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Home  >  World  > Australia and South Pacific  > Samoa General Information Area: 2831 sq km (1093 sq miles). Population: 167,988 (official estimate 1999). Population Density: 59.3 per sq km. Capital: Apia (Upolu Island). Population: 34,126 (1991). GEOGRAPHY: Samoa consists of nine islands. The largest of these is Savai’i, which covers 1610 sq km (622 sq miles); fertile Upolu, the second largest (1120 sq km/433 sq miles), lies 13km (8 miles) to the southeast across the Apolima Strait. The islands are quiescent volcanoes and reach heights of up to 1858m (6097ft) on Savai’i and 1100m (3608ft) on Upolu. Volcanic activity has not occurred since 1911. The main city, Apia, is located in the north of Upolu. Government: Constitutional monarchy. Gained independence from New Zealand in 1962. Head of State: HH Malietoa Tanumafili II since 1963. Head of Government: Prime Minister Tuila’epa Sailele Malielegaoi since 1998. Language: Samoan is the national language. In business and commerce, English is customary. Religion: Congregational Church, Roman Catholic, Methodist and Latter Day Saints. Time: GMT - 12. Electricity: 240 volts AC, 50Hz (110 volts AC in some hotels). Three-pronged plugs are in use as in Australia and New Zealand. Communications:   Telephone Incoming IDD is available. Country code: 685. There are no area codes. Outgoing international calls must be made through the operator. Mobile telephone Samoa has its own analogue mobile phone system operated by Telecom Samoa. Fax Services are available from the main post office in Apia. There are hotels with facilities. Internet Internet and e-mail services are available at Computer Services Ltd and Le Samoa.net, both located in the Lotemau Shopping Centre, Apia. There is a growing number of other places around the islands with Internet access. Telegram Available from the main post office in Apia. Also in main towns and at major hotels. Post The main post office is located on Beach Road, Apia, and is open from Mon-Fri 0800-1630. Poste restante facilities are also available: enquire at post office. Airmail to Europe takes about three weeks. Press The main English-language newspapers are The Samoa Observer, Newsline and Savali. BBC World Service and Voice of America frequencies: From time to time these change. BBC (website: www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice): MHz 15.36 9.740 6.195 3.915 Voice of America (website: www.voa.gov): MHz 17.74 11.71 9.645 6.110 Copyright © 2003 Columbus Publishing Ltd. Terms and Conditions apply.