Samoa
in Polynesia
Oceania

National active POI
Location Summary
Currency and Currency Code:
Tala - WST
Spoken languages:
Samoan, English
Local electricity:
230 V - 50 Hz (plugs: I)
Mobile phone / cellular frequencies (MHz):
900 MHz, 3G, 4G
ISO 2-Letter code:
WS
Internet top level domain:
.ws
Country phone prefix:
+685
Local Time (capital):
Timezone:
UTC/GMT offset: hours
Current travel safety evaluation for Samoa in Polynesia

Safety Score: 3,0 of 5.0 based on data from 9 authorites. Meaning we advice caution when travelling to Samoa.

Travel warnings are updated daily. Source: Travel Warning Samoa. Last Update: 2024-08-13 08:21:03

Explore Samoa

Samoa with its capital Apia is located in Oceania (Oceania, group of islands in the South Pacific Ocean). It covers some 2,832 square kilometers (slightly smaller than Rhode Island) with a population of 200,108. Samoan and English are the languages spoken by people in Samoa. Thiscountry has no land-based border with any other country.

Samoa is an island nation in the South Pacific Ocean. It is part of the region of the Pacific known as Polynesia. Its population is around 185,000 but many more Samoans live outside the country, particularly in New Zealand, Australia and California. Samoa is about one-half of the way between Hawaii and New Zealand. The islands have narrow coastal plains with volcanic, rocky, rugged mountains in the interior. The two main islands are Upolu and Savaii. Samoa is a popular place to get married and spend your honeymoon. Several hotels and resorts offer special packages on their web sites and they will make all the arrangements.

Popular Destinations in Samoa

Administrative regions of Samoa

About the country

Website: Samoa Tourism

P. O. Box 2272
Apia
Samoa

Phone: +685 63500
Fax: +685 20886
Mail: samoa@samoa.ws

The topography is two main islands (Savaii, Upolu) and several smaller islands and uninhabited islets with narrow coastal plain with volcanic, rugged mountains in interior. The average density of population is about 71 per km². The climate in Samoa can be described as tropical with rainy season (November to April), dry season (May to October). Potential natural disasters are active volcanism, occasional cyclones and Savai'I Island (1,858 m), which last erupted in 1911, is historically active.

To reach someone Samoa dial +685 prior to a number. The local cellular networks are operated on 900 MHz, 3G, 4G. Websites typically end with the top level domain ".ws". If you want to bring electric appliances (e.g. battery chaarger), keep in min the local 230 V - 50 Hz (plugs: I). The sign for the locally used currency Tala is WST.

Red with a blue rectangle in the upper hoist-side quadrant bearing five white five-pointed stars representing the Southern Cross constellation; red stands for courage, blue represents freedom, and white signifies purity.

Flag of Samoa

New Zealand occupied the German protectorate of Western Samoa at the outbreak of World War I in 1914. It continued to administer the islands as a mandate and then as a trust territory until 1962, when the islands became the first Polynesian nation to reestablish independence in the 20th century. The country dropped the "Western" from its name in 1997.

Geography

Area
Total (World Rank: 178) 2,831sq km
Land (World Rank: 176) 2,821sq km
Water (World Rank: 154) 10sq km
Forest (World Rank: 182) 1.80%
Comparative slightly smaller than Rhode Island
Coastline
403
Elevation
Highest point (World Rank: 132) 1,857m
Agricultural land
Total (World Rank: 184) 12.40%
Arable (World Rank: 171) 2.80%
Permanent crops (World Rank: 43) 7.80%
Permanent pastures (World Rank: 182) 1.80%
Map reference
Oceania
Environment
Issues
  • - deforestation
  • - invasive species
  • - overfishing
  • - soil erosion
Agreement party
  • - Biodiversity
  • - Climate Change
  • - Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol
  • - Desertification
  • - Hazardous Wastes
  • - Law of the Sea
  • - Ozone Layer Protection
  • - Ship Pollution
  • - Wetlands
Hazzards
  • - active volcanism
  • - occasional cyclones
  • - Savai'I Island (1,858 m), which last erupted in 1911, is historically active
Location
Oceania, group of islands in the South Pacific Ocean, about halfway between Hawaii and New Zealand
Climate
tropical; rainy season (November to April), dry season (May to October)
Terrain
two main islands (Savaii, Upolu) and several smaller islands and uninhabited islets; narrow coastal plain with volcanic, rugged mountains in interior

People

Population
Total (World Rank: 184) 200,108
Deathrate (World Rank: 184) 0.53%
Birthrate (World Rank: 76) 2.04%
Growthrate (World Rank: 146) 0.60%
Migration rate (World Rank: 175) -0.91%
Fertility rate (World Rank: 64) 2.70%
Median age
Male (World Rank: 156) 24.10
Female (World Rank: 161) 24.60
Age structure
0 14 male (World Rank: 181) 32,372
0 14 female (World Rank: 183) 30,359
15 24 male (World Rank: 183) 20,358
15 24 female (World Rank: 183) 19,306
25 54 male (World Rank: 183) 37,423
25 54 female (World Rank: 184) 35,273
55 64 male (World Rank: 187) 6,912
55 64 female (World Rank: 187) 6,663
65 x male (World Rank: 193) 4,976
65 x female (World Rank: 191) 6,466
Health
Infant mortality rate (World Rank: 87) 1.86%
Life expectancy total (World Rank: 125) 74years
Life expectancy female (World Rank: 126) 77years
Life expectancy male (World Rank: 129) 71years
Physicians per 1000 (World Rank: 129) 0.46
Sanitation access total (World Rank: 89) 91.50%
Obesity adult (World Rank: 7) 47.30%
Drinking water access (World Rank: 67) 99.00%

Energy

Electricity
Production (World Rank: 193) 127,000,000kWh
Consumption (World Rank: 196) 118,100,000kWh
Source fossil (World Rank: 114) 66.70%
Source nuclear (World Rank: 71) 26.70%
Source renew (World Rank: 45) 15.60%
Refined products
Consumption (World Rank: 202) 1,100bbl / day
Import (World Rank: 189) 1,688bbl / day
Carbon footprint
200000

Nation

Budget
Education (World Rank: 62) 5% of GDP
Health (World Rank: 76) 7% of GDP
Surplus (World Rank: 43) -0% of GDP
National symbol
Southern Cross constellation
National colours
white
Adjective
Samoan
Noun
Samoan(s)
Background
New Zealand occupied the German protectorate of Western Samoa at the outbreak of World War I in 1914. It continued to administer the islands as a mandate and then as a trust territory until 1962, when the islands became the first Polynesian nation to reestablish independence in the 20th century. The country dropped the "Western" from its name in 1997.
Flag description
red with a blue rectangle in the upper hoist-side quadrant bearing five white five-pointed stars representing the Southern Cross constellation; red stands for courage, blue represents freedom, and white signifies purity

Economy

Gdp
Purchasing power parity (World Rank: 202) 1,087,000,000USD
Real growth rate (World Rank: 11) 7.10%
Per capita purchasing power parity (World Rank: 163) 5,600USD
Source agriculture (World Rank: 86) 10.30%
Source industry (World Rank: 119) 23.90%
Source service (World Rank: 84) 65.80%
Labourforce
Total (World Rank: 190) 50,700
Products
Industries
  • - auto parts
  • - building materials
  • - food processing
Agriculture
  • - bananas
  • - cocoa
  • - coconuts
  • - coffee
  • - nonu
  • - taro
  • - yams
Exports
  • - automotive parts
  • - beer
  • - coconut oil
  • - copra
  • - cream
  • - fish
  • - garments
  • - nonu
  • - taro
Imports
  • - equipment
  • - foodstuffs
  • - industrial supplies
  • - machinery

Communication

Phone
Landline total (World Rank: 197) 7,192
Landline per 100 (World Rank: 163) 4.00
Mobile per 100 (World Rank: 184) 68.00
Assessment 0
Internet
Users (World Rank: 185) 58,508
Population (World Rank: 159) 29.40%

Transport

Air
Airports paved (World Rank: 199) 1.00
Airports unpaved (World Rank: 158) 3.00
Road
Total length (World Rank: 182) 1,200
Paved length (World Rank: 140) 1,105
Unpaved length (World Rank: 148) 95.00