01
Physical geography
Two main islands (Savaii, Upolu) and several smaller islands and uninhabited islets; narrow coastal plain with volcanic, rugged mountains in interior.
Local timeApia ·
Oceania / Polynesia · Card 022
Samoa
Samoa is a country in Polynesia. Its capital is Apia.
Find Samoa
● Capital · Gold highlights this card’s area.
Map: Natural Earth. Boundaries show geographic context, not a position on sovereignty. Small islands may use enlarged markers.
Map: Natural Earth. Boundaries show geographic context, not a position on sovereignty. Small islands may use enlarged markers.
At a glance
- Capital
- Apia
- Languages
- English & Samoan
- Currency
- Samoan tālā (WST)
- Population
- 219,3062025 · World Bank
- Area
- 2,842 km²1,097.30 square miles
- Independence
- 1962
Samoa in context
Oceania and its surrounding regions. The dot marks Apia; the mapped territory is highlighted in gold.
Natural Earth · locator mapGeography & languages
02
Languages
Languages used in public life include English, Samoan.
03
Location
Oceania, group of islands in the South Pacific Ocean, about halfway between Hawaii and New Zealand.
Flag
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
History & independence
Samoan societies developed a chiefly political system long before European contact. An 1899 agreement divided the archipelago between Germany and the United States. New Zealand occupied German Samoa in 1914 and later administered it under international mandates. The Mau movement pressed for self-rule, and Samoa became independent in 1962. It changed its official name from Western Samoa to Samoa in 1997.
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The archipelago is divided between German and US control
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New Zealand occupies German Samoa
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Samoa becomes independent
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The official name changes from Western Samoa to Samoa
Economy
Main activities
Services, tourism, remittances and development assistance are important sources of income. Agriculture and fisheries provide livelihoods and export products, including coconut products and other foods. The small domestic market, cyclone exposure and dependence on imported fuel and goods affect economic resilience.
Industry and production
Food processing, coconut products, fisheries, tourism services and public administration.
Population & economic trends
Dated World Bank observations. Population uses selected years; real GDP uses all available annual observations.
Population, 1970–2025
Thousands of people219.32025 · thousands of people
Population estimates may be revised. Selected years are shown.
Sources: World Bank · Population
View data table
| Year | People | Thousands of people |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 140,400 | 140.400 |
| 1980 | 164,322 | 164.322 |
| 1990 | 169,042 | 169.042 |
| 2000 | 181,685 | 181.685 |
| 2010 | 193,023 | 193.023 |
| 2020 | 211,944 | 211.944 |
| 2025 | 219,306 | 219.306 |
Real GDP, 1990–2025
Billions of constant 2015 US dollars1.12025 · billions of constant 2015 US dollars
Constant prices adjust for inflation. This is total economic output, not current-dollar GDP or income per person. Missing years are left as gaps.
Sources: World Bank · Real GDP
View data table
| Year | Constant 2015 US$ | Billions of constant 2015 US dollars |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 428,373,059 | 0.428 |
| 1991 | 418,520,426 | 0.419 |
| 1992 | 417,683,439 | 0.418 |
| 1993 | 434,808,422 | 0.435 |
| 1994 | 423,755,155 | 0.424 |
| 1995 | 452,035,062 | 0.452 |
| 1996 | 484,486,518 | 0.484 |
| 1997 | 487,603,826 | 0.488 |
| 1998 | 498,306,192 | 0.498 |
| 1999 | 509,196,347 | 0.509 |
| 2000 | 535,129,944 | 0.535 |
| 2001 | 574,676,738 | 0.575 |
| 2002 | 607,157,233 | 0.607 |
| 2003 | 638,806,086 | 0.639 |
| 2004 | 658,527,693 | 0.659 |
| 2005 | 702,248,687 | 0.702 |
| 2006 | 717,221,522 | 0.717 |
| 2007 | 720,707,093 | 0.721 |
| 2008 | 746,336,192 | 0.746 |
| 2009 | 742,293,456 | 0.742 |
| 2010 | 787,756,851 | 0.788 |
| 2011 | 818,078,226 | 0.818 |
| 2012 | 787,546,482 | 0.788 |
| 2013 | 788,391,466 | 0.788 |
| 2014 | 793,594,249 | 0.794 |
| 2015 | 824,150,499 | 0.824 |
| 2016 | 889,949,544 | 0.890 |
| 2017 | 902,464,748 | 0.902 |
| 2018 | 896,962,898 | 0.897 |
| 2019 | 936,894,421 | 0.937 |
| 2020 | 907,769,701 | 0.908 |
| 2021 | 861,986,282 | 0.862 |
| 2022 | 881,527,969 | 0.882 |
| 2023 | 1,015,816,471 | 1.016 |
| 2024 | 1,064,051,362 | 1.064 |
| 2025 | 1,108,788,407 | 1.109 |
Human development
The Human Development Index combines health, education and income. Scores range from 0 to 1.
HDI · 20230.708High human developmentRank 122 of 193 · 2025 report
Human Development Index over time
20000.676
20100.708
20200.708
20230.708
71.7 yearsLife expectancy at birth
11.3 yearsMean schooling, adults aged 25+
The latest values refer to 2023. All historical scores use the same report edition. HDI does not describe every aspect of inequality or quality of life.
Sources: UNDP · Human Development Report 2025
Government
A parliamentary republic with a head of state, the O le Ao o le Malo, elected by the Legislative Assembly for a five-year term. A Prime Minister leads the government. The Fono is a single-chamber legislature, and customary chiefly institutions remain important in community life.
Knowledge check
Three questions about Samoa.
QUESTION 1 OF 3
What earlier official name did Samoa replace in 1997?
Sources & notes
Sources: CIA World Factbook · archived profile
Prepared 24 September 2026. World Bank series: SP.POP.TOTL (persons) and NY.GDP.MKTP.KD (constant 2015 US dollars); downloaded 24 September 2026, provider update 13 July 2026. UNDP values use the 2025 report and 2023 observation year. These are dated statistical snapshots, not live population or economic counters.
Maps use Natural Earth geographic data. Background geography, flag descriptions and selected historical facts use archived public-domain CIA World Factbook profiles, supplemented by the sources linked above. The Factbook is no longer updated; dated statistics here come from the separately named providers.