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The Samoan Islands (Samoan: Motu o Sāmoa) are an archipelago covering 3,030 km 2 (1,170 sq mi) in the central South Pacific, forming part of Polynesia and of the wider region of Oceania.
Samoa, country in the central South Pacific Ocean, among the westernmost of the island countries of Polynesia. Samoa gained its independence from New Zealand in 1962 after more than a century of foreign influence and domination, but it remains a member of the Commonwealth.
Samoa, [note 1] officially the Independent State of Samoa [note 2] and known until 1997 as Western Samoa (Samoan: Sāmoa i Sisifo), is an island country in Polynesia, consisting of two main islands (Savai'i and Upolu); two smaller, inhabited islands (Manono and Apolima); and several smaller, uninhabited islands, including the Aleipata Islands ...
Samoa is a Polynesian island nation comprising of two large islands of Saval ‘I and Upolu and 8 small islets, located in the South Pacific Ocean. Samoa is situated roughly halfway between Hawaii and New Zealand.
Samoa, group of Polynesian islands and islets in the south-central Pacific Ocean about 1,600 miles (2,600 km) northeast of New Zealand. American Samoa, a dependency of the United States, consists of the six islands east of longitude 171° W, including Tutuila.
History of Samoa, a survey of notable events and people in Samoa. Known as the “Cradle of Polynesia” because legend places the Polynesian homeland on the island of Savai‘i, Samoa was the first country among the Pacific Islands to gain independence, in 1962.
The Samoan Islands are a group of islands in the South Pacific, consisting of Samoa (an independent nation) and American Samoa (a U.S. territory). They share a common cultural heritage, but are politically distinct.
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The fa’amatai system of titles and nobility developed, which dominates Samoan politics to this day; all but two seats in the legislature are reserved for matai, or heads of families. Dutch explorer Jacob ROGGEVEEN was the first European to spot the islands in 1722. Christian missionaries arrived in the 1830s, converting most of the population.
The Samoan Islands are rich in culture, history, and tradition, deeply rooted in the customs of fa’a Samoa (the Samoan way of life). These islands, home to both Samoa and American Samoa, have seen a long history of exploration, trade, resistance, and adaptation to modern challenges, while always holding fast to their traditions. Below, we ...