Samoa
|
| Basic Facts |
| Country name |
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 |
| Gevernment type | mix of parliamentary democracy and constitutional monarchy |
| Capital |
name: Apia
geographic coordinates: 13 50 S, 171 45W time difference: UTC-11 (6 hours behind Washington, DC during Standard Time) |
| Flag description | red with a blue rectangle in the upper hoist-side quadrant bearing five white five-pointed stars representing the Southern Cross constellation |
| Currency | tala (SAT) |
| Internet country code | .ws |
| Ports and terminals | Apia |
| Agriculture products | coconuts, bananas, taro, yams, coffee, cocoa |
| Industries | food processing, building materials, auto parts |
| Geography |
| Location | Oceania, group of islands in the South Pacific Ocean, about one-half of the way from Hawaii to New Zealand |
| Coordinates | 13 35 S, 172 20 W |
| Continent | Oceania |
| Area |
total: 2,944 sq km
land: 2,934 sq km water: 10 sq km |
| Boundaries | 0 km |
| Coastline | 403 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, rocky, rugged mountains in interior |
| Natural resources | hardwood forests, fish, hydropower |
| Natural hazards | occasional typhoons; active volcanism |
| People |
| Population | 176,908 (July 2006 est.) |
| Ethnic groups | Samoan 92.6%, Euronesians 7% (persons of European and Polynesian blood), Europeans 0.4% |
| Religions | Congregationalist 34.8%, Roman Catholic 19.6%, Methodist 15%, Latter-Day Saints 12.7%, Assembly of God 6.6%, Seventh-Day Adventist 3.5%, other Christian 4.5%, Worship Centre 1.3%, other 1.7%, unspecified 0.1% (2001 census) |
| Languages | Samoan (Polynesian), English |
