Western Samoa

Samoa

(In Detail) (Full size)
National motto: Xxxxx
Official languages	Samoan, English
Capital	Apia
Capital's coordinates	13° 35' S, 172° 20' W
Chief	Malietoa Tanumafili II
Prime Minister	Tuila'epa Sailele Malielegaoi
Area  - Total  - % water	Ranked 165th 2,944 km² 0.3%
Population  - Total (2003)  - Density	Ranked 173rd 178,173 60/km²
Independence  - date	from New Zealand January 1, 1962
Currency	tala (WST)
Time zone	UTC -11
National anthem	The Banner of Freedom
Internet TLD	.ws
Calling Code	685

History

Settled as early as 1000 BC, Samoa was "discovered" by European explorers in the 18th century. International rivalries in the latter half of the 19th century were settled by an 1899 treaty in which Germany and the US divided the Samoan archipelago.

Shortly after the outbreak of World War I, in August 1914, New Zealand sent an expeditionary force to seize and occupy German Samoa. This was to stop German Samoa being used a naval refueling base in the Pacific. The German forces on the islands did not surrender, nor did they put up a fight.

German Samoa was renamed Western Samoa, New Zealand continued the occupation of Western Samoa throughout World War I. In 1919, under the Treaty of Versailles, Germany dropped its claims to the islands and they were granted to New Zealand as a mandate.

New Zealand administered Western Samoa under the auspices of the League of Nations and then as a United Nations trusteeship until the country received its independence on January 1, 1962 as Western Samoa, making it the first Polynesian nation to reestablish independence in the 20th century.

Politics

Geography

Economy

Demographics

Culture

• Music of Samoa

Culture

Holidays

Date	English Name	Local Name	Remarks
January 1	New Year's Day
The Friday before Easter Sunday	Good Friday
First Sunday after the first full moon since the vernal equinox	Easter Sunday
The day after Easter Sunday	Easter Monday
April 25	Anzac Day
	Mothers of Samoa Day
	Independence Day
	Labour Day
	Lotu a Tamaiti		day after White Sunday
	Arbor Day
December 25	Christmas Day
December 26	Boxing Day

Miscellaneous topics

• Communications in Samoa
• Transportation in Samoa
• Military of Samoa
• Foreign relations of Samoa

External Links

• See also: American Samoa, Caramel deLites

Referenced By