Flag of WS

Samoa

Parliamentary RepublicPop210KGDP (PPP)$1.5BCI74BetaCP0.0Beta

Overview

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.

Geography

Area

Land
2,821 sq km
Water
10 sq km
Total
2,831 sq km
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

Land Use

Other
24.6% (2023 est.)
Forest
57.8% (2023 est.)
Agricultural land
17.6% (2023 est.)
Agricultural land: arable land
arable land: 3.9% (2023 est.)
Agricultural land: permanent crops
permanent crops: 11.4% (2023 est.)
Agricultural land: permanent pasture
permanent pasture: 2.3% (2023 est.)
Location
Oceania, group of islands in the South Pacific Ocean, about halfway between Hawaii and New Zealand
Coastline
403 km

Elevation

Lowest point
Pacific Ocean 0 m
Highest point
Mount Silisili 1,857 m
Irrigated land
0 sq km (2022)
Map references
Oceania

Land Boundaries

Total
0 km

Maritime Claims

Contiguous zone
24 nm
Territorial sea
12 nm
Exclusive economic zone
200 nm
Natural hazards
occasional cyclones; active volcanism

volcanism: Savai'I Island (1,858 m) is historically active
Geography note
occupies an almost central position within Polynesia
Natural resources
hardwood forests, fish, hydropower
Area comparative
slightly smaller than Rhode Island
Geographic coordinates
13 35 S, 172 20 W
Population distribution
about three quarters of the population lives on the island of Upolu

People & Society

Literacy

Male
98.3% (2019 est.)
Female
97.7% (2019 est.)
Total population
98% (2019 est.)
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.)

Sex Ratio

At birth
1.05 male(s)/female
0 14 years
1.07 male(s)/female
15 64 years
1.04 male(s)/female
Total population
1.03 male(s)/female (2024 est.)
65 years and over
0.81 male(s)/female
Birth rate
18.53 births/1,000 population (2025 est.)
Death rate
5.41 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.)

Median Age

Male
27 years
Total
27.8 years (2025 est.)
Female
27.8 years

Population

Male
106,542
Total
210,223 (2025 est.)
Female
103,681

Nationality

Noun
Samoan(s)
Adjective
Samoan

Tobacco Use

Male
28.6% (2025 est.)
Total
20.5% (2025 est.)
Female
12.3% (2025 est.)

Urbanization

Urban population
17.5% of total population (2023)
Rate of urbanization
-0.03% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

Age Structure

0 14 years
26.9% (male 28,952/female 27,173)
15 64 years
65.9% (male 70,225/female 67,427)
65 years and over
7.2% (2024 est.) (male 6,743/female 8,333)
Ethnic groups
Samoan 96%, Samoan/New Zealander 2%, other 1.9% (2011 est.)

Child Marriage

Men married BY age 18
2% (2020)
Women married BY age 15
0.9% (2020)
Women married BY age 18
7.4% (2020)

Dependency Ratios

Total dependency ratio
51.6 (2025 est.)
Youth dependency ratio
40.2 (2025 est.)
Potential support ratio
8.8 (2025 est.)
Elderly dependency ratio
11.4 (2025 est.)
Physician density
0.56 physicians/1,000 population (2021)

Health Expenditure

Health expenditure (as % of GDP)
6.8% of GDP (2021)
Health expenditure (as % of national budget)
15.2% of national budget (2022 est.)
Net migration rate
-6.57 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.)
Total fertility rate
2.29 children born/woman (2025 est.)

Drinking Water Source

Improved: rural
rural: 98.8% of population (2022 est.)
Improved: total
total: 99% of population (2022 est.)
Improved: urban
urban: 100% of population (2022 est.)
Unimproved: rural
rural: 1.2% of population (2022 est.)
Unimproved: total
total: 1% of population (2022 est.)
Unimproved: urban
urban: 0% of population (2022 est.)

Education Expenditure

Education expenditure (% GDP)
5.5% of GDP (2024 est.)
Education expenditure (% national budget)
11.7% national budget (2025 est.)

Infant Mortality Rate

Male
20.9 deaths/1,000 live births
Total
17.2 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.)
Female
13.6 deaths/1,000 live births
Population growth rate
0.66% (2025 est.)
Gross reproduction rate
1.12 (2025 est.)
Population distribution
about three quarters of the population lives on the island of Upolu

Life Expectancy at Birth

Male
72.8 years
Female
78.7 years
Total population
75.7 years (2024 est.)
Maternal mortality ratio
101 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.)

Sanitation Facility Access

Improved: rural
rural: 98.9% of population (2022 est.)
Improved: total
total: 99% of population (2022 est.)
Improved: urban
urban: 99.7% of population (2022 est.)
Unimproved: rural
rural: 1.1% of population (2022 est.)
Unimproved: total
total: 1% of population (2022 est.)
Unimproved: urban
urban: 0.3% of population (2022 est.)

Alcohol Consumption Per Capita

Beer
2.01 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Wine
0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Total
2.18 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Spirits
0.17 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Other alcohols
0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Major urban areas population
36,000 APIA (capital) (2018)
Obesity adult prevalence rate
47.3% (2016)
Currently married women (ages 15 49)
62% (2020 est.)
Children under the age of 5 years underweight
3.4% (2019 est.)

Government

Civica · structure

How power is organised

Head of StateVa'aletoa Sualauvi IIExecutive of SamoacabinetLegislative AssemblyLower chamber · 51 seatsHead of GovernmentFiamē Naomi Mataʻafa
ExecutiveLegislative
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

Capital

Name
Apia
Time difference
UTC+13 (18 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
Geographic coordinates
13 49 S, 171 46 W
Suffrage
21 years of age; universal

Citizenship

Citizenship BY birth
no
Citizenship BY descent only
at least one parent must be a citizen of Samoa
Dual citizenship recognized
no
Residency requirement for naturalization
5 years

Constitution

History
several previous (pre-independence); latest 1 January 1962
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

Country Name

Former
Western Samoa
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
Local long form
Malo Sa'oloto Tuto'atasi o Samoa
Local short form
Samoa
Conventional long form
Independent State of Samoa
Conventional short form
Samoa
Independence
1 January 1962 (from New Zealand-administered UN trusteeship)
Legal system
mixed system of English common law and customary law; judicial review of legislative acts involving fundamental citizen rights
Government type
parliamentary republic

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)
Subordinate courts
District Court; Magistrates' Courts; Land and Titles Courts; village chief councils
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

Executive Branch

Cabinet
Cabinet appointed by the chief of state on the advice of the prime minister
Chief of state
TUIMALEALI'IFANO Va’aletoa Sualauvi II (since 21 July 2017)
Election results
TUIMALEALI'IFANO Va’aletoa Sualauvi II (independent) unanimously reelected by the Legislative Assembly
Head of government
Prime Minister LA'AULIALEMALIETOA La'auli Leuatea Schmidt (since 16 September 2025)
Most recent election date
23 August 2022
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
Expected date of next election
2026
National holiday
Independence Day Celebration, 1 June (1962)
National color(s)
red, white, blue
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

Legislative Branch

Term in office
5 years
Number of seats
51 (all directly elected)
Electoral system
plurality/majority
Legislature name
Legislative Assembly (Fono)
Scope of elections
full renewal
Legislative structure
unicameral
Most recent election date
8/29/2025
Expected date of next election
August 2030
Percentage of women in chamber
9.8%
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)

National Anthem(s)

Title
"O le Fu'a o le Sa'olotoga o Samoa" (The Banner of Freedom)
History
adopted 1962; also known as "Samoa Tula'i" (Samoa Arise)
Lyrics/music
Sauni Liga KURESA
National symbol(s)
Southern Cross constellation (five five-pointed stars)
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

Diplomatic Representation in the US

Fax
[1] (212) 599-0797
Chancery
685 Third Avenue, 44th Street, 11th Floor, Suite 1102, New York, NY 10017
Telephone
[1] (212) 599-6196
Chief of mission
Ambassador Pa’olelei LUTERU (since 7 July 2021); note - also Permanent Representative to the UN
Consulate(s) general
Pago Pago (American Samoa)
Email address and website

samoa@samoanymission.ws

About | Samoa Permanent Mission to the United Nations

Diplomatic Representation from the US

Fax
[685] 22-030
Embassy
5th Floor, Accident Corporation Building, Matafele Apia
Telephone
[685] 21-436
Mailing address
4400 Apia Place, Washington DC 20521-4400
Chief of mission
the US Ambassador to New Zealand is accredited to Samoa
Email address and website

ApiaConsular@state.gov

https://ws.usembassy.gov/
International organisations
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
International law organization participation
has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

Legislature

SAMOA · LEGISLATURE

Legislative Assembly

51 seats · hover a seat for the party
ROSTRUMMAJORITY 27
Total seats
51
Majority line
27
Largest party
Human Rights Protection Party
Parties
5
All political parties5 parties · 51 seats · click to dim in hemicycle

Leaders

Current

  • Va'aletoa Sualauvi II

    • Head of StateSince 2017
  • Fiamē Naomi Mataʻafa

    • Head of GovernmentSince 2021

Economy

Budget

Note
note: central government revenues (excluding grants) and expenditures converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated
Revenues
$371.764 million (2023 est.)
Expenditures
$326.052 million (2023 est.)

Exports

Civica canonical (reconciled)
$360.5M
Note
note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars
Exports 2022
$175.377 million (2022 est.)
Exports 2023
$346.187 million (2023 est.)
Exports 2024
$369.73 million (2024 est.)

Imports

Civica canonical (reconciled)
$574.5M
Note
note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars
Imports 2022
$512.021 million (2022 est.)
Imports 2023
$560.776 million (2023 est.)
Imports 2024
$575.749 million (2024 est.)
Industries
food processing, building materials, auto parts
Labor force
57,200 (2024 est.)

Public Debt

Civica canonical (reconciled)
52.6% of GDP (2016 est.)
Public debt 2016
52.6% of GDP (2016 est.)

Remittances

Note
note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities
Remittances 2022
33.6% of GDP (2022 est.)
Remittances 2023
28.2% of GDP (2023 est.)
Remittances 2024
26.4% of GDP (2024 est.)

Exchange Rates

Currency
tala (SAT) per US dollar -
Exchange rates 2020
2.665 (2020 est.)
Exchange rates 2021
2.556 (2021 est.)
Exchange rates 2022
2.689 (2022 est.)
Exchange rates 2023
2.738 (2023 est.)
Exchange rates 2024
2.754 (2024 est.)

Debt External

Note
note: present value of external debt in current US dollars
Debt external 2023
$269.974 million (2023 est.)
Economic overview
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

Unemployment Rate

Civica canonical (reconciled)
5.0%
Note
note: % of labor force seeking employment
Unemployment rate 2022
5.1% (2022 est.)
Unemployment rate 2023
5% (2023 est.)
Unemployment rate 2024
4.6% (2024 est.)
Exports partners
India 26%, NZ 14%, USA 12%, American Samoa 10%, Australia 9% (2023)
Imports partners
NZ 20%, Singapore 19%, China 17%, Australia 10%, Fiji 9% (2023)

Real GDP Per Capita

Civica canonical (reconciled)
$8,737
Note
note: data in 2021 dollars
Real GDP per capita 2022
$5,800 (2022 est.)
Real GDP per capita 2023
$6,300 (2023 est.)
Real GDP per capita 2024
$6,900 (2024 est.)

Real GDP Growth Rate

Civica canonical (reconciled)
4.7%
Note
note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency
Real GDP growth rate 2022
-5.3% (2022 est.)
Real GDP growth rate 2023
9.2% (2023 est.)
Real GDP growth rate 2024
9.4% (2024 est.)
Agricultural products
coconuts, bananas, taro, tropical fruits, pineapples, mangoes/guavas, papayas, root vegetables, milk, avocados (2023)
Exports commodities
refined petroleum, integrated circuits, coconut oil, fish, insulated wire (2023)
Imports commodities
refined petroleum, poultry, cars, plastic products, milk (2023)

Current Account Balance

Civica canonical (reconciled)
$65.6M
Note
note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars
Current account balance 2022
-$74.039 million (2022 est.)
Current account balance 2023
$40.177 million (2023 est.)
Current account balance 2024
$64.616 million (2024 est.)
Taxes and other revenues
26.7% (of GDP) (2023 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate)
$1.068 billion (2024 est.)

GDP Composition, BY End Use

Note
note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection
Household consumption
80.8% (2024 est.)
Government consumption
18.2% (2024 est.)
Investment in inventories
2.3% (2024 est.)
Investment in fixed capital
30.5% (2024 est.)
Exports of goods and services
29.3% (2024 est.)
Imports of goods and services
-53.8% (2024 est.)
Population below poverty line
21.9% (2018 est.)

Inflation Rate (Consumer Prices)

Civica canonical (reconciled)
2.2%
Note
note: annual % change based on consumer prices
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2022
11% (2022 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2023
7.9% (2023 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2024
2.2% (2024 est.)
Industrial production growth rate
4.2% (2024 est.)

Real GDP (Purchasing Power Parity)

Civica canonical (reconciled)
$1.503 billion (2024 est.)
Note
note: data in 2021 dollars
Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2022
$1.258 billion (2022 est.)
Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2023
$1.374 billion (2023 est.)
Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2024
$1.503 billion (2024 est.)

Youth Unemployment Rate (Ages 15 24)

Male
7.4% (2024 est.)
Note
note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment
Total
11.9% (2024 est.)
Female
20.9% (2024 est.)

Reserves of Foreign Exchange and Gold

Note
note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2022
$321.163 million (2022 est.)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2023
$447.09 million (2023 est.)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2024
$507.74 million (2024 est.)

GDP Composition, BY Sector of Origin

Note
note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data
Industry
10.9% (2024 est.)
Services
72.5% (2024 est.)
Agriculture
11% (2024 est.)

Energy

Petroleum

Refined petroleum consumption
2,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)

Electricity

Consumption
141.846 million kWh (2023 est.)
Installed generating capacity
54,000 kW (2023 est.)
Transmission/distribution losses
17.284 million kWh (2023 est.)

Electricity Access

Electrification rural areas
97.9%
Electrification urban areas
100%
Electrification total population
98.3% (2022 est.)

Energy Consumption Per Capita

Total energy consumption per capita 2023
23.476 million Btu/person (2023 est.)

Electricity Generation Sources

Wind
0.1% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
Solar
15.1% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
Fossil fuels
59.7% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
Hydroelectricity
18.9% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
Biomass and waste
6.3% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

Communications

Internet Users

Percent of population
58% (2023 est.)
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)
Internet country code
.ws

Telephones Fixed Lines

Total subscriptions
5,000 (2022 est.)
Subscriptions per 100 inhabitants
2 (2022 est.)

Telephones Mobile Cellular

Total subscriptions
134,000 (2022 est.)
Subscriptions per 100 inhabitants
62 (2022 est.)

Broadband Fixed Subscriptions

Total
2,000 (2022 est.)
Subscriptions per 100 inhabitants
1 (2022 est.)

Transport

Ports

Large
0
Small
0
Medium
0
Key ports
Apia
Very small
1
Total ports
1 (2024)
Ports with oil terminals
1
Airports
4 (2025)

Merchant Marine

Total
13 (2023)
BY type
general cargo 3, oil tanker 1, other 9
Civil aircraft registration country code prefix
5W

Environment

Climate
tropical; rainy season (November to April), dry season (May to October)

Land Use

Other
24.6% (2023 est.)
Forest
57.8% (2023 est.)
Agricultural land
17.6% (2023 est.)
Agricultural land: arable land
arable land: 3.9% (2023 est.)
Agricultural land: permanent crops
permanent crops: 11.4% (2023 est.)
Agricultural land: permanent pasture
permanent pasture: 2.3% (2023 est.)

Urbanization

Urban population
17.5% of total population (2023)
Rate of urbanization
-0.03% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

Waste and Recycling

Municipal solid waste generated annually
27,400 tons (2024 est.)
Percent of municipal solid waste recycled
57.6% (2022 est.)
Environmental issues
soil erosion; deforestation; invasive species; overfishing

Carbon Dioxide Emissions

Total emissions
335,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
From petroleum and other liquids
335,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
Particulate matter emissions
7.8 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)

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
Signed, but not ratified
none of the selected agreements

Military & 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 forces
no regular military forces; Samoa Police Service (includes a maritime unit) (2025)

Scores & Rankings

ScoreValueGlobal rankTrendAs of
Civica Index74.0 / 100as of 2024-Q438 / 1902024-Q4
Freedom House StatusPartly Free (83/100)as of 2024-Q42024-Q4
Press Freedom (RSF)Partly free (50/100)as of 20242024

Cite this page

Cite this pageAPA · BibTeX · Chicago · JSON
Civica. (2026). Civica Atlas — Samoa — vintage 2026-Q1: Samoa factbook. Civica Atlas. Retrieved May 7, 2026, from https://civicaatlas.org/factbook/samoa
Sources: FAO FAOSTAT, ILO ILOSTAT, IMF (WEO), UN Statistics Division, UNDP HDR, UNESCO Institute for Statistics, WHO Global Health Observatory, World Bank, WTO Stats, CIA World Factbook, Wikidata