Samoa

Map of Samoa

Country	Independent State of Samoa
Capital: name:	Apia
Independence:	1 January 1962 (from New Zealand-administered UN trusteeship)
National holiday:	Independence Day Celebration, 1 June (1962); note - 1 January 1962 is the date of independence from the New Zealand-administered UN trusteeship; it is observed in June
Population	194,320 (July 2012 est.)
Sex ratio	1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.07 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.07 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.78 male(s)/female total population: 1.05 male(s)/female (2011 est.)
Nationality	Samoan(s)
Religions	Protestant 59.9% (Congregationalist 34.8%, Methodist 15%, Assembly of God 6.6%, Seventh-Day Adventist 3.5%), Roman Catholic 19.6%,
Languages	Samoan (Polynesian) (official), English
Literacy	Age 15 and over can read and write Total population: 99.7% Male: 99.6% Female: 99.7% (2003 est.)
Location	Oceania, group of islands in the South Pacific Ocean, about half way between Hawaii and New Zealand
Geographic coordinates	13 35 S, 172 20 W
Map references	Oceania
Area	Total: 2,831 sq km Land: 2,821 sq km Water: 10 sq km
Area - comparative	slightly smaller than Rhode Island
Land boundaries	0 km
Coastline	403 km
Maritime claims	territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
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
Elevation extremes	lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: Mount Silisili 1,857 m
Natural resources	hardwood forests, fish, hydropower
Land use	arable land: 21.13% permanent crops: 24.3% other: 54.57% (2005)
Irrigated land	NA
Natural hazards	occasional typhoons; active volcanism volcanism: Savai'I Island (elev. 1,858 m), which last erupted in 1911, is historically active
Environment - current issues	soil erosion, deforestation, invasive species, overfishing
Environment - international agreements	party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography - note	occupies an almost central position within Polynesia