Samoa Passport

The Independent State of Samoa.

【 Area 】 The land area is 2934 square kilometers, and the marine exclusive economic zone covers an area of 120000 square kilometers.

[Population] 226000 (2023). The vast majority are Samoans, belonging to the Polynesian ethnic group; There are also a few other Pacific Islanders, Europeans, Chinese and mixed race people. There are about 300 Chinese and overseas Chinese. The official language is Samoan and English is commonly used. Most residents believe in Christianity.

【 Capital 】 Apia.

Head of State: Tuimaleali'ifano Va'aletoa Sualawi II, who took office on July 21, 2017, was re elected in August 2022 for a term of 5 years.

National Day (also known as Independence Day): June 1st.

【 Overview 】 Located in the southern Pacific Ocean, in the western part of the Samoa Islands, it consists of two main islands, Upolu and Savaii, as well as eight small islands nearby, including Manono, Apolima, Nuutele, Nuulua, Namua, Fanuatapu, Nuusafee, and Nuulopa. Most areas within the territory are covered in forests. It belongs to the tropical rainforest climate. The dry season is from May to October, and the rainy season is from November to April. The average annual temperature is 28 ℃, and the average annual precipitation is 2000 to 3500 millimeters.

Samoans settled here 3000 years ago. It was conquered by the Kingdom of Tonga about 1000 years ago. In 1250, the Malietoya family drove away the Tongan invaders and Samoa became an independent kingdom. In 1722, the Dutch discovered Samoa. In the mid-19th century, Britain, the United States, and Germany successively invaded. In 1899, the three countries signed a treaty, and Western Samoa became a German colony, while Eastern Samoa was ruled by the United States. After the outbreak of World War I, New Zealand declared war on Germany and occupied Western Samoa. In 1920, the League of Nations handed over West Indies to New Zealand for management. Between 1920 and 1936, the famous "Mau" movement against colonial rule took place in Samoa, proposing the slogan of "Samoa for Samoans". Internal autonomy began in 1954. On January 1, 1962, Samoa became the first Pacific island nation to achieve independence and was named the "Independent State of Samoa". Starting from 1963, June 1st was changed to Independence Day. On July 4, 1997, the Independent State of Western Samoa was renamed as the Independent State of Samoa.

The Constitution was enacted in 1960 and came into effect on January 1, 1962. It is stipulated that the head of state shall be elected by the parliament for a term of 5 years. The first head of state holds a lifelong position. In addition to the head of state, a representative committee shall be established, with no more than three members serving as vice heads of state.

The unicameral system, known as the Legislative Assembly, typically consists of 51 members elected from 51 constituencies across the country. This parliament has added 2 female members, totaling 53 members, due to the fact that the minimum proportion of female members required by the election law (10%) has not been reached. According to the original regulations, except for independent constituencies, only "matai" or chiefs have the right to vote and be elected. After being changed to universal suffrage in March 1991, all Samoan citizens over the age of 21 have the right to vote, and only "Matai" still has the right to be elected. The term of office for members of parliament has also been changed from 3 years to 5 years. The current parliament was established in July 2021, with the speaker being Papali Rio Teu Masipuu. The United Faith Party holds 31 seats in the parliament, while the opposition Human Rights Protection Party holds 22 seats.

The Cabinet is composed of the Prime Minister, Deputy Prime Minister, and 11 ministers, with a term of 5 years. The Prime Minister is elected by the parliament and confirmed by the head of state. The Prime Minister nominates a cabinet from among the members of parliament. The current government was established in July 2021. The current cabinet members include: Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Fiame Naomi Mata'afa, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Customs and Taxation Tuala Tevaga Iosefo Ponifasio, Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries La'auli Leuatea Polataivao Fosi, Minister of Engineering, Transport and Infrastructure Olo Fiti Afoa Va'ai, Minister of Industry, Commerce and Labour Leatinu'u Wayne So'oiaro, Minister of Health Valaci Ta'ai. Valasi Luapinofanua To'ogamaga Tafito Selesele, Police and Prison Minister Faualo Harris Schuster Harry Jeffrey Schuster, Finance Minister Mulipola Anarosa Ale Molio'o, Education, Sports and Culture Minister Seu'ula Ioane, Communications and Information Technology Minister Toelupe Poumulinuku Onesemo, Women, Communities and Social Development Minister Leota Laki Lamositele, Justice and Court Management Minister Matamua Seumanu Vasati Sili Pulufana, Natural Resources and Environment Minister Toeolesulusulu Cedric Schuster.

Apia, the capital city, is the only city in the country. The country is divided into 11 administrative regions, including 5 on Upolu Island, 6 on Savai Island, and the rest of the small islands are assigned to Upolu Island.

The judicial system includes the Supreme Court, local courts, appellate courts, and land title courts. The Chief Justice is the president of the Supreme Court, District Court, and Court of Appeals. There are 2 judges in the local court and 13 judges in the land title court. The Land Title Court has a separate appellate court, which is not exercised by the Supreme Court as the final appellate court. The Supreme Court and the Court of Appeal may request judges from New Zealand when adjudicating cases. Chief Justice Satiu Simativa Perese took office in 2020.

The main political parties are:

(1) Fa'atuatua i le Atua Samoa ua Tasi Party: Established in July 2020, its main members are parliamentarians from 11 traditional tribes. The leader is Fiame Naomi Mata'afa. He won the general election in April 2021 and came into power.

(2) The Human Rights Protection Party: Established in May 1979. He won the general elections in 1982 and 1985. He stepped down after a split within the party in 1985. In the 1988 election, he won and regained power. He won consecutive elections and was defeated by the United Faith Party in the 2021 general election. The leader is Tuilaipa.

[Important Person] Tuimale Alifano Valletoya Sualawi II: Head of State. Born on April 29, 1947. Obtained a Bachelor's degree from the Australian National University, as well as diplomas in theology from the Malua Theological College and the Bible College in Samoa. I have worked as a teacher, police officer, lawyer, and other professionals. Later, he worked in institutions such as the Attorney General's Office and the Ministry of Justice. He served as Vice Head of State from 1993 to 2001, then as Vice Head of State again in 2004, and as Head of State in July 2017. He was re elected in August 2022 for a term of 5 years.

Phiame Naomi Mataafa: Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade. Born on April 29, 1957 in Samoa. Graduated from Victoria University of Wellington with a major in Political Science. In 1985, he first entered parliament as a member of the Human Rights Protection Party and has been re elected as a member ever since. Served as Minister of Education from 1991 to 2006. From 2006 to 2011, served as the Minister of Women, Community and Social Development. From 2011 to 2016, he served as the Minister of Justice and Court Management. Elected as Vice Premier and Minister of Environment and Natural Resources in March 2016. Resigned from cabinet position in September 2020. In March 2021, she was appointed as the leader of the United Faith Party in Saudi Arabia. She won the general election in April and became the Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade in July, becoming the first female Prime Minister in Saudi Arabia's history.

Economy: Sa is an agricultural country with limited resources, a small market, and slow economic development. In 2007, the United Nations decided to "graduate" Saudi Arabia from the list of least developed countries, with a "transition period" of three years. In 2010, at the request of Saudi Arabia, the United Nations decided to extend its "transition period" until early 2014. On January 1, 2014, Sa graduated from the United Nations' least developed countries. The Sa government is currently mainly committed to the construction of agriculture, tourism, private economy, infrastructure, education, and healthcare.

The main economic data for 2023 are as follows:

Gross Domestic Product: 930 million US dollars.

Per capita Gross Domestic Product: 4480 US dollars.

Economic growth rate: 8%.

Currency name: Tala.

Exchange rate: 1 USD ≈ 2.6 Talas.

(Information)

Forest resources have been decreasing year by year. Currently, the forest area accounts for 46.3% of the national area, of which 39.4% (about 110000 hectares) are non productive forests, and only 13600 hectares of forest can be harvested, accounting for only 4.8% of the national area. The remaining 2.1% (approximately 6000 hectares) are national level protected forests and traditional tribal forests. Abundant water resources, abundant in tuna, with an annual catch of about 7000 tons.

The industrial foundation is very weak. After independence, Sa initially established a group of consumer industries and agricultural product processing industries, mainly producing food, tobacco, beer and soft drinks, wood furniture and coconut oil, as well as printing and daily chemical industries.

There are currently over 60000 hectares of arable land in China. The agricultural population is 124000, accounting for 77% of the total population in the country. Mainly planted are coconut, cocoa, coffee, taro, banana, papaya, kava, and breadfruit. Due to weak resistance to natural disasters such as hurricanes, agricultural production heavily relies on climatic conditions.

At present, there are about 2200 fishing boats of various types in China, including 200 motorized boats. Due to the smaller exclusive economic zone of Saudi Arabia compared to other island countries, the Saudi government prohibits foreign fishing vessels from operating independently and only allows foreign fishing companies to cooperate with Saudi Arabia, with foreign investment not exceeding 40%.

The service industry mainly includes hotel and catering, transportation and telecommunications, financial services, personal and other service industries, with a workforce of about 2000 people. One of the world-renowned offshore financial centers in the Sa region.

Tourism is one of the main economic pillars and the second largest source of foreign exchange in Samoa. The Sa government is committed to developing tourism hardware facilities and other tourism related industries. Tourists mainly come from American Samoa, New Zealand, Australia, the United States, and Europe.

The total length of highways in China is 976 kilometers, including 332 kilometers of asphalt roads.

Water transportation: Apia Port is the main external port of Sa, capable of accommodating ships of 50000 to 60000 tons.

Air freight: Faleolo Airport is the only international airport in Sa, capable of taking off and landing Boeing 747 aircraft. In November 2017, Virgin Samoa Airlines, a joint venture between the government of Samoa and Virgin Australia, ceased operations and the government independently established Samoa Airlines. Currently, Air New Zealand operates one flight per day between Auckland and Apia, the capital of Samoa. Virgin Australia, Samoa Airlines, and Fiji Airways operate approximately 2-3 flights per week between Samoa and cities such as Sydney, Auckland, and Nadi.

In the fiscal year 2022/2023, the budget revenue is 790 million Tara, the expenditure is 964 million Tara, and the fiscal deficit is 174 million Tara. As of the end of 2022, the cumulative external debt is 900 million Taras, accounting for approximately 39% of GDP. (Information)

The main banks are:

(1) Central Bank of Samoa: Established in 1954. Capital of 26.87 million talas. Assets of 170 million Tara.

(2) ANZ Bank (Samoa) LTD: Formerly known as the Samoa Bank owned by the government of Samoa, it was sold to the ANZ Bank Group in 1997 and became the ANZ Bank Samoa Branch. Capital of 31.97 million talas and assets of 176.03 million talas.

(3) South Pacific Bank (BSP) Samoa Branch: Established after the acquisition of Western Pacific Bank (WESTPAC BANK) in 2015.

In 2022, the total import and export volume was 555 million US dollars, including 503 million US dollars in imports and 51.9 million US dollars in exports. The main exports include fishery products, Naonu juice, beer, coconut milk, Naonu fruit, taro and other products. The main markets are Australia, New Zealand, the United States, Japan, and China. Mainly importing machinery and transportation equipment, food, petroleum, building materials and other products. The main sources are New Zealand, Australia, the United States, Japan, and China.

Foreign aid mainly comes from Australia, New Zealand, Japan, the European Union, China, and international organizations. In the fiscal year 2022/23, Australia provided AUD 52 million in aid to Saudi Arabia, mainly in the areas of health, infrastructure, education, government governance, and agriculture and fisheries. （

There is no military, there are over 500 police officers.

Education: Implement compulsory education for primary and secondary schools, with an enrollment rate of 85.7%. The illiteracy rate is 4.3%. There are 157 primary schools, 44 secondary schools, 4 vocational schools, 36 church schools, and 2 normal schools. There are two colleges and universities in Samoa: the National University of Samoa (merged with the Samoa Institute of Technology in 2005) and the Alafu Agricultural College (a branch of the University of the South Pacific). About 4800 graduates from universities and high schools need employment every year.

Main newspapers: Savali, a government weekly newspaper founded in 1904, is divided into two types: the Saar language edition and the Saar English mixed edition. The Saar language edition is mainly distributed to rural areas, while the mixed edition is distributed in the capital region, with a circulation of 4500 to 5000 copies. The Samoa Observer is a private daily newspaper with a circulation of 2000 to 3000 copies. There are also tabloids such as Newsline and Le Samoa, which have a small circulation.

Samoa currently has three private television stations (TV1, TV3, and STAR TV). In addition to broadcasting self-produced news and educational programs, it mainly rebroadcasts programs from Australian and New Zealand television stations, as well as BBC programs. In addition, there are several religious platforms. China Radio International has landed in Sa. CCTV International Video News Agency has authorized Channel 3 to use news materials, live broadcast signals, and other news content from the main station.

[Overseas Chinese] At the end of the 19th century, there were Chinese going to Saudi Arabia. In the 1920s and 1930s, Chinese workers went to Saudi Arabia in batches to plant coconuts and bananas. At most, thousands of people went to Saudi Arabia. Later, due to the racial discrimination policy of the New Zealand government, the number of Chinese began to decrease, and finally left hundreds of people to intermarry with local people. At present, there are less than a hundred pure blooded Chinese and over 30000 mixed blooded Chinese, ranking first among foreign blood. Currently, there are about 300 overseas Chinese residing in Kazakhstan.

[Foreign Relations] Advocating the maintenance of national independence and the development of national economy, believing that all countries, big or small, should be treated equally. Sa will focus its diplomatic efforts on the South Pacific region. While maintaining traditional friendly relations with New Zealand, we attach great importance to developing relations with Asia Pacific countries. Sa is a member of organizations such as the United Nations, Commonwealth, Pacific Islands Forum, Pacific Community, and Pacific Regional Environment Programme. The Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Agency, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, UNESCO, and the Pacific Regional Representative Office of the United Nations Development Programme are all located in Apia. We have established diplomatic relations with 89 countries including China, Australia, New Zealand, the United States, Japan, the United Kingdom, and Germany. In November 2011, the sub regional organization "Polynesian Leaders Group" was established in collaboration with Polynesian countries and regions such as Tonga, Tuvalu, and the Cook Islands, with the aim of protecting and promoting Polynesian culture, language, and traditions, and achieving sustainable economic development and prosperity through cooperation. In May 2012, Sa became a member of the World Trade Organization. In October 2013, the 23rd Ministerial Council of the South Pacific Tourism Organization was held in Apia, the capital of Samoa. In September 2014, the Third United Nations International Conference on Small Island Developing States was held in Apia, the capital of Samoa.

[Relations with New Zealand] New Zealand was once the suzerain state of Sa, and the two countries have close relations. Sa has a High Commissioner's Office in Wellington and a Consulate General in Auckland. There is a new High Commissioner's Office in Sa. There is a friendly treaty signed between the two countries. In 2004, both sides agreed to hold regular consultations between ministerial level officials of the two governments. New Zealand is the third largest aid donor to Saudi Arabia, and Saudi Arabia is the fourth largest recipient country in the South Pacific region. New is the main trading partner of Saudi Arabia, with exports of goods to Saudi Arabia accounting for about one-third of its total imports, and exports to Saudi Arabia accounting for about 10% of its total exports. The new company is the main contractor in the Sa construction market. According to the Mutual Support Agreement, New Assistance will be provided to train police personnel and conduct maritime patrols. In June 2014, New Zealand Prime Minister John Key visited Saudi Arabia. In July 2014, Samoan Prime Minister Tuilaepa went to New Zealand to attend the "New Zealand Seasonal Hiring Project" conference. In July 2015, New Zealand Prime Minister John Key visited Saudi Arabia. In June 2017, New Zealand Prime Minister Bill English visited Saudi Arabia. In March 2018, New Zealand Prime Minister Ardern visited Saudi Arabia. In June 2022, Samoan Prime Minister Phiame visited New Zealand. In August 2022, New Zealand Prime Minister Ardern visited Saudi Arabia. In September, Governor General of New Zealand, Kylo, visited Sa. In April 2023, New Zealand Foreign Minister Mahuta visited Saudi Arabia. In February 2024, New Zealand Deputy Prime Minister Peters visited Samoa.

Australia has a High Commissioner's Office in Saskatchewan. Australia is the largest aid donor to Saudi Arabia, providing an average of approximately AUD 43.7 million in aid annually, accounting for one-third of Saudi Arabia's foreign aid. This is mainly used to improve government efficiency, increase employment and investment, strengthen judicial enforcement, enhance education levels, and improve healthcare conditions. Australia is the largest export market and second largest source of imports for Saudi Arabia. There are 40000 to 50000 Samoans living in Australia, making it the second largest immigrant settlement and the second largest source of remittances for Samoans. There are over 200 overseas Chinese in Australia. There is a "Defense Cooperation Program" between Saudi Arabia and Australia, in which the Australian side helps patrol Saudi Arabia's exclusive economic zone and trains police for Saudi Arabia. After the tsunami and hurricane disasters in September 2009 and December 2012, Australia provided a large amount of disaster relief assistance to Saudi Arabia. In September 2014, Australian Foreign Minister Bi Xiaopu went to Saudi Arabia to attend the SIDS conference. In June 2017, Australian Governor General Kosgrove visited Saudi Arabia. In June 2022, Australian Foreign Minister Huang Yingxian visited Saudi Arabia. In March 2023, Prime Minister Sajjajiva will officially visit Australia.

[Relations with Japan] Sazhong regards relations with Japan. Since 1972, Japan has sent volunteers to Kazakhstan, and more than 600 people have served in Kazakhstan so far. In recent years, Japan has become one of the main aid countries to Kazakhstan. In 2013, Japan established an embassy in Kazakhstan and subsequently appointed a permanent ambassador. In May 2015, Samoan Prime Minister Tuilaepa attended the 7th Japan Pacific Island Leaders' Meeting. In 2017, Prime Minister Tuiraepa went to Japan to attend the Japan Pacific Islands Foreign Ministers' Meeting. In May 2018, Prime Minister Tuiraepa went to Japan to attend the 8th Japan Pacific Island Leaders' Meeting. In February 2024, Japanese Foreign Minister Yoko Uekawa visited Saudi Arabia. In July 2024, Prime Minister Fayeme went to Japan to attend the 10th Japan Pacific Island Leaders' Meeting.

Value the relationship with the United States. In November 1988, the United States established an embassy in Saudi Arabia, with the new US Ambassador serving as the ambassador. Saudi Arabia has established an embassy in the United States, with its permanent representative to the United Nations serving as the ambassador. Since 1976, the United States has dispatched peace workers to Saudi Arabia. Many people work at the American Samoa fish canning factory. Although the trade volume between the United States and Samoa is small, there is more trade between Samoa and American Samoa. American Samoa and the United States are the first and second largest export markets for Samoa. In February 2016, Assistant Secretary of State Russell visited Saudi Arabia. In August 2022, US Deputy Secretary of State Sherman visited Samoa. In September 2022, Prime Minister Fayeme visited the United States to attend the first US Pacific Island Leaders' Summit. In September 2023, Prime Minister Fayeme visited the United States to attend the second United States Pacific Islands Forum Summit.