Location Oceania, group of islands in the South Pacific Ocean, about one-half of the way from Hawaii to New Zealand

Geographic coordinates 13 35 S, 172 20 W

Map references Oceania

Area
total: 2,944 sq km
water: 10 sq km
land: 2,934 sq km

Area - comparative slightly smaller than Rhode Island

Land boundaries 0 km

Coastline 403 km

Maritime claims
exclusive economic zone: 200 NM
territorial sea: 12 NM

Climate tropical; rainy season (October to March), dry season (May to October)

Terrain narrow coastal plain with volcanic, rocky, rugged mountains in interior

Elevation extremes
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: Mauga Silisili 1,857 m

Natural resources hardwood forests, fish, hydropower

Land use
arable land: 19%
permanent crops: 24%
other: 57% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land NA sq km

Natural hazards occasional typhoons; active volcanism

Environment - current issues soil erosion

Environment - international agreements
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note occupies an almost central position within Polynesia

NOTE: The information regarding Samoa on this page is re-published from the 2002 World Fact Book of the United States Central Intelligence Agency. No claims are made regarding the accuracy of Samoa Geography 2002 information contained here. All suggestions for corrections of any errors about Samoa Geography 2002 should be addressed to the CIA.