CapitalApia
Population210,223
Area2,831 km²
GDP per capita$6,900
LanguagesSamoan, Samoan/English, English, other, unspecified
Currencytala
Life Expectancy75.7 yr
Governmentparliamentary republic
Introduction
Background
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.
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.
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.
Geography
Area
land
2,821 sq km
water
10 sq km
total
2,831 sq km
Climate
tropical; wet season (November to April), dry season (May to October)
Terrain
composed of two primary islands (Savaii, Upolu) along with numerous smaller islands and uninhabited islets; features a narrow coastal plain and mountainous, volcanic terrain in the interior
Land use
other
24.6% (2023 est.)
forest
57.8% (2023 est.)
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.)
Location
Oceania, a collection of islands located in the South Pacific Ocean, roughly equidistant between Hawaii and New Zealand
Coastline
403 km
Elevation
lowest point
Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point
Mount Silisili 1,857 m
Irrigated land
0 sq km (2022)
Map references
Oceania
Land boundaries
total
0 km
Maritime claims
contiguous zone
24 nm
territorial sea
12 nm
exclusive economic zone
200 nm
Natural hazards
periodic cyclones; notable volcanic activity
volcanism: Savai'I Island (1,858 m) has a history of activity
Geography - note
holds a near-central location within Polynesia
Natural resources
hardwood forests, fish resources, hydropower potential
Area - comparative
marginally smaller than Rhode Island
Geographic coordinates
13 35 S, 172 20 W
Population distribution
approximately 75% of the population resides on the island of Upolu
People & Society
Literacy
male
98.3% (2019 est.)
female
97.7% (2019 est.)
total population
98% (2019 est.)
Languages
Samoan (Polynesian) (official) 91.1%, Samoan/English 6.7%, English (official) 0.5%, other 0.2%, unspecified 1.6% (estimation from 2006)
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.)
Sex ratio
at birth
1.05 male(s)/female
0-14 years
1.07 male(s)/female
15-64 years
1.04 male(s)/female
total population
1.03 male(s)/female (2024 est.)
65 years and over
0.81 male(s)/female
Birth rate
18.53 births/1,000 population (2025 est.)
Death rate
5.41 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.)
Median age
male
27 years
total
27.8 years (2025 est.)
female
27.8 years
Population
male
106,542
total
210,223 (2025 est.)
female
103,681
Nationality
noun
Samoan(s)
adjective
Samoan
Tobacco use
male
28.6% (2025 est.)
total
20.5% (2025 est.)
female
12.3% (2025 est.)
Urbanization
urban population
17.5% of total population (2023)
rate of urbanization
-0.03% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Age structure
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)
Ethnic groups
Samoan 96%, Samoan/New Zealander 2%, other 1.9% (estimation from 2011)
Child marriage
men married by age 18
2% (2020)
women married by age 15
0.9% (2020)
women married by age 18
7.4% (2020)
Dependency ratios
total dependency ratio
51.6 (2025 est.)
youth dependency ratio
40.2 (2025 est.)
potential support ratio
8.8 (2025 est.)
elderly dependency ratio
11.4 (2025 est.)
Physician density
0.56 physicians/1,000 population (2021)
Health expenditure
Health expenditure (as % of GDP)
6.8% of GDP (2021)
Health expenditure (as % of national budget)
15.2% of national budget (2022 est.)
Net migration rate
-6.57 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.)
Total fertility rate
2.29 children born/woman (2025 est.)
Drinking water source
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
Education expenditure (% GDP)
5.5% of GDP (2024 est.)
Education expenditure (% national budget)
11.7% national budget (2025 est.)
Infant mortality rate
male
20.9 deaths/1,000 live births
total
17.2 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.)
female
13.6 deaths/1,000 live births
Population growth rate
0.66% (2025 est.)
Gross reproduction rate
1.12 (2025 est.)
Population distribution
approximately 75% of the population resides on the island of Upolu
Life expectancy at birth
male
72.8 years
female
78.7 years
total population
75.7 years (2024 est.)
Maternal mortality ratio
101 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.)
Sanitation facility access
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.)
Alcohol consumption per capita
beer
2.01 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
wine
0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
total
2.18 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
spirits
0.17 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
other alcohols
0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Major urban areas - population
36,000 APIA (capital) (2018)
Obesity - adult prevalence rate
47.3% (2016)
Currently married women (ages 15-49)
62% (2020 est.)
Children under the age of 5 years underweight
3.4% (2019 est.)
Environment
Climate
tropical; wet season (November to April), dry season (May to October)
Land use
other
24.6% (2023 est.)
forest
57.8% (2023 est.)
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.)
Urbanization
urban population
17.5% of total population (2023)
rate of urbanization
-0.03% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Waste and recycling
municipal solid waste generated annually
27,400 tons (2024 est.)
percent of municipal solid waste recycled
57.6% (2022 est.)
Environmental issues
soil degradation; forest clearing; non-native species; overfishing
Carbon dioxide emissions
total emissions
335,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
from petroleum and other liquids
335,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
Particulate matter emissions
7.8 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)
International environmental agreements
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
Government
Flag
description: features a red field with a blue rectangle located in the upper-left corner; within this rectangle are five white five-pointed stars symbolizing the Southern Cross constellation
meaning: red signifies bravery, blue represents liberty, and white denotes innocence
Capital
name
Apia
time difference
UTC+13 (18 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
geographic coordinates
13 49 S, 171 46 W
Suffrage
21 years of age; universal
Citizenship
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
Constitution
history
multiple earlier versions (prior to independence); most recent version adopted on 1 January 1962
amendment process
introduced as legislation by the Legislative Assembly; to be enacted, it requires a two-thirds majority approval from Assembly members during the third reading, provided a minimum of 90 days has passed since the second reading and the chief of state's assent; amendments affecting constitutional provisions on customary land or procedures for constitutional amendments also necessitate two-thirds majority approval via a referendum
Country name
former
Western Samoa
etymology
the etymology and significance of the name are ambiguous; some suggest it translates to "place of the moa bird" from Polynesian lore, or it may refer to a local chief's name
local long form
Malo Sa'oloto Tuto'atasi o Samoa
local short form
Samoa
conventional long form
Independent State of Samoa
conventional short form
Samoa
Independence
1 January 1962 (from New Zealand-administered UN trusteeship)
Legal system
a mixed legal system comprising English common law and customary law; encompasses judicial review of legislative actions concerning fundamental citizen rights
Government type
parliamentary republic
Judicial branch
highest court(s)
Court of Appeal (comprised of the chief justice and two Supreme Court justices, convening once or twice annually); Supreme Court (includes the chief justice and several other judges)
subordinate courts
District Court; Magistrates' Courts; Land and Titles Courts; councils of village chiefs
judge selection and term of office
the chief justice is appointed by the chief of state based on the prime minister's recommendations; other Supreme Court justices are chosen by the Judicial Service Commission, a three-member body led by the chief justice, including the attorney general and an appointee from the Minister of Justice; judges typically serve until they reach the retirement age of 68
Executive branch
cabinet
Cabinet appointed by the chief of state on the advice of the prime minister
chief of state
TUIMALEALI'IFANO Va’aletoa Sualauvi II (in office since 21 July 2017)
election results
TUIMALEALI'IFANO Va’aletoa Sualauvi II (independent) was unanimously reelected by the Legislative Assembly
head of government
Prime Minister LA'AULIALEMALIETOA La'auli Leuatea Schmidt (since 16 September 2025)
most recent election date
23 August 2022
election/appointment process
the chief of state is indirectly elected by the Legislative Assembly for a term of five years (with a limit of two terms); after legislative elections, the chief of state generally appoints the leader of the majority party as prime minister, subject to the Legislative Assembly's approval
expected date of next election
2026
National holiday
Independence Day Celebration, 1 June (1962)
National color(s)
red, white, blue
Political parties
Fa'atuatua i le Atua Samoa ua Tasi or FAST
Human Rights Protection Party or HRPP
Sāmoa Uniting Party (SUP)
Tautua Samoa Party or TSP
Legislative branch
term in office
5 years
number of seats
51 (all directly elected)
electoral system
plurality/majority
legislature name
Legislative Assembly (Fono)
scope of elections
full renewal
legislative structure
unicameral
most recent election date
8/29/2025
expected date of next election
August 2030
percentage of women in chamber
9.8%
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)
National anthem(s)
title
"O le Fu'a o le Sa'olotoga o Samoa" (The Banner of Freedom)
history
adopted in 1962; commonly referred to as "Samoa Tula'i" (Samoa Arise)
lyrics/music
Sauni Liga KURESA
National symbol(s)
Southern Cross constellation (five five-pointed stars)
Administrative divisions
11 administrative districts: A'ana, Aiga-i-le-Tai, Atua, Fa'asaleleaga, Gaga'emauga, Gagaifomauga, Palauli, Satupa'itea, Tuamasaga, Va'a-o-Fonoti, Vaisigano
Diplomatic representation in the US
FAX
[1] (212) 599-0797
chancery
685 Third Avenue, 44th Street, 11th Floor, Suite 1102, New York, NY 10017
telephone
[1] (212) 599-6196
chief of mission
Ambassador Pa’olelei LUTERU (since 7 July 2021); also serves as the Permanent Representative to the UN
consulate(s) general
Pago Pago (American Samoa)
email address and website
[email protected]
About | Samoa Permanent Mission to the United Nations
Diplomatic representation from the US
FAX
[685] 22-030
embassy
5th Floor, Accident Corporation Building, Matafele Apia
telephone
[685] 21-436
mailing address
4400 Apia Place, Washington DC 20521-4400
chief of mission
the US Ambassador to New Zealand is accredited to Samoa
email address and website
[email protected]
https://ws.usembassy.gov/
International organization participation
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
International law organization participation
has not provided a declaration of ICJ jurisdiction; acknowledges ICCt jurisdiction
Economy
Budget
revenues
$371.764 million (2023 est.)
expenditures
$326.052 million (2023 est.)
Exports
Exports 2022
$175.377 million (2022 est.)
Exports 2023
$346.187 million (2023 est.)
Exports 2024
$369.73 million (2024 est.)
Imports
Imports 2022
$512.021 million (2022 est.)
Imports 2023
$560.776 million (2023 est.)
Imports 2024
$575.749 million (2024 est.)
Industries
food processing, construction materials, automotive components
Labor force
57,200 (2024 est.)
Public debt
Public debt 2016
52.6% of GDP (2016 est.)
Remittances
Remittances 2022
33.6% of GDP (2022 est.)
Remittances 2023
28.2% of GDP (2023 est.)
Remittances 2024
26.4% of GDP (2024 est.)
Exchange rates
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.)
Debt - external
Debt - external 2023
$269.974 million (2023 est.)
Economic overview
lower middle-income Pacific island economy; vast fisheries and agricultural sectors; substantial remittance inflows; emerging offshore financial center; recently hosted the Pacific Games to enhance tourism and infrastructure development
Unemployment rate
Unemployment rate 2022
5.1% (2022 est.)
Unemployment rate 2023
5% (2023 est.)
Unemployment rate 2024
4.6% (2024 est.)
Exports - partners
India 26%, NZ 14%, USA 12%, American Samoa 10%, Australia 9% (2023)
Imports - partners
NZ 20%, Singapore 19%, China 17%, Australia 10%, Fiji 9% (2023)
Real GDP per capita
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.)
Real GDP growth rate
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.)
Agricultural products
coconuts, bananas, taro, tropical fruits, pineapples, mangoes/guavas, papayas, root vegetables, milk, avocados (2023)
Exports - commodities
refined petroleum, integrated circuits, coconut oil, fish, insulated wire (2023)
Imports - commodities
refined petroleum, poultry, automobiles, plastic goods, milk (2023)
Current account balance
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.)
Taxes and other revenues
26.7% (of GDP) (2023 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate)
$1.068 billion (2024 est.)
GDP - composition, by end use
household consumption
80.8% (2024 est.)
government consumption
18.2% (2024 est.)
investment in inventories
2.3% (2024 est.)
investment in fixed capital
30.5% (2024 est.)
exports of goods and services
29.3% (2024 est.)
imports of goods and services
-53.8% (2024 est.)
Population below poverty line
21.9% (2018 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices)
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.)
Industrial production growth rate
4.2% (2024 est.)
Real GDP (purchasing power parity)
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.)
Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24)
male
7.4% (2024 est.)
total
11.9% (2024 est.)
female
20.9% (2024 est.)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold
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.)
GDP - composition, by sector of origin
industry
10.9% (2024 est.)
services
72.5% (2024 est.)
agriculture
11% (2024 est.)
Energy
Petroleum
refined petroleum consumption
2,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)
Electricity
consumption
141.846 million kWh (2023 est.)
installed generating capacity
54,000 kW (2023 est.)
transmission/distribution losses
17.284 million kWh (2023 est.)
Electricity access
electrification - rural areas
97.9%
electrification - urban areas
100%
electrification - total population
98.3% (2022 est.)
Energy consumption per capita
Total energy consumption per capita 2023
23.476 million Btu/person (2023 est.)
Electricity generation sources
wind
0.1% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
solar
15.1% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
fossil fuels
59.7% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
hydroelectricity
18.9% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
biomass and waste
6.3% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
Communications
Internet users
percent of population
58% (2023 est.)
Broadcast media
a government-owned television broadcaster was privatized in 2008; there are four privately held television channels; approximately six privately operated radio stations exist alongside one government-operated station; as of 2019, several stations broadcast television and radio from American Samoa.
Internet country code
.ws
Telephones - fixed lines
total subscriptions
5,000 (2022 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants
2 (2022 est.)
Telephones - mobile cellular
total subscriptions
134,000 (2022 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants
62 (2022 est.)
Broadband - fixed subscriptions
total
2,000 (2022 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants
1 (2022 est.)
Transportation
Ports
large
0
small
0
medium
0
key ports
Apia
very small
1
total ports
1 (2024)
ports with oil terminals
1
Airports
4 (2025)
Merchant marine
total
13 (2023)
by type
general cargo 3, oil tanker 1, other 9
Civil aircraft registration country code prefix
5W
Military & Security
Military - note
Informal defense relationships are maintained with New Zealand, which has committed to assist Samoa in managing its international affairs as stipulated in the 1962 Treaty of Friendship; naval vessels from New Zealand conduct patrols in Samoan waters.
Samoa has established a "shiprider" agreement with the United States, permitting local maritime law enforcement personnel to join US Coast Guard (USCG) and US Navy (USN) ships, which includes the authority to board and inspect vessels suspected of breaching laws or regulations within Samoa's designated exclusive economic zone (EEZ) or on the high seas. Additionally, these "shiprider" agreements facilitate collaboration between USCG personnel and USN vessels, which carry USCG law enforcement officers, and host nations to safeguard vital regional resources (2025).
Military and security forces
Samoa does not maintain regular military forces; the Samoa Police Service, which includes a maritime unit, is responsible for law enforcement (2025).
