Samoa is a country of Oceania. Located in the Pacific Ocean, in Polynesia, it consists of two main islands – Savaii and Opolu – and, in the whole of the territory, it has an area of 2944 km2. The capital is the city of Apia, on the island of Opolu, with 36,000 residents (2004). The island of Savaii is covered by volcanic peaks and plateaus of lava, while on the island of Opolu the population is concentrated.
The climate is tropical maritime, moderated by the southwest winds. November to April is the wettest, rainy season. May to October is the dry season.
Economy
The economy is based essentially on agriculture: coconut oil, taro, copra, bananas, pineapples, mango, cocoa and wood are produced. Much of the soil is made up of forests. The country does not have extractive industries. Emigrants’ remittances, which have been increasing, help to balance the country’s economy, whose trade balance is very deficient. The government decided to promote tourism after 1992. Samoa’s main trading partners are New Zealand, Australia, Fiji and the United States of America. Environmental indicator: the value of carbon dioxide emissions, per capita (metric tons, 1999), is 0.8.
Population
It has a population of 176 908 residents (2006), which corresponds to a population density of 60.22 residents/km2. The birth and death rates are respectively 16.43% and 6.62%. Average life expectancy is 71 years. The value of the Human Development Index (HDI) is 0.775 and the value of the Gender-adjusted Development Index (IDG) was not assigned (2001). It is estimated that in 2025 the population will decrease to 177,000 residents, due to strong emigration. Polynesian Samoans represent 88% of the population. The main religious groups are congregationists (43%), Catholics (21%), Methodists (17%) and Mormons (10%). The official languages are English and Samoan.
History
These tropical and mountainous islands have been disputed by Dutch, Germans and Americans since their discovery by Europeans in the 18th century. In 1889, they obtained sovereignty under King Malietoa Laupepa, but shortly after his death in 1898, the islands came under the control of the Germans, with the agreement of the United States and Great Britain. In 1830, the English influence was felt, due to the arrival of missionaries who converted the population to Christianity. New Zealand annexed the islands in 1919, when they were ruled by Germans, and administered them until 1962. The country has been a member of the Commonwealth since 1970 and the United Nations since 1976.
An independent state since 1962, Western Samoa is a constitutional monarchy with a legislative assembly. The Head of State is King Malietoa Tanumafili II, who will remain on the throne until his death, at which point the monarchical system in Western Samoa will end. Thereafter, the heads of state will be elected by the legislative assembly. In 1997 the country adopted the name Samoa, instead of the former designation of Western Samoa.
Countryaah.com: Offers a full list of airports in the country of Samoa, sorted by city location and acronyms.
Abbreviationfinder.org: Provides most commonly used abbreviations and initials containing the country name of Samoa. Listed by popularity.
1UpTravel.com – Maps of Samoa
Browse a collection of shaded relief and political maps of this country, formerly known as Western Samoa. Check out the maps of Samoa islands and Western Samoa.
