Samoa: Background & Geography

Introduction Samoa
Background:
 New Zealand occupied the German protectorate of Western Samoa at the outbreak of World War I in 1914. It continued to administer the islands as a mandate and then as a trust territory until 1962, when the islands became the first Polynesian nation to reestablish independence in the 20th century. The country dropped the "Western" from its name in 1997.
Geography Samoa
Location:
 Oceania, group of islands in the South Pacific Ocean, about one-half of the way from Hawaii to New Zealand
Geographic coordinates:
 13 35 S, 172 20 W
Map references:
 Oceania
Area:
 total: 2,944 sq km
water: 10 sq km
land: 2,934 sq km
Area - comparative:
 slightly smaller than Rhode Island
Land boundaries:
 0 km
Coastline:
 403 km
Maritime claims - as described in UNCLOS 1982 (see Notes and Definitions):
 territorial sea: 12 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: Mauga Silisili (Savaii) 1,857 m
Natural resources:
 hardwood forests, fish, hydropower
Land use:
 arable land: 19.43%
permanent crops: 23.67%
other: 56.9% (1998 est.)
Irrigated land:
 NA sq km
Natural hazards:
 occasional typhoons; active volcanism
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
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography - note:
 occupies an almost central position within Polynesia

See Also: