Map of Samoa
Samoa is a country in Oceania with its capital at Apia, home to about 219,306 people across 2,842 km². The interactive map below plots 1 cities and towns, 1 mountain summits and 1 ports recorded for Samoa in YearMaps.
- Population
- 219,306
- Area
- 2,842 km²
- Capital
- Apia
- Continent
- Oceania
Interactive Map of Samoa
Centred on Apia at 13.8415° S, 171.7386° W. Use the layer panel to switch on rivers, dams, ports, peaks and historical borders.
About Samoa
Samoa, officially the Independent State of Samoa, is an island country in Polynesia, a part of Oceania, which is in the South Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main islands (Savai'i and Upolu), two smaller, inhabited islands (Manono and Apolima), and several smaller, uninhabited islands, including the Aleipata Islands (Nuʻutele, Nuʻulua, Fanuatapu and Namua). Samoa is located 64 km (40 mi; 35 nmi) west of American Samoa, 889 km (552 mi; 480 nmi) northeast of Tonga, 1,152 km (716 mi; 622 nmi) northeast of Fiji, 483 km (300 mi; 261 nmi) east of Wallis and Futuna, 1,151 km (715 mi; 621 nmi) southeast of Tuvalu, 519 km (322 mi; 280 nmi) south of Tokelau, 4,190 km (2,600 mi; 2,260 nmi) southwest of Hawaii, and 610 km (380 mi; 330 nmi) northwest of Niue. The capital and largest city is Apia.
The Lapita people discovered and settled the Samoan Islands around 3,500 years ago. They developed a Samoan language and Samoan cultural identity. Because of the Samoans' seafaring skills, pre-20th-century European explorers referred to the entire island group, including American Samoa, as the "Navigator Islands". The country became a colony of the German Empire in 1899 after the Tripartite Convention, and was known as German Samoa. German administration ended in August 1914 after New Zealand troops bloodlessly occupied the colony at the start of World War I. New Zealand officially gained control of the region as a League of Nations mandate in 1920, when it became the Territory of Western Samoa. After being converted into a United Nations Trust Territory in 1946, Western Samoa gained independence on 1 January 1962 and officially returned to its original pre-occupation name Samoa on 4 July 1997.
Samoa is a unitary parliamentary democracy with 11 administrative divisions. It was admitted to the United Nations on 15 December 1976 and the country is also a member of the Commonwealth of Nations and the Pacific Islands Forum. The island's defence is responsible to the New Zealand Defence Force.
Summary adapted from Wikipedia: Samoa (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Geography and Climate of 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. 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.
- 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.
- Highest point
- Mount Silisili 1,857 m.
- Lowest point
- Pacific Ocean 0 m.
- Coastline
- 403 km.
- Land borders
- Total: 0 km.
- Natural resources
- Hardwood forests, fish, hydropower.
- Land use
- Agricultural land: 17.6% (2023 est.); arable land: 3.9% (2023 est.); permanent crops: 11.4% (2023 est.); permanent pasture: 2.3% (2023 est.); forest: 57.8% (2023 est.); other: 24.6% (2023 est.)
- Natural hazards
- Occasional cyclones; active volcanism volcanism: Savai'I Island (1,858 m) is historically active.
- Geographic note
- Occupies an almost central position within Polynesia.
- 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.)
- Economy
- 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.
From the CIA World Factbook (public domain), archived edition of 2026-01-22. The Factbook is no longer updated, so figures reflect that edition.
Samoa in Numbers
- Population
- 219,306
- GDP
- US$1.3 billion
- GDP per person
- US$5,873
- Life expectancy
- 71.8 years
- Population growth
- 0.59% a year
- Population density
- 78 per km²
- Urban population
- 17.5%
- Surface area
- 2,840 km²
- Forest cover
- 57.6%
- Arable land
- 4.1%
- Access to electricity
- 100.0%
- Internet users
- 21.2%
Indicators from World Bank Open Data (CC BY 4.0). The year under each figure is its reference year.
Samoa in Depth
History
The islands of Samoa were formed from the Miocene period. For the past 2 million years, the Samoan archipelago has experienced activity related to volcanic hotspots.
Samoa was discovered and settled by the Lapita people (Austronesian people who spoke Oceanic languages), who travelled from Island Melanesia. The earliest human remains found in Samoa are dated to between roughly 2,900 and 3,500 years ago. The remains were discovered at a Lapita site at Mulifanua, and the scientists' findings were published in 1974. The Samoans' origins have been studied in modern times through scientific research on Polynesian genetics, linguistics, and anthropology. However, while this research is ongoing, a number of theories have been proposed in the meantime.
Geography
Samoa lies south of the equator, about halfway between Hawaii and New Zealand, in the Polynesian region of the Pacific Ocean. The total land area is 2,842 km2 (1,097 sq mi), consisting of the two large islands of Upolu and Savaiʻi (which together account for 99% of the total land area) and eight small islets.
The main island of Upolu is home to nearly three-quarters of Samoa's population, and to the capital city, Apia.
The Samoan Islands result geologically from volcanism originating from the Samoa hotspot, which is probably driven by a mantle plume. While all of the islands have volcanic origins, only Savaiʻi, the westernmost island in Samoa, remains volcanically active, with the most recent eruptions at Mount Matavanu (1905–1911), Mata o le Afi (1902) and Mauga Afi (1725).
Economy
The United Nations has classified Samoa as an economically developing country since 2014. As of 2017 Samoa's gross domestic product in purchasing-power parity was estimated at $1.13 billion U.S. dollars, ranking the country 204th in the world. The services sector accounted for 66% of GDP, followed by industry and agriculture at 23.6% and 10.4% respectively. For the same year, the Samoan labour force was estimated at 50,700.
The Central Bank of Samoa issues and regulates Samoa's currency, the Samoan tālā.
The economy of Samoa has traditionally depended on agriculture and fishing at the local level. In modern times, development aid, private family remittances from overseas, and agricultural exports have become key factors in the nation's economy.
Demographics
Samoa reported a population of 194,320 in its 2016 census. This number increased to 205,557 in its 2021 Census. About three-quarters of the population live on the main island of Upolu.
A measles outbreak began in October 2019. By the time the outbreak subsided in early January, the number of deaths reached 83 (0.31 per 1,000, based on a population of 201,316) and over 4,460 cases (2.2% of the population) of measles in Samoa, mainly children under four years old, and 10 reported cases in Fiji.
Sections adapted from Wikipedia: Samoa (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Samoa: Key Facts
| Currency | Samoan tālā |
|---|---|
| Official languages | English, Samoan |
| Head of state | Va'aletoa Sualauvi II |
| Head of government | Tuilaʻepa Saʻilele Malielegaoi |
| Calling code | +685 |
| Internet domain | .ws |
| Highest point | Silisili |
| Lowest point | Pacific Ocean |
| Established | 1962 |
Facts from Wikidata Q683 (CC0).
Visiting Samoa
Samoa is an island nation in the South Pacific Ocean, part of Polynesia. It is an archipelago of 10 islands with ancient cultures, dramatic landscapes, and a variety of activities to do, such as snorkelling in Samoa's vibrant coral gardens. With a total of 400 kms along its shoreline, it boasts stunning palm-fringed, white-sand beaches and crystal-clear turquoise lagoons.
The country has two main islands, which have narrow coastal plains with volcanic, rocky, rugged mountains in the interior. There are also smaller inhabited islands, and even uninhabited islands that you can visit by boat on day trips.
Travel notes adapted from Wikivoyage: Samoa (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Largest Cities in Samoa
1 city recorded. Ranked by metropolitan population. A port city's harbour is written up on the page of its sea.
| # | Name | Population | Region | Role |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Apia | 61,916 | — | National capital |
Highest Mountains in Samoa
1 mountain recorded. Ranked by summit elevation above sea level. A summit on a border is listed under both countries.
| # | Name | Elevation | Feet | Region |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mauga Silisili | 1,858 m | 6,096 ft | Oceania |
Mauga Silisili
Mountain · 1,858 m
Mauga Silisili is a mountain rising to 1,858 metres (6,096 ft) in Samoa, in the Oceania region. From PeakBagger.com, with kind permission..
Mount Silisili is the highest peak in Samoa and the Samoa Islands chain. It is located in the centre of a mountain chain running the length of Savai'i island. Mount Silisili is ranked 24th by topographic isolation.
Mount Silisili rises to a height of 1,858 m. The word silisili means highest in reference to height, in the Samoan language.
Savai'i is the largest shield volcano island in the South Pacific.
Adapted from Wikipedia: Silisili (CC BY-SA 4.0).
- Elevation
- 1,858 m (6,096 ft)
- Global rank
- #441 of 641 indexed
- Region
- Oceania (#20)
- Subregion
- Polynesia
- Country
- Samoa
- Coordinates
- -13.6101°, -172.4900°
Of the 641 named summits indexed in YearMaps, Mauga Silisili ranks #441 by elevation, below Emlembe (1,862 m) and above Daiyun Shan (1,856 m).
- Ranges:
- Southern Alps (Oceania), Owen Stanley Range (Oceania)
- Neighbouring summits:
- Lata Mountain (966 m), Tomanivi (1,323 m), Mount Tabwemasana (1,877 m)
More about Mauga Silisili
Mauga Silisili: Key Facts
| Topographic prominence | 1,858 m |
|---|
Facts from Wikidata Q1147814 (CC0).
Ports in Samoa
1 port recorded. Ranked by approach channel depth, the figure that limits which ships can call. Harbours link to their write-up on the page of the sea or coast they lie on.
| # | Name | Channel Depth | Class | Sea | Max Vessel |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Apia | 34.7 m | Very Small | Pacific Islands & Hawaii | large vessels |
Largest Islands of Samoa
3 islands recorded. Ranked by mapped area. An island divided between countries is listed under each, with the area of the whole island.
| # | Name | Area | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Savai‘i | 1,652 km² | Island group |
| 2 | Upolu | 1,139 km² | Island |
| 3 | Atafu | 83 km² | Island |
Upolu
Island · 1,139 km²
Upolu is an island in Oceania (Polynesia), covering an estimated 1,139 km².
Upolu is an island in Samoa, formed by a massive basaltic shield volcano which rises from the seafloor of the western Pacific Ocean. The island is 75 kilometres (47 miles) long and 1,125 square kilometres (434 square miles) in area, making it the second largest of the Samoan Islands by area. With approximately 145,000 inhabitants, it is by far the most populous of the Samoan Islands. Upolu is situated to the southeast of Savai'i, the "big island". Apia, the capital, is in the middle of the north coast, and Faleolo International Airport at the western end of the island. The island has not had any historically recorded eruptions, although there is evidence of three lava flows, dating back only to between a few hundred and a few thousand years ago.
In the Samoan branch of Polynesian mythology, Upolu was the first woman on the island.
James Michener based his character Bloody Mary in Tales of the South Pacific (later a major character in the Rodgers and Hammerstein musical, South Pacific) on the owner of Aggie Grey's Hotel on the south end of the island. She was still running the hotel in 1960. A branch was later opened in Apia, overlooking the harbor.
Adapted from Wikipedia: Upolu (CC BY-SA 4.0).
- Feature class
- Island
- Mapped extent
- 1,139 km²
- Size rank
- #283 of 445 islands
- Region
- Oceania
- Subregion
- Polynesia
- Coordinates
- -13.9030°, -171.8572°
- Summits:
- Mauga Silisili (1,858 m), Lata Mountain (966 m), Tomanivi (1,323 m)
- Ranges:
- Southern Alps (Oceania), Owen Stanley Range (Oceania)
More about Upolu
History
In 1841, the island was the site of the Bombardment of Upolu, an incident during the United States Exploring Expedition.
In the late 19th century, the Scottish writer Robert Louis Stevenson owned a 400-acre (160-hectare) estate in the village of Vailima in Upolu. He died there in 1894 and is buried at the top of Mount Vaea overlooking his former estate. The Vailima estate was purchased in 1900 to serve as the official residence for the German governor of German Samoa. When the British/Dominion took over governance of the islands, they confiscated the estate and put it to the same use. It later served as the residence for the New Zealand administrator and, after independence, for the Samoan head of state. During World War II, the US Navy built Naval Base Upolu on the island.
Sections adapted from Wikipedia: Upolu (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Upolu: Key Facts
| Area | 1,125 km² |
|---|---|
| Population | 143,418 |
| Surrounded by | Pacific Ocean |
Facts from Wikidata Q274569 (CC0).
Visiting Upolu
Upolu is the most important of Samoa's islands. The Region of Upolu also includes all other islands of the country apart from the so-called "big" island of Savaii. Upolu was formed by a massive volcano, but there have been no recent eruptions. The island is 75 km long and contains Samoa's capital, Apia, which is in the middle of the north coast and Faleolo International Airport, which is towards the western end of the island. The island is fringed by reefs and has some beautiful beaches. Inland is hilly, with tropical vegetation and numerous waterfalls.
Upolu was affected by a major tsunami on 29 September 2009. Twenty villages in its eastern, southeastern and southern sides were destroyed or badly damaged. Deaths exceeded 100 and more than 3000 people were made homeless. Considerable tourism infrastructure was affected but several facilities have been rebuilt. In addition to its impact on land, the tsunami also had considerable impact on the area's coral.
Travel notes adapted from Wikivoyage: Upolu (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Atafu
Island · 83 km²
Atafu is an island in Oceania (Polynesia), covering an estimated 83 km².
Atafu, formerly known as the Duke of York Group, is a group of 52 coral islets within Tokelau in the south Pacific Ocean, 500 kilometres (270 nmi; 310 mi) north of Samoa. With a land area of 2.5 square kilometres (1.0 square mile), it is the smallest of the three islands that constitute Tokelau. It is an atoll and surrounds a central lagoon, which covers some 15 km2 (5.8 sq mi). The atoll lies 800 kilometres (430 nmi; 500 mi) south of the equator at 8° 35' South, 172° 30' West. Atafu is the northernmost area under New Zealand sovereignty.
Adapted from Wikipedia: Atafu (CC BY-SA 4.0).
- Feature class
- Island
- Mapped extent
- 83 km²
- Size rank
- #400 of 445 islands
- Region
- Oceania
- Subregion
- Polynesia
- Coordinates
- -8.5709°, -172.4828°
- Summits:
- Mauga Silisili (1,858 m), Lata Mountain (966 m), Tomanivi (1,323 m)
- Ranges:
- Owen Stanley Range (Oceania), Southern Alps (Oceania)
More about Atafu
Geography
Atafu lies in the Pacific hurricane belt. In January 1914, a massive storm demolished the church and most of the houses on the islands, and wiped out many of the coconut palms.
The atoll is roughly triangular in shape and encloses a lagoon some five kilometres (3.1 miles) north to south by four kilometres (2.5 miles) east to west at its widest point. It is low-lying, reaching a maximum altitude of only some five metres (16 feet), and is heavily vegetated with coconut palms and other trees, with undergrowth similar to that found on many small central Pacific islands. Lizards, rats, and seabirds are common on Atafu island. The atoll attracts a wide variety of fish in large numbers.
History
It is likely that Polynesians visited the island in ancient times, but they may not have settled there. The European discovery of the atoll came on 21 June 1765; it was made by John Byron, of HMS Dolphin. Byron found no one living on the island at that time. He named the island "Duke of York's island". According to Tokelauan oral tradition, Atafu was established by a man named Tonuia and his wife named Lagimaina, along with their seven children.
In 1859, the U.S. Guano Company claimed Duke of York along with a number of other Tokelauan atolls under the U.S. Guano Islands Act. The U.S. State Department bonded the claim in 1860. However, many of these islands were not worked by the company and in 1889 they were claimed by Great Britain as part of the Union Islands.
Sections adapted from Wikipedia: Atafu (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Atafu: Key Facts
| Population | 541 (2016) |
|---|---|
| Surrounded by | Pacific Ocean |
Facts from Wikidata Q642787 (CC0).
Countries Bordering Samoa
Land and maritime neighbours.
More Maps in Oceania
Samoa: Quick Answers
- What is the capital of Samoa?
- The capital of Samoa is Apia.
- What is the population of Samoa?
- Samoa has a population of about 219,306, the #188 largest of 225 countries in YearMaps. Source: World Bank, 2025.
- How big is Samoa?
- Samoa covers 2,842 km², ranking #178 by area, with about 77 people per square kilometre.
- Which continent is Samoa in?
- Samoa is in Oceania.
- Which countries border Samoa?
- Samoa shares a land or maritime border with United States.
- What is the largest city in Samoa?
- Apia is the largest city in Samoa, with a metropolitan population of about 61,916.
- What is the highest mountain in Samoa?
- The highest summit recorded for Samoa in YearMaps is Mauga Silisili at 1,858 m (6,096 ft). Summits on a border are counted for both countries.