Samoa

Sa·mo·a ¹  (s-m)

An island group of the southern Pacific Ocean east-northeast of Fiji, divided between Samoa, a sovereign nation, and American Samoa, a territory of the United States. The islands were originally populated by Polynesians perhaps as early as 1000 b.c. and were first sighted by European explorers in 1722. Dual administration of the archipelago was established by treaty in 1899.

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Sa·mo·a ²  (s-m) Formerly Western Samoa

An island country of the southern Pacific Ocean comprising the western Samoa Islands. The islands were discovered and visited by the Dutch and the French in the 18th century. The eastern islands were annexed by the United States in 1899 as American Samoa, with the western islands going to Germany. Occupied by New Zealand during World War I, the western islands were later administered as a League of Nations mandate and a UN trust territory. Western Samoa achieved independence as a constitutional monarchy in 1962, and in 1997 the country's name was formally changed to Samoa. Apia, on Upolu Island, is the capital. Population: 214,000.

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Samoa [səˈməʊə]

n

1. (Placename) an independent state occupying four inhabited islands and five uninhabited islands in the S Pacific archipelago of the Samoa Islands: established as a League of Nations mandate under New Zealand administration in 1920 and a UN trusteeship in 1946; gained independence as Western Samoa in 1962 as the first fully independent Polynesian state; officially changed its name to Samoa in 1997; a member of the Commonwealth. Languages: Samoan and English. Religion: Christian. Currency: tala. Capital: Apia. Pop.: 179 000 (2001 est.). Area 2841 sq. km (1097 sq. miles)

2. (Placename) Also called Samoa Islands a group of islands in the S Pacific, northeast of Fiji: an independent kingdom until the mid 19th century, when it was divided administratively into American Samoa (in the east) and German Samoa (in the west); the latter was mandated to New Zealand in 1919 and gained full independence in 1962 as Western Samoa, now Samoa (sense 1). Area: 3038 sq. km (1173 sq. miles)

Thesaurus

Noun	1.	Samoa - a constitutional monarchy on the western part of the islands of Samoa in the South Pacific Independent State of Samoa, Samoa i Sisifo, Western Samoa Samoan Islands, Samoa - a group of volcanic islands in the South Pacific midway between Hawaii and Australia; its climate and scenery and Polynesian culture make it a popular tourist stop Apia, capital of Western Samoa - the capital of Western Samoa
	2.	Samoa - a group of volcanic islands in the South Pacific midway between Hawaii and Australia; its climate and scenery and Polynesian culture make it a popular tourist stop Samoan Islands Polynesia - the islands in the eastern part of Oceania Independent State of Samoa, Samoa, Samoa i Sisifo, Western Samoa - a constitutional monarchy on the western part of the islands of Samoa in the South Pacific American Samoa, Eastern Samoa, AS - a United States territory on the eastern part of the island of Samoa Samoan - a native or inhabitant of the Samoan Islands

Translations

Samoa [səˈməʊə] N → Samoa f

Samoa

n → Samoa nt