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Background:
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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.
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Location:
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Oceania, group of
islands in the South Pacific Ocean, about one-half of the way
from Hawaii to New Zealand |
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Geographic coordinates:
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13 35 S, 172 20 W |
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Map references:
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Oceania |
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Area:
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total:
2,944 sq km
water: 10 sq km
land: 2,934 sq km |
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Area - comparative:
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slightly smaller
than Rhode Island |
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Land boundaries:
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0 km |
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Coastline:
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403 km |
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Climate:
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tropical; rainy
season (November to April), dry season (May to October) |
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Terrain:
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two main islands
(Savaii, Upolu) and several smaller islands and uninhabited
islets; narrow coastal plain with volcanic, rocky, rugged
mountains in interior |
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Elevation extremes:
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lowest point:
Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: Mauga Silisili (Savaii) 1,857 m |
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Natural resources:
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hardwood forests,
fish, hydropower |
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Land use:
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arable land:
19.43%
permanent crops: 23.67%
other: 56.9% (1998 est.) |
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Irrigated land:
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NA sq km |
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Natural hazards:
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occasional
typhoons; active volcanism |
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Environment - current issues:
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soil erosion,
deforestation, invasive species, overfishing |
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Environment - international agreements:
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party to:
Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol,
Desertification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer
Protection
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected
agreements |
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Geography - note:
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occupies an
almost central position within Polynesia |
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Population:
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177,714 (July
2004 est.) |
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Age structure:
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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.) |
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Median age:
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total:
24.2 years
male: 26.8 years
female: 20.8 years (2004 est.) |
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Population growth rate:
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-0.25% (2004
est.) |
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Birth rate:
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15.69
births/1,000 population (2004 est.) |
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Death rate:
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6.47 deaths/1,000
population (2004 est.) |
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Net migration rate:
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-11.7 migrant(s)/1,000
population (2004 est.) |
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Sex ratio:
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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.) |
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Infant mortality rate:
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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 |
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Life expectancy at birth:
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total
population: 70.41 years
male: 67.64 years
female: 73.33 years (2004 est.) |
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HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
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NA% |
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Nationality:
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noun:
Samoan(s)
adjective: Samoan |
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Ethnic groups:
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Samoan 92.6%,
Euronesians 7% (persons of European and Polynesian blood),
Europeans 0.4% |
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Religions:
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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) |
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Languages:
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Samoan
(Polynesian), English |
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Literacy:
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definition:
age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 99.7%
male: 99.6%
female: 99.7% (2003 est.) |
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Country name:
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conventional
long form: Independent State of Samoa
conventional short form: Samoa
former: Western Samoa |
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Government type:
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constitutional
monarchy under native chief |
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Capital:
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Apia |
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Administrative divisions:
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11 districts;
A'ana, Aiga-i-le-Tai, Atua, Fa'asaleleaga, Gaga'emauga,
Gagaifomauga, Palauli, Satupa'itea, Tuamasaga, Va'a-o-Fonoti,
Vaisigano |
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Independence:
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1 January 1962
(from New Zealand-administered UN trusteeship) |
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National holiday:
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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 |
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Constitution:
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1 January 1962 |
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Legal system:
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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 |
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Executive branch:
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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 |
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Legislative branch:
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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 |
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Judicial branch:
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Supreme Court;
Court of Appeal; Land and Titles Court |
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Political parties and leaders:
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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] |
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Political pressure groups and leaders:
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NA |
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Diplomatic representation in the US:
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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 |
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Diplomatic representation from the US:
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chief of
mission: the Ambassador to New Zealand, Ambassador Charles
J. SWINDELLS, is accredited to Samoa
embassy: Vailima
mailing address: P. O. Box 3430, Apia
telephone: [685] 21631/22696
FAX: [685] 22030 |
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Economy - overview:
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The economy of
Samoa has traditionally been dependent on development aid,
family remittances from overseas, and agriculture and fishing.
The country is vulnerable to devastating storms. Agriculture
employs 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.
The decline of fish stocks in the area is a continuing
problem. Tourism is an expanding sector, accounting for 25% of
GDP; about 88,000 tourists visited the islands in 2001. The
Samoan Government has called for deregulation of the financial
sector, encouragement of investment, and continued fiscal
discipline, meantime 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. |
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GDP:
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purchasing power
parity - $1 billion (2002 est.) |
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GDP - real growth rate:
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5% (2002 est.) |
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GDP - per capita:
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purchasing power
parity - $5,600 (2002 est.) |
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GDP - composition by sector:
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agriculture:
14%
industry: 23%
services: 63% (2001 est.) |
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Population below poverty line:
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NA% (1998 est.) |
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Inflation rate (consumer prices):
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4% (2001 est.) |
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Labor force:
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90,000 (2000
est.) |
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Labor force - by occupation:
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NA |
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Unemployment rate:
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NA%; note -
substantial underemployment |
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Budget:
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revenues:
$105 million
expenditures: $119 million, including capital
expenditures of $NA (2001/2002) |
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Industries:
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food processing,
building materials, auto parts |
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Industrial production growth rate:
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2.8% (2000) |
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Electricity - production:
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105.1 million kWh
(2001) |
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Electricity - production by source:
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fossil fuel:
58%
hydro: 42%
other: 0% (2001)
nuclear: 0% |
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Electricity - consumption:
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97.74 million kWh
(2001) |
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Oil - production:
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0 bbl/day (2001
est.) |
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Oil - consumption:
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1,000 bbl/day
(2001 est.) |
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Agriculture - products:
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coconuts,
bananas, taro, yams, coffee, cocoa |
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Exports:
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$14 million
f.o.b. (2002) |
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Exports - commodities:
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fish, coconut oil
and cream, copra, taro, automotive parts, garments, beer |
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Exports - partners:
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Australia 61%,
Hong Kong 10.4%, US 9.1% (2002) |
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Imports:
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$113 million
f.o.b. (2002) |
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Imports - commodities:
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machinery and
equipment, industrial supplies, foodstuffs |
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Imports - partners:
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New Zealand
23.7%, Fiji 20.9%, Australia 16.4%, Japan 13.6%, US 4.5%
(2002) |
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Debt - external:
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$197 million
(2000) |
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Economic aid - recipient:
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$42.9 million
(1995) |
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Currency:
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tala (SAT) |
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Currency code:
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SAT (former WST
code is still in wide use) |
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Exchange rates:
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tala per US
dollar - 2.97 (2003), 3.38 (2002), 3.48 (2001), 3.29 (2000),
3.01 (1999) |
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Fiscal year:
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June 1 - May 31 |
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Telephones - main lines in use:
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10,300 (2002) |
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Telephones - mobile cellular:
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2,700 (2002) |
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Telephone system:
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general
assessment: adequate
domestic: NA
international: country code - 685; satellite earth
station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean) |
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Radio broadcast stations:
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AM 1, FM 3,
shortwave 0 (1998) |
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Television broadcast stations:
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2 (2002) |
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Internet country code:
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.ws |
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Internet hosts:
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5,705 (2002) |
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Internet users:
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4,000 (2002) |
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Railways:
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0 km |
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Highways:
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total: 790
km
paved: 332 km
unpaved: 458 km (1999 est.) |
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Waterways:
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none |
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Ports and harbors:
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Apia, Asau,
Mulifanua, Salelologa |
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Merchant marine:
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total: 1
ships (1,000 GRT or over) 7,091 GRT/8,127 DWT
by type: cargo 1
foreign-owned: Germany 1
registered in other countries: 2 (2003 est.) |
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Airports:
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4 (2003 est.) |
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Airports - with paved runways:
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total: 3
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
under 914 m: 2 (2003 est.) |
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Airports - with unpaved runways:
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total: 1
under 914 m: 1 (2003 est.) |
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Military branches:
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no regular armed
services; Samoa Police Force |
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Military expenditures - dollar figure:
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NA |
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Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
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NA |
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Military - note:
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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 |
This page was last updated on 11 May, 2004
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