<style type="text/css"> .no-show { display: none; } .disable-fade-in{ opacity: 1 !important; transform: none !important; visibility: visible !important; } </style>

Photos of Samoa

At the western end of the Samoan Island chain lies Savai&apos;i. Stretching over 1,682 sq km (649 sq mi), Savai&apos;i is one of the largest landmasses in Polynesia. The mountainous island is a shield volcano that reaches its highest altitude, 1,858 m (6,095 ft), near the center of the island. The region&apos;s tropical, humid climate sustains vegetation that carpets much of the island.
A jagged line of small, round volcanic craters extends east-west across the island (top of image). South of this uneven line, two deep, parallel valleys extend toward the south. The semicircular contours of the valleys suggest that they might be the remains of an ancient caldera or collapsed magma chamber that was modified by the later eruption of additional lava.
With the exception of a few brown crater rims, and a coastal settlement along the image&apos;s left edge, the landscape appears in varying shades of green. Dense rainforests cover the island&apos;s rugged interior, and thick vegetation also thrives along the coastal plains. 
Savai&apos;i has remained volcanically active into historical times, with two eruptions occurring in the early 20th century. The eruptions sent big lava flows to the island&apos;s northern coast, destroying several villages. Photo courtesy of NASA.

Introduction

World Factbook Glyph

Visit the Definitions and Notes page to view a description of each topic.

Geography

Area

comparison ranking: total 177

People and Society

Age structure

2023 population pyramid:
2023 population pyramid

Median age

comparison ranking: total 158

Population growth rate

comparison ranking: 134

Birth rate

comparison ranking: 75

Death rate

comparison ranking: 184

Net migration rate

comparison ranking: 216

Maternal mortality ratio

comparison ranking: 93

Infant mortality rate

comparison ranking: total 87

Total fertility rate

comparison ranking: 77

Tobacco use

comparison ranking: total 49

Education expenditures

comparison ranking: 85

Environment

Revenue from coal

comparison ranking: 180

Government

Economy

Real GDP growth rate

comparison ranking: 13

Real GDP per capita

comparison ranking: 169

Labor force

comparison ranking: 187

Unemployment rate

comparison ranking: 163

Public debt

comparison ranking: 107

Taxes and other revenues

comparison ranking: 46

Current account balance

comparison ranking: 77

Exports

comparison ranking: 195

Imports

comparison ranking: 202

Debt - external

comparison ranking: 96

Energy

Communications

Internet users

comparison ranking: total 182

Transportation

Airports

comparison ranking: 186

Roadways

comparison ranking: total 183

Merchant marine

comparison ranking: total 155

Military and Security