Samoa

Location

• Oceania, group of islands in the South Pacific Ocean, about halfway between Hawaii and New Zealand
• occupies an almost central position within Polynesia

Population

Notable Population Centers

City	Population	Note
Apia	40,407	Capital

Size

• 1,137 square miles
• 2,944 square kilometers
• slightly smaller than Rhode Island

History

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.

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

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.)

Government

parliamentary republic

• Constitution: history: several previous (pre-independence); latest 1 January 1962amendment process: proposed as an act by the Legislative Assembly; passage requires at least two-thirds majority vote by the Assembly membership in the third reading, provided at least 90 days have elapsed since the second reading, and assent of the chief of state; passage of amendments affecting constitutional articles on customary land or constitutional amendment procedures also requires at least two-thirds majority approval in a referendum
• Political Parties and Leaders: n/a
• Suffrage: 21 years of age; universal
• Legal System: mixed system of English common law and customary law; judicial review of legislative acts involving fundamental citizen rights
• Executive Branch: chief of state: TUIMALEALI'IFANO Va’aletoa Sualauvi II (since 21 July 2017)head of government: Prime Minister La'auli Leuatea SCHMIDT (since 16 September 2025)cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the chief of state on the advice of the prime ministerelection/appointment process: chief of state indirectly elected by the Legislative Assembly to serve a 5-year term (2-term limit); following legislative elections, the chief of state usually appoints the leader of the majority party as prime minister, with the approval of the Legislative Assemblymost recent election date: 23 August 2022election results: TUIMALEALI'IFANO Va’aletoa Sualauvi II (independent) unanimously reelected by the Legislative Assemblyexpected date of next election: 2026
• Judicial Branch: highest court(s): Court of Appeal (consists of the chief justice and 2 Supreme Court judges and meets once or twice a year); Supreme Court (consists of the chief justice and several judges)judge selection and term of office: chief justice appointed by the chief of state on the advice of the prime minister; other Supreme Court judges appointed by the Judicial Service Commission, a 3-member body chaired by the chief justice and includes the attorney general and an appointee of the Minister of Justice; judges normally serve until retirement at age 68subordinate courts: District Court; Magistrates' Courts; Land and Titles Courts; village chief councils
• Legislative Branch: legislature name: Legislative Assembly (Fono)legislative structure: unicameralnumber of seats: 51 (all directly elected)electoral system: plurality/majorityscope of elections: full renewalterm in office: 5 yearsmost recent election date: 8/29/2025parties elected and seats per party: Faatuatua ile Atua Samoa ua Tasi (FAST) (32); Human Rights Protection Party (HRPP) (22)percentage of women in chamber: 13%expected date of next election: August 2030

Demographic Profile

n/a

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
• Budget: revenues: $371.764 million (2023 est.)expenditures: $326.052 million (2023 est.)note: central government revenues (excluding grants) and expenditures converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated
• Credit Rating: n/a
• Natural Resources: hardwood forests, fish, hydropower
• Industries: food processing, building materials, auto parts
• Agricultural Products: coconuts, bananas, taro, tropical fruits, pineapples, mangoes/guavas, papayas, root vegetables, milk, avocados (2023)note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage
• Land Use: agricultural land: 17.8% (2022 est.)arable land: 4.1% (2022 est.)permanent crops: 11.4% (2022 est.)permanent pasture: 2.3% (2022 est.)forest: 57.8% (2022 est.)other: 24.4% (2022 est.)
• Labor Force by Occupation: n/a
• Imports
• Imported Commodities: refined petroleum, poultry, cars, plastic products, milk (2023)note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars
• Import Partners: NZ 20%, Singapore 19%, China 17%, Australia 10%, Fiji 9% (2023)note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports
• Exports
• Exported Commodities: refined petroleum, integrated circuits, coconut oil, fish, insulated wire (2023)note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars
• Export Partners: India 26%, NZ 14%, USA 12%, American Samoa 10%, Australia 9% (2023)note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports