Zimbabwe (2002) | Samoa (2003) | |
Administrative divisions | 8 provinces and 2 cities* with provincial status; Bulawayo*, Harare*, Manicaland, Mashonaland Central, Mashonaland East, Mashonaland West, Masvingo, Matabeleland North, Matabeleland South, Midlands | 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: 37.9% (male 2,178,073; female 2,128,287)
15-64 years: 58.4% (male 3,376,850; female 3,268,315) 65 years and over: 3.7% (male 213,286; female 211,865) (2002 est.) |
0-14 years: 29.4% (male 26,613; female 25,715)
15-64 years: 64.6% (male 72,135; female 42,903) 65 years and over: 6.1% (male 4,980; female 5,827) (2003 est.) |
Agriculture - products | corn, cotton, tobacco, wheat, coffee, sugarcane, peanuts; cattle, sheep, goats, pigs | coconuts, bananas, taro, yams, coffee, cocoa |
Airports | 454 (2001) | 4 (2002) |
Airports - with paved runways | total: 17
over 3,047 m: 3 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 914 to 1,523 m: 8 (2002) |
total: 3
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 under 914 m: 2 (2002) |
Airports - with unpaved runways | total: 413
1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 914 to 1,523 m: 197 under 914 m: 212 (2002) |
total: 1
under 914 m: 1 (2002) |
Area | total: 390,580 sq km
land: 386,670 sq km water: 3,910 sq km |
total: 2,944 sq km
land: 2,934 sq km water: 10 sq km |
Area - comparative | slightly larger than Montana | slightly smaller than Rhode Island |
Background | The UK annexed Southern Rhodesia from the South Africa Company in 1923. A 1961 constitution was formulated that favored whites in power. In 1965 the government unilaterally declared its independence, but the UK did not recognize the act and demanded more complete voting rights for the black African majority in the country (then called Rhodesia). UN sanctions and a guerrilla uprising finally led to free elections in 1979 and independence (as Zimbabwe) in 1980. Robert MUGABE, the nation's first prime minister, has been the country's only ruler (as president since 1987) and has dominated the country's political system since independence. His misguided land redistribution campaign begun in 2000 caused an exodus of white farmers, crippled the economy, and ushered in widespread shortages of basic commodities. Ignoring international condemnation, MUGABE rigged the 2002 presidential election to have himself reelected. | 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 | 24.59 births/1,000 population (2002 est.) | 15.41 births/1,000 population (2003 est.) |
Budget | revenues: $2.5 billion
expenditures: $2.6 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (2000 est.) |
revenues: $105 million
expenditures: $119 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (2001/2002) |
Capital | Harare | Apia |
Climate | tropical; moderated by altitude; rainy season (November to March) | tropical; rainy season (October to March), dry season (May to October) |
Coastline | 0 km (landlocked) | 403 km |
Constitution | 21 December 1979 | 1 January 1962 |
Country name | conventional long form: Republic of Zimbabwe
conventional short form: Zimbabwe former: Southern Rhodesia, Rhodesia |
conventional long form: Independent State of Samoa
conventional short form: Samoa former: Western Samoa |
Currency | Zimbabwean dollar (ZWD) | tala (SAT) |
Death rate | 24.06 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.) | 6.41 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.) |
Debt - external | $5 billion (2001 est.) | $197 million (2000) |
Diplomatic representation from the US | chief of mission: Ambassador Joseph G. SULLIVAN
embassy: 172 Herbert Chitepo Avenue, Harare mailing address: P. O. Box 3340, Harare telephone: [263] (4) 250-593 and 250-594 FAX: [263] (4) 796488 |
chief of mission: the Ambassador to New Zealand is accredited to Samoa
embassy: Vailima mailing address: P. O. Box 3430, Apia telephone: [685] 21631/22696 FAX: [685] 22030 |
Diplomatic representation in the US | chief of mission: Ambassador Simbi Veke MUBAKO
chancery: 1608 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20009 telephone: [1] (202) 332-7100 FAX: [1] (202) 483-9326 |
chief of mission: Ambassador Feturi ELISAIA
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; note - some EEZ demarcations, including the one with American Samoa, are undefined |
Economic aid - recipient | $200 million (2000 est.) | $42.9 million (1995) |
Economy - overview | The government of Zimbabwe faces a wide variety of difficult economic problems as it struggles to consolidate earlier moves to develop a market-oriented economy. Its involvement in the war in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, for example, has already drained hundreds of millions of dollars from the economy. Badly needed support from the IMF has been suspended because of the country's failure to meet budgetary goals. Inflation rose from an annual rate of 32% in 1998 to 59% in 1999, to 60% in 2000, and to 100% by yearend 2001. The economy is being steadily weakened by excessive government deficits, AIDS, and rampant inflation. The government's land reform program, characterized by chaos and violence, has derailed the commercial sector, the traditional source of exports and foreign exchange and the provider of 400,000 jobs. Distribution of income is extremely unequal. | The economy of Samoa has traditionally been dependent on development aid, family remittances from overseas, and 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 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 25% of GDP; about 88,000 tourists visited the islands in 2001. The Samoan Government has called for deregulation of the financial sector, encouragement of investment, and continued fiscal discipline, meantime 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. |
Electricity - consumption | 10.475 billion kWh (2000) | 97.74 million kWh (2001) |
Electricity - exports | 0 kWh (2000) | 0 kWh (2001) |
Electricity - imports | 4.5 billion kWh (2000) | 0 kWh (2001) |
Electricity - production | 6.425 billion kWh (2000) | 105.1 million kWh (2001) |
Electricity - production by source | fossil fuel: 53%
hydro: 47% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2000) |
fossil fuel: 58%
hydro: 42% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001) |
Elevation extremes | lowest point: junction of the Runde and Save rivers 162 m
highest point: Inyangani 2,592 m |
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: Mauga Silisili 1,857 m |
Environment - current issues | deforestation; soil erosion; land degradation; air and water pollution; the black rhinoceros herd - once the largest concentration of the species in the world - has been significantly reduced by poaching; poor mining practices have led to toxic waste and heavy metal pollution | soil erosion, deforestation, invasive species, overfishing |
Environment - international agreements | party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected 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 | African 98% (Shona 82%, Ndebele 14%, other 2%), mixed and Asian 1%, white less than 1% | Samoan 92.6%, Euronesians 7% (persons of European and Polynesian blood), Europeans 0.4% |
Exchange rates | Zimbabwean dollars per US dollar - 54.9451 (December 2001), 54.9451 (2001), 43.2900 (2000), 38.3142 (1999), 21.4133 (1998), 11.8906 (1997) | tala per US dollar - 3.37 (2002), 3.48 (2001), 3.29 (2000), 3.01 (1999), 2.95 (1998) |
Executive branch | chief of state: Executive President Robert Gabriel MUGABE (since 31 December 1987); Co-Vice Presidents Simon Vengai MUZENDA (since 31 December 1987) and Joseph MSIKA (since 23 December 1999); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government
head of government: Executive President Robert Gabriel MUGABE (since 31 December 1987); Co-Vice Presidents Simon Vengai MUZENDA (since 31 December 1987) and Joseph MSIKA (since 23 December 1999); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president; responsible to the House of Assembly elections: presidential candidates nominated with a nomination paper signed by at least 10 registered voters (at least one from each province) and elected by popular vote; election last held 9-11 March 2002 (next to be held NA March 2006); co-vice presidents appointed by the president election results: Robert Gabriel MUGABE reelected president; percent of vote - Robert Gabriel MUGABE 56.2%, Morgan TSVANGIRAI 41.9% |
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 1996); note - TUILA'EPA served as deputy prime minister from 1992 until he assumed the prime ministership in 1996, when former Prime Minister TOFILAU Eti Alesana resigned in poor health; TUILA'EPA was confirmed as prime minister after TOFILAU died; 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 |
Exports | $2.1 billion f.o.b. (2001 est.) | NA (2001) |
Exports - commodities | tobacco 30%, gold 11%, ferroalloys 9%, textile/clothing 3% (2000) | fish, coconut oil and cream, copra, taro, automotive parts, garments, beer |
Exports - partners | South Africa 12.1%, UK 8.5%, Japan 7.7%, Germany 6.1%, China 5.4% (2000) | Australia 66.1%, US 10%, Japan 3.7% (2002) |
Fiscal year | 1 January - 31 December | June 1 - May 31 |
Flag description | seven equal horizontal bands of green, yellow, red, black, red, yellow, and green with a white isosceles triangle edged in black with its base on the hoist side; a yellow Zimbabwe bird is superimposed on a red five-pointed star in the center of the triangle | 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 - $28 billion (2001 est.) | purchasing power parity - $1 billion (2002 est.) |
GDP - composition by sector | agriculture: 11%
industry: 14% services: 75% (2000 est.) |
agriculture: 14%
industry: 23% services: 63% (2001 est.) |
GDP - per capita | purchasing power parity - $2,450 (2001 est.) | purchasing power parity - $5,600 (2002 est.) |
GDP - real growth rate | -6.5% (2001 est.) | 5% (2002 est.) |
Geographic coordinates | 20 00 S, 30 00 E | 13 35 S, 172 20 W |
Geography - note | landlocked; the Zambezi forms a natural riverine boundary with Zambia; in full flood (February-April) the massive Victoria Falls on the river forms the world's largest curtain of falling water | occupies an almost central position within Polynesia |
Highways | total: 18,338 km
paved: 8,692 km unpaved: 9,646 km (2002) |
total: 790 km
paved: 332 km unpaved: 458 km (1999 est.) |
Household income or consumption by percentage share | lowest 10%: 2%
highest 10%: 47% (1990) (1990) |
lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA% |
Illicit drugs | transit point for African cannabis and South Asian heroin, mandrax, and methamphetamines destined for the South African and European markets | - |
Imports | $1.5 billion f.o.b. (2001 est.) | NA (2001) |
Imports - commodities | machinery and transport equipment 34%, other manufactures 18%, chemicals 17%, fuels 11% (1999) | machinery and equipment, industrial supplies, foodstuffs |
Imports - partners | South Africa 46.3%, UK 7.2%, Germany 2.5%, US 2.8%, Japan 2.5% (2000 est.) | New Zealand 23.3%, Fiji 20.2%, Australia 15.7%, Japan 13.1%, Taiwan 6.4%, US 4.2% (2002) |
Independence | 18 April 1980 (from UK) | 1 January 1962 (from New Zealand-administered UN trusteeship) |
Industrial production growth rate | -10% (2001 est.) | 2.8% (2000) |
Industries | mining (coal, gold, copper, nickel, tin, clay, numerous metallic and nonmetallic ores), steel, wood products, cement, chemicals, fertilizer, clothing and footwear, foodstuffs, beverages | food processing, building materials, auto parts |
Infant mortality rate | 62.97 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.) | total: 29.73 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 34.98 deaths/1,000 live births female: 24.21 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.) |
Inflation rate (consumer prices) | 100% (2001) | 4% (2001 est.) |
International organization participation | ACP, AfDB, C, CCC, ECA, FAO, G-15, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO, ITU, NAM, OAU, OPCW, PCA, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIK, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO | ACP, AsDB, C, ESCAP, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IMF, IMO, IOC, ITU, OPCW, Sparteca, SPC, SPF, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO (observer) |
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) | 6 (2000) | 2 (2000) |
Irrigated land | 1,170 sq km (1998 est.) | NA sq km |
Judicial branch | Supreme Court; High Court | Supreme Court; Court of Appeal; Land and Titles Court |
Labor force | 5.5 million (2000 est.) | 90,000 (2000 est.) |
Labor force - by occupation | agriculture 66%, services 24%, industry 10% (1996 est.) | NA |
Land boundaries | total: 3,066 km
border countries: Botswana 813 km, Mozambique 1,231 km, South Africa 225 km, Zambia 797 km |
0 km |
Land use | arable land: 8.4%
permanent crops: 0.34% other: 91.26% (1998 est.) |
arable land: 19.43%
permanent crops: 23.67% other: 56.9% (1998 est.) |
Languages | English (official), Shona, Sindebele (the language of the Ndebele, sometimes called Ndebele), numerous but minor tribal dialects | Samoan (Polynesian), English |
Legal system | mixture of Roman-Dutch and English common law | 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 House of Assembly (150 seats - 120 elected by popular vote for five-year terms, 12 nominated by the president, 10 occupied by traditional chiefs chosen by their peers, and 8 occupied by provincial governors appointed by the president)
elections: last held 24-25 June 2000 (next to be held NA 2005) election results: percent of vote by party - ZANU-PF 47.2%, MDC 45.6%, ZANU-Ndonga 0.7%, United Parties 0.7%; seats by party - ZANU-PF 63, MDC 56, ZANU-Ndonga 1 |
unicameral Legislative Assembly or Fono (49 seats - 47 elected by voters affiliated with traditional village-based electoral districts, 2 elected by independent, mostly Eurasian, voters who cannot, (or choose not to) establish a village affiliation; only chiefs (matai) may stand for election to the Fono; members serve five-year terms)
elections: election last held 3 March 2001 (next election to be held not later than March 2006) election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - HRPP 30, SNDP 13, independents 6 |
Life expectancy at birth | total population: 36.5 years
male: 37.87 years female: 35.1 years (2002 est.) |
total population: 70.11 years
male: 67.35 years female: 73 years (2003 est.) |
Literacy | definition: age 15 and over can read and write English
total population: 85% male: 90% female: 80% (1995 est.) |
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 99.7% male: 99.6% female: 99.7% (2003 est.) |
Location | Southern Africa, between South Africa and Zambia | Oceania, group of islands in the South Pacific Ocean, about one-half of the way from Hawaii to New Zealand |
Map references | Africa | Oceania |
Maritime claims | none (landlocked) | exclusive economic zone: 200 NM
territorial sea: 12 NM |
Merchant marine | - | total: 1 ship (1,000 GRT or over) 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.) |
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 | Zimbabwe National Army, Air Force of Zimbabwe, Zimbabwe Republic Police (includes Police Support Unit, Paramilitary Police) | no regular armed services; Samoa Police Force |
Military expenditures - dollar figure | $350.6 million (FY01) | $NA |
Military expenditures - percent of GDP | 3.8% (FY01) | NA% |
Military manpower - availability | males age 15-49: 3,057,381 (2002 est.) | - |
Military manpower - fit for military service | males age 15-49: 1,898,383 (2002 est.) | - |
National holiday | Independence Day, 18 April (1980) | 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: Zimbabwean(s)
adjective: Zimbabwean |
noun: Samoan(s)
adjective: Samoan |
Natural hazards | recurring droughts; floods and severe storms are rare | occasional typhoons; active volcanism |
Natural resources | coal, chromium ore, asbestos, gold, nickel, copper, iron ore, vanadium, lithium, tin, platinum group metals | hardwood forests, fish, hydropower |
Net migration rate | NEGL migrant(s)/1,000 population
note: there is a small but steady flow of Zimbabweans into South Africa in search of better paid employment (2002 est.) |
-11.67 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.) |
Pipelines | petroleum products 212 km | - |
Political parties and leaders | Movement for Democratic Change or MDC [Morgan TSVANGIRAI]; United Parties [Abel MUZOREWA]; Zimbabwe African National Union-Ndonga or ZANU-Ndonga [Wilson KUMBULA]; Zimbabwe African National Union-Patriotic Front or ZANU-PF [Robert Gabriel MUGABE]; Zimbabwe African Peoples Union or ZAPU [Agrippa MADLELA] | Christian Democratic Party [leader NA]; Human Rights Protection Party or HRPP [Sailele Malielegaoi TUILA'EPA, chairman]; Samoa All People's Party or SAPP [Matatumua MAIMOANA]; 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 Independents Party or SUIP [Dr. Saleimoa VAAI] |
Political pressure groups and leaders | National Constitutional Assembly or NCA [Lovemore MADHUKU] | NA |
Population | 11,376,676
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 2002 est.) |
178,173 (July 2003 est.) |
Population below poverty line | 60% (1999 est.) | NA% |
Population growth rate | 0.05% (2002 est.) | -0.27% (2003 est.) |
Ports and harbors | Binga, Kariba | Apia, Asau, Mulifanua, Salelologa |
Radio broadcast stations | AM 7, FM 20 (plus 17 repeater stations), shortwave 1 (1998) | AM 1, FM 3, shortwave 0 (1998) |
Radios | 1.14 million (1997) | - |
Railways | total: 3,077 km
narrow gauge: 3,077 km 1.067-m gauge (313 km electrified; 42 km double-tracked) note: includes the 318 km Bulawaya-Beitbridge Railway Company line (2001) |
0 km |
Religions | syncretic (part Christian, part indigenous beliefs) 50%, Christian 25%, indigenous beliefs 24%, Muslim and other 1% | 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: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 1.01 male(s)/female total population: 1.03 male(s)/female (2002 est.) |
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.68 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.85 male(s)/female total population: 1.39 male(s)/female (2003 est.) |
Suffrage | 18 years of age; universal | 21 years of age; universal |
Telephone system | general assessment: system was once one of the best in Africa, but now suffers from poor maintenance; more than 100,000 outstanding requests for connection despite an equally large number of installed but unused main lines
domestic: consists of microwave radio relay links, open-wire lines, radiotelephone communication stations, fixed wireless local loop installations, and a substantial mobile cellular network; Internet connection is available in Harare and planned for all major towns and for some of the smaller ones international: satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat; two international digital gateway exchanges (in Harare and Gweru) |
general assessment: adequate
domestic: NA international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean) |
Telephones - main lines in use | 212,000 (in addition, there are about 20,000 fixed telephones in wireless local loop connections) (1997) | 8,183 (1998) |
Telephones - mobile cellular | 111,000 (2001) | 1,545 (February 1998) |
Television broadcast stations | 16 (1997) | 2 (2002) |
Terrain | mostly high plateau with higher central plateau (high veld); mountains in east | narrow coastal plain with volcanic, rocky, rugged mountains in interior |
Total fertility rate | 3.21 children born/woman (2002 est.) | 3.21 children born/woman (2003 est.) |
Unemployment rate | 60% (2001 est.) | NA%; note - substantial underemployment |
Waterways | chrome ore is transported from Harare - by way of the Mazoe River - to the Zambezi River in Mozambique | none |