Brief background on nation
New Zealand occupied the German protectorate of Western Samoa at the outbreak of World War I in 1914. It continued to administer the islands as a mandate and then as a trust territory until 1962, when the islands became the first Polynesian nation to reestablish independence in the 20th century. The country dropped the "Western" from its name in 1997.

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

Geographic: Longitude & Latitude
13 35 S, 172 20 W

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

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

Economic : GDP by sector
agriculture: 14% industry: 23% services: 63% (2001 est.)

Political / Government Structure: Government Type
constitutional monarchy under native chief

*People & Culture: Population
178,173 (July 2003 est.)

**People & Culture: Ethnic Groups
Samoan 92.6%, Euronesians 7% (persons of European and Polynesian blood), Europeans 0.4%

People & Culture: Languages
Samoan (Polynesian), English