Samoa Geography - 2022

GEOGRAPHICAL NAMES 

Location

Oceania, group of islands in the South Pacific Ocean, about halfway 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

total: 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, rugged mountains in interior

Elevation

highest point: Mount Silisili 1,857 m

lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m

Natural resources

hardwood forests, fish, hydropower

Land use

agricultural land: 12.4% (2018 est.)

arable land: 2.8% (2018 est.)

permanent crops: 7.8% (2018 est.)

permanent pasture: 1.8% (2018 est.)

forest: 60.4% (2018 est.)

other: 27.2% (2018 est.)

Irrigated land

0 sq km (2022)

Population distribution

about three-quarters of the population lives on the island of Upolu

Natural hazards

occasional cyclones; active volcanism

volcanism: Savai'I Island (1,858 m), which last erupted in 1911, is historically active

Geography - note

occupies an almost central position within Polynesia

NOTE: The information regarding Samoa on this page is re-published from the 2022 World Fact Book of the United States Central Intelligence Agency and other sources. No claims are made regarding the accuracy of Samoa 2022 information contained here. All suggestions for corrections of any errors about Samoa 2022 should be addressed to the CIA or the source cited on each page.