Aruba (2002) | Samoa (2001) | |
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Administrative divisions | none (part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands) | 11 districts; A'ana, Aiga-i-le-Tai, Atua, Fa'asaleleaga, Gaga'emauga, Gagaifomauga, Palauli, Satupa'itea, Tuamasaga, Va'a-o-Fonoti, Vaisigano |
Age structure | 0-14 years: 21% (male 7,635; female 7,169)
15-64 years: 68.4% (male 23,270; female 24,906) 65 years and over: 10.6% (male 3,081; female 4,380) (2002 est.) |
0-14 years:
31.88% (male 29,009; female 28,069) 15-64 years: 62.44% (male 70,491; female 41,304) 65 years and over: 5.68% (male 4,739; female 5,446) (2001 est.) |
Agriculture - products | aloes; livestock; fish | coconuts, bananas, taro, yams |
Airports | 1 (2001) | 3 (2000 est.) |
Airports - with paved runways | total: 1
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 (2002) |
total:
1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 (2000 est.) |
Airports - with unpaved runways | - | total:
2 under 914 m: 2 (2000 est.) |
Area | total: 193 sq km
land: 193 sq km water: 0 sq km |
total:
2,860 sq km land: 2,850 sq km water: 10 sq km |
Area - comparative | slightly larger than Washington, DC | slightly smaller than Rhode Island |
Background | Discovered and claimed for Spain in 1499, Aruba was acquired by the Dutch in 1636. The island's economy has been dominated by three main industries. A 19th century gold rush was followed by prosperity brought on by the opening in 1924 of an oil refinery. The last decades of the 20th century saw a boom in the tourism industry. Aruba seceded from the Netherlands Antilles in 1986 and became a separate, autonomous member of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. Movement toward full independence was halted at Aruba's request in 1990. | 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. |
Birth rate | 12.22 births/1,000 population (2002 est.) | 15.59 births/1,000 population (2001 est.) |
Budget | revenues: $135.81 million
expenditures: $147 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (2000) |
revenues:
$74.8 million expenditures: $81.4 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1999 est.) |
Capital | Oranjestad | Apia |
Climate | tropical marine; little seasonal temperature variation | tropical; rainy season (October to March), dry season (May to October) |
Coastline | 68.5 km | 403 km |
Constitution | 1 January 1986 | 1 January 1962 |
Country name | conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Aruba |
conventional long form:
Independent State of Samoa conventional short form: Samoa former: Western Samoa |
Currency | Aruban guilder/florin (AWG) | tala (WST) |
Death rate | 6.29 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.) | 6.29 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.) |
Debt - external | $285 million (1996) | $180 million (1998 est.) |
Dependency status | part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands; full autonomy in internal affairs obtained in 1986 upon separation from the Netherlands Antilles; Dutch Government responsible for defense and foreign affairs | - |
Diplomatic representation from the US | chief of mission: Consul General Deborah A. BOLTON
embassy: J. B. Gorsiraweg #1, Curacao mailing address: P. O. Box 158, Willemstad, Curacao telephone: [599] (9) 461-3066 FAX: [599] (9) 461-6489 |
chief of mission:
Ambassador Carol MOSELEY BRAUN (Ambassador to New Zealand and Samoa, resides in Wellington, New Zealand) embassy: 5th floor, Beach Road, Apia mailing address: P. O. Box 3430, Apia telephone: [685] 21631 FAX: [685] 22030 |
Diplomatic representation in the US | none (represented by the Kingdom of the Netherlands) | chief of mission:
Ambassador Tuiloma Neroni SLADE chancery: 800 Second Avenue, Suite 400D, New York, NY 10017 telephone: [1] (212) 599-6196, 6197 FAX: [1] (212) 599-0797 |
Disputes - international | none | none |
Economic aid - recipient | $26 million (1995); note - the Netherlands provided a $127 million aid package to Aruba and Suriname in 1996 | $42.9 million (1995) |
Economy - overview | Tourism is the mainstay of the small, open Aruban economy, with offshore banking and oil refining and storage also important. The rapid growth of the tourism sector over the last decade has resulted in a substantial expansion of other activities. Construction has boomed, with hotel capacity five times the 1985 level. In addition, the reopening of the country's oil refinery in 1993, a major source of employment and foreign exchange earnings, has further spurred growth. Aruba's small labor force and low unemployment rate have led to a large number of unfilled job vacancies, despite sharp rises in wage rates in recent years. The government's goal of balancing the budget within two years will hamper expenditures, as will the decline in stopover tourist arrivals following the 11 September terrorist attacks. | The economy of Samoa has traditionally been dependent on development aid, family remittances from overseas, and agricultural exports. 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. Tourism is an expanding sector, accounting for 15% of GDP; about 85,000 tourists visited the islands in 2000. The Samoan Government has called for deregulation of the financial sector, encouragement of investment, and continued fiscal discipline. 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. |
Electricity - consumption | 418.5 million kWh (2000) | 93 million kWh (1999) |
Electricity - exports | 0 kWh (2000) | 0 kWh (1999) |
Electricity - imports | 0 kWh (2000) | 0 kWh (1999) |
Electricity - production | 450 million kWh (2000) | 100 million kWh (1999) |
Electricity - production by source | fossil fuel: 100%
hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2000) |
fossil fuel:
60% hydro: 40% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (1999) |
Elevation extremes | lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
highest point: Mount Jamanota 188 m |
lowest point:
Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: Mauga Silisili 1,857 m |
Environment - current issues | NA | soil erosion |
Environment - international agreements | - | party to:
Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements |
Ethnic groups | mixed white/Caribbean Amerindian 80% | Samoan 92.6%, Euronesians 7% (persons of European and Polynesian blood), Europeans 0.4% |
Exchange rates | Aruban guilders/florins per US dollar - 1.7900 (fixed rate since 1986) | tala per US dollar - 3.3400 (January 2001), 3.2712 (2000), 3.0120 (1999), 2.9429 (1998), 2.5562 (1997), 2.4618 (1996) |
Executive branch | chief of state: Queen BEATRIX of the Netherlands (since 30 April 1980), represented by Governor General Olindo KOOLMAN (since 1 January 1992)
head of government: Prime Minister Nelson O. ODUBER (since 30 October 2001); deputy prime minister NA cabinet: Council of Ministers (elected by the Staten) elections: the monarch is hereditary; governor general appointed for a six-year term by the monarch; prime minister and deputy prime minister elected by the Staten for four-year terms; election last held 28 September 2001 (next to be held by December 2005) election results: Nelson O. ODUBER elected prime minister; percent of legislative vote - NA% |
chief of state:
Chief Susuga MALIETOA Tanumafili II (cochief of state from 1 January 1962 until becoming sole chief of state 5 April 1963) head of government: Prime Minister TUILA'EPA Sailele Malielegaoi (since 24 November 1998); note - TUILA'EPA served as deputy prime minister since 1992; he assumed the prime ministership in November 1998 when former Prime Minister TOFILAU Eti Alesana resigned in poor health; 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 Susuga MALIETOA Tanumafili II, a new chief of state will be elected by the Legislative Assembly to serve a five-year term; prime minister appointed by the chief of state with the approval of the Legislative Assembly |
Exports | $2.58 billion f.o.b. (including oil reexports) (2000) | $17 million (f.o.b., 2000) |
Exports - commodities | live animals and animal products, art and collectibles, machinery and electrical equipment, transport equipment | coconut oil and cream, copra, fish, beer |
Exports - partners | US 42%, Colombia 20%, Netherlands 12% (1999) | American Samoa 59%, US 18%, Germany 9%, New Zealand 8% (2000 est.) |
Fiscal year | calendar year | calendar year |
Flag description | blue, with two narrow, horizontal, yellow stripes across the lower portion and a red, four-pointed star outlined in white in the upper hoist-side corner | red with a blue rectangle in the upper hoist-side quadrant bearing five white five-pointed stars representing the Southern Cross constellation |
GDP | purchasing power parity - $1.94 billion (1999 est.) | purchasing power parity - $571 million (2000 est.) |
GDP - composition by sector | agriculture: NA%
industry: NA% services: NA% |
agriculture:
15% industry: 24% services: 61% (2000 est.) |
GDP - per capita | purchasing power parity - $28,000 (2000 est.) | purchasing power parity - $3,200 (2000 est.) |
GDP - real growth rate | 2.5% (2000) | 6.8% (2000 est.) |
Geographic coordinates | 12 30 N, 69 58 W | 13 35 S, 172 20 W |
Geography - note | a flat, riverless island renowned for its white sand beaches; its tropical climate is moderated by constant trade winds from the Atlantic Ocean; the temperature is almost constant at about 27 degrees Celsius (81 degrees Fahrenheit) | - |
Highways | total: 800 km
paved: 513 km unpaved: 287 km note: most coastal roads are paved, while unpaved roads serve large tracts of the interior (1995) |
total:
835 km paved: 267 km unpaved: 569 km (1983) |
Household income or consumption by percentage share | lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA% |
lowest 10%:
NA% highest 10%: NA% |
Illicit drugs | transit point for US- and Europe-bound narcotics with some accompanying money-laundering activity | - |
Imports | $2.61 billion f.o.b. (2000) | $90 million (f.o.b., 2000) |
Imports - commodities | machinery and electrical equipment, crude oil for refining and reexport, chemicals; foodstuffs | machinery and equipment, industrial supplies, foodstuffs |
Imports - partners | US 63%, Netherlands 11%, Netherlands Antilles 3%, Japan (1999) | New Zealand 37%, Australia 24%, Fiji 14%, US 14% (2000 est.) |
Independence | none (part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands) | 1 January 1962 (from New Zealand-administered UN trusteeship) |
Industrial production growth rate | NA% | 10% (2000 est.) |
Industries | tourism, transshipment facilities, oil refining | food processing, building materials, auto parts |
Infant mortality rate | 6.26 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.) | 31.75 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.) |
Inflation rate (consumer prices) | 4% (2000) | 0.8% (2000 est.) |
International organization participation | Caricom (observer), ECLAC (associate), Interpol, IOC, UNESCO (associate), WCL, WToO (associate) | ACP, AsDB, C, ESCAP, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IMF, IMO, Intelsat (nonsignatory user), IOC, ITU, OPCW, Sparteca, SPC, SPF, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO (observer) |
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) | NA | 2 (2000) |
Irrigated land | 0.01 sq km (1998 est.) | NA sq km |
Judicial branch | Joint High Court of Justice (judges are appointed by the monarch) | Supreme Court; Court of Appeal |
Labor force | 41,501 | 90,000 (2000 est.) |
Labor force - by occupation | most employment is in wholesale and retail trade and repair, followed by hotels and restaurants; oil refining | agriculture 65%, services 30%, industry 5% (1995 est.) |
Land boundaries | 0 km | 0 km |
Land use | arable land: 10.53% (including aloe 0.01%)
permanent crops: 0% other: 89.47% (1998 est.) |
arable land:
19% permanent crops: 24% permanent pastures: 0% forests and woodland: 47% other: 10% |
Languages | Dutch (official), Papiamento (a Spanish, Portuguese, Dutch, English dialect), English (widely spoken), Spanish | Samoan (Polynesian), English |
Legal system | based on Dutch civil law system, with some English common law influence | 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 |
Legislative branch | unicameral Legislature or Staten (21 seats; members elected by direct, popular vote to serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 28 September 2001 (next to be held by NA 2005) election results: percent of vote by party - MEP 52.4%, AVP 26.7%, PPA 9.6%, OLA 5.7%, Aliansa 3.5%, other 2.1%; seats by party - MEP 12, AVP 6, PPA 2, OLA 1 |
unicameral Legislative Assembly or Fono (49 seats - 47 elected by Samoans, 2 elected by non-Samoans; only chiefs (matai) may stand for election to the Fono; members serve five-year terms)
elections: last held 4 March 2001 (next to be held by March 2006) election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - HRPP 23, SNDP 13, independents 13 |
Life expectancy at birth | total population: 78.67 years
male: 75.32 years female: 82.19 years (2002 est.) |
total population:
69.5 years male: 66.77 years female: 72.37 years (2001 est.) |
Literacy | definition: NA
total population: 97% male: NA% female: NA% |
definition:
age 15 and over can read and write total population: 97% male: 97% female: 97% (1971 est.) |
Location | Caribbean, island in the Caribbean Sea, north of Venezuela | Oceania, group of islands in the South Pacific Ocean, about one-half of the way from Hawaii to New Zealand |
Map references | Central America and the Caribbean | Oceania |
Maritime claims | territorial sea: 12 NM | exclusive economic zone:
200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM |
Merchant marine | note: there is one foreign-owned ship registered here as a flag of convenience: Monaco 1 (2002 est.) | - |
Military - note | defense is the responsibility of the Kingdom of the Netherlands | 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 indigenous military forces; Royal Dutch Navy and Marines, Coast Guard | no regular armed services; Samoa Police Force |
Military expenditures - dollar figure | - | $NA |
Military expenditures - percent of GDP | - | NA% |
National holiday | Flag Day, 18 March | 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 |
Nationality | noun: Aruban(s)
adjective: Aruban; Dutch |
noun:
Samoan(s) adjective: Samoan |
Natural hazards | lies outside the Caribbean hurricane belt | occasional typhoons; active volcanism |
Natural resources | NEGL; white sandy beaches | hardwood forests, fish, hydropower |
Net migration rate | NEGL migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.) | -11.62 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 est.) |
Political parties and leaders | Aruba Solidarity Movement or MAS [leader NA]; Aruban Democratic Alliance or Aliansa [leader NA]; Aruban Democratic Party or PDA [Leo BERLINSKI]; Aruban Liberal Party or OLA [Glenbert CROES]; Aruban Patriotic Party or PPA [Benny NISBET]; Aruban People's Party or AVP [Jan (Henny) H. EMAN]; Concentration for the Liberation of Aruba or CLA [leader NA]; People's Electoral Movement Party or MEP [Nelson O. ODUBER]; For a Restructured Aruba Now or PARA [Urbana LOPEZ]; National Democratic Action or ADN [Pedro Charro KELLY] | Human Rights Protection Party or HRPP [TUILA'EPA Sailele Malielegaoi, chairman]; Samoa All People's Party or SAPP [Matatumua NAIMOAGA]; Samoan National Development Party or SNDP [TAPUA Tamasese Efi, chairman] (opposition); Samoa National Party [FETU Tiatia, party secretary]; Samoan Progressive Conservative Party [LEOTA Ituau Ale] |
Political pressure groups and leaders | NA | NA |
Population | 70,441 (July 2002 est.) | 179,058 (July 2001 est.) |
Population below poverty line | NA% | NA% |
Population growth rate | 0.59% (2002 est.) | -0.23% (2001 est.) |
Ports and harbors | Barcadera, Oranjestad, Sint Nicolaas | Apia, Asau, Mulifanua, Salelologa |
Radio broadcast stations | AM 4, FM 6, shortwave 0 (1998) | AM 1, FM 3, shortwave 0 (1998) |
Radios | 50,000 (1997) | 178,000 (1997) |
Railways | 0 km | 0 km |
Religions | Roman Catholic 82%, Protestant 8%, Hindu, Muslim, Confucian, Jewish | 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) |
Sex ratio | at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.07 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.93 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.7 male(s)/female total population: 0.93 male(s)/female (2002 est.) |
at birth:
1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.71 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.87 male(s)/female total population: 1.39 male(s)/female (2001 est.) |
Suffrage | 18 years of age; universal | 21 years of age; universal |
Telephone system | general assessment: NA
domestic: more than adequate international: 1 submarine cable to Sint Maarten (Netherlands Antilles); extensive interisland microwave radio relay links |
general assessment:
adequate domestic: NA international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean) |
Telephones - main lines in use | 33,000 (1997) | 8,000 (1997) |
Telephones - mobile cellular | 3,402 (1997) | 1,545 (February 1998) |
Television broadcast stations | 1 (1997) | 6 (1997) |
Terrain | flat with a few hills; scant vegetation | narrow coastal plain with volcanic, rocky, rugged mountains in interior |
Total fertility rate | 1.8 children born/woman (2002 est.) | 3.4 children born/woman (2001 est.) |
Unemployment rate | 0.6% | NA%; note - substantial underemployment |
Waterways | none | none |