Economy - overview:
The economy of Samoa has traditionally been dependent on development aid, family remittances from overseas, tourism, agriculture, and fishing. It has a nominal GDP of $844 million. Agriculture, including fishing, furnishes 90% of exports, featuring fish, coconut oil, nonu products, and taro. The manufacturing sector mainly processes agricultural products. Industry accounts for nearly 22% of GDP while employing less than 6% of the work force. The service sector accounts for nearly two-thirds of GDP and employs approximately 50% of the labor force. Tourism is an expanding sector accounting for 25% of GDP; 132,000 tourists visited the islands in 2013.

The country is vulnerable to devastating storms. In September 2009, an earthquake and the resulting tsunami severely damaged Samoa and nearby American Samoa, disrupting transportation and power generation, and resulting in about 200 deaths. In December 2012, extensive flooding and wind damage from Tropical Cyclone Evan killed four people, displaced over 6,000, and damaged or destroyed an estimated 1,500 homes on Samoa's Upolu Island.

The Samoan Government has called for deregulation of the country's financial sector, encouragement of investment, and continued fiscal discipline, while at the same time protecting the environment. Foreign reserves are relatively healthy and inflation is low, but external debt is approximately 45% of GDP. Samoa became the 155th member of the WTO in May 2012, and graduated from least developed country status in January 2014.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
$1.137 billion (2017 est.)
$1.11 billion (2016 est.)
$1.036 billion (2015 est.)
note: data are in 2017 dollars
country comparison to the world (CIA rank, may be based on non-current data): 204
[see also: GDP country ranks ]

GDP (official exchange rate):
$841 million (2017 est.)
[see also: GDP (official exchange rate) country ranks ]

GDP - real growth rate:
2.5% (2017 est.)
7.1% (2016 est.)
1.6% (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world (CIA rank, may be based on non-current data): 133
[see also: GDP - real growth rate country ranks ]

GDP - per capita (PPP):
$5,700 (2017 est.)
$5,700 (2016 est.)
$5,300 (2015 est.)
note: data are in 2017 dollars
country comparison to the world (CIA rank, may be based on non-current data): 169
[see also: GDP - per capita country ranks ]

GDP - composition, by end use:
household consumption: NA
[see also: GDP - composition, by end use - household consumption country ranks ]
government consumption: NA
[see also: GDP - composition, by end use - government consumption country ranks ]
investment in fixed capital: NA
[see also: GDP - composition, by end use - investment in fixed capital country ranks ]
investment in inventories: NA
[see also: GDP - composition, by end use - investment in inventories country ranks ]
exports of goods and services: 27.2% (2015 est.)
[see also: GDP - composition, by end use - exports of goods and services country ranks ]
imports of goods and services: -50.5% (2015 est.)
[see also: GDP - composition, by end use - imports of goods and services country ranks ]

GDP - composition, by sector of origin:
agriculture: 10.4% (2017 est.)
[see also: GDP - composition, by sector of origin - agriculture country ranks ]
industry: 23.6% (2017 est.)
[see also: GDP - composition, by sector of origin - industry country ranks ]
services: 66% (2017 est.)
[see also: GDP - composition, by sector of origin - services country ranks ]

Agriculture - products:
coconuts, nonu, bananas, taro, yams, coffee, cocoa

Industries:
food processing, building materials, auto parts

Industrial production growth rate:
-1.8% (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world (CIA rank, may be based on non-current data): 180
[see also: Industrial production growth rate country ranks ]

Labor force:
50,700 (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world (CIA rank, may be based on non-current data): 192
[see also: Labor force country ranks ]

Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 65%
[see also: Labor force - by occupation - agriculture country ranks ]
industry: 6%
[see also: Labor force - by occupation - industry country ranks ]
services: 29% (2015 est.)
[see also: Labor force - by occupation - services country ranks ]

Unemployment rate:
5.2% (2017 est.)
5.5% (2016 est.)
NA
country comparison to the world (CIA rank, may be based on non-current data): 78
[see also: Unemployment rate country ranks ]

Population below poverty line:
NA
[see also: Population below poverty line country ranks ]

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: NA
[see also: Household income or consumption by percentage share - lowest 10% country ranks ]
highest 10%: NA
[see also: Household income or consumption by percentage share - highest 10% country ranks ]

Budget:
revenues: 237.3 million (2017 est.)
[see also: Budget - revenues country ranks ]
expenditures: 276.8 million (2017 est.)
[see also: Budget - expenditures country ranks ]

Taxes and other revenues:
28.2% (of GDP) (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world (CIA rank, may be based on non-current data): 95
[see also: Taxes and other revenues country ranks ]

Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-):
-4.7% (of GDP) (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world (CIA rank, may be based on non-current data): 166
[see also: Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-) country ranks ]

Public debt:
49.1% of GDP (2017 est.)
52.6% of GDP (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world (CIA rank, may be based on non-current data): 103
[see also: Public debt country ranks ]

Fiscal year:
June 1 - May 31

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
1.3% (2017 est.)
0.1% (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world (CIA rank, may be based on non-current data): 72
[see also: Inflation rate (consumer prices) country ranks ]

Commercial bank prime lending rate:
8.76% (31 December 2017 est.)
9.09% (31 December 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world (CIA rank, may be based on non-current data): 95
[see also: Commercial bank prime lending rate country ranks ]

Stock of narrow money:
$147 million (31 December 2017 est.)
$131.7 million (31 December 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world (CIA rank, may be based on non-current data): 186
[see also: Stock of narrow money country ranks ]

Stock of broad money:
$147 million (31 December 2017 est.)
$131.7 million (31 December 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world (CIA rank, may be based on non-current data): 191
[see also: Stock of broad money country ranks ]

Stock of domestic credit:
$404.3 million (31 December 2017 est.)
$389.5 million (31 December 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world (CIA rank, may be based on non-current data): 181
[see also: Stock of domestic credit country ranks ]

Market value of publicly traded shares:
NA
[see also: Market value of publicly traded shares country ranks ]

Current account balance:
-$19 million (2017 est.)
-$37 million (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world (CIA rank, may be based on non-current data): 72
[see also: Current account balance country ranks ]

Exports:
$27.5 million (2014 est.)
country comparison to the world (CIA rank, may be based on non-current data): 207
[see also: Exports country ranks ]

Exports - partners:
Australia 22.9%, NZ 22.8%, American Samoa 22.1%, Afghanistan 14.9%, US 5.9% (2017)

Exports - commodities:
fish, coconut oil and cream, nonu, copra, taro, automotive parts, garments, beer

Imports:
$89.29 billion (2018 est.)
$312.6 million (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world (CIA rank, may be based on non-current data): 41
[see also: Imports country ranks ]

Imports - commodities:
machinery and equipment, industrial supplies, foodstuffs

Imports - partners:
NZ 22%, Singapore 20.7%, US 12.5%, China 10.1%, Australia 8.6%, Fiji 5.2% (2017)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$133 million (31 December 2017 est.)
$122.5 million (31 December 2015 est.)
country comparison to the world (CIA rank, may be based on non-current data): 180
[see also: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold country ranks ]

Debt - external:
$447.2 million (31 December 2013 est.)
country comparison to the world (CIA rank, may be based on non-current data): 180
[see also: Debt - external country ranks ]

Exchange rates:
tala (SAT) per US dollar -
2.566 (2017 est.)
2.565 (2016 est.)
2.565 (2015 est.)
2.5609 (2014 est.)
2.3318 (2013 est.)