PACIFIC ISLANDS BUSINESS INDICATORS
| Samoa | |
| Exchange Rate: 1 $ Local currency = x $US | |
| Currency | S$ |
| Calendar Year 1996 | 0.40 |
| Calendar Year 1997 (used in tables) | 0.41 |
| Q1 1998 | 0.36 |
| % Change 1996 - Q1 1998 | -10% |
GENERAL |
|
Land Area |
2,935 km2 |
EEZ |
120,000 km2 |
GDP |
US$175 million (1996) |
GNP per Capita |
US$1,200 (1996) |
Human Development Index |
0.7 (1993) |
Life Expectancy |
|
Infant Mortality |
|
INDICATOR LEVELS (US$ million) |
|
GDP (at current rpices) |
175.3 (1996) |
Govt. Revenues |
103.3 (1996) |
Govt. Expenditures |
100.2 (1996) |
Govt. Budget Deficit (-) |
3.1 (1996) |
Exports (fob) |
10.1 (19960 |
Imports (cif) |
99.0 (1996) |
Current Account Balance (after grants) |
15.6 (1996) |
Gross Reserves |
56.8 (1996) |
| LABOUR FORCE CONTEXT | |
| Population (1,000s latest census) 1 | 170 |
| Potential Labour Force, age 15-59 | 90 |
| Unpaid/underemployed labour force (%) 2 | |
| male | 57 |
| female | 84 |
| Quality of Local Labour Force3 | |
| Adult literacy rate (%) | 98 |
| Enrolment rate secondary schools (%) | 50 |
| LABOUR FORCE CONDITIONS | |
| Legislated minimum wage | 0.51 |
| Average Wage Rates ($per hour) 4 | |
| Managerial | 6.90 |
| Supervisory | 3.20 |
| Skilled | 3.20 |
| Semi Skilled | 1.40 |
| Unskilled | 0.50 |
| Normal number of hours work per week | 40 |
| No. paid holidays per year | 12 |
| Employer Contributions (% wage bill) | |
| Workers Superannuation Fund | |
| compulsory? | Yes |
| rate (%) | 5 |
| Workers Compensation Fund | |
| compulsory? | Yes |
| rate (%)5 | 1 |
| Electricity | |
| connection fee | 68 |
| tariff per kilowat hour | 0.18 |
| Water & Sewage | |
| water connection fee ($) | 246 |
| sewage connection fee | - |
| sewage rate | - |
| Telephone | |
| installation fee ($) | 21 |
| line/equipment rental rate ($) per year | 74 |
| rate per local call ($) | 0.05 |
| long distance rates ($) per minute | |
| Japan (Tokyo) | 1.80 |
| USA (Los Angeles) | 1.80 |
| United Kingdom (London) | 1.80 |
| Australia (Sydney) | 1.20 |
| New Zealand (Auckland) | 1.20 |
| Singapore | 1.80 |
| Neighbouring Forum Island countries | |
| Tonga | 1.20 |
| Samoa | |
| Fiji | 1.20 |
| Papua New Guinea | |
| Vanuatu | |
| Marshall Islands | |
| Tuvalu | |
| Kiribati | |
| Federated States of Micronesia | |
| Solomon Islands | |
| Cook Islands | 1.20 |
| Nauru | |
| Palau | |
| Total Cost 1 year of service 1 | 1,943 |
| Internet/E-mail | |
| connection fee | 45 |
| rental rate per year | 90 |
| no. free hours per month included in rental | 20 |
| rate per additional hour use | 4.50 |
| Total cost 1 year of service2 | 585 |
| Sea Freight (cif) per cubic metre 1 | |
| Japan (Tokyo) | 82 |
| USA (Los Angeles) | |
| United Kingdom (London) | 133 |
| Australia (Sydney) | |
| New Zealand (Auckland) | 58 |
| Singapore | 49 |
82 |
|
| Neighbouring Forum Island Countries | |
| Tonga | 39 |
| Samoa | |
| Fiji | 33 |
| Marshall Islands | |
| Papua New Guinea | |
| Cook Islands | 63 |
| Solomon Islands | |
| Vanuatu | |
| Palau | |
| Kiribati | |
| Federated States of Micronesia | |
| Air Freight (cif) per kilogram | |
| Japan (Tokyo) | 8.50 |
| USA (Los Angeles) | 4.50 |
| United Kingdom (London) | 9.50 |
| Australia (Sydney) | 5.30 |
| New Zealand (Auckland) | 2.00 |
| Singapore | 9.60 |
| Neighbouring Forum Island Countries | |
| Tonga | 0.90 |
| Samoa | |
| Fiji | 0.80 |
| Marshall Islands | |
| Kiribati | |
| Federated States of Micronesia | |
| Papua New Guinea | |
| Cook Islands | 1.40 |
| Solomon Islands | |
| Vanuatu | |
| Palau | |
| Land | |
| total area (sq kilometers | 2,934 |
| Customary land | |
| Proportion customarily owned (%) | 80 |
| Max period for commercial lease (yrs) | 80 |
| Average lease rate per acre per annum | |
| agricultural land ($) | 40 |
| commercial land ($) | 12,300 |
| Free hold land | |
| average purchase price per acre | 83,000 |
| Factory Space | |
| average annual rental price per sq ft | 6.20 |
| Commercial Banking | |
| Commercial Banks, excl Dev Banks (No) | 3 |
| Lending rate range (% per annum) | 8.0-12.0 |
| Average lending rate (% per annum) | 12 |
| Personal Tax Rates (Brackets) | |
| No tax | <2,460 |
| rate of 5% | |
| rate of 6% | |
| rate of 8% | |
| rate of 10% | 2,460-4,920 |
| rate of 12% | |
| rate of 15% | |
| rate of 20% | 4,920-7,380 |
| rate of 25% | |
| rate of 30% | |
| rate of 35% | >7,380 |
| rate of 37% | |
| rate of 40% | |
| Company Tax Rate (%) | |
| Resident Company | |
| General | 35 |
| Mining | |
| Petroleum | |
| Non-Resident Company | |
| General | 35 |
| Mining | |
| Petroleum | |
| Other Taxes & Fees | |
| Business Gross Receipt tax (%) | |
| GST/Value added tax (%) | 10 |
| Sales tax (%) | - |
| Annual business licence fees ($) | 80 |
| Import Duty Rates (% range) | |
| manufacturing inputs | 0-25 |
| general (excluding cigarettes, liquor et) | 15-60 |