<hdr>The World Factbook 1994: Western Samoa<nl>Economy</hdr><body>
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<item><hi format=bold>Overview:</hi> Agriculture employs more than half of the labor force, contributes 50% to GDP, and furnishes 90% of exports. The bulk of export earnings comes from the sale of coconut oil and copra. The economy depends on emigrant remittances and foreign aid to support a level of imports much greater than export earnings. Tourism has become the most important growth industry, and construction of the first international hotel is under way. The economy continued to falter in 1993, as remittances and tourist earnings fell off. A fungal plant disease severely damaged the taro crop, the primary food and export crop.
<item><hi format=bold>National product:</hi> GDP—purchasing power equivalent—$400 million (1992 est.)
<item><hi format=bold>National product real growth rate:</hi> -4.3% (1992 est.)
<item><hi format=bold>National product per capita:</hi> $2,000 (1992 est.)
<item><hi format=bold>Agriculture:</hi> accounts for about 50% of GDP; coconuts, fruit (including bananas, taro, yams)
<item><hi format=bold>Economic aid:</hi>
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<item>• <hi format=ital>recipient:</hi> US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-89), $18 million; Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-89), $306 million; OPEC bilateral aid (1979-89), $4 million
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<item><hi format=bold>Currency:</hi> 1 tala (WS$)=100 sene
<item><hi format=bold>Exchange rates:</hi> tala (WS$) per US$1—2.5920 (January 1994), 2.5681 (1993), 2.4655 (1992), 2.3975 (1991), 2.3095 (1990), 2.2686 (1989)
<item><hi format=bold>Fiscal year:</hi> calendar year