The Samoa Islands, which include the independent nation of Samoa and the territory of American Samoa, stretch for some 480km (300 miles) across the central South Pacific, about 2,000km (1,200 miles) west of Tahiti and 4,000km (2,600 miles) southwest of Hawaii. The nine western islands are in Samoa; the others are in American Samoa.
Independent Samoa, which many people still call Western Samoa, has a land area of 2,800 sq. km. (1,090 sq. miles), two-thirds of which are on Savai'i, the largest Polynesian island outside Hawaii and New Zealand. A series of volcanoes on a line running east to west formed Upolu, about 63km (39 miles) long and 21km (13 miles) wide. It's considerably smaller than Savai'i, 21km (13 miles) to the west, but some 75% of Samoa's population lives on Upolu. Although geologically younger than Upolu, Savai'i in many ways is the most "old Polynesia" of any island I include in this book. It has no towns, and its villagers live very much by fa'a Samoa.
The tops of two small volcanoes, Apolima and Manono islands sit in the Apolima Strait between the two main islands. Locals like to claim that James A. Michener was inspired by Apolima and Manono to create the mysteriously romantic island of Bali Ha'i in his Tales of the South Pacific. (Michener said in a television interview, however, that he got the idea from a cloud-draped island off Espiritu Santo in Vanuatu, where he spent much of World War II.)
Government -- An independent nation since 1962, Samoa is ruled by a Parliament made up of 47 members, of whom 45 are matais, or chiefs. Only matais could vote for candidates for these seats until 1991, when universal suffrage was enacted. Part-Samoan and non-Samoan citizens elect two non-matai members. There are two parties: the Human Rights Protection party and the Christian Democratic party.
The titular head of state since independence has been Malietoa Tanumafili II, one of Samoa's four paramount chiefs. He will hold the job for the rest of his life. Parliament will choose his successor from among Samoa's four paramount chiefs. That person will serve not for life but for a term of 5 years.
Economy -- Samoa's only exports of any magnitude are fresh fish, copra (dried coconut meat), coconut cream, kava, noni juice, and beer (try a German-style Vailima brew while you're here). Tourism is of increasing importance, with Aggie Grey's Lagoon, Beach Resort & Spa opening in 2005, and a big Warwick resort slated to be built by 2007. There is some light manufacturing, including cigarettes and garments. Although there has been significant economic growth and development in recent years, mainly in and around Apia, foreign aid and remittances sent home by Samoans living elsewhere keep the country out of bankruptcy. With the minimum wage here at S$2 (US67¢) an hour, several thousand Samoans regularly live and work in American Samoa, where they earn at least US$3 an hour. Some 20% of the country's gross domestic product is attributable to remittances from Samoans living elsewhere.
