one-half of the way from Hawaii to New Zealand
Geographic coordinates: 13 35 S, 172 20 W
Map references: Oceania
Area: total: 2,944 sq km water: 10 sq km land: 2,934 sq km
Area - comparative: slightly smaller than Rhode Island
Land boundaries: 0 km
Coastline: 403 km
Maritime claims: exclusive economic zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM
Climate: tropical; rainy season (October to March), dry season (May
to October)
Terrain: narrow coastal plain with volcanic, rocky, rugged mountains
in interior
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point:
Mauga Silisili 1,857 m
Natural resources: hardwood forests, fish, hydropower
Land use: arable land: 19% permanent crops: 24% other: 57% (1998 est.)
Irrigated land: NA sq km
Natural hazards: occasional typhoons; active volcanism
Environment - current issues: soil erosion
Environment - international 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
Geography - note: occupies an almost central position within Polynesia
People Samoa
Population: 178,631 (July 2002 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: 30.6% (male 27,774; female 26,854) 15-64
years: 63.5% (male 71,358; female 42,150) 65 years and over: 5.9%
(male 4,859; female 5,636) (2002 est.)
Population growth rate: -0.25% (2002 est.)
Birth rate: 15.53 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Death rate: 6.35 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Net migration rate: -11.64 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.03
male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.69 male(s)/female 65 years and over:
0.86 male(s)/female total population: 1.39 male(s)/female (2002 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 30.74 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: 72.69 years (2002 est.) male: Total fertility
rate: 3.3 children born/woman (2002 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: NA%
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: NA
HIV/AIDS - deaths: NA
Nationality: noun: Samoan(s) adjective: Samoan
Ethnic groups: Samoan 92.6%, Euronesians 7% (persons of European and
Polynesian blood), Europeans 0.4%
Religions: 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)
Languages: Samoan (Polynesian), English
Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total
population: 80% male: 81% female: 79% (1999)
Government Samoa
Country name: conventional long form: Independent State of Samoa
conventional short form: Samoa former: Western Samoa
Government type: constitutional monarchy under native chief
Capital: Apia
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: 1 January 1962 (from New Zealand-administered UN
trusteeship)
National holiday: 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
Constitution: 1 January 1962
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
Suffrage: 21 years of age; universal
Executive branch: 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 24 November 1998); note - TUILA'EPA served as deputy prime
minister from 1992 until he assumed the prime ministership in November
1998, when former Prime Minister TOFILAU Eti Alesana resigned in poor
health; 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; prime minister appointed by the
chief of state with the approval of the Legislative Assembly
Legislative branch: unicameral Legislative Assembly or Fono (49 seats -
47 elected by Samoans, 2 elected by non-Samoans; only chiefs or matai
may stand for election to the Fono; members serve five-year terms)
elections: byelection last held NA November 2001 (next byelection to be
held 29 March 2002) election results: percent of vote by party - NA%;
seats by party - HRPP 30, SNDP 13, independents 6
Judicial branch: Supreme Court; Court of Appeal
Political parties and leaders: Christian Democratic Party [leader NA];
Human Rights Protection Party or HRPP [Sailele Malielegaoi TUILA'EPA,
chairman]; Samoa All People's Party or SAPP [Matatumua NAIMOAGA];
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
Independent Party or SUIP [leader NA]
Political pressure groups and leaders: NA
International organization participation: ACP, AsDB, C, ESCAP, FAO,
G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IMF, IMO, IOC,
ITU, OPCW (signatory), Sparteca, SPC, SPF, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UPU, WHO,
WIPO, WMO, WTrO (observer)
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador
Tuiloma Neroni SLADE FAX: [1] (212) 599-0797 telephone: [1] (212)
599-6196, 6197 chancery: 800 Second Avenue, Suite 400D, New York, NY 10017
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: the Ambassador
to New Zealand is accredited to Samoa embassy: 5th floor, Beach Road,
Apia mailing address: P. O. Box 3430, Apia telephone: [685] 21631 FAX:
[685] 22030
Flag description: red with a blue rectangle in the upper hoist-side
quadrant bearing five white five-pointed stars representing the Southern
Cross constellation
Economy Samoa
Economy - overview: The economy of Samoa has traditionally been dependent
on development aid, family remittances from overseas, and agricultural
exports. 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 16% of GDP; about 85,000 tourists visited the islands in 2000. The
Samoan Government has called for deregulation of the financial sector,
encouragement of investment, and continued fiscal discipline. 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.
GDP: purchasing power parity - $618 million (2001 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: 6% (2001 est.)
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $3,500 (2001 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 16% industry: 18% services:
66% (2000 est.)
Population below poverty line: NA%
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA%
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 2.5% (2001 est.)
Labor force: 90,000 (2000 est.)
Labor force - by occupation: agriculture 65%, services 30%, industry 5%
(1995 est.)
Unemployment rate: NA%; note - substantial underemployment
Budget: revenues: $105 million expenditures: $119 million, including
capital expenditures of $NA (2001/2002)
Industries: food processing, building materials, auto parts
Industrial production growth rate: 2.8% (2000)
Electricity - production: 103 million kWh (2000)
Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 59.22% hydro: 40.78%
other: 0% (2000) nuclear: 0%
Electricity - consumption: 95.79 million kWh (2000)
Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (2000)
Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (2000)
Agriculture - products: coconuts, bananas, taro, yams
Exports: $17 million (f.o.b., 2000)
Exports - commodities: fish, coconut oil and cream, copra, taro,
garments, beer
Exports - partners: Australia 62%, Indonesia 13%, US 11%, American
Samoa 3%, New Zealand 3% (2000)
Imports: $90 million (f.o.b., 2000)
Imports - commodities: machinery and equipment, industrial supplies,
foodstuffs
Imports - partners: Australia 27%, US 26%, New Zealand 14%, Fiji 12%,
Japan 9% (2000)
Debt - external: $192 million (1999)
Economic aid - recipient: $42.9 million (1995)
Currency: tala (WST)
Currency code: WST
Exchange rates: tala per US dollar - 3.5236 (January 2002), 3.4722
(2001), 3.2712 (2000), 3.0120 (1999), 2.9429 (1998), 2.5562 (1997)
Fiscal year: calendar year
Communications Samoa
Telephones - main lines in use: 8,183 (1998)
Telephones - mobile cellular: 1,545 (February 1998)
Telephone system: general assessment: adequate domestic: NA
international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)
Radio broadcast stations: AM 1, FM 3, shortwave 0 (1998)
Radios: 174,849 (1997)
Television broadcast stations: 6 (1997)
Televisions: 8,634 (1999)
Internet country code: .ws
Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 2 (2000)
Internet users: 500 (2000)
Transportation Samoa
Railways: 0 km
Highways: total: 836 km paved: 267 km unpaved: 569 km (1983)
Waterways: none
Ports and harbors: Apia, Asau, Mulifanua, Salelologa
Merchant marine: total: 1 ship (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 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.)
Airports: 3 (2001)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 (2001)
Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2001)
Military Samoa
Military branches: no regular armed services; Samoa Police Force
Military expenditures - dollar figure: $NA
Military expenditures - percent of GDP: NA%
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
Transnational Issues Samoa
Disputes - international: none
This page was last updated on 1 January 2002
========================================================================
Swaziland
Introduction
Swaziland
Background: Autonomy for the Swazis of southern Africa was guaranteed
by the British in the late 19th century; independence was granted
1968. Student and labor unrest during the 1990s have pressured the
monarchy (one of the oldest on the continent) to grudgingly allow
political reform and greater democracy.
Geography Swaziland
Location: Southern Africa, between Mozambique and South Africa
Geographic coordinates: 26 30 S, 31 30 E
Map references: Africa
Area: total: 17,363 sq km water: 160 sq km land: 17,203 sq km
Area - comparative: slightly smaller than New Jersey
Land boundaries: total: 535 km border countries: Mozambique 105 km,
South Africa 430 km
Coastline: 0 km (landlocked)
Maritime claims: none (landlocked)
Climate: varies from tropical to near temperate
Terrain: mostly mountains and hills; some moderately sloping plains
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Great Usutu River 21 m highest point:
Emlembe 1,862 m
Natural resources: asbestos, coal, clay, cassiterite, hydropower,
forests, small gold and diamond deposits, quarry stone, and talc
Land use: arable land: 10% permanent crops: 1% other: 89% (1998 est.)
Irrigated land: 690 sq km (1998 est.)
Natural hazards: drought
Environment - current issues: limited supplies of potable water; wildlife
populations being depleted because of excessive hunting; overgrazing;
soil degradation; soil erosion
Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate
Change, Endangered Species, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection
signed, but not ratified: Desertification, Law of the Sea
Geography - note: landlocked; almost completely surrounded by South
Africa
People Swaziland
Population: 1,123,605 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.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: 45.5% (male 254,573; female 256,677) 15-64
years: 51.9% (male 281,645; female 301,071) 65 years and over: 2.6%
(male 12,027; female 17,612) (2002 est.)
Population growth rate: 1.63% (2002 est.)
Birth rate: 39.59 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Death rate: 23.26 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Sex ratio: at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 0.99
male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.94 male(s)/female 65 years and over:
0.68 male(s)/female total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2002 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 109.43 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: 37.66 years (2002 est.) male: Total fertility
rate: 5.77 children born/woman (2002 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 35.6% (2002 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: 212,000 (2002 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths: 7,100 (1999 est.)
Nationality: noun: Swazi(s) adjective: Swazi
Ethnic groups: African 97%, European 3%
Religions: Zionist (a blend of Christianity and indigenous ancestral
worship) 40%, Roman Catholic 20%, Muslim 10%, Anglican, Bahai, Methodist,
Mormon, Jewish and other 30%
Languages: English (official, government business conducted in English),
siSwati (official)
Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total
population: 78.3% male: 78% female: 78.4% (1999 est.)
Government Swaziland
Country name: Kingdom of Swaziland conventional short form: Government
type: monarchy; independent member of Commonwealth
Capital: Mbabane; note - Lobamba is the royal and legislative capital
Administrative divisions: 4 districts; Hhohho, Lubombo, Manzini,
Shiselweni
Independence: 6 September 1968 (from UK)
National holiday: Independence Day, 6 September (1968)
Constitution: none; constitution of 6 September 1968 was suspended 12
April 1973; a new constitution was promulgated 13 October 1978, but was
not formally presented to the people; since then a few more outlines
for a constitution have been compiled under the Constitutional Review
Commission (CRC), but so far none have been accepted
Legal system: based on South African Roman-Dutch law in statutory
courts and Swazi traditional law and custom in traditional courts;
has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage: 18 years of age
Executive branch: King MSWATI III (since 25 April 1986) head of
government: Cabinet recommended by the prime minister and confirmed by
the monarch elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; prime minister
appointed by the monarch
Legislative branch: bicameral Parliament or Libandla, an advisory body,
consists of the Senate (30 seats - 10 appointed by the House of Assembly
and 20 appointed by the monarch; members serve five-year terms) and the
House of Assembly (65 seats - 10 appointed by the monarch and 55 elected
by popular vote; members serve five-year terms) elections: House of
Assembly - last held 16 and 24 October 1998 (next to be held NA 2003)
election results: for election are nominated by the local council of
each constituency and for each constituency the three candidates with
the most votes in the first round of voting are narrowed to a single
winner by a second round
Judicial branch: High Court; Court of Appeal; judges for both courts
are appointed by the monarch
Political parties and leaders: political parties are banned by the
constitution - the following are considered political associations
- Imbokodvo National Movement or INM [leader NA]; Ngwane National
Libertatory Congress or NNLC [Obed DLAMINI, president]; People's United
Democratic Movement or PUDEMO [Mario MASUKU, president]; Swaziland
National Front or SWANAFRO [Elmond SHONGWE, president]
Political pressure groups and leaders: NA
International organization participation: ACP, AfDB, C, CCC, ECA,
FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF,
Interpol, IOC, ISO (correspondent), ITU, NAM, OAU, OPCW, PCA, SACU,
SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Mary
Madzandza KANYA FAX: [1] (202) 234-8254 telephone: [1] (202) 234-5002
chancery: 1712 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20009
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador
James D. McGEE embassy: Central Bank Building, Warner Street, Mbabane
mailing address: P. O. Box 199, Mbabane telephone: [268] 404-6441 through
404-6445 FAX: [268] 404-5959
Flag description: three horizontal bands of blue (top), red (triple
width), and blue; the red band is edged in yellow; centered in the red
band is a large black and white shield covering two spears and a staff
decorated with feather tassels, all placed horizontally
Economy Swaziland
Economy - overview: In this small landlocked economy, subsistence
agriculture occupies more than 80% of the population. Manufacturing
features a number of agroprocessing factories. Mining has declined in
importance in recent years: diamond mines have shut down because of the
depletion of easily accessible reserves; high-grade iron ore deposits
were depleted by 1978; and health concerns have cut world demand for
asbestos. Exports of soft drink concentrate, sugar, and wood pulp are
the main earners of hard currency. Surrounded by South Africa, except
for a short border with Mozambique, Swaziland is heavily dependent on
South Africa from which it receives nine-tenths of its imports and to
which it sends more than two-thirds of its exports. Remittances from the
Southern African Customs Union and Swazi workers in South African mines
substantially supplement domestically earned income. The government is
trying to improve the atmosphere for foreign investment. Overgrazing,
soil depletion, drought, and sometimes floods persist as problems for
the future. Prospects for 2002 are strengthened by the country's status
as a beneficiary of the US African Growth and Opportunity Act initiative.
GDP: purchasing power parity - $4.6 billion (2001 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: 2.5% (2001 est.)
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $4,200 (2001 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 10% industry: 43% services:
47% (1999 est.)
Population below poverty line: NA%
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA%
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 7.5% (2001 est.)
Labor force: NA
Labor force - by occupation: NA
Unemployment rate: 34% (2000 est.)
Budget: revenues: $448 million expenditures: $506.9 million, including
capital expenditures of $147 million (FY01/02)
Industries: mining (coal), wood pulp, sugar, soft drink concentrates,
textile and apparel
Industrial production growth rate: 3.7% (FY95/96)
Electricity - production: 362 million kWh (2000)
Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 55.8% other: 0% (2000)
hydro: 44.2% nuclear: 0%
Electricity - consumption: 900.66 million kWh (2000)
Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (2000)
Electricity - imports: 564 million kWh note: supplied by South Africa
(2000)
Agriculture - products: sugarcane, cotton, corn, tobacco, rice, citrus,
pineapples, sorghum, peanuts; cattle, goats, sheep
Exports: $702 million (f.o.b., 2001)
Exports - commodities: soft drink concentrates, sugar, wood pulp,
cotton yarn, refrigerators, citrus and canned fruit
Exports - partners: South Africa 72%, EU 12%, UK 6%, Mozambique 4%, US 4%
(1999)
Imports: $850 million (f.o.b., 2001)
Imports - commodities: motor vehicles, machinery, transport equipment,
foodstuffs, petroleum products, chemicals
Imports - partners: South Africa 89%, EU 5%, Japan 2%, Singapore 2%
(2000)
Debt - external: $336 million (2001 est.)
Economic aid - recipient: $104 million (2001)
Currency: lilangeni (SZL)
Currency code: SZL
Exchange rates: emalangeni per US dollar - 11.5808 (January 2002),
8.4933 (2001), 6.9056 (2000), 6.1087 (1999), 5.4807 (1998), 4.6032
(1997); note - the Swazi lilangeni is at par with the South African rand;
emalangeni is the plural form of lilangeni
Fiscal year: 1 April - 31 March
Communications Swaziland
Telephones - main lines in use: 38,500 (2001)
Telephones - mobile cellular: 45,000 (2001)
Telephone system: a somewhat modern but not an advanced system domestic:
microwave radio relay international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat
(Atlantic Ocean)
Radio broadcast stations: AM 3, FM 2 plus 4 repeaters, shortwave 3 (2001)
Radios: 170,000 (1999)
Television broadcast stations: 5 plus 7 relay stations (2001)
Televisions: 23,000 (2000)
Internet country code: .sz
Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 6 (2001)
Internet users: 6,000 (2001)
Transportation Swaziland
Railways: total: 297 km narrow gauge: 297 km 1.067-m gauge note:
includes 71 km which are not in use (2001)
Highways: total: 3,800 km paved: 1,064 km unpaved: 2,736 km (2002)
Waterways: none
Ports and harbors: none
Airports: 18 (2001)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 (2001)
Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 17 914 to 1,523 m: 7 under 914 m:
10 (2001)
Military Swaziland
Military branches: Umbutfo Swaziland Defense Force (Army), Royal
Swaziland Police Force
Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 253,510 (2002 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service: males age 15-49: 146,805
(2002 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure: $20 million (FY01/02)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 4.75% (FY00/01)
Transnational Issues Swaziland
Disputes - international: Swaziland continues to press South Africa into
ceding ethnic Swazi lands in Kangwane region of KwaZulu-Natal province
that were long ago part of the Swazi Kingdom
This page was last updated on 1 January 2002
========================================================================
Indian Ocean
Introduction
Indian Ocean
Background: The Indian Ocean is the third-largest of the world's five
oceans (after the Pacific Ocean and Atlantic Ocean, but larger than
the Southern Ocean and Arctic Ocean). Four critically important access
waterways are the Suez Canal (Egypt), Bab el Mandeb (Djibouti-Yemen),
Strait of Hormuz (Iran-Oman), and Strait of Malacca (Indonesia-Malaysia).
Geography Indian Ocean
Location: body of water between Africa, the Southern Ocean, Asia,
and Australia
Geographic coordinates: 20 00 S, 80 00 E
Map references: Political Map of the World
Area: total: 68.556 million sq km note: includes Andaman Sea, Arabian
Sea, Bay of Bengal, Great Australian Bight, Gulf of Aden, Gulf of Oman,
Mozambique Channel, Persian Gulf, Red Sea, Strait of Malacca, and other
tributary water bodies
Area - comparative: about 5.5 times the size of the US
Coastline: 66,526 km
Climate: northeast monsoon (December to April), southwest monsoon (June
to October); tropical cyclones occur during May/June and October/November
in the northern Indian Ocean and January/February in the southern
Indian Ocean