| Geographical Information |
| Map Location |
Oceania |
| Geographical Location |
13° 35' South Latitude
172° 20' West Longitude |
| Surface Area |
2,944 sq km |
| Climate |
Tropical; rainy season (November to April), dry season (May to October) |
| Natural Resources |
Hardwood forests, fish, hydropower |
|
| Political Information |
 |
|
| Country Name |
Independent State of Samoa |
| Capital City |
Apia |
| Government Type |
Mix of parliamentary democracy and constitutional monarchy |
| 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 |
| Independence Day |
1 January 1962 (from New Zealand-administered UN trusteeship) |
|
| Demographical Information |
|
|
| Population |
177,287 (July 2005 est.) |
| Nationality |
Samoan |
| Ethnic Groups |
Samoan 92.6%, Euronesians 7% (persons of European and Polynesian blood), Europeans 0.4% |
| Religion |
Congregationalist 34.8%, Roman Catholic 19.6%, Methodist 15%, Latter-Day Saints 12.7%, Assembly of God 6.6%, Seventh-Day Adventist 3.5%,
other Christian 4.5%, Worship Centre 1.3%, other 1.7%, unspecified 0.1% (2001 census) |
| Languages |
Samoan (Polynesian), English |
| Population Growth Rate |
-0.23% (2005 est.) |
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| Economical Information |
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|
| Currency |
Tala (SAT) |
| Industries |
Food processing, building materials, auto parts |
| Labor Force |
90,000 (2000 est.) |
| Labor Force by Sectors |
NA |
| Agriculture Products |
Coconuts, bananas, taro, yams, coffee, cocoa |
| Export Commodities |
Fish, coconut oil and cream, copra, taro, automotive parts, garments, beer |
| Export Partners |
Australia 60.7%, Indonesia 17.1%, US 4.9% (2004) |
| Import Commodities |
Machinery and equipment, industrial supplies, foodstuffs |
| Import Partners |
New Zealand 23.1%, Fiji 17.9%, Taiwan 10.7%, Australia 9.6%, Singapore 9.1%, Japan 8.1%, US 5.3% (2004) |
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| Transportation |
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| Railways |
- |
| Highways |
790 km |
| Pipelines |
- |
| Airports |
4 (2004 est.) |
| Ports and Harbors |
Apia, Asau, Mulifanua, Salelologa |
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| Communication |
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| Phone Code |
+685 |
| Internet Abbreviation |
.ws |
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| Other |
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| Short History |
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. |
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