Samoa
The Country of the Week
Quick Facts
- Capital
- Apia
- Population
- 210,223 (2025 est.)
- Area
- 2,831 sq km
- Government
- parliamentary republic
- Languages
- Samoan (Polynesian) (official) 91.1%, Samoan/English 6.7%, English (official) 0.5%, other 0.2%, unspecified 1.6% (2006 est.)
- Religions
- 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.)
- Ethnic Groups
- Samoan 96%, Samoan/New Zealander 2%, other 1.9% (2011 est.)
- Currency
- tala (SAT)
- Life Expectancy
- 75.7 years (2024 est.)
- Internet Domain
- .ws
- 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
- Natural Resources
- hardwood forests, fish, hydropower
- Major Exports
- refined petroleum, integrated circuits, coconut oil, fish, insulated wire (2023)
Source: CIA World Factbook (public domain)
Overview
The first Austronesian settlers arrived in Samoa around 1000 B.C., and early Samoans traded and intermarried with Fijian and Tongan nobility.