Samoa (2002) | Ghana (2004) | |
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 | 10 regions; Ashanti, Brong-Ahafo, Central, Eastern, Greater Accra, Northern, Upper East, Upper West, Volta, Western |
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: 38% (male 3,988,800; female 3,904,989)
15-64 years: 58.3% (male 6,030,151; female 6,071,725) 65 years and over: 3.7% (male 359,042; female 402,325) (2004 est.) |
Agriculture - products | coconuts, bananas, taro, yams | cocoa, rice, coffee, cassava (tapioca), peanuts, corn, shea nuts, bananas; timber |
Airports | 3 (2001) | 12 (2003 est.) |
Airports - with paved runways | total: 3
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 (2002) |
total: 7
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 914 to 1,523 m: 2 (2004 est.) |
Airports - with unpaved runways | total: 1
under 914 m: 1 (2002) |
total: 5
914 to 1,523 m: 3 under 914 m: 2 (2004 est.) |
Area | total: 2,944 sq km
land: 2,934 sq km water: 10 sq km |
total: 239,460 sq km
land: 230,940 sq km water: 8,520 sq km |
Area - comparative | slightly smaller than Rhode Island | slightly smaller than Oregon |
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. | Formed from the merger of the British colony of the Gold Coast and the Togoland trust territory, Ghana in 1957 became the first sub-Saharan country in colonial Africa to gain its independence. A long series of coups resulted in the suspension of the constitution in 1981 and the banning of political parties. A new constitution, restoring multiparty politics, was approved in 1992. Lt. Jerry RAWLINGS, head of state since 1981, won presidential elections in 1992 and 1996, but was constitutionally prevented from running for a third term in 2000. He was succeeded by John KUFUOR, who defeated former Vice President Atta MILLS in a free and fair election. |
Birth rate | 15.53 births/1,000 population (2002 est.) | 24.9 births/1,000 population (2004 est.) |
Budget | revenues: $105 million
expenditures: $119 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (2001/2002) |
revenues: $1.943 billion
expenditures: $2.192 billion, including capital expenditures of NA (2003 est.) |
Capital | Apia | Accra |
Climate | tropical; rainy season (October to March), dry season (May to October) | tropical; warm and comparatively dry along southeast coast; hot and humid in southwest; hot and dry in north |
Coastline | 403 km | 539 km |
Constitution | 1 January 1962 | approved 28 April 1992 |
Country name | conventional long form: Independent State of Samoa
conventional short form: Samoa former: Western Samoa |
conventional long form: Republic of Ghana
conventional short form: Ghana former: Gold Coast |
Currency | tala (WST) | cedi (GHC) |
Death rate | 6.35 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.) | 10.67 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.) |
Debt - external | $192 million (1999) | $7.398 billion (2003 est.) |
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 |
chief of mission: Ambassador Mary Carlin YATES
embassy: 6th and 10th Lanes, 798/1 Osu, Accra mailing address: P. O. Box 194, Accra telephone: [233] (21) 775-347, 775-348 FAX: [233] (21) 701-813 |
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 |
chief of mission: Ambassador Alan J. KYEREMATEN
chancery: 3512 International Drive NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 686-4520 FAX: [1] (202) 686-4527 consulate(s) general: New York |
Disputes - international | none | Ghana must still deal with refugees and returning nationals escaping rebel fighting in Cote d'Ivoire |
Economic aid - recipient | $42.9 million (1995) (1995) | $6.9 billion (1999) |
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. | Well endowed with natural resources, Ghana has roughly twice the per capita output of the poorer countries in West Africa. Even so, Ghana remains heavily dependent on international financial and technical assistance. Gold, timber, and cocoa production are major sources of foreign exchange. The domestic economy continues to revolve around subsistence agriculture, which accounts for 35% of GDP and employs 60% of the work force, mainly small landholders. Ghana opted for debt relief under the Heavily Indebted Poor Country (HIPC) program in 2002. Policy priorities include tighter monetary and fiscal policies, accelerated privatization, and improvement of social services. Receipts from the gold sector should help sustain GDP growth in 2004. Inflation should ease, but remain a major internal problem. |
Electricity - consumption | 95.79 million kWh (2000) | 8.835 billion kWh (2001) |
Electricity - exports | 0 kWh (2000) | 300 million kWh (2001) |
Electricity - imports | 0 kWh (2000) | 950 million kWh (2001) |
Electricity - production | 103 million kWh (2000) | 8.801 billion kWh (2001) |
Electricity - production by source | fossil fuel: 59%
hydro: 41% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2000) |
- |
Elevation extremes | lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: Mauga Silisili 1,857 m |
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Mount Afadjato 880 m |
Environment - current issues | soil erosion | recurrent drought in north severely affects agricultural activities; deforestation; overgrazing; soil erosion; poaching and habitat destruction threatens wildlife populations; water pollution; inadequate supplies of potable water |
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 |
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Marine Life Conservation |
Ethnic groups | Samoan 92.6%, Euronesians 7% (persons of European and Polynesian blood), Europeans 0.4% | black African 98.5% (major tribes - Akan 44%, Moshi-Dagomba 16%, Ewe 13%, Ga 8%, Gurma 3%, Yoruba 1%), European and other 1.5% (1998) |
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) | cedis per US dollar - NA (2003), 7,932.7 (2002), 7,170.76 (2001), 5,455.06 (2000), 2,669.3 (1999) |
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: President John Agyekum KUFUOR (since 7 January 2001); Vice President Alhaji Aliu MAHAMA (since 7 January 2001); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government
head of government: President John Agyekum KUFUOR (since 7 January 2001); Vice President Alhaji Aliu MAHAMA (since 7 January 2001); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government cabinet: Council of Ministers; president nominates members subject to approval by Parliament elections: president and vice president elected on the same ticket by popular vote for four-year terms; election last held 7 December 2004 (next to be held December 2008) election results: John Agyekum KUFUOR reelected president in election; percent of vote - John KUFUOR 53.4%, John Atta MILLS 43.7% |
Exports | $17 million f.o.b. (2000) | NA (2001) |
Exports - commodities | fish, coconut oil and cream, copra, taro, garments, beer | gold, cocoa, timber, tuna, bauxite, aluminum, manganese ore, diamonds |
Exports - partners | Australia 62%, Indonesia 13%, US 11%, American Samoa 3%, New Zealand 3% (2000) | Netherlands 11.2%, UK 10.7%, France 7.7%, Germany 6.2%, Japan 5.2%, Italy 4.6%, Turkey 4.4%, US 4.3% (2003) |
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 | three equal horizontal bands of red (top), yellow, and green with a large black five-pointed star centered in the yellow band; uses the popular pan-African colors of Ethiopia; similar to the flag of Bolivia, which has a coat of arms centered in the yellow band |
GDP | purchasing power parity - $618 million (2001 est.) | purchasing power parity - $44.44 billion (2003 est.) |
GDP - composition by sector | agriculture: 16%
industry: 18% services: 66% (2000 est.) |
agriculture: 35.4%
industry: 25.4% services: 39.2% (2003 est.) |
GDP - per capita | purchasing power parity - $3,500 (2001 est.) | purchasing power parity - $2,200 (2003 est.) |
GDP - real growth rate | 6% (2001 est.) | 4.7% (2003 est.) |
Geographic coordinates | 13 35 S, 172 20 W | 8 00 N, 2 00 W |
Geography - note | occupies an almost central position within Polynesia | Lake Volta is the world's largest artificial lake |
Highways | total: 836 km
paved: 267 km unpaved: 569 km (1983) |
total: 39,409 km
paved: 11,665 km unpaved: 27,744 km (1999 est.) |
Household income or consumption by percentage share | lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA% |
lowest 10%: 2.2%
highest 10%: 30.1% (1999) |
Illicit drugs | - | illicit producer of cannabis for the international drug trade; major transit hub for Southwest and Southeast Asian heroin and, to a lesser extent, South American cocaine destined for Europe and the US; widespread crime and corruption have made money laundering a problem, but the lack of a well-developed financial infrastructure limits the country's utility as a money-laundering center |
Imports | $90 million f.o.b. (2000) | NA (2001) |
Imports - commodities | machinery and equipment, industrial supplies, foodstuffs | capital equipment, petroleum, foodstuffs |
Imports - partners | Australia 27%, US 26%, New Zealand 14%, Fiji 12%, Japan 9% (2000) | Nigeria 13.2%, China 9.3%, UK 7.2%, US 6.1%, Germany 4.8%, France 4.5%, South Africa 4% (2003) |
Independence | 1 January 1962 (from New Zealand-administered UN trusteeship) | 6 March 1957 (from UK) |
Industrial production growth rate | 2.8% (2000) | 3.8% (2000 est.) |
Industries | food processing, building materials, auto parts | mining, lumbering, light manufacturing, aluminum smelting, food processing |
Infant mortality rate | 30.74 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.) | total: 52.22 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 55.1 deaths/1,000 live births female: 49.25 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.) |
Inflation rate (consumer prices) | 2.5% (2001 est.) | 26.7% (2003 est.) |
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) | ACP, AfDB, AU, C, ECOWAS, FAO, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO, ITU, MIGA, MINURSO, MONUC, NAM, OAS (observer), ONUB, OPCW, UN, UNAMSIL, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNITAR, UNMEE, UNMIK, UNMIL, UNOCI, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO |
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) | 2 (2000) | - |
Irrigated land | NA sq km | 110 sq km (1998 est.) |
Judicial branch | Supreme Court; Court of Appeal | Supreme Court |
Labor force | 90,000 (2000 est.) | 10 million (2003 est.) |
Labor force - by occupation | agriculture 65%, services 30%, industry 5% (1995 est.) | agriculture 60%, industry 15%, services 25% (1999 est.) |
Land boundaries | 0 km | total: 2,094 km
border countries: Burkina Faso 549 km, Cote d'Ivoire 668 km, Togo 877 km |
Land use | arable land: 19.43%
permanent crops: 23.67% other: 56.9% (1998 est.) |
arable land: 16.26%
permanent crops: 9.67% other: 74.07% (2001) |
Languages | Samoan (Polynesian), English | English (official), African languages (including Akan, Moshi-Dagomba, Ewe, and Ga) |
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 | based on English common law and customary law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction |
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 Parliament (230 seats; note - increased from 200 seats in last election; members are elected by direct, popular vote to serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 7 December 2004 (next to be held December 2008) election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - NPP 128, NDC 92, other 10 |
Life expectancy at birth | total population: 69.8 years
male: 67.06 years female: 72.69 years (2002 est.) |
total population: 56.27 years
male: 55.36 years female: 57.22 years (2004 est.) |
Literacy | definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 80% male: 81% female: 79% (1999) |
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 74.8% male: 82.7% female: 67.1% (2003 est.) |
Location | Oceania, group of islands in the South Pacific Ocean, about one-half of the way from Hawaii to New Zealand | Western Africa, bordering the Gulf of Guinea, between Cote d'Ivoire and Togo |
Map references | Oceania | Africa |
Maritime claims | exclusive economic zone: 200 NM
territorial sea: 12 NM |
territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 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: 8 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 19,086 GRT/26,185 DWT
by type: petroleum tanker 3, refrigerated cargo 5 foreign-owned: Brazil 1, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 1, Spain 1 (2004 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 | - |
Military branches | no regular armed services; Samoa Police Force | Army, Navy, Air Force |
Military expenditures - dollar figure | $NA | $44 million (2003) |
Military expenditures - percent of GDP | NA% | 0.6% (2003) |
Military manpower - availability | - | males age 15-49: 5,391,378 (2004 est.) |
Military manpower - fit for military service | - | males age 15-49: 2,994,600 (2004 est.) |
Military manpower - reaching military age annually | - | males: 244,809 (2004 est.) |
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 | Independence Day, 6 March (1957) |
Nationality | noun: Samoan(s)
adjective: Samoan |
noun: Ghanaian(s)
adjective: Ghanaian |
Natural hazards | occasional typhoons; active volcanism | dry, dusty, northeastern harmattan winds occur from January to March; droughts |
Natural resources | hardwood forests, fish, hydropower | gold, timber, industrial diamonds, bauxite, manganese, fish, rubber, hydropower |
Net migration rate | -11.64 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.) | -0.64 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.) |
People - note | - | there are 9,500 Liberians, 2,000 Sierra Leoneans, and 1,000 Togolese refugees residing in Ghana (2002) |
Pipelines | - | refined products 74 km (2004) |
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] | Convention People's Party or CPP [Nii Noi DOWUONA, general secretary]; Every Ghanaian Living Everywhere or EGLE [Owuraku AMOFA, chairman]; Great Consolidated Popular Party or GCPP [Dan LARTY]; National Convention Party or NCP [Sarpong KUMA-KUMA]; National Democratic Congress or NDC [Dr. Huudu YAHAYA, general secretary]; New Patriotic Party or NPP [Samuel Arthur ODOI-SYKES]; People's Convention Party or PCP [P. K. DONKOH-AYIFI, acting chairman]; People's Heritage Party or PHP [Emmanuel Alexander ERSKINE]; People's National Convention or PNC [Edward MAHAMA]; Reform Party [Kyeretwie OPUKU, general secretary] |
Political pressure groups and leaders | NA | NA |
Population | 178,631 (July 2002 est.) | 20,757,032
note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2004 est.) |
Population below poverty line | NA% | 31.4% (1992 est.) |
Population growth rate | -0.25% (2002 est.) | 1.36% (2004 est.) |
Ports and harbors | Apia, Asau, Mulifanua, Salelologa | Takoradi, Tema |
Radio broadcast stations | AM 1, FM 3, shortwave 0 (1998) | AM 0, FM 49, shortwave 3 (2001) |
Radios | 174,849 (1997) | - |
Railways | 0 km | total: 953 km
narrow gauge: 953 km 1.067-m gauge (2003) |
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) | Christian 63%, Muslim 16%, indigenous beliefs 21% |
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: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.89 male(s)/female total population: 1 male(s)/female (2004 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: poor to fair system; Internet accessible; many rural communities not yet connected; expansion of services is underway
domestic: primarily microwave radio relay; wireless local loop has been installed international: country code - 233; satellite earth stations - 4 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); microwave radio relay link to Panaftel system connects Ghana to its neighbors; fiber optic submarine cable (SAT-3/WASC) provides connectivity to Europe and Asia |
Telephones - main lines in use | 8,183 (1998) | 302,300 (2003) |
Telephones - mobile cellular | 1,545 (February 1998) | 799,900 (2003) |
Television broadcast stations | 6 (1997) | 10 (2001) |
Terrain | narrow coastal plain with volcanic, rocky, rugged mountains in interior | mostly low plains with dissected plateau in south-central area |
Total fertility rate | 3.3 children born/woman (2002 est.) | 3.17 children born/woman (2004 est.) |
Unemployment rate | NA%; note - substantial underemployment | 20% (1997 est.) |
Waterways | none | 1,293 km
note: 168 km for launches and lighters on Volta, Ankobra, and Tano rivers; 1,125 km of arterial and feeder waterways on Lake Volta (2003) |