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Samoa

Samoa provides national context for a visit or move. Read its sourced introduction and dated national indicators, then compare individual cities for seasonal weather, housing and daily journeys. National averages cannot establish the costs, services or conditions of a particular neighbourhood.

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Get to know Samoa

Samoa, officially the Independent State of Samoa, is an island country in Polynesia, a part of Oceania, which is in the South Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main islands , two smaller, inhabited islands , and several smaller, uninhabited islands, including the Aleipata Islands . Samoa is located 64 km west of American Samoa, 889 km northeast of Tonga, 1,152 km northeast of Fiji, 483 km east of Wallis and Futuna, 1,151 km southeast of Tuvalu, 519 km south of Tokelau, 4,190 km southwest of Hawaii, and 610 km northwest of Niue. The capital and largest city is Apia. The Lapita people discovered and settled the Samoan Islands around 3,500 years ago. They developed a Samoan language and Samoan cultural identity. Because of the Samoans' seafaring skills, pre-20th-century European explorers referred to the entire island group, including American Samoa, as the "Navigator Islands". The country became a colony of the German Empire in 1899 after the Tripartite Convention, and was known as German Samoa.

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Apia →

Compare Apia for seasonal weather, housing and everyday journeys. Open its guide for the local introduction, monthly climate and sources.

Planning a move or a longer stay

National averages are a starting point, not a neighbourhood budget. Shortlist specific places in Samoa, compare housing for your dates and check the journey to work, school or the activities that matter to you.

For a move, confirm residence and work requirements with the relevant government authority for your nationality. For a holiday, compare transport, accommodation and daily spending separately.

Understanding national conditions

These figures describe Samoa as a whole. Check the dates when comparing these national indicators with current local conditions.

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