Samoa is a country in Oceania, with about 219,000 people (2025) and an area of 2,840 square kilometres. Its capital is Apia, and it has no land borders.
By Team Geography·Last reviewed
Flag of SamoaSamoa in solid, land neighbours outlined, capital marked.
2,840 km² (1,097 sq mi) World Bank, surface area. 167th largest of 195.
Population density
77 people per km²
Land neighbours
None. It has no land borders with another country.
Official name
Independent State of Samoa
UN status
Member state
Capital coordinates
13.84° S, 171.74° W Apia, Natural Earth.
No land borders
Samoa shares no land border with another country. Its nearest neighbours are across the sea, as the map above shows.
From the Geography app
The app teaches each country through short hand written lenses: PLACE for physical geography, STORY for history and identity, NOW for the news, and THREAD for the ties between countries. Here is one of Samoa's 5, in full.
PLACELens 1 of 5
Volcanic islands in the heart of Polynesia
Samoa consists of two main volcanic islands, Upolu and Savai'i, along with several smaller islands, totaling 2,842 square kilometers in the central South Pacific. Savai'i is one of the largest islands in Polynesia and remains volcanically active; its last eruption was in 1911. Apia, the capital on Upolu, is a modest coastal town that serves as the administrative and commercial center for roughly 220,000 people.
More on Savai'i
At 1,708 square kilometers, Savai'i is the largest island in Samoa and one of the largest in Polynesia. Much of its interior is covered by lava fields from relatively recent eruptions, and its population is concentrated in coastal villages.
4 more lenses on Samoa in the app
STORY Fa'a Samoa: the Samoan way that governs daily life
NOW Climate vulnerability in a place that contributes almost nothing to it
STORY The country that skipped a day to trade with Asia
THREAD A Polynesian hub with a global diaspora
Titles only. The app brings each lens back on a spaced repetition schedule set by how well you knew it: New, Hazy or Clear.
Compare Samoa with another country
Opens the country comparison tool with population, area, income and more side by side, every figure dated.
Common questions
What is the capital of Samoa?
The capital of Samoa is Apia. Apia lies at about 13.8 degrees south and 171.7 degrees west. Samoa is in Oceania. It is home to about 219,000 people. The world capitals quiz on this site tests every capital, and the printable capitals sheets cover each continent.
What is the population of Samoa?
About 219,000 people live in Samoa, according to the World Bank figures for 2025. That makes it the 176th most populous of the 195 countries. With an area of 2,840 square kilometres, that is about 77 people per square kilometre.
What countries border Samoa?
None. Samoa has no land borders with any other country. It is surrounded by sea, so every neighbour of Samoa is across the water. It lies in Oceania. Its area is 2,840 square kilometres, and about 219,000 people live there.
How big is Samoa?
Samoa covers 2,840 square kilometres, or about 1,097 square miles. That makes it the 167th largest of the 195 countries. The figure is total surface area, which includes inland water such as lakes and rivers. Its population of about 219,000 gives a density of 77 people per square kilometre.
Samoa is a country in Oceania, with about 219,000 people (2025) and an area of 2,840 square kilometres. Its capital is Apia, and it has no land borders.
Capital
Apia
Continent
Oceania
Population
219,306 2025, World Bank. 176th of 195.
Area
2,840 km² (1,097 sq mi) World Bank, surface area. 167th largest of 195.
Population density
77 people per km²
Land neighbours
None. It has no land borders with another country.
Official name
Independent State of Samoa
UN status
Member state
PLACE · from the Geography app
Volcanic islands in the heart of Polynesia
Samoa consists of two main volcanic islands, Upolu and Savai'i, along with several smaller islands, totaling 2,842 square kilometers in the central South Pacific. Savai'i is one of the largest islands in Polynesia and remains volcanically active; its last eruption was in 1911. Apia, the capital on Upolu, is a modest coastal town that serves as the administrative and commercial center for roughly 220,000 people.
Keep going on your iPhone. Scan for Geography: the world, one country at a time, about five minutes a day. No quizzes and no streaks. playgeography.app/countries/samoa/ · Map data: Natural Earth. Figures: World Bank and national sources, as listed on the page.
Geography · Country report
Samoa
NameDate
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Colour Samoa on the map, then fill in what you find.
Capital
Continent
Population
Area
Languages
Currency
Neighbours
Landmarks
Rivers or mountains
Three things I learned
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One question I still have
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Keep going on your iPhone. Scan for Geography: the world, one country at a time, about five minutes a day. No quizzes and no streaks. playgeography.app/countries/samoa/ · Map data: Natural Earth. Figures: World Bank and national sources, as listed on the page.
