Location,+Environment,+and+Population


 * Location, Environment, and Population**

The Samoan Islands are an archipelago in the Southern Pacific Ocean, in a region called Oceania. The territory is located about half way between Hawaii and New Zealand, just east of the International Date Line, which is roughly along the 180-degree longitude. The Samoan Island group as a whole features 3,121 square kilometers of land, most of which is covered by the specific state, The Independent State Samoa (Western Samoa) shown below. This territory has a land mass area of about 2,850 square kilometers, and a coastline of 403 kilometers, comparable in size to the state of Rhode Island. The capital of Western Samoa, Apia, is located on the north coast of the second largest island of Samoa, Upolu.



The population of the entire island chain is estimated to be around 250,000 inhabitants, with the majority residing in Western Samoa. Western Samoa has a population of approximately 182,000, three quarters of which live on the capital city island, Upolu. One prominent feature of the island chain is that roughly 93% of inhabitants are native Samoan, only 7% Euronesian (European and Polynesian descent), and a scare smattering of Europeans.

The Samoan islands lie in the tropics where humidity is always high in the lush rainforests. Average temperatures range from 25 to 26 degrees Celsius, and humidity hovers at a thick 85%. The abundant rainfall is around 3.1 meters, which is why seasons are mostly observed in patterns of rain. The hot, wet seasons feature hurricanes and cyclones, which have greatly affected the land’s environment over the years. The soil on the islands is almost completely formed from volcanic origins, and the soil mostly features different types of mosses, pteridophytes (non-seed non-flowering plants), and flowering plants. However there is a clear distinction between areas that have been affected by humans, and areas that have not been. Deforestation poses a major threat to Samoa.

The island contains an exrtremely rich variety of terrestrial and marine invertebrates, and to a lesser extent vertebrates, including mammals, birds, and reptiles. Interestingly the fruit bat is the only indigenous mammal to this region, but various types of mammals followed after European contact. The bird population consists of native land-birds and nesting seabirds. The other vertebrates, reptiles and amphibians, feature a population of about 15 species.

Perhaps the most important environmental factor is the sea. The fringing reef surrounded coastline provides microhabitats for fish, shellfish, and other food sources that provide a rich dietary source for inhabitants. Beyond the reef lies another rich source of fish, most common of which are tuna and turtles.

