Samoa

Population: 194,320 (est.)

Language(s): Samoan, English

Capital: Apia

Interesting Facts:

• The Samoan tala is the official currency Samoa.
• Religion in Samoa encompasses a range of groups, but nearly 100% of the population in Samoa is Christian.
• Congregational Christian (34.8%) and Roman Catholic (19.6%) form the largest groups.
• The climate is equatorial/monsoonal, with an average annual temperature of 26.5°C (79.7°F), and a rainy season from November to April.
• The economy of Samoa is dependent on agricultural exports, development aid and private family remittances from overseas.
• Agriculture employs two-thirds of the labor force, and furnishes 90% of exports.
• The country is vulnerable to devastating storms.
• Samoa has its own Pyramid. The Pulemelei Mound or Star Pyramid, is situated on the Island of Savai’i. It was built between 1100-1400 AD and was no longer used by 1700-1800 AD.
• Samoa only has one city – Apia, which is also the capital of Samoa
• In July 1997 the Constitution was amended to change the country’s name from Western Samoa to Samoa.

Samoa, officially the Independent State of Samoa, formerly known as Western Samoa, is a country encompassing the western part of the Samoan Islands in the South Pacific Ocean. It became independent from New Zealand in 1962. The two main islands of Samoa are Upolu and one of the biggest islands in Polynesia, Savai’i. The capital city, Apia, and Faleolo International Airport are situated on the island of Upolu.

Samoa was admitted to the United Nations on 15 December 1976. The entire island group, inclusive of American Samoa, was called “Navigators Islands” by European explorers before the 20th century because of the Samoans’ seafaring skills.

Source: Wikipedia

Related:

American Samoa Tokelau Oceania Wallis and Futuna Tuvalu Kiribati Solomon Islands Cook Islands