Western Samoa Country & Tourist Information

Location
South Pacific.

Area
2,831 sq km (1,093 sq miles).

Population
187,000 (UN estimate 2007).

Population Density
66 per sq km.

Capital
Apia (Upolu Island).
Population:  40,000 (UN estimate 2003).

Government
Constitutional monarchy. Gained independence from New Zealand in 1962.

Language
Samoan is the national language. English is used in business and commerce.

Religion
Congregational Church, Roman Catholic, Methodist, Latter Day Saints, Seventh Day Adventist and other, mainly Christian, beliefs.

Time
GMT - 11.

Electricity
240 volts AC, 50Hz (110 volts AC in some hotels). Three-pronged plugs are in use as in Australia and New Zealand.

Head of Government
Prime Minister Tuila’epa Sailele Malielegaoi since 1998.

Head of State
HH Tuiatua Tupua Tamasese Efi since 2007.

Recent History
Political parties in the normal sense did not feature in Samoan politics until the late 1970s when a group of Fono (national assembly) members in opposition to the Government created the Human Rights Protection Party (HRPP) which has dominated Samoan politics ever since, winning every one of the elections held since then. Since the introduction of universal suffrage in 1991, there has always been a very high turn-out (around 90%) at elections. Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi’s government won the most recent general elections in April 2006 with an increased majority. King Malietoa Tanumafili II, who became head of state in 1963, died at the age of 94 in May 2007. He held the post for life but his successor will now be elected by the legislature to a five-year term. Former prime minister Tuiatua Tupua Tamasese Efi became head of state in June 2007.

Telephone
Country code: 685. There are no area codes. Outgoing international calls must be made through the operator.

Mobile Telephone
Samoa has its own analog mobile phone system operated by Telecom Samoa. Visitors with analog phones can be assigned a new number for the duration of their stay and calls will be charged to their credit card.

Internet
Internet and e-mail services are available in Apia and other locations around the islands. Broadband Internet cafes are available in Apia and Savai’i.

Media
Despite a generally free press, officials in Samoa have sued the main privately owned newspaper, the Samoa Observer, for reporting on alleged corruption and abuse of public office. The government and private operators run TV stations and channels from American Samoa are readily available.

Post
Airmail to Europe takes about three weeks.

Post office hours: (main, located on Beach Road, Apia) Mon-Fri 0800-1630.

Press
• The Samoa Observer is a privately owned daily.
• Le Samoa and Talamua magazine are published in both Samoan and English.

Radio
• The SBC runs mediumwave and FM stations.
• Other stations include Magik FM, K-Lite FM and Talofa FM.

Below are listed Public Holidays for the January 2009-December 2010 period.

2009
1-2 Jan New Year.
10-13 Apr Easter.
25 Apr ANZAC Day. 
4 May Mother's Day.
1 Jun Independence Day.
10 Aug Father's Day. 
12 Oct Lotu-a-Tamaiti (Day after White Sunday).
6 Nov Arbor Day.
25 Dec Christmas Day.
26 Dec Boxing Day.

2010
1-2 Jan New Year.
2-5 Apr Easter.
25 Apr ANZAC Day. 
3 May Mother's Day.
1 Jun Independence Day. 
9 Aug Father's Day. 
11 Oct Lotu-a-Tamaiti (Day after White Sunday). 
5 Nov Arbor Day.
25 Dec Christmas Day.
26 Dec Boxing Day.

Contact Information:

Samoa Tourism Authority
PO Box 2272, Apia, Samoa
Tel: 63500.
Website: www.samoa.travel

Embassy of Samoa in Belgium
20 avenue de l’Oree 100, Brussels, Belgium
Tel: (02) 660 8454.

Permanent Mission of Samoa to the United Nations in the USA
800 Second Avenue, Suite 400J, New York, NY 10017, USA
Tel: (212) 599 6196.
Website: htttp://samoa.un.int 


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