Samoa (2002) | Guernsey (2002) | |
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 (British crown dependency); there are no first-order administrative divisions as defined by the US Government, but there are 10 parishes including St. Peter Port, St. Sampson, Vale, Castel, St. Saviour, St. Pierre du Bois, Torteval, Forest, St. Martin, St. Andrew |
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: 16% (male 5,250; female 5,101)
15-64 years: 66.7% (male 21,356; female 21,728) 65 years and over: 17.3% (male 4,622; female 6,530) (2002 est.) |
Agriculture - products | coconuts, bananas, taro, yams | tomatoes, greenhouse flowers, sweet peppers, eggplant, fruit; Guernsey cattle |
Airports | 3 (2001) | 2 (2001) |
Airports - with paved runways | total: 3
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 (2002) |
total: 2
914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 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: 78 sq km
land: 78 sq km water: 0 sq km note: includes Alderney, Guernsey, Herm, Sark, and some other smaller islands |
Area - comparative | slightly smaller than Rhode Island | slightly larger than 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 island of Guernsey and the other Channel Islands represent the last remnants of the medieval Dukedom of Normandy, which held sway in both France and England. The islands were the only British soil occupied by German troops in World War II. |
Birth rate | 15.53 births/1,000 population (2002 est.) | 9.69 births/1,000 population (2002 est.) |
Budget | revenues: $105 million
expenditures: $119 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (2001/2002) |
revenues: $381.3 million
expenditures: $368.8 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (2000 est.) |
Capital | Apia | St. Peter Port |
Climate | tropical; rainy season (October to March), dry season (May to October) | temperate with mild winters and cool summers; about 50% of days are overcast |
Coastline | 403 km | 50 km |
Constitution | 1 January 1962 | unwritten; partly statutes, partly common law and practice |
Country name | conventional long form: Independent State of Samoa
conventional short form: Samoa former: Western Samoa |
conventional long form: Bailiwick of Guernsey
conventional short form: Guernsey |
Currency | tala (WST) | British pound (GBP); note - there is also a Guernsey pound |
Death rate | 6.35 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.) | 9.86 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.) |
Debt - external | $192 million (1999) | $NA |
Dependency status | - | British crown dependency |
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 (British crown dependency) |
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 (British crown dependency) |
Disputes - international | none | none |
Economic aid - recipient | $42.9 million (1995) (1995) | $NA |
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. | Financial services - banking, fund management, insurance, etc. - account for about 55% of total income in this tiny Channel Island economy. Tourism, manufacturing, and horticulture, mainly tomatoes and cut flowers, have been declining. Light tax and death duties make Guernsey a popular tax haven. The evolving economic integration of the EU nations is changing the rules of the game under which Guernsey operates. |
Electricity - consumption | 95.79 million kWh (2000) | NA kWh |
Electricity - exports | 0 kWh (2000) | NA kWh |
Electricity - imports | 0 kWh (2000) | NA kWh |
Electricity - production | 103 million kWh (2000) | NA kWh |
Electricity - production by source | fossil fuel: 59%
hydro: 41% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2000) |
fossil fuel: NA%
hydro: NA% nuclear: NA% other: NA% |
Elevation extremes | lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: Mauga Silisili 1,857 m |
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: unnamed location on Sark 114 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% | UK and Norman-French descent |
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) | Guernsey pounds per US dollar - 0.6944 (January 2002), 0.6944 (2001), 0.6596 (2000), 0.6180 (1999), 0.6037 (1998), 0.6106 (1997); note - the Guernsey pound is at par with the British pound |
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 ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952)
head of government: Lieutenant Governor and Commander-in-Chief Lt. Gen. Sir John FOLEY (since NA 2000) and Bailiff De Vic G. CAREY (since NA) cabinet: Advisory and Finance Committee appointed by the Assembly of the States elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; lieutenant governor appointed by the monarch; bailiff appointed by the monarch |
Exports | $17 million f.o.b. (2000) | $NA |
Exports - commodities | fish, coconut oil and cream, copra, taro, garments, beer | tomatoes, flowers and ferns, sweet peppers, eggplant, other vegetables |
Exports - partners | Australia 62%, Indonesia 13%, US 11%, American Samoa 3%, New Zealand 3% (2000) | UK (regarded as internal trade) |
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 the red cross of Saint George (patron saint of England) extending to the edges of the flag and a yellow equal-armed cross of William the Conqueror superimposed on the Saint George cross |
GDP | purchasing power parity - $618 million (2001 est.) | purchasing power parity - $1.3 billion (1999 est.) |
GDP - composition by sector | agriculture: 16%
industry: 18% services: 66% (2000 est.) |
agriculture: 3%
industry: 10% services: 87% (2000) |
GDP - per capita | purchasing power parity - $3,500 (2001 est.) | purchasing power parity - $20,000 (1999 est.) |
GDP - real growth rate | 6% (2001 est.) | 5.7% (1999 est.) |
Geographic coordinates | 13 35 S, 172 20 W | 49 28 N, 2 35 W |
Geography - note | occupies an almost central position within Polynesia | large, deepwater harbor at Saint Peter Port |
Highways | total: 836 km
paved: 267 km unpaved: 569 km (1983) |
total: NA km
paved: NA km unpaved: NA km |
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 |
Imports - commodities | machinery and equipment, industrial supplies, foodstuffs | coal, gasoline, oil, machinery and equipment |
Imports - partners | Australia 27%, US 26%, New Zealand 14%, Fiji 12%, Japan 9% (2000) | UK (regarded as internal trade) |
Independence | 1 January 1962 (from New Zealand-administered UN trusteeship) | none (British crown dependency) |
Industrial production growth rate | 2.8% (2000) | NA% |
Industries | food processing, building materials, auto parts | tourism, banking |
Infant mortality rate | 30.74 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.) | 4.92 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.) |
Inflation rate (consumer prices) | 2.5% (2001 est.) | 3.99% (2000 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) | none |
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) | 2 (2000) | NA |
Irrigated land | NA sq km | NA sq km |
Judicial branch | Supreme Court; Court of Appeal | Royal Court |
Labor force | 90,000 (2000 est.) | 31,322 (2000) |
Labor force - by occupation | agriculture 65%, services 30%, industry 5% (1995 est.) | - |
Land boundaries | 0 km | 0 km |
Land use | arable land: 19.43%
permanent crops: 23.67% other: 56.9% (1998 est.) |
arable land: NA%
permanent crops: NA% other: NA% (1998 est.) |
Languages | Samoan (Polynesian), English | English, French, Norman-French dialect spoken in country districts |
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 | English law and local statute; justice is administered by the Royal Court |
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 Assembly of the States; consists of the bailiff, 10 Douzaine (parish council) representatives, 45 people's deputies elected by popular vote, 2 representatives from Alderney, Her Majesty's Procureur (Attorney General), Her Majesty's Comptroller (Solicitor General) and Her Majesty's Greffier (Court Recorder and Registrar General); note - Alderney and Sark have their own parliaments
elections: last held 12 April 2000 (next to be held NA 2004) election results: percent of vote - NA%; seats - all independents |
Life expectancy at birth | total population: 69.8 years
male: 67.06 years female: 72.69 years (2002 est.) |
total population: 79.9 years
male: 76.91 years female: 83.01 years (2002 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% |
Location | Oceania, group of islands in the South Pacific Ocean, about one-half of the way from Hawaii to New Zealand | Western Europe, islands in the English Channel, northwest of France |
Map references | Oceania | Europe |
Maritime claims | exclusive economic zone: 200 NM
territorial sea: 12 NM |
exclusive fishing zone: 12 NM
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.) |
none (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 the UK |
Military branches | no regular armed services; Samoa Police Force | - |
Military expenditures - dollar figure | $NA | - |
Military expenditures - percent of GDP | 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 | Liberation Day, 9 May (1945) |
Nationality | noun: Samoan(s)
adjective: Samoan |
noun: Channel Islander(s)
adjective: Channel Islander |
Natural hazards | occasional typhoons; active volcanism | NA |
Natural resources | hardwood forests, fish, hydropower | cropland |
Net migration rate | -11.64 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.) | 3.87 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 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] | none; all independents |
Political pressure groups and leaders | NA | none |
Population | 178,631 (July 2002 est.) | 64,587 (July 2002 est.) |
Population below poverty line | NA% | NA% |
Population growth rate | -0.25% (2002 est.) | 0.37% (2002 est.) |
Ports and harbors | Apia, Asau, Mulifanua, Salelologa | St. Peter Port, Saint Sampson |
Radio broadcast stations | AM 1, FM 3, shortwave 0 (1998) | AM 1, FM 1, shortwave 0 (1998) |
Radios | 174,849 (1997) | NA |
Railways | 0 km | 5 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) | Anglican, Roman Catholic, Presbyterian, Baptist, Congregational, Methodist |
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: 1.04 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.71 male(s)/female total population: 0.94 male(s)/female (2002 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: NA
domestic: NA international: 1 submarine cable |
Telephones - main lines in use | 8,183 (1998) | 44,000 (1996) |
Telephones - mobile cellular | 1,545 (February 1998) | 12,000 (1997) |
Television broadcast stations | 6 (1997) | 1 (1997) |
Terrain | narrow coastal plain with volcanic, rocky, rugged mountains in interior | mostly level with low hills in southwest |
Total fertility rate | 3.3 children born/woman (2002 est.) | 1.36 children born/woman (2002 est.) |
Unemployment rate | NA%; note - substantial underemployment | 0.5% (1999 est.) |
Waterways | none | none |