| GEOGRAPHY |
| Country name: |
conventional long form: Independent State of Samoa
conventional short form: Samoa
former: Western Samoa |
| Capital: |
Apia |
| Location: |
Oceania, group of islands in the South Pacific Ocean, about one-half of the way from Hawaii to New Zealand |
| Geographic
Coordinates: |
13 35 S, 172 20 W |
| Area: |
total: 2,944 sq km
land: 2,934 sq km
water: 10 sq km |
| Area
Comparative: |
slightly smaller than Rhode Island |
| Land
Boundaries: |
0 km |
| Coastline: |
403 km |
| Maritime
Claims: |
territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm |
| Climate: |
tropical; rainy season (November to April), dry season (May to October) |
| Terrain: |
two main islands (Savaii, Upolu) and several smaller islands and uninhabited islets; narrow coastal plain with volcanic, rocky, rugged mountains in interior |
| Elavation
Extremes: |
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: Mauga Silisili (Savaii) 1,857 m |
| Natural
Resources: |
hardwood forests, fish, hydropower |
| GOVERNEMENT |
| Governement
Type: |
mix of parliamentary democracy and constitutional monarchy |
| Administratives
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 and assumed the duties of acting prime minister 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; Deputy Prime Minister MISA Telefoni (since 2001)
cabinet: Cabinet consists of 12 members, appointed by the chief of state on 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 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 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: |
Court of Appeal; Supreme Court; District Court; Land and Titles Court |
| Political
parties and Leaders: |
Christian Democratic Party [leader NA]; Human Rights Protection Party or HRPP [Sailele Malielegaoi TUILA'EPA, chairman]; Samoan Democratic United Party or SDUP[LE MAMEA Ropati, chairman] (opposition); Samoa National Development Party or SNDP [leader, NA] |
| PEOPLE |
| Population: |
177,287 (July 2005 est.) |
| Age structure: |
0-14 years: 27.2% (male 24,517/female 23,660)
15-64 years: 66.4% (male 73,495/female 44,208)
65 years and over: 6.4% (male 5,204/female 6,203) (2005 est.) |
| Median age: |
total: 24.59 years
male: 27.42 years
female: 21.42 years (2005 est.) |
| 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 |
| COMUNICATIONS |
| 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 2, FM 5, shortwave 0 (2004) |
| Television broadcast
stations: |
2 (2002) |
| Internet country
code: |
.ws |
| Internet hosts: |
8,225 (2003) |
| Internet users: |
4,000 (2002) |
| TRANSPORT |
| Railways: |
|
| Highways: |
total: 790 km
paved: 332 km
unpaved: 458 km (1999 est.) |
| Waterways: |
|
| Pipelines: |
|
| Ports and harbors: |
Apia, Asau, Mulifanua, Salelologa |
| Merchant marine: |
total: 1 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 7,091 GRT/8,127 DWT
by type: cargo 1
foreign-owned: 1 (Germany 1) (2005) |
| Airports: |
4 (2004 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.) |
| Heliports: |
|
