Samoa

noun:

Samoan(s)

adjective:

Samoan

total:

27.8 years (2025 est.)

male:

27 years

female:

27.8 years

at birth:

1.05 male(s)/female

0-14 years:

1.07 male(s)/female

15-64 years:

1.04 male(s)/female

65 years and over:

0.81 male(s)/female

total population:

1.03 male(s)/female (2024 est.)

total:

17.2 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.)

male:

20.9 deaths/1,000 live births

female:

13.6 deaths/1,000 live births

total population:

75.7 years (2024 est.)

male:

72.8 years

female:

78.7 years

total:

2.18 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

beer:

2.01 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

wine:

0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

spirits:

0.17 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

other alcohols:

0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

total:

20.5% (2025 est.)

male:

28.6% (2025 est.)

female:

12.3% (2025 est.)

women married by age 15:

0.9% (2020)

women married by age 18:

7.4% (2020)

men married by age 18:

2% (2020)

• soil erosion;
• deforestation;
• invasive species;
• overfishing

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

urban population:

17.5% of total population (2023)

rate of urbanization:

-0.03% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

municipal solid waste generated annually:

27,400 tons (2024 est.)

percent of municipal solid waste recycled:

57.6% (2022 est.)

conventional long form:

Independent State of Samoa

conventional short form:

Samoa

local long form:

Malo Sa'oloto Tuto'atasi o Samoa

local short form:

Samoa

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

name:

Apia

geographic coordinates:

13 49 S, 171 46 W

time difference:

UTC+13 (18 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

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

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

chief of state:

TUIMALEALI'IFANO Va’aletoa Sualauvi II (since 21 July 2017)

head of government:

Prime Minister LA'AULIALEMALIETOA La'auli Leuatea Schmidt (since 16 September 2025)

cabinet:

Cabinet appointed by the chief of state on the advice of the prime minister

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

most recent election date:

23 August 2022

election results:

TUIMALEALI'IFANO Va’aletoa Sualauvi II (independent) unanimously reelected by the Legislative Assembly

expected date of next election:

2026

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 68

subordinate courts:

• District Court;
• Magistrates' Courts;
• Land and Titles Courts;
• village chief councils

• 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

chief of mission:

Ambassador Pa’olelei LUTERU (since 7 July 2021); note - also Permanent Representative to the UN

chancery:

685 Third Avenue, 44th Street, 11th Floor, Suite 1102, New York, NY 10017

telephone:

[1] (212) 599-6196

FAX:

[1] (212) 599-0797

email address and website:

[email protected]; About; Samoa Permanent Mission to the United Nations

consulate(s) general:

Pago Pago (American Samoa)

chief of mission:

the US Ambassador to New Zealand is accredited to Samoa

embassy:

5th Floor, Accident Corporation Building, Matafele Apia

mailing address:

4400 Apia Place, Washington DC 20521-4400

telephone:

[685] 21-436

FAX:

[685] 22-030

email address and website:

[email protected]; https://ws.usembassy.gov/

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

note: similar to the flag of Taiwan

title:

"O le Fu'a o le Sa'olotoga o Samoa" (The Banner of Freedom)

lyrics/music:

Sauni Liga KURESA

history:

adopted 1962; also known as "Samoa Tula'i" (Samoa Arise)

• 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

agriculture:

11% (2024 est.)

industry:

10.9% (2024 est.)

services:

72.5% (2024 est.)

note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data

total:

11.9% (2024 est.)

male:

7.4% (2024 est.)

female:

20.9% (2024 est.)

note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment

• 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)

total ports:

1 (2024)

large:

0

medium:

0

small:

0

very small:

1

ports with oil terminals:

1

key ports:

Apia