| ||||||
| Capital (and largest city) |
Apia | |||||
| Other Cities | Solosolo, Pago Pago | |||||
| Language | German, Samoan | |||||
| Religion | Protestantism, traditional beliefs | |||||
| Demonym | Samoan | |||||
| Established | 1 March 1900 | |||||
The Samoa (Samoan: Sāmoa) are an insular colony of Germany, consisting of an archipelago of seven main islands and a few coral reefs located in Polynesia, to the east of Tonga, south of the Union Islands, west of the Cook Islands and north of Niue. The archipelago came into German possession at the turn of the XX century, when several European powers (including Germany, France and Great Britain) were enlarging their spheres of influence in Oceania.
The islands' natives have been known for their seafaring skills, and have maintained a unique cultural identity: Samoan is the language spoken by most of the population, and the German community remains rather small. Samoa's economy is modest, and depends largely on fishing and agriculture. The archipelago is volcanic in origin, and the islands are mountainous and hilly, often covered in forests.