# Samoa

> sovereign state made up of six islands in the Pacific Ocean

**Wikidata**: [Q683](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q683)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Samoa)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/samoa

## Summary

Samoa was established on January 1, 1962.

## Summary
Samoa, officially the Independent State of Samoa (Samoan: Malo Sa’oloto Tuto’atasi o Samoa), is a sovereign island country and state in Polynesia, part of Insular Oceania. It comprises six islands in the Pacific Ocean and gained its independence in 1962. Samoa is a member of the United Nations and the Commonwealth of Nations.

## Key Facts
- **Official Name**: Independent State of Samoa (Samoan: Malo Sa’oloto Tuto’atasi o Samoa)
- **Former Name**: Western Samoa (until July 4, 1997)
- **Classification**: Sovereign state, island country
- **Location**: Polynesia, Insular Oceania, Pacific Ocean
- **Capital**: Apia
- **Area**: 2,842 square kilometres
- **Coordinates**: -13.745 latitude, -172.2175 longitude
- **Independence**: Inception in 1962
- **UN Membership**: Joined December 15, 1976
- **Commonwealth Membership**: Joined in 1970
- **Population**: 200,010 (2021)
- **Currency**: Samoan tālā (since July 10, 1967); previously Western Samoan pound (1914–1967)
- **Official Languages**: Samoan, English
- **Anthem**: "The Banner of Freedom"
- **Motto**: "Beautiful Samoa" (tourism slogan)
- **Head of State (O le Ao o le Malo)**: Va'aletoa Sualauvi II (since July 21, 2017)
- **Head of Government (Prime Minister)**: Fiamē Naomi Mataʻafa (since May 24, 2021)
- **Legislature**: Legislative Assembly of Samoa
- **Time Zone**: UTC+13:00 (Pacific/Apia)
- **Driving Side**: Left (changed from right on September 7, 2009)
- **ISO Codes**: WS (alpha-2), WSM (alpha-3), 882 (numeric)
- **Internet TLD**: .ws
- **Telephone Code**: +685

## FAQs
**What is the geography and environment of Samoa?**
Samoa is an island nation in Polynesia covering 2,842 square kilometres. Its highest point is Mount Silisili, and its lowest point is the Pacific Ocean at sea level. The country comprises six islands and is part of the Samoan Islands archipelago. It lies within the Pacific/Apia time zone (UTC+13:00).

**What are the demographics and social indicators of Samoa?**
As of 2021, Samoa has a population of 200,010. The life expectancy in 2021 was 73 years. The total fertility rate in 2014 was estimated at 4.086 children per woman. In 2022, the birth rate was 26.997 per 1,000 people, and the death rate was 5.45 per 1,000 people. The Human Development Index (HDI) in 2021 was 0.707.

**What is the political structure and international relations of Samoa?**
Samoa is a sovereign state with a legislative body called the Legislative Assembly of Samoa. Its head of state holds the title O le Ao o le Malo, currently Va'aletoa Sualauvi II, and its head of government is the Prime Minister, currently Fiamē Naomi Mataʻafa. Samoa maintains diplomatic relations with countries such as Australia, Taiwan, the United States, China, and Germany. It shares a border with the United States (American Samoa).

**What organizations is Samoa a member of?**
Samoa is a member of numerous international organizations, including the United Nations (joined 1976), Commonwealth of Nations (1970), World Trade Organization, Asian Development Bank (1966), Interpol (2009), UNESCO (1981), and the World Health Organization. It is also a party to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons.

## Why It Matters
Samoa is a significant Polynesian nation that represents a distinct cultural and political entity in the Pacific. It was the first Pacific island nation to gain independence in 1962, setting a precedent for decolonization in the region. Its unique cultural heritage, encapsulated in the concept of "Fa'a Samoa" (the Samoan way), influences social and political life. The country plays an active role in international diplomacy, particularly in organizations focused on small island developing states, such as the Alliance of Small Island States. Samoa's transition from driving on the right to the left in 2009 is a notable example of infrastructural adaptation to align with major trading partners like Australia and New Zealand. Its inclusion on the European Union tax haven blacklist in 2020 highlights its complex economic positioning. Furthermore, Samoa's commitment to global cooperation is evidenced by its membership in a wide array of international bodies, from the United Nations to the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons.

## Notable For
- **First Independent Pacific Island Nation**: Gained independence in 1962.
- **Traffic Change**: Switched from driving on the right to the left on September 7, 2009.
- **Strategic Location**: Easternmost point is on Fanuatapu islet (-14.014°, -171.4°); westernmost is at Falealupo (-13.5°, -172.8°), near the International Date Line.
- **High Fertility Rate**: Estimated at 4.086 children per woman in 2014.
- **High Life Expectancy**: Reached 73 years in 2021.
- **Distinct Cultural Heritage**: The "fa'amatai" system of chiefs and orators is a cornerstone of its society.
- **Extensive International Membership**: Member of over 20 major international organizations, including the UN, Commonwealth, and various UN specialized agencies.
- **Tax Haven Status**: Listed on the EU tax haven blacklist as of February 2020.
- **Maritime Presence**: Has Maritime Identification Digits 561.
- **Digital Presence**: Uses the .ws top-level domain and has a Unicode flag representation (🇼🇸).

## Body

### Governance and Leadership
Samoa is a sovereign state and a member of the Commonwealth of Nations. The head of state, known as O le Ao o le Malo, is currently Va'aletoa Sualauvi II, who took office on July 21, 2017. The head of government is the Prime Minister, a position held by Fiamē Naomi Mataʻafa since May 24, 2021. The legislative body is the Legislative Assembly of Samoa. Previous heads of state include Tufuga Efi (2007–2017) and previous heads of government include Tuilaʻepa Saʻilele Malielegaoi (1998–2021).

### Geography and Demographics
Located in Polynesia within Insular Oceania, Samoa has a total area of 2,842 square kilometres. Its geographic coordinates are centered approximately at -13.745 latitude and -172.2175 longitude. The country's highest point is Silisili. The population has grown from 108,645 in 1960 to 200,010 in 2021. The rural population in 2022 was 183,207, while the urban population was 39,175. The male population in 2022 was 113,375, and the female population was 109,007.

### Economy and Infrastructure
Samoa uses the Samoan tālā as its currency, having replaced the Western Samoan pound on July 10, 1967. The nominal GDP was $832,421,565 USD in 2022. The Value Added Tax (VAT) rate is 15%. The mains voltage is 230V at 50Hz, using the AS/NZS 3112 plug type. In a major infrastructure shift, Samoa changed its driving side from right to left on September 7, 2009. Its central bank is the Central Bank of Samoa.

### International Relations
Samoa maintains diplomatic relations with Australia, Taiwan, the United States, People's Republic of China, and Germany. It has been a member of the United Nations since December 15, 1976. It joined the Commonwealth of Nations in 1970 and the Asian Development Bank in 1966. Other memberships include UNESCO (1981), the Universal Postal Union (1989), the International Telecommunication Union (1988), the World Meteorological Organization (1995), and Interpol (2009).

### Culture and Society
The official languages are Samoan and English. The national anthem is "The Banner of Freedom," and the tourism slogan is "Beautiful Samoa." The culture is uniquely Samoan, with a traditional social structure. The marriageable age is 21 for males and 19 for females. The Gini coefficient, a measure of inequality, was 38.7 in 2013.

### Identifiers and Codes
Samoa is identified by numerous international codes. Its ISO 3166-1 codes are WS (alpha-2), WSM (alpha-3), and 882 (numeric). Its telephone country code is +685, and its mobile country code is 549. The IOC country code is SAM, as is the Commonwealth sport country code. The top-level internet domain is .ws. Other identifiers include the UN/LOCODE WS, the FIPS 10-4 code WS, and the ITU letter code SMO.

### Administrative Divisions
Samoa contains several administrative territorial entities, which include A'ana, Aiga-i-le-Tai, Atua, Va'a-o-Fonoti, Fa'asaleleaga, Gaga'emauga, Gaga'ifomauga, Vaisigano, Satupa'itea, and Palauli.

### History and Miscellaneous
The entity has a Wikidata description of a "sovereign state made up of six islands in the Pacific Ocean." It was added to the EU list of non-cooperative tax jurisdictions on February 27, 2020. The country has a high site link count across Wikimedia projects (259), indicating extensive global digital coverage. It has various aliases in multiple languages, including Western Samoa, Estado Independiente de Samoa, and West-Samoa.

## References

1. [Source](https://www.aucklandcouncil.govt.nz/about-auckland-council/our-partnerships/Pages/international-relations.aspx)
2. BnF authorities
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4. [Source](https://www.workwithdata.com/place/samoa)
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8. Lingua Libre
9. [Source](https://thecommonwealth.org/our-member-countries/samoa)
10. [Interpol](https://www.interpol.int/Member-countries/World)
11. [Source](https://www.interpol.int/Who-we-are/Member-countries/Asia-South-Pacific/SAMOA)
12. [Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons](https://www.opcw.org/about-opcw/member-states/)
13. [Source](https://www.opcw.org/about-us/member-states/samoa)
14. [Source](http://www.unesco.org/eri/cp/ListeMS_Indicators.asp)
15. [Source](http://www.upu.int/en/the-upu/member-countries.html)
16. [Source](https://www.upu.int/en/Universal-Postal-Union/About-UPU/Member-Countries?csid=-1&cid=252)
17. [Source](https://www.itu.int/online/mm/scripts/gensel8)
18. [Source](https://public.wmo.int/en/members/samoa)
19. [Source](https://www.who.int/choice/demography/by_country/en/)
20. [Source](https://www.wcoomd.org/-/media/wco/public/global/pdf/about-us/wco-members/list-of-members-with-membership-date.pdf)
21. [Source](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_parties_to_the_Treaty_on_the_Non-Proliferation_of_Nuclear_Weapons)
22. Freebase Data Dumps. 2013
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29. [Source](https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SI.POV.GINI)
30. [Source](http://cnig.gouv.fr/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/CNT-PVM_r%C3%A9vis%C3%A9_2020-01-27-1.pdf)
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35. [Source](http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/8240992.stm)
36. [World Bank](https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/NY.GDP.MKTP.CD)
37. [UNESCO Institute for Statistics](http://data.uis.unesco.org/Index.aspx?DataSetCode=DEMO_DS)
38. [UNESCO Institute for Statistics](http://data.uis.unesco.org/index.aspx?queryid=3372)
39. BabelNet
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42. UMLS 2023
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44. [Source](https://countrycodebase.com/undp/)
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47. [Gazetteer](https://github.com/EnvironmentOntology/gaz/blob/master/src/ontology/gaz_countries.csv)
48. iNaturalist
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