Page:CIA World Factbook(1982).djvu/273

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

 

LAND
2,849 km$2$; 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  255