The Samoan Islands () are an archipelago covering in the central South Pacific, forming part of Polynesia and of the wider region of Oceania. Administratively, the archipelago comprises all of the Independent State of Samoa and most of American Samoa (apart from Swains Island, which is geographically part of the Tokelau Islands). The land masses of the two Samoan jurisdictions are separated by of ocean at their closest points.
The population of the Samoan Islands is approximately 250,000. The inhabitants have in common the Samoan language, a culture known as fa'a Samoa, and an indigenous form of governance called fa'amatai. Samoans are one of the largest Polynesian populations in the world, and most are of exclusively Samoan ancestry.
The oldest known evidence of human activity in the Samoan Islands dates to around 1050 BCE. It comes from a Lapita site at Mulifanua wharf on Upolu island. In 1768, the eastern islands were visited by the French explorer Bougainville, who named them the Navigator Islands. That name was used by missionaries until about 1845, and in official European dispatches until about 1870.
Samoa and American Samoa
Politically, the Samoan Islands are divided into two jurisdictions: Samoa, an independent nation that gained political independence from New Zealand in 1962. It comprises the western half of the Samoa islands, ( and 196,000 inhabitants (2016)). It was known as German Samoa from 1900 to 1914, and as Western Samoa until 1997. Capital: Apia; currency: Samoan tala. American Samoa, an unincorporated territory of the United States comprising the eastern half of the Samoa Islands. ( and 49,710 inhabitants (2020)). Capital: Pago Pago; currency: US dollar.
Political partition
In the late 19th century, competition for political control of the islands between the United States, Germany, and the United Kingdom resulted in the December 1899 Tripartite Convention, which formally partitioned the Samoan archipelago into a German colony (German Samoa) in the western half and a United States territory (American Samoa) in the eastern half. New Zealand began occupying the western islands in World War I, while they were still a German colony and continued as an occupying force until 1920. Then, from 1920 until Samoa's independence in 1962, New Zealand governed the islands in that group under a League of Nations Class C Mandate from 1920 to 1946, and as a United Nations Trust Territory from 1946 to 1962. The force that eventually led to the political independence of the western islands in 1962 was the pro-independence Mau movement, which gained popularity across the area. The eastern islands remain a political territory of the United States.
Islands
The Samoan Islands has total of 18 islands spread in a west to east direction.
Samoa
Savaii: population 43,819 (2016); largest landmass; westernmost in the group; most recent volcanic eruptions. Eruptions:Mt Matavanu (1905–1911); Mata o le Afi (1902); Mauga Afi (approximately 1725). Manono: population 889 (2006). Nuulopa: uninhabited; lies in the Apolima Strait between Upolu and Savaii. Apolima: population 75 (2006). Upolu: population 143,418 (2011); the most populous island in the group. Nuusafee: uninhabited; tiny rocky islet off the south coast of Upolu, near the village of Poutasi. Nuutele: uninhabited; volcanic tuff ring; conservation for native birds; can also be seen from the popular Lalomanu Beach. Nuulua: uninhabited; volcanic tuff ring; land area ; conservation habitat for endemic native birds. Namua: uninhabited Fanuatapu: uninhabited; volcanic tuff ring.
The islands of Manono, Apolima and Nuulopa lie in the Apolima Strait between Upolu and Savaii. The four small, uninhabited islands - Nuutele, Nuulua, Namua and Fanuatapu - are situated off the east coast of Upolu and comprise the Aleipata Islands.
American Samoa
Tutuila: population 48,405 (per 2020 census); main island in the territory. Pola Island: unpopulated; part of the National Park of American Samoa. Aunu'u: population 473 (per 2020 census); located southeast of Tutuila. Swains Island: unpopulated (per 2020 census); politically administered by American Samoa, but culturally part of Tokelau; copra plantation. Ofu‑Olosega: volcanic doublet encompassing Ofu (population 132, per 2020 census) and Olosega (population 147, per 2020 census); in the Manu'a Group of islands. Ta'ū: population 236 (per 2020 census); largest island in the Manu'a Group Manu (Rose Atoll): unpopulated (per 2020 census); conservation habitat for native birdlife, marine life, green turtle and endangered hawksbill turtle.