Samoa

The first Austronesian settlers arrived in Samoa around 1000 B.C., and early Samoans traded and intermarried with Fijian and Tongan nobility. The fa’amatai system of titles and nobility developed, which dominates Samoan politics to this day; all but two seats in the legislature are reserved for matai, or heads of families. A Dutch explorer was the first European to spot the islands in 1722. Christian missionaries arrived in the 1830s and were followed by an influx of American and European settlers and influence. By the 1880s, Germany, the UK, and the US had trading posts and claimed parts of the kingdom. In 1886, an eight-year civil war broke out, with rival matai factions fighting over royal succession and the three foreign powers providing support to the factions. Germany, the UK, and the US all sent warships to Apia in 1889 and came close to conflict, but a cyclone damaged or destroyed the ships of all three navies.  <br><br>At the end of the civil war in 1894, Malietoa LAUPEPA was installed as king, but upon his death in 1898, a second civil war over succession broke out. When the war ended in 1899, the Western powers abolished the monarchy, giving the western Samoan islands to Germany and the eastern Samoan islands to the US. The UK abandoned claims in Samoa and received former German territory in the Solomon Islands. <br><br>New Zealand occupied Samoa during World War I but was accused of negligence and opposed by many Samoans, particularly an organized political movement called the Mau (“Strongly Held View”) that advocated for independence. During the 1918-1919 influenza pandemic, about 20% of the population died. In 1929, New Zealand police shot into a crowd of peaceful Mau protestors, killing 11, in an event known as Black Sunday. In 1962, Samoa became the first Polynesian nation to reestablish its independence as Western Samoa but dropped the “Western” from its name in 1997. The Human Rights Protection Party dominated politics from 1982 until Prime Minister FIAME Naomi Mata'afa's Fa'atuatua i le Atua Samoa ua Tasi (FAST) party gained a majority in elections in 2021.

Land

2,821 sq km

Total

2,831 sq km

Water

10 sq km

slightly smaller than Rhode Island

tropical; rainy season (November to April), dry season (May to October)

403 km

Oceania

Highest point

Mount Silisili 1,857 m

Lowest point

Pacific Ocean 0 m

13 35 S, 172 20 W

occupies an almost central position within Polynesia

0 sq km (2022)

Total

0 km

Agricultural land

17.6% (2023 est.)

Agricultural land: arable land

arable land: 3.9% (2023 est.)

Agricultural land: permanent crops

permanent crops: 11.4% (2023 est.)

Agricultural land: permanent pasture

permanent pasture: 2.3% (2023 est.)

arable land

3.85%

Forest

57.8% (2023 est.)

Other

24.6% (2023 est.)

permanent crops

11.41%

No

Oceania, group of islands in the South Pacific Ocean, about halfway between Hawaii and New Zealand

Google Maps

https://goo.gl/maps/CFC9fEFP9cfkYUBF9

OpenStreetMap

https://www.openstreetmap.org/relation/1872673

Oceania

Contiguous zone

24 nm

Exclusive economic zone

200 nm

Territorial sea

12 nm

occasional cyclones; active volcanism <br><br><strong>volcanism:</strong> Savai'I Island (1,858 m) is historically active

hardwood forests, fish, hydropower

about three quarters of the population lives on the island of Upolu

Polynesia

two main islands (Savaii, Upolu) and several smaller islands and uninhabited islets; narrow coastal plain with volcanic, rugged mountains in interior

UTC+13:00

number of time zones

1

0-14 years

26.9% (male 28,952/female 27,173)

15-64 years

65.9% (male 70,225/female 67,427)

65 years and over

7.2% (2024 est.) (male 6,743/female 8,333)

Beer

2.01 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

Other alcohols

0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

Spirits

0.17 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

Total

2.18 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

Wine

0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

18.53 births/1,000 population (2025 est.)

Men married by age 18

2% (2020)

Women married by age 15

0.9% (2020)

Women married by age 18

7.4% (2020)

3.4% (2019 est.)

62% (2020 est.)

5.41 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.)

adult female

144 per 1,000

adult male

185 per 1,000

Elderly dependency ratio

11.4 (2025 est.)

Potential support ratio

8.8 (2025 est.)

Total dependency ratio

51.6 (2025 est.)

Youth dependency ratio

40.2 (2025 est.)

improved total

62.5%

Improved: rural

rural: 98.8% of population (2022 est.)

Improved: total

total: 99% of population (2022 est.)

Improved: urban

urban: 100% of population (2022 est.)

Unimproved: rural

rural: 1.2% of population (2022 est.)

Unimproved: total

total: 1% of population (2022 est.)

Unimproved: urban

urban: 0% of population (2022 est.)

Education expenditure (% GDP)

5.5% of GDP (2024 est.)

Education expenditure (% national budget)

11.7% national budget (2025 est.)

5 % of GDP

Samoan 96%, Samoan/New Zealander 2%, other 1.9% (2011 est.)

note

<strong>note:</strong> data represent the population by country of citizenship

1.12 (2025 est.)

7 % of GDP

Health expenditure (as % of GDP)

6.8% of GDP (2021)

Health expenditure (as % of national budget)

15.2% of national budget (2022 est.)

Female

13.6 deaths/1,000 live births

Male

20.9 deaths/1,000 live births

neonatal

6 deaths/1,000 live births

Total

17.2 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.)

Samoan (Polynesian) (official) 91.1%, Samoan/English 6.7%, English (official) 0.5%, other 0.2%, unspecified 1.6% (2006 est.)

languages

English, Samoan

number of languages

2

Female

78.7 years

Male

72.8 years

Total population

75.7 years (2024 est.)

Female

97.7% (2019 est.)

Male

98.3% (2019 est.)

Total population

98% (2019 est.)

36,000 APIA (capital) (2018)

101 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.)

Female

27.8 years

Male

27 years

Total

27.8 years (2025 est.)

44 births/1,000 women 15-19

Adjective

Samoan

Noun

Samoan(s)

-6.57 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.)

47.3% (2016)

0.56 physicians/1,000 population (2021)

Female

103,681

Male

106,542

Total

210,223 (2025 est.)

0.66% (2025 est.)

Protestant 54.9% (Congregationalist 29%, Methodist 12.4%, Assembly of God 6.8%, Seventh Day Adventist 4.4%, other Protestant 2.3%), Roman Catholic 18.8%, Church of Jesus Christ 16.9%, Worship Centre 2.8%, other Christian 3.6%, other 2.9% (includes Baha'i, Muslim), none 0.2% (2016 est.)

improved total

44.12%

Improved: rural

rural: 98.9% of population (2022 est.)

Improved: total

total: 99% of population (2022 est.)

Improved: urban

urban: 99.7% of population (2022 est.)

Unimproved: rural

rural: 1.1% of population (2022 est.)

Unimproved: total

total: 1% of population (2022 est.)

Unimproved: urban

urban: 0.3% of population (2022 est.)

0-14 years

1.07 male(s)/female

15-64 years

1.04 male(s)/female

65 years and over

0.81 male(s)/female

At birth

1.05 male(s)/female

Total population

1.03 male(s)/female (2024 est.)

Female

12.3% (2025 est.)

Male

28.6% (2025 est.)

Total

20.5% (2025 est.)

2.29 children born/woman (2025 est.)

Rate of urbanization

-0.03% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

Urban population

17.5% of total population (2023)

measles

85%

11 districts; A'ana, Aiga-i-le-Tai, Atua, Fa'asaleleaga, Gaga'emauga, Gagaifomauga, Palauli, Satupa'itea, Tuamasaga, Va'a-o-Fonoti, Vaisigano

Geographic coordinates

13 49 S, 171 46 W

Name

Apia

Time difference

UTC+13 (18 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

Citizenship by birth

no

Citizenship by descent only

at least one parent must be a citizen of Samoa

Dual citizenship recognized

no

Residency requirement for naturalization

5 years

svg

https://mainfacts.com/media/images/coats_of_arms/ws.svg

Amendment process

proposed as an act by the Legislative Assembly; passage requires at least two-thirds majority vote by the Assembly membership in the third reading, provided at least 90 days have elapsed since the second reading, and assent of the chief of state; passage of amendments affecting constitutional articles on customary land or constitutional amendment procedures also requires at least two-thirds majority approval in a referendum

History

several previous (pre-independence); latest 1 January 1962

alternative spellings

WS, Independent State of Samoa, Malo Saʻoloto Tutoʻatasi o Sāmoa

Conventional long form

Independent State of Samoa

Conventional short form

Samoa

Etymology

the name's meaning and origin are unclear; some assert that it can mean "place of the moa bird" of Polynesian mythology, or it could be a local chieftain's name

FIFA code

SAM

Former

Western Samoa

Local long form

Malo Sa'oloto Tuto'atasi o Samoa

local long form (eng)

Independent State of Samoa

Local short form

Samoa

Chief of mission

the US Ambassador to New Zealand is accredited to Samoa

Email address and website

<br>ApiaConsular@state.gov<br><br>https://ws.usembassy.gov/

Embassy

5th Floor, Accident Corporation Building, Matafele Apia

FAX

[685] 22-030

Mailing address

4400 Apia Place, Washington DC 20521-4400

Telephone

[685] 21-436

Chancery

685 Third Avenue, 44th Street, 11th Floor, Suite 1102, New York, NY 10017

Chief of mission

Ambassador Pa’olelei LUTERU (since 7 July 2021); note - also Permanent Representative to the UN

Consulate(s) general

Pago Pago (American Samoa)

Email address and website

<br>samoa@samoanymission.ws<br><br>About | Samoa Permanent Mission to the United Nations

FAX

[1] (212) 599-0797

Telephone

[1] (212) 599-6196

Cabinet

Cabinet appointed by the chief of state on the advice of the prime minister

Chief of state

TUIMALEALI'IFANO Va&rsquo;aletoa Sualauvi II (since 21 July 2017)

Election results

TUIMALEALI'IFANO Va&rsquo;aletoa Sualauvi II (independent) unanimously reelected by the Legislative Assembly

Election/appointment process

chief of state indirectly elected by the Legislative Assembly to serve a 5-year term (2-term limit); following legislative elections, the chief of state usually appoints the leader of the majority party as prime minister, with the approval of the Legislative Assembly

Expected date of next election

2026

Head of government

Prime Minister LA'AULIALEMALIETOA La'auli Leuatea Schmidt (since 16 September 2025)

Most recent election date

23 August 2022

<strong>description:</strong> red with a blue rectangle in the upper-left quadrant; on the rectangle are five five-pointed white stars that represent the Southern Cross constellation<br><br><strong>meaning:</strong> red stands for courage, blue for freedom, and white for purity

note

<strong>note:</strong> similar to the flag of Taiwan

The flag of Samoa has a red field. A blue rectangle, bearing a representation of the Southern Cross made up of five large and one smaller five-pointed white stars, is superimposed in the canton.

svg

https://flagcdn.com/ws.svg

parliamentary republic

1 January 1962 (from New Zealand-administered UN trusteeship)

has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

ACP, ADB, AOSIS, C, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IPU, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, OPCW, PIF, Sparteca, SPC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Highest court(s)

Court of Appeal (consists of the chief justice and 2 Supreme Court judges and meets once or twice a year); Supreme Court (consists of the chief justice and several judges)

Judge selection and term of office

chief justice appointed by the chief of state on the advice of the prime minister; other Supreme Court judges appointed by the Judicial Service Commission, a 3-member body chaired by the chief justice and includes the attorney general and an appointee of the Minister of Justice; judges normally serve until retirement at age 68

Subordinate courts

District Court; Magistrates' Courts; Land and Titles Courts; village chief councils

mixed system of English common law and customary law; judicial review of legislative acts involving fundamental citizen rights

Electoral system

plurality/majority

Expected date of next election

August 2030

Legislative structure

unicameral

Legislature name

Legislative Assembly (Fono)

Most recent election date

8/29/2025

Number of seats

51 (all directly elected)

Parties elected and seats per party

Faatuatua ile Atua Samoa ua Tasi (FAST) (32); Human Rights Protection Party (HRPP) (22), Sāmoa Uniting Party (SUP) (3), Independents (4)

Percentage of women in chamber

9.8%

Scope of elections

full renewal

Term in office

5 years

red, white, blue

Independence Day Celebration, 1 June (1962)

note

<strong>note:</strong> 1 January 1962 is the date of independence from the New Zealand-administered UN trusteeship, but it is observed in June

Southern Cross constellation (five five-pointed stars)

Fa'atuatua i le Atua Samoa ua Tasi or FAST <br>Human Rights Protection Party or HRPP <br>Sāmoa Uniting Party (SUP)<br>Tautua Samoa Party or TSP

Monday

21 years of age; universal

Yes

coconuts, bananas, taro, tropical fruits, pineapples, mangoes/guavas, papayas, root vegetables, milk, avocados (2023)

note

<b>note:</b> top ten agricultural products based on tonnage

Expenditures

$326.052 million (2023 est.)

Note

<b>note:</b> central government revenues (excluding grants) and expenditures converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated

Revenues

$371.764 million (2023 est.)

code

WST

name

Samoan tālā (WST) [T]

$65.63 million

Current account balance 2022

-$74.039 million (2022 est.)

Current account balance 2023

$40.177 million (2023 est.)

Current account balance 2024

$64.616 million (2024 est.)

Note

<b>note:</b> balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars

$394.94 million

Debt - external 2023

$269.974 million (2023 est.)

Note

<strong>note:</strong> present value of external debt in current US dollars

ower middle-income Pacific island economy; enormous fishing and agriculture industries; significant remittances; growing offshore financial hub; recently hosted Pacific Games to drive tourism and infrastructure growth

Currency

tala (SAT) per US dollar -

Exchange rates 2020

2.665 (2020 est.)

Exchange rates 2021

2.556 (2021 est.)

Exchange rates 2022

2.689 (2022 est.)

Exchange rates 2023

2.738 (2023 est.)

Exchange rates 2024

2.754 (2024 est.)

$360.46 million

Exports 2022

$175.377 million (2022 est.)

Exports 2023

$346.187 million (2023 est.)

Exports 2024

$369.73 million (2024 est.)

Note

<b>note:</b> balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars

refined petroleum, integrated circuits, coconut oil, fish, insulated wire (2023)

note

<b>note:</b> top five export commodities based on value in dollars

India 26%, NZ 14%, USA 12%, American Samoa 10%, Australia 9% (2023)

note

<b>note:</b> top five export partners based on percentage share of exports

net inflows

$3.74 million

Exports of goods and services

29.3% (2024 est.)

Government consumption

18.2% (2024 est.)

Household consumption

80.8% (2024 est.)

Imports of goods and services

-53.8% (2024 est.)

Investment in fixed capital

30.5% (2024 est.)

Investment in inventories

2.3% (2024 est.)

Note

<strong>note:</strong> figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection

Agriculture

11% (2024 est.)

Industry

10.9% (2024 est.)

Note

<b>note:</b> figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data

Services

72.5% (2024 est.)

$1.068 billion (2024 est.)

note

<b>note:</b> data in current dollars at official exchange rate

$5,393

38.7 (2013)

$1.16 billion

$5,040

29 % of GDP

$574.55 million

Imports 2022

$512.021 million (2022 est.)

Imports 2023

$560.776 million (2023 est.)

Imports 2024

$575.749 million (2024 est.)

Note

<b>note:</b> balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars

refined petroleum, poultry, cars, plastic products, milk (2023)

note

<b>note:</b> top five import commodities based on value in dollars

NZ 20%, Singapore 19%, China 17%, Australia 10%, Fiji 9% (2023)

note

<b>note:</b> top five import partners based on percentage share of imports

4.2% (2024 est.)

note

<b>note:</b> annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency

food processing, building materials, auto parts

2.17%

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2022

11% (2022 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2023

7.9% (2023 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2024

2.2% (2024 est.)

Note

<b>note:</b> annual % change based on consumer prices

57,200 (2024 est.)

note

<b>note:</b> number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work

total

57,776 persons

agriculture

26.88%

industry

15.94%

services

57.18%

21.9% (2018 est.)

note

<b>note:</b> % of population with income below national poverty line

Public debt 2016

52.6% of GDP (2016 est.)

$1.9 billion

Note

<b>note:</b> data in 2021 dollars

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2022

$1.258 billion (2022 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2023

$1.374 billion (2023 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2024

$1.503 billion (2024 est.)

4.75%

Note

<b>note:</b> annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency

Real GDP growth rate 2022

-5.3% (2022 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2023

9.2% (2023 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2024

9.4% (2024 est.)

$8,737

Note

<b>note:</b> data in 2021 dollars

Real GDP per capita 2022

$5,800 (2022 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2023

$6,300 (2023 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2024

$6,900 (2024 est.)

$282.25 million

Note

<b>note:</b> personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities

Remittances 2022

33.6% of GDP (2022 est.)

Remittances 2023

28.2% of GDP (2023 est.)

Remittances 2024

26.4% of GDP (2024 est.)

$507.74 million

Note

<b>note:</b> holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2022

$321.163 million (2022 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2023

$447.09 million (2023 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2024

$507.74 million (2024 est.)

31 % of GDP

24 % of GDP

26.7% (of GDP) (2023 est.)

note

<b>note:</b> central government tax revenue as a % of GDP

5%

Note

<b>note:</b> % of labor force seeking employment

Unemployment rate 2022

5.1% (2022 est.)

Unemployment rate 2023

5% (2023 est.)

Unemployment rate 2024

4.6% (2024 est.)

Female

20.9% (2024 est.)

Male

7.4% (2024 est.)

Note

<b>note:</b> % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment

Total

11.9% (2024 est.)

Consumption

141.846 million kWh (2023 est.)

Installed generating capacity

54,000 kW (2023 est.)

Transmission/distribution losses

17.284 million kWh (2023 est.)

Electrification - rural areas

97.9%

Electrification - total population

98.3% (2022 est.)

Electrification - urban areas

100%

Biomass and waste

6.3% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

Fossil fuels

59.7% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

hydroelectric

28.76%

Hydroelectricity

18.9% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

nuclear

0%

renewable

49.14%

Solar

15.1% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

Wind

0.1% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

Total energy consumption per capita 2023

23.476 million Btu/person (2023 est.)

Refined petroleum consumption

2,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)

35.9%

per 100 inhabitants

1 per 100

Subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

1 (2022 est.)

Total

2,000 (2022 est.)

state-owned TV station privatized in 2008; 4 privately owned TV stations; about a half-dozen privately owned radio stations and one state-owned; TV and radio broadcasts of several stations from American Samoa are available (2019)

.ws

Percent of population

58% (2023 est.)

+685

Subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

2 (2022 est.)

Total subscriptions

5,000 (2022 est.)

subscriptions per 100

62 per 100

Subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

62 (2022 est.)

Total subscriptions

134,000 (2022 est.)

passengers carried

42,120 passengers

registered carrier departures

3,540 departures

4 (2025)

5W

Left

By type

general cargo 3, oil tanker 1, other 9

Total

13 (2023)

Key ports

Apia

Large

0

Medium

0

Ports with oil terminals

1

Small

0

Total ports

1 (2024)

Very small

1

WS

informal defense ties exist with New Zealand, which pledged to afford assistance to Samoa in the conduct of its international relations under the 1962 Treaty of Friendship; New Zealand naval vessels patrol Samoan waters<br><br>Samoa has a "shiprider" agreement with the US, which allows local maritime law enforcement officers to embark on US Coast Guard (USCG) and US Navy (USN) vessels, including to board and search vessels suspected of violating laws or regulations within Somoa's designated exclusive economic zone (EEZ) or on the high seas; "shiprider" agreements also enable USCG personnel and USN vessels with embarked USCG law enforcement personnel to work with host nations to protect critical regional resources (2025)

no regular military forces; Samoa Police Service (includes a maritime unit) (2025)

From petroleum and other liquids

335,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

Total emissions

335,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

soil erosion; deforestation; invasive species; overfishing

Party to

Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands

Signed, but not ratified

none of the selected agreements

7.8 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)

0 % of total land area

20 % of total

Municipal solid waste generated annually

27,400 tons (2024 est.)

Percent of municipal solid waste recycled

57.6% (2022 est.)