nicameral Legislative Assembly (Fono)

Judicial branch: Supreme Court, Court of Appeal

Leaders:
Chief of State--Susuga Malietoa TANUMAFILI II (Co-Chief of State
from 1 January 1962 until becoming sole Chief of State on 5 April 1963);

Head of Government--Prime Minister TOFILAU Eti Alesana (since 7 April
1988)

Political parties and leaders: Human Rights Protection Party (HRPP),
Tofilau Eti, chairman; Samoan National Development Party (SNDP), Tupua
Tamasese Efi, chairman

Suffrage: there are two electoral rolls--the matai (head of family)
roll and the individuals roll; about 12,000 persons are on the matai roll,
hold matai titles, and elect 45 members of the Legislative Assembly; about
1,600 persons are on the individuals roll, lack traditional matai ties, and
elect two members of the Legislative Assembly by universal adult suffrage
at the age of NA

Elections:
Legislative Assembly--last held 26 February 1988
(next to be held by February 1991);
results--percent of vote by party NA;
seats--(47 total) HRPP 25, SNDP 22

Member of: ACP, ADB, Commonwealth, ESCAP, FAO, G-77, IBRD, IDA,
IFAD, IFC, IMF, SPC, SPF, UN, UNESCO, WHO

Diplomatic representation: Ambassador Fili (Felix) Tuaopepe
WENDT; Chancery (temporary) at the Western Samoan Mission to the UN,
820 2nd Avenue, New York, NY 10017 (212) 599-6196;
US--the ambassador to New Zealand is accredited to Western Samoa

Flag: red with a blue rectangle in the upper hoist-side quadrant bearing
five white five-pointed stars representing the Southern Cross constellation

- Economy
Overview: Agriculture employs two-thirds of the labor force, contributes
50% to GDP, and is the source of 90% of exports. The bulk of export earnings
comes from the sale of coconut oil and copra. The economy depends
on emigrant remittances and foreign aid to support a level of imports about
five times export earnings. Tourism has become the most important
growth industry, and construction of the first international hotel is under way.

GDP: $112 million, per capita $615; real growth rate 0.2%
(1989 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 8.5% (1988)

Unemployment rate: NA%; shortage of skilled labor

Budget: revenues $54 million; expenditures $54 million,
including capital expenditures of $28 million (1988)

Exports: $9.9 million (f.o.b., 1988); commodities--coconut oil
and cream 42%, taro 19%, cocoa 14%, copra, timber;
partners--NZ 30%, EC 24%, Australia 21%, American Samoa 7%,
U