Samoa (2002) | Faroe Islands (2003) | |
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 | none (part of the Kingdom of Denmark; self-governing overseas administrative division of Denmark); there are no first-order administrative divisions as defined by the US Government, but there are 49 municipalities |
Age structure | 0-14 years: 30.6% (male 27,774; female 26,854)
15-64 years: 63.5% (male 71,358; female 42,150) 65 years and over: 5.9% (male 4,859; female 5,636) (2002 est.) |
0-14 years: 22% (male 5,103; female 5,077)
15-64 years: 64.4% (male 15,822; female 14,002) 65 years and over: 13.7% (male 2,842; female 3,499) (2003 est.) |
Agriculture - products | coconuts, bananas, taro, yams | milk, potatoes, vegetables; sheep; salmon, other fish |
Airports | 3 (2001) | 1 (2002) |
Airports - with paved runways | total: 3
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 (2002) |
total: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2002) |
Airports - with unpaved runways | total: 1
under 914 m: 1 (2002) |
- |
Area | total: 2,944 sq km
land: 2,934 sq km water: 10 sq km |
total: 1,399 sq km
land: 1,399 sq km water: 0 sq km (some lakes and streams) |
Area - comparative | slightly smaller than Rhode Island | eight times the size of Washington, DC |
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. | The population of the Faroe Islands is largely descended from Viking settlers who arrived in the 9th century. The islands have been connected politically to Denmark since the 14th century. A high degree of self-government was attained in 1948. |
Birth rate | 15.53 births/1,000 population (2002 est.) | 13.81 births/1,000 population (2003 est.) |
Budget | revenues: $105 million
expenditures: $119 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (2001/2002) |
revenues: $488 million
expenditures: $484 million, including capital expenditures of $21 million (1999) |
Capital | Apia | Torshavn |
Climate | tropical; rainy season (October to March), dry season (May to October) | mild winters, cool summers; usually overcast; foggy, windy |
Coastline | 403 km | 1,117 km |
Constitution | 1 January 1962 | 5 June 1953 (Danish constitution) |
Country name | conventional long form: Independent State of Samoa
conventional short form: Samoa former: Western Samoa |
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Faroe Islands local long form: none local short form: Foroyar |
Currency | tala (WST) | Danish krone (DKK) |
Death rate | 6.35 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.) | 8.7 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.) |
Debt - external | $192 million (1999) | $64 million (1999) |
Dependency status | - | part of the Kingdom of Denmark; self-governing overseas administrative division of Denmark since 1948 |
Diplomatic representation from the US | chief of mission: the Ambassador to New Zealand is accredited to Samoa
embassy: 5th floor John Williams Building, Beach Road, Apia mailing address: P. O. Box 3430, Apia telephone: [685] 21631 FAX: [685] 22030 |
none (self-governing overseas administrative division of Denmark) |
Diplomatic representation in the US | 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 |
none (self-governing overseas administrative division of Denmark) |
Disputes - international | none | Faroese are considering proposals for full independence; Denmark dispute with Iceland over the Faroe Islands fisheries median line boundary of 200 NM; Denmark disputes with Iceland, the UK, and Ireland over the Faroe Islands continental shelf boundary outside 200 NM |
Economic aid - recipient | $42.9 million (1995) (1995) | $55 million (annual subsidy from Denmark) |
Economy - overview | 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. The decline of fish stocks in the area is a continuing problem. Tourism is an expanding sector, accounting for 16% 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. | The Faroese economy has had a strong performance since 1994, mostly as a result of increasing fish landings and high and stable export prices. Unemployment is falling and there are signs of labor shortages in several sectors. The positive economic development has helped the Faroese Home Rule Government produce increasing budget surpluses, which in turn help to reduce the large public debt, most of it owed to Denmark. However, the total dependence on fishing makes the Faroese economy extremely vulnerable, and the present fishing efforts appear in excess of what is a sustainable level of fishing in the long term. Oil finds close to the Faroese area give hope for deposits in the immediate Faroese area, which may eventually lay the basis for a more diversified economy and thus lessen dependence on Danish economic assistance. Aided by a substantial annual subsidy (15% of GDP) from Denmark, the Faroese have a standard of living not far below the Danes and other Scandinavians. |
Electricity - consumption | 95.79 million kWh (2000) | 149.1 million kWh (2001) |
Electricity - exports | 0 kWh (2000) | 0 kWh (2001) |
Electricity - imports | 0 kWh (2000) | 0 kWh (2001) |
Electricity - production | 103 million kWh (2000) | 160.4 million kWh (2001) |
Electricity - production by source | fossil fuel: 59%
hydro: 41% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2000) |
fossil fuel: 62.4%
hydro: 37.6% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001) |
Elevation extremes | lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: Mauga Silisili 1,857 m |
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Slaettaratindur 882 m |
Environment - current issues | soil erosion | NA |
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 | Samoan 92.6%, Euronesians 7% (persons of European and Polynesian blood), Europeans 0.4% | Scandinavian |
Exchange rates | tala per US dollar - 3.5236 (January 2002), 3.4722 (2001), 3.2712 (2000), 3.0120 (1999), 2.9429 (1998), 2.5562 (1997) | Danish kroner per US dollar - 7.89 (2002), 8.32 (2001), 8.08 (2000), 6.98 (1999), 6.7 (1998) |
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 24 November 1998); note - TUILA'EPA served as deputy prime minister from 1992 until 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 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 |
chief of state: Queen MARGRETHE II of Denmark (since 14 January 1972), represented by High Commissioner Birgit KLEIS, chief administrative officer (since 1 November 2001)
head of government: Prime Minister Anfinn KALLSBERG (since 15 May 1998) cabinet: Landsstyri appointed by the prime minister elections: the monarch is hereditary; high commissioner appointed by the monarch; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or the leader of the majority coalition is usually elected prime minister by the Faroese Parliament; election last held 30 April 2002 (next to be held no later than April 2006) election results: Anfinn KALLSBERG elected prime minister; percent of parliamentary vote - 52.8% note: coalition of People's Party, Republican Party, Home Rule Party, and Center Party |
Exports | $17 million f.o.b. (2000) | NA (2001) |
Exports - commodities | fish, coconut oil and cream, copra, taro, garments, beer | fish and fish products 94%, stamps, ships (1999) |
Exports - partners | Australia 62%, Indonesia 13%, US 11%, American Samoa 3%, New Zealand 3% (2000) | Denmark 39.9%, UK 32.1%, Norway 7.4%, Netherlands 6.1% (2002) |
Fiscal year | calendar year | calendar year |
Flag description | red with a blue rectangle in the upper hoist-side quadrant bearing five white five-pointed stars representing the Southern Cross constellation | white with a red cross outlined in blue extending to the edges of the flag; the vertical part of the cross is shifted toward the hoist side in the style of the Dannebrog (Danish flag) |
GDP | purchasing power parity - $618 million (2001 est.) | purchasing power parity - $1 billion (2001 est.) |
GDP - composition by sector | agriculture: 16%
industry: 18% services: 66% (2000 est.) |
agriculture: 27%
industry: 11% services: 62% (1999) |
GDP - per capita | purchasing power parity - $3,500 (2001 est.) | purchasing power parity - $22,000 (2001 est.) |
GDP - real growth rate | 6% (2001 est.) | 10% (2001 est.) |
Geographic coordinates | 13 35 S, 172 20 W | 62 00 N, 7 00 W |
Geography - note | occupies an almost central position within Polynesia | archipelago of 17 inhabited islands and one uninhabited island, and a few uninhabited islets; strategically located along important sea lanes in northeastern Atlantic; precipitous terrain limits habitation to small coastal lowlands |
Highways | total: 836 km
paved: 267 km unpaved: 569 km (1983) |
total: 463 km
paved: 454 km unpaved: 9 km (1999) |
Household income or consumption by percentage share | lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA% |
lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA% |
Imports | $90 million f.o.b. (2000) | NA (2001) |
Imports - commodities | machinery and equipment, industrial supplies, foodstuffs | machinery and transport equipment 29%, consumer goods 36%, raw materials and semi-manufactures 32%, fuels, fish and salt (1999) |
Imports - partners | Australia 27%, US 26%, New Zealand 14%, Fiji 12%, Japan 9% (2000) | Denmark 53.8%, Norway 24.2%, Iceland 5.7% (2002) |
Independence | 1 January 1962 (from New Zealand-administered UN trusteeship) | none (part of the Kingdom of Denmark; self-governing overseas administrative division of Denmark) |
Industrial production growth rate | 2.8% (2000) | 8% (1999 est.) |
Industries | food processing, building materials, auto parts | fishing, fish processing, shipbuilding, construction, handicrafts |
Infant mortality rate | 30.74 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.) | total: 6.52 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 7.9 deaths/1,000 live births female: 5.13 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.) |
Inflation rate (consumer prices) | 2.5% (2001 est.) | 5.1% (1999) |
International organization participation | ACP, AsDB, C, ESCAP, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IMF, IMO, IOC, ITU, OPCW (signatory), Sparteca, SPC, SPF, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO (observer) | IMO (associate), NC, NIB |
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) | 2 (2000) | 2 (2000) |
Irrigated land | NA sq km | 0 sq km (1998 est.) |
Judicial branch | Supreme Court; Court of Appeal | none |
Labor force | 90,000 (2000 est.) | 24,250 (October 2000) |
Labor force - by occupation | agriculture 65%, services 30%, industry 5% (1995 est.) | fishing, fish processing, and manufacturing 33%, construction and private services 33%, public services 34% |
Land boundaries | 0 km | 0 km |
Land use | arable land: 19.43%
permanent crops: 23.67% other: 56.9% (1998 est.) |
arable land: 2.14%
permanent crops: 0% other: 97.86% (1998 est.) |
Languages | Samoan (Polynesian), English | Faroese (derived from Old Norse), Danish |
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 | Danish |
Legislative branch | unicameral Legislative Assembly or Fono (49 seats - 47 elected by Samoans, 2 elected by non-Samoans; only chiefs or matai may stand for election to the Fono; members serve five-year terms)
elections: byelection last held NA November 2001 (next byelection to be held 29 March 2002) election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - HRPP 30, SNDP 13, independents 6 |
unicameral Faroese Parliament or Logting (32 seats; members are elected by popular vote on a proportional basis from the seven constituencies to serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 30 April 2002 (next to be held no later than April 2006) election results: percent of vote by party - Union Party 26%, Republican Party 23.7%, Social Democrats 20.9%, People's Party 20.8% Home Rule Party 4.4%, Center Party 4.2%; seats by party - Union Party 8, Republican Party 8, Social Democrats 7, People's Party 7, Home Rule Party 1, Center Party 1 note: election of 2 seats to the Danish Parliament was last held on 20 November 2001 (next to be held no later than November 2005); results - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - Republican Party 1, Union Party 1 |
Life expectancy at birth | total population: 69.8 years
male: 67.06 years female: 72.69 years (2002 est.) |
total population: 78.9 years
male: 75.44 years female: 82.36 years (2003 est.) |
Literacy | definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 80% male: 81% female: 79% (1999) |
definition: NA
total population: NA% male: NA% female: NA% note: similar to Denmark proper |
Location | Oceania, group of islands in the South Pacific Ocean, about one-half of the way from Hawaii to New Zealand | Northern Europe, island group between the Norwegian Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, about one-half of the way from Iceland to Norway |
Map references | Oceania | Europe |
Maritime claims | exclusive economic zone: 200 NM
territorial sea: 12 NM |
continental shelf: 200 NM or agreed boundaries or median line
exclusive fishing zone: 200 NM or agreed boundaries or median line territorial sea: 3 NM |
Merchant marine | total: 1 ship (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 7,091 GRT/ 8,127 DWT
ships by type: cargo 1 note: includes a foreign-owned ship registered here as a flag of convenience: Germany 1 (2002 est.) |
total: 7 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 100,951 GRT/139,396 DWT
ships by type: cargo 2, petroleum tanker 2, refrigerated cargo 1, roll on/roll off 1, short-sea passenger 1 note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience: Denmark 3, Norway 1, United Kingdom 1 (2002 est.) |
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 | defense is the responsibility of Denmark |
Military branches | no regular armed services; Samoa Police Force | no regular indigenous military forces; small Police Force and Coast Guard are maintained |
Military expenditures - dollar figure | $NA | $NA |
Military expenditures - percent of GDP | NA% | NA% |
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 | Olaifest, 29 July |
Nationality | noun: Samoan(s)
adjective: Samoan |
noun: Faroese (singular and plural)
adjective: Faroese |
Natural hazards | occasional typhoons; active volcanism | NA |
Natural resources | hardwood forests, fish, hydropower | fish, whales, hydropower |
Net migration rate | -11.64 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.) | 1.9 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.) |
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 NAIMOAGA]; 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 Independent Party or SUIP [leader NA] | Center Party [Tordur NICLASEN]; Home Rule Party [Helena Dam a NEYSTABO]; People's Party [Oli BRECKMANN]; Republican Party [Finnabogi ISAKSON]; Social Democratic Party [Joannes EIDESGAARD]; Union Party [Edmund JOENSEN] |
Political pressure groups and leaders | NA | NA |
Population | 178,631 (July 2002 est.) | 46,345 (July 2003 est.) |
Population below poverty line | NA% | NA% |
Population growth rate | -0.25% (2002 est.) | 0.7% (2003 est.) |
Ports and harbors | Apia, Asau, Mulifanua, Salelologa | Torshavn, Klaksvik, Tvoroyri, Runavik, Fuglafjordhur |
Radio broadcast stations | AM 1, FM 3, shortwave 0 (1998) | AM 1, FM 13, shortwave 0 (1998) |
Radios | 174,849 (1997) | - |
Railways | 0 km | 0 km |
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) | Evangelical Lutheran |
Sex ratio | at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.69 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.86 male(s)/female total population: 1.39 male(s)/female (2002 est.) |
at birth: 1 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.13 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.81 male(s)/female total population: 1.05 male(s)/female (2003 est.) |
Suffrage | 21 years of age; universal | 18 years of age; universal |
Telephone system | general assessment: adequate
domestic: NA international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean) |
general assessment: good international communications; good domestic facilities
domestic: digitalization was completed in 1998; both NMT (analog) and GSM (digital) mobile telephone systems are installed international: satellite earth stations - 1 Orion; 1 fiber-optic submarine cable to the Shetland Islands, linking the Faroe Islands with Denmark and Iceland; fiber-optic submarine cable connection to Canada-Europe cable |
Telephones - main lines in use | 8,183 (1998) | 24,851 (1999) |
Telephones - mobile cellular | 1,545 (February 1998) | 10,761 (1999) |
Television broadcast stations | 6 (1997) | 3 (plus 43 low-power repeaters) (September 1995) |
Terrain | narrow coastal plain with volcanic, rocky, rugged mountains in interior | rugged, rocky, some low peaks; cliffs along most of coast |
Total fertility rate | 3.3 children born/woman (2002 est.) | 2.24 children born/woman (2003 est.) |
Unemployment rate | NA%; note - substantial underemployment | 1% (October 2000) |
Waterways | none | none |