country_ws
Samoa, formerly known as
Western Samoa, is a country encompassing the
western part of the Samoan Islands in the South Pacific Ocean.
It became independent from
New Zealand in 1962. The two main islands of Samoa are
Upolu and one of the biggest islands in Polynesia,
Savai i. The capital city,
Apia and
Faleolo International Airport are situated on the island of
Upolu
Samoa was admitted to the United Nations on 15 December 1976. The entire island group, inclusive of American Samoa, was called “Navigators Islands” by European explorers before the 20th century because of the Samoans' seafaring skills.