Samoa

**The Independent State of Samoa** is a country in the Pacific Ocean. It became independent from New Zealand in 1962. It has two islands, including Upolu and Savai'i. The capital of Samoa is Apia. It is on the island of Upolu. The head of the country is Va'aletoa Sualauvi II. 

The languages spoken in Samoa include Samoan and English. 

The sport that is most popular in Samoa is Rugby, and many Samoan people play Rugby.

Samoa was admitted to the United Nations on 18 September 1962.

A measles outbreak began in October 2019 and continued through December. As of December 28, there were 81 deaths out of 5667 cases. 

## Districts
Samoa has eleven political districts.  These are called *itūmālō*. These are the traditional eleven districts that were made well before European arrival.

**Upolu** (including minor islands)
Tuamasaga (Afega)
A'ana (Leulumoega)
Aiga-i-le-Tai (Mulifanua)1
Atua (Lufilufi)2
Va'a-o-Fonoti (Samamea)

''' Savai'i'''
Fa'asaleleaga (Safotulafai)
Gaga'emauga (Saleaula)3
Gaga'ifomauga (Safotu)
Vaisigano (Asau)
Satupa'itea (Satupa'itea)
Palauli (Vailoa)

1 including islands Manono, Apolima and Nu'ulopa
2 including the Aleipata Islands and Nu'usafe'e Island
3 smaller parts also on Upolu (Salamumu (incl. Salamumu-Utu) and Leauvaa villages)

## Geography
 from Le Mafa Pass, east Upolu.]]
Samoa is south of the equator.  It is about halfway between Hawai‘i and New Zealand in the Polynesian part of the Pacific Ocean. The main island of Upolu is home to nearly three-quarters of Samoa's people

The two large islands of Upolu and Savai'i are 99% of the total land area.  There are eight small islets. These are the three islets in the Apolima Strait: Manono Island, Apolima and Nu'ulopa. There are four Aleipata Islands off the eastern end of Upolu.  They are: Nu'utele, Nu'ulua, Namua, and Fanuatapu.  And there is Nu'usafe'e.

East of Samoa is a group of islands called American Samoa. They are part of the United States, but they are similar to the country Samoa, and they also speak Samoan.

Samoa used to be east of the international date line. In 2011, the line changed, so that Samoa would be to the west of the date line. This change took effect on the night of 29 December.  Friday was skipped altogether and the following day was Saturday 31 December. 

## Demographics
Samoa has 194,320 people. 92.6% are Samoans, 7% Euronesians (people of mixed, European and Polynesian ancestors) and 0.4% are Europeans.

Religion in Samoa includes the following: Christian Congregational Church of Samoa 35.5%, Roman Catholic 19.6%, Methodist 15%, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints 12.7%, Samoan Assemblies of God 10.6%, Seventh-day Adventist 3.5%, Worship Centre 1.3%, unspecified 0.8%. There are also about 522 Jehovah's Witnesses in Samoa since 1931. Samoa has one of seven Bahá'í Houses of Worship in the world. It is in Tiapapata.
 
Many people say that Samoan people are related to Māori people because the Samoan language is very similar to the Maori language.

As with other Polynesian cultures (Hawaiian, Tahitian and Māori), Samoans have two gender specific and culturally important tattoos. For males, it is called the Pe'a,  It is intricate and geometrical patterns tattooed on areas from the knees up towards the ribs. A male who has such a tatau is called a soga'imiti. A Samoan girl or *teine* is given a malu.  It covers the area from just below her knees to her upper thighs.

## References