The Independent State of Samoa is a country comprising a group of islands in the South Pacific Ocean. The entire group were known as the Navigators Islands, before the 20th century, due to the Samoans' excellent seafaring skills.

The Samoas are of volcanic origin and the total land area is 2934 km², consisting of the two large islands of Upolu and Savai'i which account for 96% of the total land area, and eight small islets. The main island of Upolu is home to nearly three-quarters of Samoa's population of 177,714 (Jul 2004 est) and its capital city is Apia.