: 38,032 (2010 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually

male: 2,221 female: 2,062 (2010 est.)

Military - note

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 branches

no regular military forces; Samoa Police Force (2008)

Military expenditures

NA

Age structure

0-14 years: 34.7% (male 34,764/ female 32,618) 15-64 years: 60% (male 60,271/ female 56,367) 65 years and over: 5.3% (male 4,526/ female 5,774) (2012 est.)

Birth rate

22.1 births/1,000 population (2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 76

Death rate

5.34 deaths/1,000 population (July 2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 175

Education expenditures

5.7% of GDP (2008) country comparison to the world: 37

Ethnic groups

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

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths

NA

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

NA

Health expenditures

7% of GDP (2009) country comparison to the world: 81

Hospital bed density

0.97 beds/1,000 population (2005)

Infant mortality rate

total: 21.85 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 88 male: 25.85 deaths/1,000 live births female: 17.66 deaths/1,000 live births (2012 est.)

Languages

Samoan (Polynesian) (official), English

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 72.66 years country comparison to the world: 128 male: 69.79 years female: 75.68 years (2012 est.)

Literacy

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

Major cities - population

APIA (capital) 36,000 (2009)

Maternal mortality rate

100 deaths/100,000 live births (2010) country comparison to the world: 71

Median age

total: 22.5 years male: 22.3 years female: 22.7 years (2012 est.)

Nationality

noun: Samoan(s) adjective: Samoan

Net migration rate

-10.81 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 211

Physicians density

0.27 physicians/1,000 population (2005)

Population

194,320 (July 2012 est.) 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

Population growth rate

0.596% (2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 144

Religions

Protestant 59.9% (Congregationalist 34.8%, Methodist 15%, Assembly of God 6.6%, Seventh-Day Adventist 3.5%), Roman Catholic 19.6%, Mormon 12.7%, Worship Centre 1.3%, other Christian 4.5%, other 1.9%, unspecified 0.1% (2001 census)

Sanitation facility access

improved: urban: 100% of population rural: 100% of population total: 100% of population

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

total: 12 years male: 12 years female: 13 years (2005)

Sex ratio

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.07 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.07 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.78 male(s)/female total population: 1.05 male(s)/female (2011 est.)

Total fertility rate

3.13 children born/woman (2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 56

Unemployment, youth ages 15-24

total: 12.2% country comparison to the world: 89 male: 10.6% female: 15.5% (2001)

Urbanization

urban population: 20% of total population (2010) rate of urbanization: 0% annual rate of change (2010-15 est.)

Disputes - international

none

Airports

4 (2012) country comparison to the world: 187

Airports - with paved runways

total: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 (2012)

Airports - with unpaved runways

total: 3 under 914 m: 3 (2012)

Merchant marine

total: 2 country comparison to the world: 145 by type: cargo 1, passenger/cargo 1 foreign-owned: 1 (NZ 1) (2010)

Ports and terminals

Apia

Roadways

total: 2,337 km country comparison to the world: 171 paved: 332 km unpaved: 2,005 km (2001)