STATISTICS: SAMOA

Samoa{1} Official name: Malo Sa'oloto Tuto'atasi o Samoa (Samoan); Independent State of Samoa (English). Form of government: constitutional monarchy{2} with one legislative house (Legislative Assembly ). Chief of state: Head of State. Head of government: Prime Minister. Capital: Apia. Official languages: Samoan; English. Official religion: none. Monetary unit: 1 tala (SA${3}, plural tala) = 100 sene; valuation (Sept. 25, 1998) 1 U.S.$ = SA$3.09; 1 = SA$5.27. Demography Population (1998): 171,100. Density (1998): persons per sq mi 156.5, persons per sq km 60.4. Urban-rural (1997): urban 21.0%; rural 79.0%. Sex distribution (1991): male 52.45%; female 47.55%. Age breakdown (1991): under 15, 40.6%; 15-29, 29.9%; 30-44, 14.6%; 45-59, 8.8%; 60-74, 5.0%; 75 and over, 1.1%. Population projection: (2000) 174,000; (2010) 192,000. Doubling time: 34 years. Ethnic composition (1982): Samoan (Polynesian) c. 88%; Euronesian c. 10%; European c. 2%. Religious affiliation (1995): Mormon 25.8%; Congregational 24.6%; Roman Catholic 21.3%; Methodist 12.2%; Pentecostal 8.0%; Seventh-day Adventist 3.9%; other Christian 1.7%; other 2.5%. Major city (1991): Apia 34,126. Vital statistics Birth rate per 1,000 population (1997): 26.7 (world avg. 25.0); (1978) legitimate 43.5%; illegitimate 56.5%. Death rate per 1,000 population (1997): 6.0 (world avg. 9.3). Natural increase rate per 1,000 population (1997): 20.7 (world avg. 15.7). Total fertility rate (avg. births per childbearing woman; 1997): 3.8. Marriage rate per 1,000 population (1989){4}: 5.3. Divorce rate per 1,000 population (1989){4}: 0.2. Life expectancy at birth (1997): male 67.0 years; female 71.0 years. Major causes of death (percent distribution; 1992){4}: congestive heart failure 14.0%; malignant neoplasms (cancers) 11.0%; cerebrovascular diseases 8.0%; injury and poisoning 8.0%; pneumonia 6.0%; septicemia 6.0%; diabetes mellitus 4.0%; intestinal infectious diseases 2.0%. National economy Budget (1996-97). Revenue: WS$230,700,000 (tax revenue 55.4%; grants 30.3%; nontax revenue 14.3%). Expenditures: WS$243,800,000 (current expenditure 62.2%, of which net lending 2.3%; development expenditure 37.8%). Production (metric tons except as noted). Agriculture, forestry, fishing (1996): coconuts 130,000, taro 36,900, bananas 10,000, papayas 10,000, pineapples 5,700, mangoes 4,900, avocados 1,700, cacao beans 400; livestock (number of live animals) 178,800 pigs, 26,000 cattle, 350,000 chickens; roundwood (1995) 131,000 cu m; fish catch (1994) 1,500. Mining and quarrying: n.a. Manufacturing (in WS$'000; 1990): beer 8,708; cigarettes 6,551; coconut cream 5,576; sawn wood 3,662; coconut oil 3,442; corned meat 2,905; soap 1,487; paints 1,457. Construction (permits issued in WS$; 1995): residential 7,749,000; commercial, industrial, and other 30,867,000. Energy production (consumption): electricity (kW-hr; 1994) 64,000,000 (64,000,000); coal, none (n.a.); crude petroleum, none (n.a.); petroleum products (metric tons; 1994) none (40,000). Household income and expenditure. Average household size (1981) 5.1; income per household (1972) WS$1,518 (U.S.$2,200); sources of income (1972): wages 49.4%, self-employment 22.8%, remittances, gifts, and other assistance 18.0%, land rent 8.7%, other 1.1%; expenditure (1987){5}: food 58.8%, transportation 9.0%, housing and furnishings 5.1%, fuel and lighting 5.0%, clothing 4.2%, other goods and services 1.9%, other 16.0%. Public debt (external, outstanding; 1996): U.S.$162,800,000. Gross national product (at current market prices; 1996): U.S.$200,000,000 (U.S.$1,170 per capita). Population economically active (1994): total 47,207; activity rate of total population 28.7% (participation rates: ages 15-64 48.6%; female 18.8%). Tourism (1993): receipts from visitors U.S.$21,000,000; expenditures by nationals abroad U.S.$2,000,000. Land use (1994): forested 47.3%; meadows and pastures 0.4%; agricultural and under permanent cultivation 43.1%; other 9.2%. Foreign trade{6} Imports (1995): WS$235,353,000 (food 29.5%, industrial supplies 26.4%, machinery 21.6%, consumer goods 11.7%, petroleum products 10.1%). Major import sources: New Zealand 36.6%; Australia 20.9%; Fiji 12.0%; United States 11.9%; Japan 10.7%; Singapore 1.5%; Hong Kong 1.4%; Germany 1.0%. Exports (1995): WS$21,859,000 (coconut oil 37.5%, coconut cream 22.6%, copra 10.2%, kava 6.7%, beer 5.3%, cigarettes 3.2%). Major export destinations: New Zealand 44.2%; Australia 22.2%; American Samoa 9.8%; Germany 4.3%; United States 1.7%. Transport Transport. Railroads: none. Roads (1995): total length 485 mi, 781 km (paved 42%). Vehicles (1995): passenger cars 1,068; trucks and buses 1,169. Merchant marine (1997): vessels (100 gross tons and over) 7; total deadweight tonnage 6,501. Air transport: passenger, n.a.; cargo, n.a.; airports (1997) with scheduled flights 3. Education and health Educational attainment (1981). Percentage of population age 25 and over having: some primary education 16.5%; complete primary 24.5%; some secondary 52.1%; complete secondary 3.1%; higher 2.0%; unknown 1.8%. Literacy (1981): virtually 100%. Health: physicians (1992) 60 (1 per 2,682 persons); hospital beds (1991) 863 (1 per 255 persons); infant mortality rate per 1,000 live births (1997) 59. Food (1992): daily per capita caloric intake 2,828 (vegetable products 74%, animal products 26%); 124% of FAO recommended minimum requirement. Military No military forces are maintained; New Zealand is responsible for defense. {1} In July 1997 the short form name of the country was officially changed from Western Samoa to Samoa. {2} According to the constitution, the current Head of State, paramount chief HH Malietoa Tanumafili II, will hold office for life. Upon his death, the monarchy will functionally cease, and future Heads of State will be elected by the Legislative Assembly. {3} Symbol of the monetary unit changed from WS$ to SA$ as of July 1997. {4} Registered only. {5} Consumer price index components. {6} Import figures are f.o.b. in balance of trade and c.i.f. in commodities and trading partners.