Communications: Broadband - fixed subscriptions: subscriptions per 100 inhabitants
1 (2022 est.)
Communications: Broadband - fixed subscriptions: total
2,000 (2022 est.)
Communications: Broadcast media
state-owned TV station privatized in 2008; 4 privately owned TV stations; about a half-dozen privately owned radio stations and one state-owned; TV and radio broadcasts of several stations from American Samoa are available (2019)
Communications: Internet country code
.ws
Communications: Internet users: percent of population
58% (2023 est.)
Communications: Telephones - fixed lines: subscriptions per 100 inhabitants
2 (2022 est.)
Communications: Telephones - fixed lines: total subscriptions
5,000 (2022 est.)
Communications: Telephones - mobile cellular: subscriptions per 100 inhabitants
62 (2022 est.)
Communications: Telephones - mobile cellular: total subscriptions
134,000 (2022 est.)
Economy: Agricultural products
coconuts, bananas, taro, tropical fruits, pineapples, mangoes/guavas, papayas, root vegetables, milk, avocados (2023)
Economy: Budget: expenditures
$326.052 million (2023 est.)
Economy: Budget: revenues
$371.764 million (2023 est.)
Economy: Current account balance: Current account balance 2013
-$44.7 million (2013 est.)
Economy: Current account balance: Current account balance 2014
-$46.5 million (2014 est.)
Economy: Current account balance: Current account balance 2015
-$12.7 million (2015 est.)
Economy: Current account balance: Current account balance 2016
-$38.4 million (2016 est.)
Economy: Current account balance: Current account balance 2017
-$9.5 million (2017 est.)
Economy: Current account balance: Current account balance 2018
$23.6 million (2018 est.)
Economy: Current account balance: Current account balance 2019
$34.1 million (2019 est.)
Economy: Current account balance: Current account balance 2020
-$75.7 million (2020 est.)
Economy: Current account balance: Current account balance 2021
-$114.4 million (2021 est.)
Economy: Current account balance: Current account balance 2022
-$74.039 million (2022 est.)
Economy: Current account balance: Current account balance 2023
$40.177 million (2023 est.)
Economy: Current account balance: Current account balance 2024
$64.616 million (2024 est.)
Economy: Debt - external: Debt - external 2022
$470.7 million (2022 est.)
Economy: Debt - external: Debt - external 2023
$269.974 million (2023 est.)
Economy: Exchange rates
2.7540 (2024 est.)
Economy: Exchange rates: Currency
tala (SAT) per US dollar -
Economy: Exchange rates: Exchange rates 2013
2.3109 (2013 est.)
Economy: Exchange rates: Exchange rates 2014
2.3318 (2014 est.)
Economy: Exchange rates: Exchange rates 2015
2.5609 (2015 est.)
Economy: Exchange rates: Exchange rates 2016
2.5649 (2016 est.)
Economy: Exchange rates: Exchange rates 2017
2.5544 (2017 est.)
Economy: Exchange rates: Exchange rates 2018
2.5873 (2018 est.)
Economy: Exchange rates: Exchange rates 2019
2.6488 (2019 est.)
Economy: Exchange rates: Exchange rates 2020
2.6650 (2020 est.)
Economy: Exchange rates: Exchange rates 2021
2.5561 (2021 est.)
Economy: Exchange rates: Exchange rates 2022
2.6890 (2022 est.)
Economy: Exchange rates: Exchange rates 2023
2.7384 (2023 est.)
Economy: Exchange rates: Exchange rates 2024
2.7540 (2024 est.)
Economy: Exports - commodities
refined petroleum, integrated circuits, coconut oil, fish, insulated wire (2023)
Economy: Exports: Exports 2011
$211.3 million (2011 est.)
Economy: Exports: Exports 2014
$219.8 million (2014 est.)
Economy: Exports: Exports 2015
$223.7 million (2015 est.)
Economy: Exports: Exports 2016
$242.9 million (2016 est.)
Economy: Exports: Exports 2017
$262.5 million (2017 est.)
Economy: Exports: Exports 2018
$280.8 million (2018 est.)
Economy: Exports: Exports 2019
$319.8 million (2019 est.)
Economy: Exports: Exports 2020
$253.7 million (2020 est.)
Economy: Exports: Exports 2021
$98.6 million (2021 est.)
Economy: Exports: Exports 2022
$175.377 million (2022 est.)
Economy: Exports: Exports 2023
$346.187 million (2023 est.)
Economy: Exports: Exports 2024
$369.73 million (2024 est.)
Economy: GDP - composition, by end use: exports of goods and services
29.3% (2024 est.)
Economy: GDP - composition, by end use: government consumption
18.2% (2024 est.)
Economy: GDP - composition, by end use: household consumption
80.8% (2024 est.)
Economy: GDP - composition, by end use: imports of goods and services
-53.8% (2024 est.)
Economy: GDP - composition, by end use: investment in fixed capital
30.5% (2024 est.)
Economy: GDP - composition, by end use: investment in inventories
2.3% (2024 est.)
Economy: GDP - composition, by sector of origin: agriculture
11% (2024 est.)
Economy: GDP - composition, by sector of origin: industry
10.9% (2024 est.)
Economy: GDP - composition, by sector of origin: services
72.5% (2024 est.)
Economy: GDP - per capita (PPP)
$8,737 (2024 est.)
Economy: GDP (official exchange rate)
$1.068 billion (2024 est.)
Economy: GDP (purchasing power parity) - real
$1.905 billion (2024 est.)
Economy: Imports - commodities
refined petroleum, poultry, cars, plastic products, milk (2023)
Economy: Imports: Imports 2010
$345.9 million (2010 est.)
Economy: Imports: Imports 2015
$391.4 million (2015 est.)
Economy: Imports: Imports 2016
$391.9 million (2016 est.)
Economy: Imports: Imports 2017
$392.4 million (2017 est.)
Economy: Imports: Imports 2018
$412.6 million (2018 est.)
Economy: Imports: Imports 2019
$440.9 million (2019 est.)
Economy: Imports: Imports 2020
$419.6 million (2020 est.)
Economy: Imports: Imports 2021
$415.2 million (2021 est.)
Economy: Imports: Imports 2022
$512.021 million (2022 est.)
Economy: Imports: Imports 2023
$560.776 million (2023 est.)
Economy: Imports: Imports 2024
$575.749 million (2024 est.)
Economy: Industrial production growth rate
4.2% (2024 est.)
Economy: Inflation rate (consumer prices): Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2015
0.72% (2015 est.)
Economy: Inflation rate (consumer prices): Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2016
1.30% (2016 est.)
Economy: Inflation rate (consumer prices): Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2017
1.75% (2017 est.)
Economy: Inflation rate (consumer prices): Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2018
4.20% (2018 est.)
Economy: Inflation rate (consumer prices): Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2019
0.98% (2019 est.)
Economy: Inflation rate (consumer prices): Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2020
-1.57% (2020 est.)
Economy: Inflation rate (consumer prices): Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2021
3.13% (2021 est.)
Economy: Inflation rate (consumer prices): Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2022
10.96% (2022 est.)
Economy: Inflation rate (consumer prices): Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2023
7.92% (2023 est.)
Economy: Inflation rate (consumer prices): Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2024
2.17% (2024 est.)
Economy: Labor force
57,200 (2024 est.)
Economy: Population below poverty line
21.90% (2018 est.)
Economy: Public debt: Public debt 2016
52.6% of GDP (2016 est.)
Economy: Real GDP (purchasing power parity): Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2014
$1.094 billion (2014 est.)
Economy: Real GDP (purchasing power parity): Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2015
$1.146 billion (2015 est.)
Economy: Real GDP (purchasing power parity): Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2016
$1.250 billion (2016 est.)
Economy: Real GDP (purchasing power parity): Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2017
$1.290 billion (2017 est.)
Economy: Real GDP (purchasing power parity): Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2019
$1.393 billion (2019 est.)
Economy: Real GDP (purchasing power parity): Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2020
$1.367 billion (2020 est.)
Economy: Real GDP (purchasing power parity): Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2021
$1.358 billion (2021 est.)
Economy: Real GDP (purchasing power parity): Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2022
$1.258 billion (2022 est.)
Economy: Real GDP (purchasing power parity): Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2023
$1.374 billion (2023 est.)
Economy: Real GDP (purchasing power parity): Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2024
$1.503 billion (2024 est.)
Economy: Real GDP growth rate: Real GDP growth rate 2015
3.85% (2015 est.)
Economy: Real GDP growth rate: Real GDP growth rate 2016
7.98% (2016 est.)
Economy: Real GDP growth rate: Real GDP growth rate 2017
1.41% (2017 est.)
Economy: Real GDP growth rate: Real GDP growth rate 2018
-0.61% (2018 est.)
Economy: Real GDP growth rate: Real GDP growth rate 2019
4.45% (2019 est.)
Economy: Real GDP growth rate: Real GDP growth rate 2020
-3.11% (2020 est.)
Economy: Real GDP growth rate: Real GDP growth rate 2021
-5.04% (2021 est.)
Economy: Real GDP growth rate: Real GDP growth rate 2022
-5.3% (2022 est.)
Economy: Real GDP growth rate: Real GDP growth rate 2023
9.2% (2023 est.)
Economy: Real GDP growth rate: Real GDP growth rate 2024
9.4% (2024 est.)
Economy: Real GDP per capita: Real GDP per capita 2014
$5,468 (2014 est.)
Economy: Real GDP per capita: Real GDP per capita 2015
$5,682 (2015 est.)
Economy: Real GDP per capita: Real GDP per capita 2016
$6,141 (2016 est.)
Economy: Real GDP per capita: Real GDP per capita 2017
$6,280 (2017 est.)
Economy: Real GDP per capita: Real GDP per capita 2019
$6,638 (2019 est.)
Economy: Real GDP per capita: Real GDP per capita 2020
$6,451 (2020 est.)
Economy: Real GDP per capita: Real GDP per capita 2021
$6,350 (2021 est.)
Economy: Real GDP per capita: Real GDP per capita 2022
$6,909 (2022 est.)
Economy: Real GDP per capita: Real GDP per capita 2023
$6,300 (2023 est.)
Economy: Remittances: Remittances 2013
$164.6 million (2013 est.)
Economy: Remittances: Remittances 2014
$140.5 million (2014 est.)
Economy: Remittances: Remittances 2015
$131.2 million (2015 est.)
Economy: Remittances: Remittances 2020
$204.2 million (2020 est.)
Economy: Remittances: Remittances 2021
$248.4 million (2021 est.)
Economy: Remittances: Remittances 2022
33.6% of GDP (2022 est.)
Economy: Remittances: Remittances 2023
28.2% of GDP (2023 est.)
Economy: Remittances: Remittances 2024
26.4% of GDP (2024 est.)
Economy: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2015
$112.2 million (2015 est.)
Economy: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2016
$88.9 million (2016 est.)
Economy: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2017
$123.7 million (2017 est.)
Economy: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2018
$162.6 million (2018 est.)
Economy: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2019
$177.2 million (2019 est.)
Economy: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2020
$277.1 million (2020 est.)
Economy: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2021
$294.7 million (2021 est.)
Economy: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2022
$321.163 million (2022 est.)
Economy: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2023
$447.09 million (2023 est.)
Economy: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2024
$507.74 million (2024 est.)
Economy: Taxes and other revenues
26.7% (of GDP) (2023 est.)
Economy: Unemployment rate: Unemployment rate 2019
7.86% (2019 est.)
Economy: Unemployment rate: Unemployment rate 2020
7.47% (2020 est.)
Economy: Unemployment rate: Unemployment rate 2021
6.66% (2021 est.)
Economy: Unemployment rate: Unemployment rate 2022
5.05% (2022 est.)
Economy: Unemployment rate: Unemployment rate 2023
4.92% (2023 est.)
Economy: Unemployment rate: Unemployment rate 2024
4.86% (2024 est.)
Economy: Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24): female
20.9% (2024 est.)
Economy: Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24): male
7.4% (2024 est.)
Economy: Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24): total
11.9% (2024 est.)
Energy: Electricity access: electrification - rural areas
97.9%
Energy: Electricity access: electrification - total population
98.3% (2022 est.)
Energy: Electricity access: electrification - urban areas
100%
Energy: Electricity generation sources: biomass and waste
6.3% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
Energy: Electricity generation sources: fossil fuels
59.7% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
Energy: Electricity generation sources: hydroelectricity
18.9% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
Energy: Electricity generation sources: solar
15.1% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
Energy: Electricity generation sources: wind
0.1% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
Energy: Electricity: consumption
141.846 million kWh (2023 est.)
Energy: Electricity: installed generating capacity
54,000 kW (2023 est.)
Energy: Electricity: transmission/distribution losses
17.284 million kWh (2023 est.)
Energy: Energy consumption per capita: Total energy consumption per capita 2023
23.476 million Btu/person (2023 est.)
Energy: Petroleum: refined petroleum consumption
2,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)
Environment: Carbon dioxide emissions: from petroleum and other liquids
335,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
Environment: Carbon dioxide emissions: total emissions
335,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
Environment: Climate
tropical; rainy season (November to April), dry season (May to October)
Environment: Environmental issues
soil erosion; deforestation; invasive species; overfishing
Environment: International environmental agreements: party to
Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
Environment: International environmental agreements: signed, but not ratified
none of the selected agreements
Environment: Land use: agricultural land
17.6% (2023 est.)
Environment: Land use: agricultural land: arable land
arable land: 3.9% (2023 est.)
Environment: Land use: agricultural land: permanent crops
permanent crops: 11.4% (2023 est.)
Environment: Land use: agricultural land: permanent pasture
permanent pasture: 2.3% (2023 est.)
Environment: Land use: forest
57.8% (2023 est.)
Environment: Land use: other
24.6% (2023 est.)
Environment: Particulate matter emissions
7.8 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)
Environment: Urbanization: rate of urbanization
-0.03% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Environment: Urbanization: urban population
17.50% (2024 est.)
Environment: Waste and recycling: municipal solid waste generated annually
27,400 tons (2024 est.)
Environment: Waste and recycling: percent of municipal solid waste recycled
57.6% (2022 est.)
Geography: Area - comparative
slightly smaller than Rhode Island
Geography: Area: land
2,821 sq km
Geography: Area: water
10 sq km
Geography: Coastline
403 km
Geography: Elevation: highest point
Mount Silisili 1,857 m
Geography: Elevation: lowest point
Pacific Ocean 0 m
Geography: Geographic coordinates
13 35 S, 172 20 W
Geography: Geography - note
occupies an almost central position within Polynesia
Geography: Irrigated land
0 sq km (2022)
Geography: Land boundaries: total
0 km
Geography: Land use: agricultural land
17.6% (2023 est.)
Geography: Land use: agricultural land: arable land
arable land: 3.9% (2023 est.)
Geography: Land use: agricultural land: permanent crops
permanent crops: 11.4% (2023 est.)
Geography: Land use: agricultural land: permanent pasture
permanent pasture: 2.3% (2023 est.)
Geography: Land use: forest
57.8% (2023 est.)
Geography: Land use: other
24.6% (2023 est.)
Geography: Map references
Oceania
Geography: Maritime claims: contiguous zone
24 nm
Geography: Maritime claims: exclusive economic zone
200 nm
Geography: Maritime claims: territorial sea
12 nm
Geography: Natural hazards
occasional cyclones; active volcanism volcanism: Savai'I Island (1,858 m) is historically active
Geography: Population distribution
about three quarters of the population lives on the island of Upolu
Geography: Terrain
two main islands (Savaii, Upolu) and several smaller islands and uninhabited islets; narrow coastal plain with volcanic, rugged mountains in interior
Government: Administrative divisions
11 districts; A'ana, Aiga-i-le-Tai, Atua, Fa'asaleleaga, Gaga'emauga, Gagaifomauga, Palauli, Satupa'itea, Tuamasaga, Va'a-o-Fonoti, Vaisigano
Government: Capital: geographic coordinates
13 49 S, 171 46 W
Government: Capital: time difference
UTC+13 (18 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
Government: Citizenship: citizenship by birth
no
Government: Citizenship: citizenship by descent only
at least one parent must be a citizen of Samoa
Government: Citizenship: dual citizenship recognized
no
Government: Citizenship: residency requirement for naturalization
5 years
Government: Constitution: amendment 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
Government: Constitution: history
several previous (pre-independence); latest 1 January 1962
Government: Country name: conventional short form
Samoa
Government: Country name: etymology
the name's meaning and origin are unclear; some assert that it can mean "place of the moa bird" of Polynesian mythology, or it could be a local chieftain's name
Government: Country name: former
Western Samoa
Government: Country name: local long form
Malo Sa'oloto Tuto'atasi o Samoa
Government: Country name: local short form
Samoa
Government: Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission
the US Ambassador to New Zealand is accredited to Samoa
Government: Diplomatic representation from the US: email address and website
ApiaConsular@state.gov https://ws.usembassy.gov/
Government: Diplomatic representation from the US: embassy
5th Floor, Accident Corporation Building, Matafele Apia
Government: Diplomatic representation from the US: FAX
[685] 22-030
Government: Diplomatic representation from the US: mailing address
4400 Apia Place, Washington DC 20521-4400
Government: Diplomatic representation from the US: telephone
[685] 21-436
Government: Diplomatic representation in the US: chancery
685 Third Avenue, 44th Street, 11th Floor, Suite 1102, New York, NY 10017
Government: Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission
Ambassador Pa’olelei LUTERU (since 7 July 2021); note - also Permanent Representative to the UN
Government: Diplomatic representation in the US: consulate(s) general
Pago Pago (American Samoa)
Government: Diplomatic representation in the US: email address and website
samoa@samoanymission.ws About | Samoa Permanent Mission to the United Nations
Government: Diplomatic representation in the US: FAX
[1] (212) 599-0797
Government: Diplomatic representation in the US: telephone
[1] (212) 599-6196
Government: Executive branch: cabinet
Cabinet appointed by the chief of state on the advice of the prime minister
Government: Executive branch: chief of state
TUIMALEALI'IFANO Va’aletoa Sualauvi II (since 21 July 2017)
Government: Executive branch: election results
TUIMALEALI'IFANO Va’aletoa Sualauvi II (independent) unanimously reelected by the Legislative Assembly
Government: Executive branch: election/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 Assembly
Government: Executive branch: expected date of next election
2026
Government: Executive branch: head of government
Prime Minister LA'AULIALEMALIETOA La'auli Leuatea Schmidt (since 16 September 2025)
Government: Executive branch: most recent election date
23 August 2022
Government: Flag
description: 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 meaning: red stands for courage, blue for freedom, and white for purity
Government: International law organization participation
has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction
Government: International organization participation
ACP, ADB, AOSIS, C, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IPU, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, OPCW, PIF, Sparteca, SPC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Government: 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)
Government: Judicial branch: 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 68
Government: Judicial branch: subordinate courts
District Court; Magistrates' Courts; Land and Titles Courts; village chief councils
Government: Legal system
mixed system of English common law and customary law; judicial review of legislative acts involving fundamental citizen rights
Government: Legislative branch: electoral system
plurality/majority
Government: Legislative branch: expected date of next election
August 2030
Government: Legislative branch: legislative structure
unicameral
Government: Legislative branch: legislature name
Legislative Assembly (Fono)
Government: Legislative branch: most recent election date
8/29/2025
Government: Legislative branch: number of seats
51 (all directly elected)
Government: Legislative branch: parties elected and seats per party
Faatuatua ile Atua Samoa ua Tasi (FAST) (32); Human Rights Protection Party (HRPP) (22), Sāmoa Uniting Party (SUP) (3), Independents (4)
Government: Legislative branch: percentage of women in chamber
9.8%
Government: Legislative branch: scope of elections
full renewal
Government: Legislative branch: term in office
5 years
Government: National anthem(s): history
adopted 1962; also known as "Samoa Tula'i" (Samoa Arise)
Government: National anthem(s): lyrics/music
Sauni Liga KURESA
Government: National color(s)
red, white, blue
Government: National holiday
Independence Day Celebration, 1 June (1962)
Government: National symbol(s)
Southern Cross constellation (five five-pointed stars)
Government: Political parties
Fa'atuatua i le Atua Samoa ua Tasi or FAST Human Rights Protection Party or HRPP Sāmoa Uniting Party (SUP) Tautua Samoa Party or TSP
Government: Suffrage
21 years of age; universal
Introduction: Background
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.
Military and Security: Military - note
informal defense ties exist with New Zealand, which pledged to afford assistance to Samoa in the conduct of its international relations under the 1962 Treaty of Friendship; New Zealand naval vessels patrol Samoan waters Samoa has a "shiprider" agreement with the US, which allows local maritime law enforcement officers to embark on US Coast Guard (USCG) and US Navy (USN) vessels, including to board and search vessels suspected of violating laws or regulations within Somoa's designated exclusive economic zone (EEZ) or on the high seas; "shiprider" agreements also enable USCG personnel and USN vessels with embarked USCG law enforcement personnel to work with host nations to protect critical regional resources (2025)
Military and Security: Military and security forces
no regular military forces; Samoa Police Service (includes a maritime unit) (2025)
People and Society: Age structure: 0-14 years
26.9% (male 28,952/female 27,173)
People and Society: Age structure: 15-64 years
65.9% (male 70,225/female 67,427)
People and Society: Age structure: 65 years and over
7.2% (2024 est.) (male 6,743/female 8,333)
People and Society: Alcohol consumption per capita: beer
2.01 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
People and Society: Alcohol consumption per capita: other alcohols
0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
People and Society: Alcohol consumption per capita: spirits
0.17 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
People and Society: Alcohol consumption per capita: total
2.18 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
People and Society: Alcohol consumption per capita: wine
0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
People and Society: Birth rate
18.53 births/1,000 population (2025 est.)
People and Society: Child marriage: men married by age 18
2% (2020)
People and Society: Child marriage: women married by age 15
0.9% (2020)
People and Society: Child marriage: women married by age 18
7.4% (2020)
People and Society: Children under the age of 5 years underweight
3.4% (2019 est.)
People and Society: Current health expenditure
6.78% (2023 est.)
People and Society: Currently married women (ages 15-49)
62% (2020 est.)
People and Society: Death rate
5.41 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.)
People and Society: Dependency ratios: elderly dependency ratio
11.4 (2025 est.)
People and Society: Dependency ratios: potential support ratio
8.8 (2025 est.)
People and Society: Dependency ratios: total dependency ratio
51.6 (2025 est.)
People and Society: Dependency ratios: youth dependency ratio
40.2 (2025 est.)
People and Society: Drinking water source: improved: rural
rural: 98.8% of population (2022 est.)
People and Society: Drinking water source: improved: total
total: 99% of population (2022 est.)
People and Society: Drinking water source: improved: urban
urban: 100% of population (2022 est.)
People and Society: Drinking water source: unimproved: rural
rural: 1.2% of population (2022 est.)
People and Society: Drinking water source: unimproved: total
total: 1% of population (2022 est.)
People and Society: Drinking water source: unimproved: urban
urban: 0% of population (2022 est.)
People and Society: Education expenditure: Education expenditure (% GDP)
5.5% of GDP (2024 est.)
People and Society: Education expenditure: Education expenditure (% national budget)
11.7% national budget (2025 est.)
People and Society: Education expenditures
5.46% (2024 est.)
People and Society: Ethnic groups
Samoan 96%, Samoan/New Zealander 2%, other 1.9% (2011 est.)
People and Society: Gross reproduction rate
1.12 (2025 est.)
People and Society: Health expenditure: Health expenditure (as % of GDP)
6.8% of GDP (2021)
People and Society: Health expenditure: Health expenditure (as % of national budget)
15.2% of national budget (2022 est.)
People and Society: Infant mortality rate: female
13.6 deaths/1,000 live births
People and Society: Infant mortality rate: male
20.9 deaths/1,000 live births
People and Society: Infant mortality rate: total
12.3 deaths/1,000 live births (2024 est.)
People and Society: Life expectancy at birth: female
73.8 years (2024 est.)
People and Society: Life expectancy at birth: male
70.0 years (2024 est.)
People and Society: Literacy: female
97.7% (2019 est.)
People and Society: Literacy: male
98.3% (2019 est.)
People and Society: Literacy: total population
97.99% (2019 est.)
People and Society: Major urban areas - population
36,000 APIA (capital) (2018)
People and Society: Maternal mortality ratio
101 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.)
People and Society: Median age: female
27.8 years
People and Society: Median age: male
27 years
People and Society: Nationality: adjective
Samoan
People and Society: Net migration rate
-6.57 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.)
People and Society: Obesity - adult prevalence rate
47.3% (2016)
People and Society: Physician density
0.56 physicians/1,000 population (2021)
People and Society: Population
218,019 (2024 est.)
People and Society: Population distribution
about three quarters of the population lives on the island of Upolu
People and Society: Population growth rate
0.62% (2024 est.)
People and Society: Population: female
103,681
People and Society: Population: male
106,542
People and Society: Sanitation facility access: improved: rural
rural: 98.9% of population (2022 est.)
People and Society: Sanitation facility access: improved: total
total: 99% of population (2022 est.)
People and Society: Sanitation facility access: improved: urban
urban: 99.7% of population (2022 est.)
People and Society: Sanitation facility access: unimproved: rural
rural: 1.1% of population (2022 est.)
People and Society: Sanitation facility access: unimproved: total
total: 1% of population (2022 est.)
People and Society: Sanitation facility access: unimproved: urban
urban: 0.3% of population (2022 est.)
People and Society: Sex ratio: 0-14 years
1.07 male(s)/female
People and Society: Sex ratio: 15-64 years
1.04 male(s)/female
People and Society: Sex ratio: 65 years and over
0.81 male(s)/female
People and Society: Sex ratio: at birth
1.05 male(s)/female
People and Society: Sex ratio: total population
1.03 male(s)/female (2024 est.)
People and Society: Tobacco use: female
12.3% (2025 est.)
People and Society: Tobacco use: male
28.6% (2025 est.)
People and Society: Tobacco use: total
20.5% (2025 est.)
People and Society: Total fertility rate
2.29 children born/woman (2025 est.)
People and Society: Urbanization: rate of urbanization
-0.03% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
People and Society: Urbanization: urban population
17.50% (2024 est.)
Transportation: Airports
4 (2025)
Transportation: Civil aircraft registration country code prefix
5W
Transportation: Merchant marine: by type
general cargo 3, oil tanker 1, other 9
Transportation: Merchant marine: total
13 (2023)
Transportation: Ports: key ports
Apia
Transportation: Ports: large
0
Transportation: Ports: medium
0
Transportation: Ports: ports with oil terminals
1
Transportation: Ports: small
0
Transportation: Ports: total ports
1 (2024)
Transportation: Ports: very small
1
Warning: Some information might be outdated or incorrect, please check statistics before using(most of the economical stats are correct, its mostly the Population stats that are incorrect). Some dates are listed but some are missed, if you have any issues please report it to the Github at github.com.