18 Facts About Samoa

Samoa is a Polynesian island country made up of two main islands, two smaller inhabited islands, and several smaller uninhabited islands, including the Aleipata Islands.

Samoa has 11 administrative divisions and is a unitary parliamentary democracy.

The sovereign state belongs to the Commonwealth of Nations.

Male Samoans have the seventh highest BMI in the world, at 30.5, according to WorldData.info. Female Samoans have the second highest at 34.1, trailing only American Samoa. The average male Samoan stands 1.75m (5ft 7) tall, while the average female Samoan stands 1.62cm tall (5ft 3).

In Samoa, nine out of ten people are overweight.

Samoa is located in the Polynesian region of the South Pacific Ocean, roughly halfway between Hawaii and New Zealand. Samoa's maritime neighbours include American Samoa, New Zealand, Tonga, and Wallis and Futuna (part of France).

Tattoos have meaning and history all over Polynesia, but they have a special place in Samoa. In Samoan culture, they are gendered. Pe'a tattoos for men are made up of intricate and geometrical patterns that cover from the knees up to the ribs.

It's considered a rite of passage for males to get these tattoos, and those who do are known as soga'imiti.

A malu, which covers the area from just below the knees to the upper thighs, is given to a woman in Samoan culture.

Tattooing, also known as Tatau, represents Samoa's spiritual and cultural heritage. In fact, Samoans were among the first tattoo artists and are widely regarded as the best in the world.

In Samoa, getting a tattoo is a lengthy and excruciatingly painful process. They are carried out using traditional tools made of bone, tusk, shark teeth, shell, and wood.

The minimum wage in Samoa is WST$2.00 per hour for private sector workers and WST$2.65 for public sector workers. The minimum wage in Samoa was last changed on January 1, 2012.

Sava'ii, Upolu, Manono, and Apolima are the four inhabited islands of Samoa. And Fanuatapu, Namua, Nu'ulua, Nu'usafe'e, and Nu'utele are all reserved for wildlife.

The population of Samoa is estimated to be 195,000 people, with over 300,000 Samoans living abroad.

According to Lonely Planet, Lalomanu Beach on Savai'i is one of the most beautiful beaches in the world.

Samoans are deeply religious and conservative.

Samoa is located on the 'Ring of Fire,' a major area in the Pacific Ocean basin where earthquakes and volcanic eruptions are common.

Oka is Samoa's national dish.