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Last Minute Tips Before you Travel to Samoa
- Time Zone: GMT/UTC -11
- Electricity: 240V, 50 Hz (bring an adapter/transformer for your hair drier, laptop, cellullar phone etc.)
- Currency: Tala (ST)
- Country Dialing Code: 685
Samoa
Location
Oceania, group of islands in the South Pacific Ocean, about one-half of the way from Hawaii to New Zealand
Capital
Apia
Population
177,287 (July 2005 est.)
Regions
11 districts; A'ana, Aiga-i-le-Tai, Atua, Fa'asaleleaga, Gaga'emauga, Gagaifomauga, Palauli, Satupa'itea, Tuamasaga, Va'a-o-Fonoti, Vaisigano
Climate
tropical; rainy season (November to April), dry season (May to October)
Ethnic groups
Samoan 92.6%, Euronesians 7% (persons of European and Polynesian blood), Europeans 0.4%
Religions
Congregationalist 34.8%, Roman Catholic 19.6%, Methodist 15%, Latter-Day Saints 12.7%, Assembly of God 6.6%, Seventh-Day Adventist 3.5%, other Christian 4.5%, Worship Centre 1.3%, other 1.7%, unspecified 0.1% (2001 census)
Languages
Samoan (Polynesian), English
Government type
mix of parliamentary democracy and constitutional monarchy
Background
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.
Visitor's Impressions
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