Head of state: Tuiatua Tupua Tamasese Efi Prime minister: Tuila'epa Sailele Malielegaoi
Prime minister: Benjamin Netanyahu
Population
194,320
7,590,758
Life Expectancy
72.660 years
81.070 years
Capital City
Jerusalem
Largest city
Apia (population: 40,407)
Jerusalem (population: 714,000)
Human Development Index
0.76
0.93
GDP per capita
$31,400 US
Literacy Rate
99.7%
97.1%
Corruption Perception Index
4.4
6
Percentage of Women in Parliament
8.2%
14.2%
Wealthiest Citizens
NA
Sammy Ofer & family ($4.0bn US)
Unemployment Rate
5.600%
Death Penalty
Abolished
Abolished except for special circumstances
Political System
parliamentary democracy
parliamentary democracy
Independence date
14 May 1948 (from League of Nations mandate under British administration)
Religions
Congregationalist 34.8%, Roman Catholic 19.6%, Methodist 15%, Latter-Day Saints 12.7%, Assembly of God 6.6%, Seventh-Day Adventist 3.5%, Worship Centre 1.3%, other Christian 4.5%, other 1.9%, unspecified 0.1% (2001 census)
Jewish 76.4%, Muslim 16%, Arab Christians 1.7%, other Christian 0.4%, Druze 1.6%, unspecified 3.9% (2004)
Languages
Samoan (Polynesian), English
Hebrew (official), Arabic used officially for Arab minority, English most commonly used foreign language
Exports
machinery and equipment, software, cut diamonds, agricultural products, chemicals, textiles and apparel
External Debt
$102,300,000,000 US
Exchange Rate
new Israeli shekels (ILS) per US dollar - 3.56 (2008 est.), 4.14 (2007), 4.4565 (2006), 4.4877 (2005), 4.482 (2004)
Military Budget as percentage of GDP
7.300%
Beijing Olympics Medal Count
0
1
Location
Oceania, group of islands in the South Pacific Ocean, about half way between Hawaii and New Zealand
Middle East, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between Egypt and Lebanon
Area
2,831 km sq
20,770 km sq
Coastline
403 km
273 km
Climate
tropical; rainy season (November to April), dry season (May to October)
temperate; hot and dry in southern and eastern desert areas
