WESTERN SAHARA (Continued)
ECONOMY
Agriculture: practically none; some barley is grown in nondrought years; fruit and vegetables in the few oases; food imports are essential; camels, sheep, and goats are kept by the nomadic natives; cash economy exists largely for the garrison forces
Major industries: phosphate and iron mining, fishing, and handicrafts
Shortages: water
Electric power: 56,000 kW capacity (1980); 78 million kWh produced (1980), 772 kWh per capita
Exports: in 1975, up to $75 million in phosphates, all other exports valued at under $1 million
Imports: $1,443,000 (1968); fuel for fishing fleet, foodstuffs
Major trade partners: monetary trade largely with Spain and Spanish possessions, more recently with Morocco
Aid: small amounts from Spain in prior years; currently Morocco is major source of support
Monetary conversion rate: see Moroccan and Mauritanian currencies
COMMUNICATIONS
Railroads: none
Highways: 6,100 km total; 500 km bituminous treated, 5,600 km unimproved earth roads and tracks
Ports: 2 major (El Aaiun, Dakhla)
Civil air: no major transport aircraft
Airfields: 15 total, 14 usable; 3 with permanent-surface runways; 1 with runways over 3,659; 1 with runways 2,440-3,659 m; 8 with runways 1,220-2,439 m
Telecommunications: sparse and fragmentary system with facilities concentrated in northwest area; some radio relay, wire, and radiocommunications stations in use; 1,000 telephones (0.7 per 100 popl.); 2 AM and no FM stations; 1 TV station
WESTERN SAMOA
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LAND
2,849 km2; comprised of 2 large islands of Savai'i and Upolu and several smaller islands, including Manono and Apolima; 65% forested, 24% cultivated, 11% industry, waste, or urban
WATER
Limits of territorial waters (claimed): 12 nm
Coastline: 403 km
PEOPLE
Population: 158,000 (July 1982), average annual growth rate 0.7%
Nationality: noun—Western Samoan(s); adjective—Western Samoa
Ethnic divisions: Polynesians, about 12,000 Euronesians (persons of European and Polynesian blood), 700 Europeans
Religion: 99.7% Christian (about half of population associated with the London Missionary Society)
Language: Samoan (Polynesian), English
Literacy: 85%-90% (education compulsory for all children from 7-15 years)
Labor force: 38,200 (1976), 90% in agriculture
Organized labor: unorganized
GOVERNMENT
Official name: Independent State of Western Samoa
Type: constitutional monarchy under native chief; special treaty relationship with New Zealand
Capital: Apia
Legal system: based on English common law and local customs; constitution came into effect upon independence in 1962; judicial review of legislative acts with respect to fundamental rights of the citizen; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
National holiday: 1 January
