Samoa
Oceania Β· Capital: Apia
How it is run: Samoa is a member of the United Nations, so it gets one vote in the General Assembly. Use the research links below to find out exactly who makes the laws there.
Samoa is home to 219,306 people in Polynesia, where people speak English, Samoan.
Numbers that tell a story π’
π₯ People
219,306 people
That is about 27 people out of every million on Earth (counted in 2025).
πΊοΈ Land
2,842 kmΒ²
About the size of a small US state such as Vermont or New Hampshire.
ποΈ How crowded
About 77 people per square kilometre β a comfortable mix of cities and open land.
π Size in its region
9th most people in Oceania
9th largest by land in Oceania.
π£οΈ Official languages
English, Samoan
More than one language is used for official business.
π° Money
Samoan tΔlΔ (T)
Life here today π©Ί
These come from World Bank open data β the same numbers governments use when they argue about budgets.
β€οΈ How long people live
71.8 years on average
Doctors, clean water and food supply all change this number over time.
πΌ Money made per person each year
about US$5,873
A lower-middle-income country: incomes are rising, but many families still farm or work informally.
π’ Living in cities
17.5% of people
Many people still live in villages and farming towns.
π Kids under 15
38.1% of the population
A very young country β schools have to be built quickly.
Everyday details π§
π Phone code
+685
Dial this before the number to call from another country.
π Websites end in
.ws
π§ People here are called
Samoan
π·οΈ Name at home
Samoa Β· SΔmoa
Also written: Independent State of Samoa, Malo SaΚ»oloto TutoΚ»atasi o SΔmoa.
π Coast or inland
Has a coastline
ποΈ UN voting group
Asia and the Pacific Group
Countries in the same group often plan votes together.
Neighbours & borders π€
Samoa has no land borders at all. It is surrounded by water, so boats and planes are the way in and out.
Say its name around the world π£οΈ
Countries have different names in different languages. Try these with a penpal.
Spanish
Samoa
French
Samoa
Arabic
Ψ³Ψ§Ω ΩΨ§
Chinese
θ¨ζ©δΊ
Japanese
γ΅γ’γ’
Russian
Π‘Π°ΠΌΠΎΠ°
Portuguese
Samoa
German
Samoa
Put it in perspective π
- Australia β the most populated country in Oceania β has about 125.9Γ as many people as Samoa.
- Samoa covers roughly 27 times the area of Hong Kong Island.
- If everyone in Samoa lined up shoulder to shoulder, the line would stretch about 110 km.
Fast facts π§
Fact of the day: Samoa lies in the tropics, between the Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of Capricorn, so the sun gets very high overhead.
π·οΈ Official name
Independent State of Samoa
ποΈ Capital
Apia
π Region
Oceania Β· Polynesia
π€ Country code
WS
ποΈ UN status
UN member state
π© Independence
Independent country
More about Samoa π
π§ Where on the map
13.6Β° S, 172.3Β° W
π Half of the world
Southern & Western hemisphere
π°οΈ Clock check
Roughly UTC-11 β when it is noon in London it is about 01:00 in Apia.
- Samoa is an independent country, meaning it makes its own laws.
- Samoa sits in Polynesia, in the southern and western half of the globe.
- Samoa lies in the tropics, between the Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of Capricorn, so the sun gets very high overhead.
- Because of where Samoa sits, the school day there starts many hours before or after yours does.
- Samoa is a full member of the United Nations, so it gets one vote in the General Assembly β the same as every other member, big or small.
Countries nearby π€
Talk about it π¬
- Samoa has 2 official languages. How would your school day change if lessons were taught in more than one language?
- Samoa can trade by sea. What should a country protect first: its ports, its fishing waters, or its beaches?
- If Samoa spoke at the General Assembly tomorrow, what one problem should its delegate ask the world to help fix?
Quick quiz π§ͺ
Guess first, then tap to check your answer.
What is the capital of Samoa?
Apia
Which money do people spend in Samoa?
Samoan tΔlΔ (T)
How many countries share a land border with Samoa?
None β no land neighbours at all.
Roughly how many people live in Samoa?
219,306 people
Keep researching π
Everything here is a starting point. These trusted sites, databases and libraries will take you further β and they are the kind of sources a teacher will accept in a report.
Start here β kid-friendly encyclopedias π
Short articles written for students, with maps and photos you can use in a report.
Official data & government sources ποΈ
Primary sources. Cite these when your teacher asks for real data.
News & current policy π°
Use two different outlets before you decide what you think.
Your library card π«
Libraries give you books, databases and librarians β all free.
Library tip: Ask your school or public librarian for their online databases (like Gale in Context or EBSCO Explora). Your library card unlocks them for free at home, and they are already checked by adults for school use.