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| Introduction | Samoa |
| 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. |
| People | Samoa |
| Population: | 177,714 (July 2004 est.) |
| Age structure: | 0-14 years: 28.3% (male 25,548; female 24,668) 15-64 years: 65.5% (male 72,820; female 43,563) 65 years and over: 6.3% (male 5,096; female 6,019) (2004 est.) |
| Median age: | total: 24.2 years male: 26.8 years female: 20.8 years (2004 est.) |
| Population growth rate: | -0.25% (2004 est.) |
| Birth rate: | 15.69 births/1,000 population (2004 est.) |
| Death rate: | 6.47 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.) |
| Net migration rate: | -11.7 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.) |
| Sex ratio: | at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.67 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.85 male(s)/female total population: 1.39 male(s)/female (2004 est.) |
| Infant mortality rate: | total: 28.72 deaths/1,000 live births female: 23.35 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.) male: 33.83 deaths/1,000 live births |
| Life expectancy at birth: | total population: 70.41 years male: 67.64 years female: 73.33 years (2004 est.) |
| Total fertility rate: | 3.11 children born/woman (2004 est.) |
| HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: | NA |
| HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: | 12 |
| HIV/AIDS - deaths: | 3 |
| Nationality: | noun: Samoan(s) adjective: Samoan |
| Ethnic groups: | Samoan 92.6%, Euronesians 7% (persons of European and Polynesian blood), Europeans 0.4% |
| 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) |
| Languages: | Samoan (Polynesian), English |
| Literacy: | definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 99.7% male: 99.6% female: 99.7% (2003 est.) |
| Government | Samoa |
| Country name: | conventional long form: Independent State of Samoa conventional short form: Samoa former: Western Samoa |
| 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: | Independence Day Celebration, 1 June (1962); note - 1 January 1962 is the date of independence from the New Zealand-administered UN trusteeship, 1 June 1962 is the date that independence is celebrated |
| 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 Tanumafili II MALIETOA (cochief of state from 1 January 1962 until becoming sole chief of state 5 April 1963) head of government: Prime Minister Sailele Malielegaoi TUILA'EPA (since 1996); note - TUILA'EPA served as deputy prime minister from 1992 until he assumed the prime ministership in 1996, when former Prime Minister TOFILAU Eti Alesana resigned in poor health; TUILA'EPA was confirmed as prime minister (November 1998) after TOFILAU died; 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 Tanumafili II MALIETOA, a new chief of state will be elected by the Legislative Assembly to serve a five-year term; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party is usually appointed prime minister by the chief of state with the approval of the Legislative Assembly |
| Legislative branch: | unicameral Legislative Assembly or Fono (49 seats - 47 elected by voters affiliated with traditional village-based electoral districts, 2 elected by independent, mostly Eurasian, voters who cannot, (or choose not to) establish a village affiliation; only chiefs (matai) may stand for election to the Fono; members serve five-year terms) elections: election last held 3 March 2001 (next election to be held not later than March 2006) election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - HRPP 30, SNDP 13, independents 6 |
| Judicial branch: | Supreme Court; Court of Appeal; Land and Titles Court |
| Political parties and leaders: | Christian Democratic Party [leader NA]; Human Rights Protection Party or HRPP [Sailele Malielegaoi TUILA'EPA, chairman]; Samoa All People's Party or SAPP [Matatumua MAIMOANA]; Samoan National Development Party or SNDP [LE MAMEA Ropati, chairman] (opposition); Samoa National Party [FETU Tiatia, party secretary]; Samoan Progressive Conservative Party [LEOTA Ituau Ale]; Samoan United Independents Party or SUIP [Dr. Saleimoa VAAI] |
| Political pressure groups and leaders: | NA |
| International organization participation: | ACP, AsDB, C, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IMF, IMO, IOC, ITU, OPCW, PIF, Sparteca, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO (observer) |
| Diplomatic representation in the US: | chief of mission: Ambassador Aliioaiga Feturi ELISAIA FAX: [1] (212) 599-0797 telephone: [1] (212) 599-6196, 6197 chancery: 800 Second Avenue, Suite 400D, New York, NY 10017 |
| Diplomatic representation from the US: | chief of mission: the Ambassador to New Zealand, Ambassador Charles J. SWINDELLS, is accredited to Samoa embassy: Accident Compensation Board (ACB) Building, 5th Floor, Apia mailing address: P. O. Box 3430, Apia telephone: [685] 21631/22696 FAX: [685] 22030 |
| Flag description: | red with a blue rectangle in the upper hoist-side quadrant bearing five white five-pointed stars representing the Southern Cross constellation |
| Communications | Samoa |
| Telephones - main lines in use: | 11,800 (2002) |
| Telephones - mobile cellular: | 2,700 (2002) |
| Telephone system: | general assessment: adequate domestic: NA international: country code - 685; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean) |
| Radio broadcast stations: | AM 1, FM 3, shortwave 0 (1998) |
| Radios: | 174,849 (1997) |
| Television broadcast stations: | 2 (2002) |
| Televisions: | 8,634 (1999) |
| Internet country code: | .ws |
| Internet hosts: | 8,225 (2003) |
| Internet Service Providers (ISPs): | 2 (2000) |
| Internet users: | 4,000 (2002) |
| Transportation | Samoa |
| Highways: | total: 790 km paved: 332 km unpaved: 458 km (1999 est.) |
| Ports and harbors: | Apia, Asau, Mulifanua, Salelologa |
| Merchant marine: | total: 1 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 7,091 GRT/8,127 DWT registered in other countries: 2 (2003 est.) by type: cargo 1 foreign-owned: Germany 1 |
| Airports: | 4 (2003 est.) |
| Airports - with paved runways: | total: 3 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 under 914 m: 2 (2004 est.) |
| Airports - with unpaved runways: | total: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.) |
| Military | Samoa |
| Military branches: | no regular armed services; Samoa Police Force |
| Military expenditures - dollar figure: | NA |
| Military expenditures - percent of GDP: | NA |
| 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 |
| Transnational Issues | Samoa |
| Disputes - international: | none |
| This page was last updated on 16 December, 2004 |
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