Country Details

Samoa

Oceania, group of islands in the South Pacific Ocean, about halfway between Hawaii and New Zealand

People and Society

Detailed information and insights

Population

Total

210,223 (2025 est.)

Male

106,542

Female

103,681

Nationality

Noun

Samoan(s)

Adjective

Samoan

Ethnic groups

Samoan 96%, Samoan/New Zealander 2%, other 1.9% (2011 est.)

Note

note: data represent the population by country of citizenship

Languages

Samoan (Polynesian) (official) 91.1%, Samoan/English 6.7%, English (official) 0.5%, other 0.2%, unspecified 1.6% (2006 est.)

Religions

Protestant 54.9% (Congregationalist 29%, Methodist 12.4%, Assembly of God 6.8%, Seventh Day Adventist 4.4%, other Protestant 2.3%), Roman Catholic 18.8%, Church of Jesus Christ 16.9%, Worship Centre 2.8%, other Christian 3.6%, other 2.9% (includes Baha'i, Muslim), none 0.2% (2016 est.)

Age structure

0-14 years

26.9% (male 28,952/female 27,173)

15-64 years

65.9% (male 70,225/female 67,427)

65 years and over

7.2% (2024 est.) (male 6,743/female 8,333)

Dependency ratios

Total dependency ratio

51.6 (2025 est.)

Youth dependency ratio

40.2 (2025 est.)

Elderly dependency ratio

11.4 (2025 est.)

Potential support ratio

8.8 (2025 est.)

Median age

Total

27.8 years (2025 est.)

Male

27 years

Female

27.8 years

Population growth rate

0.66% (2025 est.)

Birth rate

18.53 births/1,000 population (2025 est.)

Death rate

5.41 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.)

Net migration rate

-6.57 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.)

Population distribution

about three quarters of the population lives on the island of Upolu

Urbanization

Urban population

17.5% of total population (2023)

Rate of urbanization

-0.03% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

Major urban areas - population

36,000 APIA (capital) (2018)

Sex ratio

At birth

1.05 male(s)/female

0-14 years

1.07 male(s)/female

15-64 years

1.04 male(s)/female

65 years and over

0.81 male(s)/female

Total population

1.03 male(s)/female (2024 est.)

Maternal mortality ratio

101 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.)

Infant mortality rate

Total

17.2 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.)

Male

20.9 deaths/1,000 live births

Female

13.6 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth

Total population

75.7 years (2024 est.)

Male

72.8 years

Female

78.7 years

Total fertility rate

2.29 children born/woman (2025 est.)

Gross reproduction rate

1.12 (2025 est.)

Drinking water source

Improved: urban

urban: 100% of population (2022 est.)

Improved: rural

rural: 98.8% of population (2022 est.)

Improved: total

total: 99% of population (2022 est.)

Unimproved: urban

urban: 0% of population (2022 est.)

Unimproved: rural

rural: 1.2% of population (2022 est.)

Unimproved: total

total: 1% of population (2022 est.)

Health expenditure

Health expenditure (as % of GDP)

6.8% of GDP (2021)

Health expenditure (as % of national budget)

15.2% of national budget (2022 est.)

Physician density

0.56 physicians/1,000 population (2021)

Sanitation facility access

Improved: urban

urban: 99.7% of population (2022 est.)

Improved: rural

rural: 98.9% of population (2022 est.)

Improved: total

total: 99% of population (2022 est.)

Unimproved: urban

urban: 0.3% of population (2022 est.)

Unimproved: rural

rural: 1.1% of population (2022 est.)

Unimproved: total

total: 1% of population (2022 est.)

Obesity - adult prevalence rate

47.3% (2016)

Alcohol consumption per capita

Total

2.18 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

Beer

2.01 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

Wine

0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

Spirits

0.17 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

Other alcohols

0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

Tobacco use

Total

20.5% (2025 est.)

Male

28.6% (2025 est.)

Female

12.3% (2025 est.)

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

3.4% (2019 est.)

Currently married women (ages 15-49)

62% (2020 est.)

Child marriage

Women married by age 15

0.9% (2020)

Women married by age 18

7.4% (2020)

Men married by age 18

2% (2020)

Education expenditure

Education expenditure (% GDP)

5.5% of GDP (2024 est.)

Education expenditure (% national budget)

11.7% national budget (2025 est.)

Literacy

Total population

98% (2019 est.)

Male

98.3% (2019 est.)

Female

97.7% (2019 est.)