Samoa (2007) | Somalia (2002) | |
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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 | 18 regions (plural - NA, singular - gobolka); Awdal, Bakool, Banaadir, Bari, Bay, Galguduud, Gedo, Hiiraan, Jubbada Dhexe, Jubbada Hoose, Mudug, Nugaal, Sanaag, Shabeellaha Dhexe, Shabeellaha Hoose, Sool, Togdheer, Woqooyi Galbeed |
Age structure | 0-14 years: 38.1% (male 41,551/female 40,085)
15-64 years: 56.3% (male 63,320/female 57,277) 65 years and over: 5.6% (male 5,416/female 6,616) (2007 est.) |
0-14 years: 44.7% (male 1,737,491; female 1,730,237)
15-64 years: 52.6% (male 2,054,243; female 2,019,980) 65 years and over: 2.7% (male 92,617; female 118,742) (2002 est.) |
Agriculture - products | coconuts, bananas, taro, yams, coffee, cocoa | cattle, sheep, goats; bananas, sorghum, corn, coconuts, rice, sugarcane, mangoes, sesame seeds, beans; fish |
Airports | 4 (2007) | 54 (2001) |
Airports - with paved runways | total: 3
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 under 914 m: 2 (2007) |
total: 6
over 3,047 m: 4 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2002) |
Airports - with unpaved runways | total: 1
under 914 m: 1 (2007) |
total: 54
2,438 to 3,047 m: 3 1,524 to 2,437 m: 18 914 to 1,523 m: 30 under 914 m: 3 (2002) |
Area | total: 2,944 sq km
land: 2,934 sq km water: 10 sq km |
total: 637,657 sq km
land: 627,337 sq km water: 10,320 sq km |
Area - comparative | slightly smaller than Rhode Island | slightly smaller than Texas |
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 SIAD BARRE regime was ousted in January 1991; turmoil, factional fighting, and anarchy have followed for eleven years. In May of 1991, northern clans declared an independent Republic of Somaliland that now includes the administrative regions of Awdal, Woqooyi Galbeed, Togdheer, Sanaag, and Sool. Although not recognized by any government, this entity has maintained a stable existence, aided by the overwhelming dominance of a ruling clan and economic infrastructure left behind by British, Russian, and American military assistance programs. The regions of Bari and Nugaal comprise a neighboring self-declared autonomous state of Puntland, which has been self-governing since 1998, but does not aim at independence; it has also made strides towards reconstructing legitimate, representative government. Puntland also claims Sool and eastern Sanaag. Beginning in 1993, a two-year UN humanitarian effort (primarily in the south) was able to alleviate famine conditions, but when the UN withdrew in 1995, having suffered significant casualties, order still had not been restored. A Transitional National Government (TNG) was created in August 2000 in Arta, Djibouti which was attended by a broad representation of Somali clans. The TNG has a three-year mandate to create a permanent national Somali government. The TNG does not recognize Somaliland as an independent republic but so far has been unable to reunite either Somaliland or Puntland with the unstable regions in the south. Numerous warlords and factions are still fighting for control of Mogadishu and the other southern regions. Suspicion of Somali links with global terrorism complicate the picture. |
Birth rate | 28.28 births/1,000 population (2007 est.) | 46.83 births/1,000 population (2002 est.) |
Budget | revenues: $171.3 million
expenditures: $78.1 million (FY04/05 est.) |
revenues: $NA
expenditures: $NA, including capital expenditures of $NA |
Capital | name: Apia
geographic coordinates: 13 50 S, 171 44 W time difference: UTC-11 (6 hours behind Washington, DC during Standard Time) |
Mogadishu |
Climate | tropical; rainy season (November to April), dry season (May to October) | principally desert; December to February - northeast monsoon, moderate temperatures in north and very hot in south; May to October - southwest monsoon, torrid in the north and hot in the south, irregular rainfall, hot and humid periods (tangambili) between monsoons |
Coastline | 403 km | 3,025 km |
Constitution | 1 January 1962 | 25 August 1979, presidential approval 23 September 1979
note: the Transitional National Government formed in August 2000 has a mandate to create a new constitution and hold elections within three years |
Country name | conventional long form: Independent State of Samoa
conventional short form: Samoa local long form: Malo Sa'oloto Tuto'atasi o Samoa local short form: Samoa former: Western Samoa |
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Somalia former: Somali Republic, Somali Democratic Republic |
Currency | - | Somali shilling (SOS) |
Death rate | 5.88 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.) | 17.99 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.) |
Debt - external | $177 million (2004) | $2.6 billion (2000 est.) |
Diplomatic representation from the US | chief of mission: none; US Ambassador to New Zealand is accredited to Samoa
embassy: Accident Compensation Board (ACB) Building, 5th Floor, Beach Road, Apia mailing address: P. O. Box 3430, Apia, 0815 telephone: [685] 21436/21452/21631/22696 FAX: [685] 22030 |
the US does not have an embassy in Somalia; US interests are represented by the US Embassy in Nairobi at Mombasa Road; mail address: P. O. Box 30137, Unit 64100, Nairobi; APO AE 09831; telephone: [254] (2) 537800; FAX [254] (2) 537810 |
Diplomatic representation in the US | chief of mission: Ambassador Aliioaiga Feturi ELISAIA
chancery: 800 Second Avenue, Suite 400D, New York, NY 10017 telephone: [1] (212) 599-6196, 6197 FAX: [1] (212) 599-0797 |
Somalia does not have an embassy in the US (ceased operations on 8 May 1991); note - the TNG and other factions have representatives in Washington |
Disputes - international | none | most of the southern half of the boundary with Ethiopia is a provisional administrative line; in the Ogaden, regional states have established a variety of conflicting relationships with the Transitional National Government in Mogadishu, feuding factions in Puntland region, and the economically stabile break-away "Somaliland" region; Djibouti maintains economic ties and border accords with "Somaliland" leadership while politically supporting Somali Transitional National Government in Mogadishu; arms smuggling and Oromo rebel activities prompt strict border regime with Kenya |
Economic aid - recipient | $43.95 million (2005) | $60 million (1999 est.) |
Economy - overview | The economy of Samoa has traditionally been dependent on development aid, family remittances from overseas, 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 fish catch declined during the El Nino of 2002-03 but returned to normal by mid-2005. The manufacturing sector mainly processes agricultural products. One factory in the Foreign Trade Zone employs 3,000 people to make automobile electrical harnesses for an assembly plant in Australia. Tourism is an expanding sector, accounting for 25% of GDP; about 100,000 tourists visited the islands in 2005. The Samoan Government has called for deregulation of the financial sector, encouragement of investment, and continued fiscal discipline, while at the same time 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. | One of the world's poorest and least developed countries, Somalia has few resources and is prone to drought. Moreover, much of the economy has been devastated by civil war since 1991. Agriculture is the most important sector, with livestock accounting for about 40% of GDP and about 65% of export earnings. Nomads and semi-nomads, who are dependent upon livestock for their livelihood, make up a large portion of the population. Livestock, hides, charcoal, and bananas are Somalia's principal exports, while sugar, sorghum, corn, fish, qat, and machined goods are the principal imports. Somalia's small industrial sector, based on the processing of agricultural products, has largely been looted and sold as scrap metal. Despite the seeming anarchy, Somalia's service sector has managed to survive and grow. Telecommunication firms provide wireless services in most major cities and offer the lowest international call rates on the continent. In the absence of a formal banking sector, money exchange services have sprouted throughout the country, handling between $200 million and $500 million in remittances annually. Mogadishu's main market offers a variety of goods from food to the newest electronic gadgets. Hotels continue to operate, and security is provided by militias. Ongoing civil disturbances and clan rivalries, however, have interfered with any broad-based economic development and international aid arrangements. The failure of spring rains caused major food shortages in the south in 2001. Economic data is scare and prone to a wide margin of error. |
Electricity - consumption | 97.65 million kWh (2005) | 232.5 million kWh (2000) |
Electricity - exports | 0 kWh (2005) | 0 kWh (2000) |
Electricity - imports | 0 kWh (2005) | 0 kWh (2000) |
Electricity - production | 105 million kWh (2005) | 250 million kWh (2000) |
Electricity - production by source | - | fossil fuel: 100%
hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2000) |
Elevation extremes | lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: Mauga Silisili (Savaii) 1,857 m |
lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
highest point: Shimbiris 2,416 m |
Environment - current issues | soil erosion, deforestation, invasive species, overfishing | famine; use of contaminated water contributes to human health problems; deforestation; overgrazing; soil erosion; desertification |
Environment - international agreements | party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements |
party to: Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection
signed, but not ratified: Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban |
Ethnic groups | Samoan 92.6%, Euronesians 7% (persons of European and Polynesian blood), Europeans 0.4% | Somali 85%, Bantu and other non-Somali 15% (including Arabs 30,000) |
Exchange rates | tala per US dollar - 2.7594 (2006), 2.7103 (2005), 2.7807 (2004), 2.9732 (2003), 3.3763 (2002) | Somali shillings per US dollar - 11,000 (November 2000), 2,620 (January 1999), 7,500 (November 1997 est.), 7,000 (January 1996 est.), 5,000 (1 January 1995)
note: the Republic of Somaliland, a self-declared independent country not recognized by any foreign government, issues its own currency, the Somaliland shilling |
Executive branch | chief of state: TUIATUA Tupua Tamasese Efi (since 20 June 2007)
head of government: Prime Minister Sailele Malielegaoi TUILA'EPA (since 1996); Deputy Prime Minister MISA Telefoni (since 2001) cabinet: Cabinet consists of 12 members appointed by the chief of state on the prime minister's advice elections: chief of state is elected by the Legislative Assembly to serve a five-year term (no term limits); election last held 15 June 2007 (next to be held in 2012); 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 election results: TUIATUA Tupua Tamasese Efi unanimously elected by the Legislative Assembly |
chief of state: ABDIKASSIM Salad Hassan (since 26 August 2000); note - Interim President ABDIKASSIM was chosen for a three-year term by a 245-member National Assembly serving as a transitional government; the present political situation is still unstable, particularly in the south, with interclan fighting and random banditry
head of government: Prime Minister HASSAN Abshir Farah (since 12 November 2001) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the prime minister and sworn in on 20 October 2000; as of 1 January 2002, the Cabinet was in caretaker status following a no-confidence vote in October 2001 that ousted HASSAN's predecessor election results: ABDIKASSIM Salad Hassan was elected president of an interim government at the Djibouti-sponsored Arta Peace Conference on 26 August 2000 by a broad representation of Somali clans that comprised a transitional National Assembly |
Exports | NA bbl/day | $186 million f.o.b. (1999 est.) |
Exports - commodities | fish, coconut oil and cream, copra, taro, automotive parts, garments, beer | livestock, bananas, hides, fish, charcoal, scrap metal (1999) |
Exports - partners | Australia 44%, American Samoa 29.9%, Taiwan 11.2% (2006) | Saudi Arabia 29%, UAE 29%, Yemen 28% (calculated through partners) (2000) |
Fiscal year | June 1 - May 31 | NA |
Flag description | red with a blue rectangle in the upper hoist-side quadrant bearing five white five-pointed stars representing the Southern Cross constellation | light blue with a large white five-pointed star in the center; blue field influenced by the flag of the UN |
GDP | - | purchasing power parity - $4.1 billion (2001 est.) |
GDP - composition by sector | agriculture: 11.4%
industry: 58.4% services: 30.2% (2004 est.) |
agriculture: 65%
industry: 10% services: 25% (2000 est.) |
GDP - per capita | - | purchasing power parity - $550 (2001 est.) |
GDP - real growth rate | 5.5% (2005 est.) | 3% (2001 est.) |
Geographic coordinates | 13 35 S, 172 20 W | 10 00 N, 49 00 E |
Geography - note | occupies an almost central position within Polynesia | strategic location on Horn of Africa along southern approaches to Bab el Mandeb and route through Red Sea and Suez Canal |
Government - note | - | An interim Transitional National Government - with a president, prime minister, and 245-member National Assembly - was established in Mogadishu in October 2000. However, other governing bodies continue to exist and control various cities and regions of the country, including Somaliland, Puntland, and traditional clan and faction strongholds. |
Highways | - | total: 22,100 km
paved: 2,608 km unpaved: 19,492 km (1996) |
Household income or consumption by percentage share | lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA% |
lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA% |
Imports | NA bbl/day | $314 million f.o.b. (1999 est.) |
Imports - commodities | machinery and equipment, industrial supplies, foodstuffs | manufactures, petroleum products, foodstuffs, construction materials, qat (1995) |
Imports - partners | NZ 21.5%, Fiji 14.8%, Singapore 13.2%, Australia 8.6%, Japan 8.6%, US 6.2%, Indonesia 5%, China 4.4% (2006) | Djibouti 27%, Kenya 12%, India 9% (2000) |
Independence | 1 January 1962 (from New Zealand-administered UN trusteeship) | 1 July 1960 (from a merger of British Somaliland, which became independent from the UK on 26 June 1960, and Italian Somaliland, which became independent from the Italian-administered UN trusteeship on 1 July 1960, to form the Somali Republic) |
Industrial production growth rate | 2.8% (2000) | NA% |
Industries | food processing, building materials, auto parts | a few light industries, including sugar refining, textiles, petroleum refining (mostly shut down), wireless communication |
Infant mortality rate | total: 25.89 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 30.54 deaths/1,000 live births female: 21 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.) |
122.15 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.) |
Inflation rate (consumer prices) | 3.3% (2005) | over 100% (businesses print their own money) (2000 est.) |
International organization participation | ACP, AsDB, C, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IOC, IPU, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, OPCW, PIF, Sparteca, SPC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer) | ACP, AfDB, AFESD, AL, AMF, CAEU, ECA, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IGAD, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ITU, NAM, OAU, OIC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO (observer) |
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) | - | 3 (one each in Boosaaso, Hargeisa, and Mogadishu) (2000) |
Irrigated land | NA | 2,000 sq km (1998 est.) |
Judicial branch | Court of Appeal; Supreme Court; District Court; Land and Titles Court | following the breakdown of national government, most regions have reverted to Islamic (Shari'a) law with a provision for appeal of all sentences |
Labor force | 90,000 (2000 est.) | 3.7 million (very few are skilled laborers) (1993 est.) |
Labor force - by occupation | agriculture: NA%
industry: NA% services: NA% |
agriculture (mostly pastoral nomadism) 71%, industry and services 29% |
Land boundaries | 0 km | total: 2,340 km
border countries: Djibouti 58 km, Ethiopia 1,600 km, Kenya 682 km |
Land use | arable land: 21.13%
permanent crops: 24.3% other: 54.57% (2005) |
arable land: 1.66%
permanent crops: 0.04% other: 98.3% (1998 est.) |
Languages | Samoan (Polynesian), English | Somali (official), Arabic, Italian, English |
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 | no national system; Shari'a and secular courts are in some localities |
Legislative branch | unicameral Legislative Assembly or Fono (49 seats, 47 elected by voters affiliated with traditional village-based electoral districts, 2 elected by independent, mostly non-Samoan or part-Samoan, voters who cannot, (or choose not to) establish a village affiliation; only chiefs (matai) may stand for election to the Fono from the 47 village-based electorates; members serve five-year terms)
elections: election last held 31 March 2006 (next election to be held not later than March 2011) election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - HRPP 35, SDUP 10, independents 4 |
unicameral People's Assembly or Golaha Shacbiga
note: fledgling parliament; a transitional 245-member National Assembly began to meet on 13 August 2000 in the town of Arta, Djibouti and is now based in Mogadishu |
Life expectancy at birth | total population: 71.3 years
male: 68.49 years female: 74.26 years (2007 est.) |
total population: 46.96 years
male: 45.33 years female: 48.65 years (2002 est.) |
Literacy | definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 99.7% male: 99.6% female: 99.7% (2003 est.) |
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 37.8% male: 49.7% female: 25.8% (2001 est.) |
Location | Oceania, group of islands in the South Pacific Ocean, about one-half of the way from Hawaii to New Zealand | Eastern Africa, bordering the Gulf of Aden and the Indian Ocean, east of Ethiopia |
Map references | Oceania | Africa |
Maritime claims | territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm |
territorial sea: 200 NM |
Merchant marine | total: 1 ship (1000 GRT or over) 7,091 GRT/8,127 DWT
by type: cargo 1 foreign-owned: 1 (Cyprus 1) (2007) |
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 | - |
Military branches | no regular military forces; Samoa Police Force (2005) | A Somali National Army is being reformed under the interim government; numerous factions and clans maintain independent militias, and the Somaliland and Puntland regional governments maintain their own security and police forces |
Military expenditures - dollar figure | - | $15.3 million (FY01) |
Military expenditures - percent of GDP | NA | 0.9% (FY01) |
Military manpower - availability | - | males age 15-49: 1,881,634 (2002 est.) |
Military manpower - fit for military service | - | males age 15-49: 1,040,662 (2002 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; it is observed in June | Foundation of the Somali Republic, 1 July (1960); note - 26 June (1960) in Somaliland |
Nationality | noun: Samoan(s)
adjective: Samoan |
noun: Somali(s)
adjective: Somali |
Natural hazards | occasional typhoons; active volcanism | recurring droughts; frequent dust storms over eastern plains in summer; floods during rainy season |
Natural resources | hardwood forests, fish, hydropower | uranium and largely unexploited reserves of iron ore, tin, gypsum, bauxite, copper, salt, natural gas, likely oil reserves |
Net migration rate | -9.49 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2007 est.) | 5.75 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.) |
Pipelines | - | crude oil 15 km |
Political parties and leaders | Human Rights Protection Party or HRPP [Sailele Malielegaoi TUILA'EPA]; Samoa Christian Party or TCP [Tuala Tiresa MALIETOA]; Samoa Democratic United Party or SDUP [LE MAMEA Ropati]; Samoa Party or SP [Su'a Rimoni Ah CHONG]; Samoa Progressive Political Party or SPPP [Toeolesulusulu SIUEVA] | none |
Political pressure groups and leaders | NA | numerous clan and subclan factions are currently vying for power |
Population | 214,265
note: prior estimates used official net migration data by sex, but a highly unusual pattern for 1993 lead to a significant imbalance in the sex ratios (more men and fewer women) and a seeming reduction in the female population; the revised total was calculated using a 1993 number that was an average of the 1992 and 1994 migration figures (July 2007 est.) |
7,753,310
note: this estimate was derived from an official census taken in 1975 by the Somali Government; population counting in Somalia is complicated by the large number of nomads and by refugee movements in response to famine and clan warfare (July 2002 est.) |
Population below poverty line | NA% | NA% |
Population growth rate | 1.291% (2007 est.) | 3.46% (2002 est.) |
Ports and harbors | - | Boosaaso, Berbera, Chisimayu (Kismaayo), Merca, Mogadishu |
Radio broadcast stations | AM 2, FM 5, shortwave 0 (2004) | AM 0, FM 1, shortwave 5 (2001) |
Radios | - | 470,000 (1997) |
Railways | - | 0 km |
Religions | Congregationalist 34.8%, Roman Catholic 19.6%, Methodist 15%, Latter-Day Saints 12.7%, Assembly of God 6.6%, Seventh-Day Adventist 3.5%, Worship Centre 1.3%, other Christian 4.5%, other 1.9%, unspecified 0.1% (2001 census) | Sunni Muslim |
Sex ratio | at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.037 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.106 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.819 male(s)/female total population: 1.061 male(s)/female (2007 est.) |
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.78 male(s)/female total population: 1 male(s)/female (2002 est.) |
Suffrage | 21 years of age; universal | 18 years of age; universal |
Telephone system | general assessment: adequate
domestic: NA international: country code - 685; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean) |
general assessment: the public telecommunications system was almost completely destroyed or dismantled by the civil war factions; private wireless companies offer service in most major cities and charge the lowest international rates on the continent
domestic: local cellular telephone systems have been established in Mogadishu and in several other population centers international: international connections are available from Mogadishu by satellite (2001) |
Telephones - main lines in use | 19,500 (2005) | 15,000 (2000) |
Telephones - mobile cellular | 24,000 (2005) | NA |
Television broadcast stations | 2 (2002) | 3
note: two in Mogadishu; one in Hargeisa (2001) |
Terrain | two main islands (Savaii, Upolu) and several smaller islands and uninhabited islets; narrow coastal plain with volcanic, rocky, rugged mountains in interior | mostly flat to undulating plateau rising to hills in north |
Total fertility rate | 4.21 children born/woman (2007 est.) | 7.05 children born/woman (2002 est.) |
Unemployment rate | NA% | NA% |
Waterways | - | none |