Across Samoa
Across Pacific & Asia
Across Pacific & Asia
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.
Location:
Oceania, group of islands in the South Pacific Ocean, about one-half of
the way from Hawaii to New ZealandPopulation:
177,287 (July 2005
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 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. One
factory in the Foreign Trade Zone employs 3,000 people to make
automobile electrical harnesses for an assembly plant in Australia. 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.Import -
partners: New Zealand 25.1%, Fiji 21.5%, Taiwan 9.1%,
Australia 8.9%, Singapore 8.5%, Japan 7.5%, US 4.7% (2004)
Export partners: Australia 67.2%, US 5.7%, Indonesia 5.3% (2004) Agrigultural Products: coconuts, bananas, taro, yams, coffee, cocoa Industries: food processing, building materials, auto parts 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%, other Christian 4.5%, Worship Centre 1.3%, other 1.7%,
unspecified 0.1% (2001 census)
Radio Broadcast Stations: AM 2, FM 5, shortwave 0 (2004) Television Broadcast Stations: 2 (2002)
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..............................Building Bridges ACROSS the Barriers....................................  .............................................................................. |
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