Geography and History of the Island Nation of Samoa

Geography and History of the Island Nation of Samoa Samoa, officially called the Independent State of Samoa, is an island nation located in Oceania. It is about 2,200 miles (3,540 km) south of the United States state of Hawaii and its area consists of two main islands - Upolu and Savai. In 2011, Samoa  moved  the International Date Line because it claimed it has more economic ties with Australia and New Zealand (both of which are on the other side of the dateline) than with the United States. On Dec. 29, 2011, at midnight, the date in Samoa changed from Dec. 29 to Dec. 31. Population:  193,161 (July 2011 estimate)Capital:  ApiaArea:  1,093 square miles (2,831 sq km)Coastline:  250 miles (403 km)Highest Point:  Mount Silisili at 6,092 feet (1,857 m) History of Samoa Archeological evidence shows that Samoa has been inhabited for over 2,000 by migrants from Southeast Asia. Europeans did not arrive in the area until the 1700s and by the 1830s missionaries and traders from England began arriving in large numbers.At the beginning of the 20th century the Samoan islands were politically divided and in 1904 the easternmost islands became the U.S. territory known as American Samoa. At the same time, the western islands became Western Samoa and they were controlled by Germany until 1914 when that control passed to New Zealand. New Zealand then administered Western Samoa until it gained its independence in 1962. According to the U.S. Department of State, it was the first country the region to gain independence.In 1997 Western Samoas name changed to the Independent State of Samoa. Today, however, the nation is known as Samoa throughout most of the world. Government of Samoa Samoa is considered a parliamentary democracy with an executive branch of government made up of a chief of state and a head of government. The country also has a unicameral Legislative Assembly with 47 members who are elected by voters. Samoas judicial branch consists of a Court of Appeal, the Supreme Court, the District Court and the Land and Titles Court. Samoa is divided into 11 different districts for local administration. Economics and Land Use in Samoa Samoa has a relatively small economy that is dependent on foreign aid and its trade relations with foreign nations. According to the CIA World Factbook, agriculture employs two-thirds of the labor force. The main agricultural products of Samoa are coconuts, bananas, taro, yams, coffee, and cocoa. Industries in Samoa include food processing, building materials, and auto parts. Geography and Climate of Samoa Geographically Samoa is a group of islands located in the South Pacific Ocean or Oceania between Hawaii and New Zealand and below the equator in the Southern Hemisphere (CIA World Factbook). Its total land area is 1,093 square miles (2,831 sq km) and it consists of two main islands as well as several small islands and uninhabited islets. The main islands of Samoa are Upolu and Savai and the highest point in the country, Mount Silisili at 6,092 feet (1,857 m), is located on Savai while its capital and largest city, Apia, is located on Upolu. The topography of Samoa consists mainly of coastal plains but the interior of Savai and Upolu have rugged volcanic mountains.The climate of Samoa is tropical and as such it has mild to warm temperatures year round. Samoa also has a rainy season from November to April and a dry season from May to October. Apia has a January average high temperature of 86ËšF (30ËšC) and a July average low temperature of 73.4ËšF (23ËšC).To learn more about Sa moa, visit the Geography and Maps section on Samoa on this website Sources Central Intelligence Agency. (28 April 2011). CIA - The World Factbook - Samoa. Retrieved from: https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/ws.htmlInfoplease.com. (n.d.). Samoa: History, Geography, Government, and Culture- Infoplease.com. Retrieved from: infoplease.com/ipa/A0108149.htmlUnited States Department of State. (22 November 2010). Samoa. Retrieved from: state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/1842.htmWikipedia.com. (15 May 2011). Samoa - Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Samoa