Part 821

Flag ----

Description: red with a blue rectangle in the upper hoist-side quadrant bearing five white five-pointed stars representing the Southern Cross constellation

Geography ---------

Location: Oceania, group of islands in the South Pacific Ocean, about one-half of the way from Hawaii to New Zealand

Geographic coordinates: 13 35 S, 172 20 W

Map references: Oceania

Area: total area: 2,860 sq km land area: 2,850 sq km comparative area: slightly smaller than Rhode Island

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 403 km

Maritime claims: exclusive economic zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 12 nm

International disputes: none

Climate: tropical; rainy season (October to March), dry season (May to October)

Terrain: narrow coastal plain with volcanic, rocky, rugged mountains in interior lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: Mauga Silisili 1,857 m

Natural resources: hardwood forests, fish

Land use: arable land: 19% permanent crops: 24% meadows and pastures: 0% forest and woodland: 47% other: 10%

Irrigated land: NA sq km

Environment: current issues: soil erosion natural hazards: occasional typhoons; active volcanism international agreements: party to - Biodiversity, Climate Change, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection

People ------

Population: 214,384 (July 1996 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 40% (male 43,540; female 42,185) 15-64 years: 56% (male 62,742; female 57,323) 65 years and over: 4% (male 4,089; female 4,505) (July 1996 est.)

Population growth rate: 2.37% (1996 est.)

Birth rate: 31.12 births/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Death rate: 5.75 deaths/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Net migration rate: -1.67 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.1 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.91 male(s)/female all ages: 1.06 male(s)/female (1996 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 34.3 deaths/1,000 live births (1996 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: total population: 68.73 years male: 66.35 years female: 71.24 years (1996 est.)

Total fertility rate: 3.93 children born/woman (1996 est.)