Samoa

At a glance Land People Economy Achievements and challenges Links with Australia   Samoa at a glance Did you know? The name Samoa, from Sa (‘sacred’) and Moa (‘centre’), means ‘Sacred centre of the universe’. Samoan is one language with two forms. A polite form of the language, the matai, or chief's form of speech, is used for ceremonial and oratorical purposes and an everyday form. Region Pacific Population 217,083 (July 2008 estimate) Land Geography: Volcanic islands with narrow coastal plains and mountainous interior Climate: Tropical with two seasons: rainy and dry People Religion: Christian Language: Samoan, English Economy GDP per person (PPP): $5,400 GDP by sector: Agriculture 11.4%; Industry 58.4%; Services 30.2% Government Parliamentary monarchy Land Physical geography Samoa consists of two large islands, Upolu and Savai'i, and eight smaller islands, and is located about halfway between Hawaii and New Zealand, 65 kilometres to the west of American Samoa. The volcanic islands, with their narrow coastal plains and rugged mountainous interiors, are surrounded by coral reefs. At 1,857 metres above sea level, Mauga Silisili, on Savai'i, is the country's highest point. The total land area is 2,934 square kilometres, bigger than Adelaide with an area of 1,826.9 square kilometres. Climate The tropical climate has two distinct seasons: the wet season from December to April, with an average temperature of 29°C, and the cooler, drier season from May to November with, an average temperature of 22°C. Rainfall is plentiful but unevenly distributed, averaging 2500-3000 millimetres but reaching as much as 6875 millimetres on the windward shores. Samoa lies in the cyclone belt, and endures strong winds, especially in the months between November and April. Environment The islands are covered by dense rainforests, which are a traditional source of food and medicines for Samoans, but are under threat from logging and farming. Animal life is mainly bats and lizards and many species of birds, including the rare tooth-billed pigeon, The reefs surrounding the islands are rich in fish and coral life. Dolphins, whales and porpoises migrate through Samoa 's waters, and turtles are common. Improved regulations are addressing the problem of over-fishing. People The population of 217,083 (July 2008) predominantly live in villages on the coastal plains. The main island of Upolu is home to nearly three-quarters of Samoa's population, with 35,000 living in the capital city of Apia . People Culture and identity Samoa is a traditional society with a distinctive Polynesian cultural heritage. In the villages, land is owned by the extended family units called aiga, whose head is a matai (chief). The 10-12 matai of each village meet regularly in the fale fono (meeting house) to discuss and regulate the social, religious and political life of the village. The matai is the oral historian, passing on folk lore and family genealogies. Honour and social standing is shared, or shouldered equally, by all members of the aiga. Within the family, giving and receiving tautua (service), fa‘aaloalo (respect) and alofa (love) are crucial in Samoan social relations. The red, white, and blue colours of the flag stand for loyalty, purity, and patriotism. The five white stars symbolise the Southern Cross and Christianity in the Southern Hemisphere. Dancing, singing and music play a big part in Samoan culture. The fiafia was originally a village play, or musical presentation, performed by a number of villagers. Traditionally, boys aged 12-14 years were tattooed from waist to knee with geometric designs denoting rank and status. Women were also tattooed, although not as extensively. Tattoo, from the word tatau,is one of the Polynesian words that have been adopted by English. Health The health status of Samoans has improved greatly in the last 30 years. Samoans have a life expectancy of 71.5 years, infant mortality rate of 25 per 1000 live births, high rates of immunisation (86% of one-year-olds immunised against tuberculosis and 57% immunised against measles), and access to safe water (88%) and sanitation (100%). About 4% of the population are under nourished. Religion and beliefs Samoa is largely a Christian country. The Sabbath is strongly observed, and each morning and evening there is a recognised prayer time, Sa, indicated by the ringing of a bell or the sounding of a conch shell. The early Christian missionaries were from the London Missionary Society but many other denominations are now represented. Food and shelter Samoans traditionally ate three hot meals a day. In the morning they boil food over a fire, and in the afternoon the men prepare an umu (above-the-ground oven). Food consists of root vegetables (taro and ta'amú), coconut products and fruits (mango, pawpaw, pineapple, bananas, breadfruit). Pork, chicken and seafood are the main meats. Taro is traditionally the staple food in the islands, but, because of a virus, it has become quite scarce. Ta'amú, a large tuberous vegetable, about a metre in length, has become a popular substitute. Some houses have a Western appearance, while the architectural style of many houses is distinctively Samoan. Villages are dominated by the fale fono meeting house which has a large high-domed roof, supported by evenly spaced carved posts, with a floor of flat river stones to moderate the temperature. Houses represent wealth and status, with the maota, high chief's house the largest and most elevated. The tunoa, kitchen, is separated from the house, and the fa'atoaga, garden, is usually located nearby. People traditionally sleep or sit on mats woven from coconut or pandanus leaves. Finely woven mats are also an important indicator of wealth, and are given as gifts at weddings, funerals and other public events. Economy Wealth and poverty The economy of Samoa is dependent on overseas aid, money sent home by Samoans abroad, and agriculture and fishing. Even though formal unemployment is widespread, most families have access to land for subsistence agriculture, so hunger is not usually a problem. Education and work Most children attend primary school, with 94% completing grade five and about 65% attend secondary school. The adult literacy rate is 99%. Government expenditure on education is about 4.5% GDP with a priority to improve primary school teaching and teaching materials. Most people are involved in subsistence agriculture, although it produces only 11% of the country's export income. Industry accounts for over half of GDP. The service sector, through tourism, accounts for about one quarter of GDP, and employs approximately 30% of the labour force. Industries and products There is also a small light industry sector in Samoa, processing agricultural products and producing wire harnesses for motor vehicles. The latter are manufactured by Yazaki Samoa for export to Australia. Tourism is an expanding sector, accounting for 25% of GDP. Trade In 2006, Samoa exported about $131 million worth of fish, coconut oil and cream, copra, taro, automotive parts, garments and beer to Australia (45.5%), American Samoa (29.3%) and Taiwan (11.3%). It imported about $324 million worth of machinery and equipment, industrial supplies, oil and food from New Zealand (21.2%), Fiji (16.5%), Singapore (15.5%), Australia (8.5%), Japan (6.5%), Indonesia (5.5%), US (5.1%) and China (4%). Achievements and challenges IDevastating cyclones in 1990, 1991 and 2004 damaged homes and industrial infrastructure. Samoa has achieved good economic growth through sound and stable government and a commitment to strengthening economic management, governance and public sector reform. Growth of the fishing and tourism industries has also boosted the economy. It has an independent judiciary, including a specific court to resolve disputes over land and traditional titles. Inequality is emerging as a challenging issue with the increasing difference between urban and rural areas and poorer education, health, electricity and water service. Forestry and fishery industries need greater regulation to protect the environment. Links with Australia Relations between Australia and Samoa are warm and cooperative. Samoa enjoys a balance of trade surplus with Australia, owing to its exports of motor vehicle wire harnesses (produced by Yazaki EDS Samoa) to Australia. Australia's merchandise exports to Samoa include electrical equipment for circuits, equipment for distributing electricity, milk and cream and plastics. The 2006 census recorded 15,240 Samoa born people in Australia with the largest population in New South Wales (6880) followed by Queensland (4870), Victoria (3040) and Western Australia (200). Rugby is Samoa’s favourite game with games played almost daily in every school and village. Samoans are also fast developing a love for Australian Rules, with a local Samoan-Australian Rules Football Association created in 1998. The priority development sectors under the Partnership are strengthening private sector led growth, improved health, improved education, improved public sector governance and supporting climate change adaptation measures. Main Sources: https://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/index.html http://www20.sbs.com.au/worldguide/index.php http://hdr.undp.org/ http://www.dfat.gov.au/geo/index.html

Expert tuna filletter and loiner, Ching "Coco" Shing Frederic, shows workers at Kim Levi's processing room how to reduce wastage and add value to Samoa's fishing industry. Photo credit: Peter Cotton/AusAID