Form of Government: Parliamentary republic
Area: 2 785 sq km
Population: 202 506 inhab. (estimate 2020)
Density: 72.71 inhab./sq km
Coordinates: lat. 10° - 15° S; long. 175° - 171° W
Capital: Apia (capital) 37 391 inhab. (2016); Apia 68 531 inhab. (2016), urban agglomeration
Currency: tala (100 sene)
Human development index: 0.715 (rank: 111)
Head of State: Tuimaleali’ifano Va’aletoa Sualauvi II, since 4 July 2017
Prime Minister: Naomi Mata‘afa (FAST, “Samoa United in Faith”), since 24 May 2021
Internet: www.sbs.gov.ws (Samoa Bureau of Statistics)
Member of Commonwealth, SPC, UN, WTO
Samoa

International license plate code WS
International dialling code 00684
Travel vaccinations requirement yellow fever (required only if traveling from a country with risk of transmission)
Electricity (Voltage) 230/240
Driving side left
Internet code .ws
GMT +13
DST +14
DST duration (start-end) late September-early April
Annual average temperature (°C) Apia 26.4
Average temperature in January/July (°C) Apia 27/26
Daily sunshine hours in June/December (average) Apia 8/6
Annual average precipitation (mm) Apia 2865
Days of rainfall (annual average) Apia 171
Geography.
The western part of the Samoan archipelago, including the islands of Savaii and Upolu and some minor islands situated in the central southern part of the Pacific Ocean.
Government
A former German protectorate, then from 1920 a trusteeship of New Zealand, Samoa became independent on 1 January 1962. As provided for in the Constitution, after the death of King Malietoa Tanumafili II (on 11 May 2007) the country became a parliamentary republic and the President is elected by a legislative assembly of 50 members (47 of whom are nominated as candidates by family chiefs) elected for a five-year term.
DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
---|---|---|---|
Homicides | 3.1 | per 100 000 pop. | 2013 |
Administrative division
Statistical region | AREA | INHABITANTS | YEAR |
---|---|---|---|
Apia Urban Area (AUA) | 60$ sq km | 37 391 inhab. | 2016 |
North West Upolu (NWU) | 251 sq km | 69 376 inhab. | 2016 |
DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
---|---|---|---|
Apia | 37 391 | inhab. | 2016 |
Vaitele | 8 156 | inhab. | 2016 |
DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
---|---|---|---|
Apia | 68 531 | inhab. | 2016 |
Population
Population by age and gender (% - 2020) | ||||||||
| ||||||||
MALE | AGE | FEMALE |
DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
---|---|---|---|
Birth rate | 24.1 | ‰ | 2019 |
Death rate | 5.202 | ‰ | 2019 |
DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
---|---|---|---|
Samoan | 97$ | % | 2016 |
other | 3$ | % | 2016 |
DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
---|---|---|---|
Protestant | 52.7 | % | 2016 |
Catholic | 18.8 | % | 2016 |
DESCRIPTION |
---|
English (official) |
Samoan (official) |
DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
---|---|---|---|
0-14 years | 29.2 | % | 2020 |
15-29 years | 28.3 | % | 2020 |
Economy
Plantation crops (coconut palms), tobacco and food processing are important. Tourism and offshore finance are significant. The economy is affected by frequent typhoons.
DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
---|---|---|---|
Agricultural prod. index (2004-06=100) | 117.56 | index | 2016 |
Agricultural prod. index (2014-16=100) | 104.22 | index | 2019 |
DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
---|---|---|---|
Active population | 53 775 | units | 2020 |
Active population, Females | 34.4 | % | 2019 |
DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
---|---|---|---|
Unemployment rate | 8.9 | % | 2020 |
Unemployment rate, Females | 40.5 | % | 2019 |
DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
---|---|---|---|
Expenses | 623.4 | M LCU | 2020 |
Revenues | 794.8 | M LCU | 2020 |
DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
---|---|---|---|
agriculture | 30.4 | % | 2019 |
industry | 23.1 | % | 2019 |
DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
---|---|---|---|
agriculture | 10.121 | % | 2019 |
industry | 15.704 | % | 2019 |
DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
---|---|---|---|
Currency in circulation | 0.17 | BN LCU | 2020 |
International reserves | 277.056 | M US$ | 2020 |
Agriculture
DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
---|---|---|---|
arable land | 22.473 | % | 2018 |
forests | 57.466 | % | 2018 |
DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
---|---|---|---|
cassava | 0.474 | 1000 t | 2019 |
roots and tubers, total | 40.015 | 1000 t | 2019 |
DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
---|---|---|---|
coconuts | 180.701 | 1000 t | 2019 |
copra | 11$ | 1000 t | 2006 |
DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
---|---|---|---|
cocoa | 0.476 | 1000 t | 2019 |
coffee | 0.012 | 1000 t | 2019 |
DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
---|---|---|---|
sugar cane | 0.012 | 1000 t | 2019 |
tobacco | 0.269 | 1000 t | 2019 |
DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
---|---|---|---|
fruits, total | 49.137 | 1000 t | 2019 |
DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
---|---|---|---|
citrus fruits | 0.726 | 1000 t | 2019 |
citrus fruits, nes | 0.726 | 1000 t | 2019 |
DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
---|---|---|---|
avocados | 1.428 | 1000 t | 2019 |
bananas | 26.456 | 1000 t | 2019 |
DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
---|---|---|---|
cassava | 0.038 | 1000 ha | 2019 |
taro | 5.059 | 1000 ha | 2019 |
DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
---|---|---|---|
coconuts | 27.348 | 1000 ha | 2019 |
DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
---|---|---|---|
cocoa | 2.619 | 1000 ha | 2019 |
coffee | 0.04 | 1000 ha | 2019 |
DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
---|---|---|---|
sugar cane | 0.001 | 1000 ha | 2019 |
tobacco | 0.052 | 1000 ha | 2019 |
DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
---|---|---|---|
citrus fruits | 0.151 | 1000 ha | 2019 |
citrus fruits, nes | 0.151 | 1000 ha | 2019 |
DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
---|---|---|---|
avocados | 0.047 | 1000 ha | 2019 |
bananas | 5.206 | 1000 ha | 2019 |
Forests-Livestock-Fishing
DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
---|---|---|---|
timber | 75 700 | m³ | 2019 |
DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
---|---|---|---|
cattle | 61.286 | 1000 heads | 2019 |
cattle and buffaloes | 61.286 | 1000 heads | 2019 |
DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
---|---|---|---|
pigs | 169.243 | 1000 heads | 2019 |
DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
---|---|---|---|
asses | 7$ | 1000 heads | 2019 |
asses and mules | 7$ | 1000 heads | 2019 |
DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
---|---|---|---|
birds | 507 | 1000 heads | 2019 |
DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
---|---|---|---|
honey | 0.157 | 1000 t | 2019 |
DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
---|---|---|---|
eggs | 0.321 | 1000 t | 2019 |
hides and skins | 0.404 | 1000 t | 2019 |
DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
---|---|---|---|
crustaceans and molluscs | 1 700.3 | t | 2019 |
freshwater fishes | 14$ | t | 2019 |
Energy
DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
---|---|---|---|
- thermal | 90$ | M kWh | 2018 |
non-renewable electricity generation | 67.698 | % | 2018 |
DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
---|---|---|---|
- thermal | 25$ | 1000 kW | 2018 |
- other renew. | 14.55 | 1000 kW | 2019 |
DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
---|---|---|---|
total net generation | 132.94 | M kWh | 2018 |
total installed capacity | 51.55 | 1000 kW | 2018 |
Industry
DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
---|---|---|---|
beer of barley | 4.696 | 1000 t | 2018 |
coconut oil | 5.1 | 1000 t | 2018 |
DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
---|---|---|---|
manufacturing production | 43.952 | M US$ | 2020 |
Trade
DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
---|---|---|---|
food products | 64.981 | % of goods exports | 2019 |
fuels | 24.723 | % of goods exports | 2019 |
DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
---|---|---|---|
Australia | 45.9 | M US$ | 2010 |
New Zealand | 6.5 | M US$ | 2010 |
DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
---|---|---|---|
New Zealand | 95.2 | M US$ | 2010 |
Australia | 72.2 | M US$ | 2010 |
Tourism
DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
---|---|---|---|
Expenditures | 5.2 | M US$ | 2019 |
Number of arrivals | 172 000 | units | 2019 |
Social and welfare
DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
---|---|---|---|
Expected years of schooling | 12.3 | years | 2005 |
Graduates | 406 | units | 2000 |
DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
---|---|---|---|
Students, primary level | 33 123 | units | 2018 |
Students, secondary level | 25 964 | units | 2016 |
DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
---|---|---|---|
Hospital beds | 1$ | per 1000 pop. | 2005 |
Physicians | 0.34 | per 1000 pop. | 2016 |
DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
---|---|---|---|
Tuberculosis | 11$ | per 100 000 pop. | 2019 |
Tuberculosis (prevalence) | 31$ | per 100 000 pop. | 2014 |
DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
---|---|---|---|
Access to clean fuels and technologies for cooking | 35.5 | % | 2019 |
Access to electricity | 99.2 | % | 2019 |
DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
---|---|---|---|
clothing, footwear | 0.9 | % | 2008 |
education | 1.7 | % | 2008 |