ve five-year
terms)
elections: last held 26 April 1996 (next to be held 26 April 2001)
election results: percent of vote by party-HRPP 45.17%, SNDP 27.1%,
independents 23.7%; seats by party-HRPP 25, SNDP 13, independents 11

Judicial branch: Supreme Court; Court of Appeal

Political parties and leaders: Human Rights Protection Party (HRPP),
TOFILAU Eti Alesana, chairman; Samoan National Development Party
(SNDP), TAPUA Tamasese Efi, chairman (opposition); Samoan Progressive
Conservative Party, LEOTA Ituau Ale; Samoa All People's Party (SAPP),
Matatumua MAIMOAGA

International organization participation: ACP, AsDB, C, ESCAP, FAO,
G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IMF, IMO,
Intelsat (nonsignatory user), IOC, ITU, Sparteca, SPC, SPF, UN,
UNCTAD, UNESCO, UPU, WHO, WMO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Tuiloma Neroni SLADE
chancery: 820 Second Avenue, Suite 800D, New York, NY 10017
telephone: [1] (212) 599-6196, 6197
FAX: [1] (212) 599-0797

Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Josiah Horton BEEMAN (Ambassador to New
Zealand and Samoa, resides in Wellington, New Zealand)
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

@Samoa:Economy

Economy-overview: The economy of Samoa has traditionally been
dependent on development aid, private 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. Outside of a large automotive wire harness factory, the
manufacturing sector mainly processes agricultural products. Tourism
is an expanding sector; more than 70,0000 tourists visited the islands
in 1996. The 1998 Samoan budget calls for deregulation of the
financial sector, development of more financial investments, and
forecasts 3% to 4% growth.

GDP: purchasing power parity-$450 million (1996 est.)

GDP-real growth rate: 5.9% (1996 est.)

GDP-per capita: purchasing power parity-$2,100 (1996 est.)

GDP-composition by sector:
agriculture: 40%
industry: 25%
services: 35% (1996 est.)

Inflation rate-consumer price index: 7.5% (1996)