Apia () is the
capital
Capital may refer to:
Common uses
* Capital city, a municipality of primary status
** List of national capital cities
* Capital letter, an upper-case letter Economics and social sciences
* Capital (economics), the durable produced goods used f ...
and largest city of
Samoa
Samoa, officially the Independent State of Samoa; sm, Sāmoa, and until 1997 known as Western Samoa, is a Polynesian island country consisting of two main islands (Savai'i and Upolu); two smaller, inhabited islands (Manono Island, Manono an ...
, as well as the nation's only city. It is located on the central north coast of
Upolu
Upolu is an island in Samoa, formed by a massive basaltic shield volcano which rises from the seafloor of the western Pacific Ocean. The island is long and in area, making it the second largest of the Samoan Islands by area. With approximatel ...
, Samoa's second-largest island. Apia falls within the political district (''itūmālō'') of
Tuamasaga
Tuamāsaga is a district of Samoa, with a population (2016 Census) of 95,907. The geographic area of Tuamasaga covers the central part of Upolu island.
History & Politics
Malie & the Malietoa
The paramount ''matai'' title of Tuamasaga is the M ...
.
The Apia Urban Area (generally known as the City of Apia) has a population of 37,391 (2016 census).
[ Its geographic boundaries extend roughly from ]Letogo Letogo is a village on the central north coast of Upolu island in Samoa. Letogo is situated east of the capital Apia.
The village is part of the electoral constituency (''Faipule District'') Vaimauga East which forms part of the larger political di ...
village to the newer, industrialized region of Apia known as "Vaitele".
History
Apia was originally a small village (the 1800 population was 304), from which the country's capital took its name. Apia Village still exists within the larger modern capital of Apia, which has grown into a sprawling urban area that encompasses many villages. Like every other settlement in the country, Apia Village has its own ''matai'' (leaders) and ''fa'alupega'' (genealogy and customary greetings) according to fa'a Samoa.
The modern city of Apia was founded in the 1850s, and it has been the official capital of Samoa since 1959.
The harbour was the site of a notorious 15 March 1889 naval standoff in which seven ships — from Germany, the US, and Britain —refused to leave the harbour, even though a typhoon was clearly approaching, lest the first one to move lose face. All the ships sank or were damaged beyond repair, except for the British cruiser ''Calliope'', which managed to leave port, travelling at a rate of one mile per hour, and was able to ride out the storm. Nearly 200 American and German people died.
Western Samoa was ruled by Germany as German Samoa
German Samoa (german: Deutsch-Samoa) was a German protectorate from 1900 to 1920, consisting of the islands of Upolu, Savai'i, Apolima and Manono, now wholly within the independent state of Samoa, formerly ''Western Samoa''. Samoa was the last ...
from 1900 to 1914, with Apia as its capital.
In August 1914, the Occupation of German Samoa
The Occupation of Samoa was the takeover – and subsequent administration – of the Pacific colony of German Samoa by New Zealand during World War I. It started in late August 1914 with landings by the Samoa Expeditionary Force from New Zeala ...
by an expeditionary force from New Zealand
New Zealand ( mi, Aotearoa ) is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island () and the South Island ()—and over 700 smaller islands. It is the sixth-largest island count ...
began. New Zealand governed the islands, (as the Western Samoa Trust Territory
Western Samoa Mandate, then Western Samoa Trust Territory, officially Territory of Western Samoa was the name of Western Samoa during its civil administration by New Zealand between 1920 and Samoan independence in 1962. Six years earlier, Germ ...
) from 1920 until Samoan independence in 1962 – first under a League of Nations
The League of Nations (french: link=no, Société des Nations ) was the first worldwide intergovernmental organisation whose principal mission was to maintain world peace. It was founded on 10 January 1920 by the Paris Peace Conference that ...
Class C Mandate and then, after 1945, as a United Nations Trust Territory.
The country underwent a struggle for political independence in the early 1900s, organised under the aegis of the national Mau movement
The Mau was a non-violent movement for Samoan independence from colonial rule during the first half of the 20th century. ''Mau'' means ‘resolute’ or ‘resolved’ in the sense of ‘opinion’, ‘unwavering’, ‘to be decided’, or ...
. During this period, the streets of Apia were the site of non-violent protests and marches, in the course of which many Samoans were arrested. On what became known as "Black Saturday" (28 December 1929), during a peaceful Mau gathering in the town, the New Zealand
New Zealand ( mi, Aotearoa ) is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island () and the South Island ()—and over 700 smaller islands. It is the sixth-largest island count ...
constabulary killed the paramount chief Tupua Tamasese Lealofi III
Tupua Tamasese Lealofi-o-ā'ana III (4 May 1901 – 29 December 1929) was a paramount chief of Samoa, holder of the Tupua Tamasese dynastic title and became the leader of the country's pro-independence Mau movement from early 1928 until his assa ...
.
During World War II
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...
the United States Navy
The United States Navy (USN) is the maritime service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. It is the largest and most powerful navy in the world, with the estimated tonnage ...
built and operated Naval Base Upolu
Naval Base Upolu was a naval base built by the United States Navy in 1942 to support the World War II effort. The base was located on Upolu Island, Samoa in the Western Pacific Ocean, part of the Samoan Islands's Naval Base Samoa. After the A ...
from 1941 to 1944.
Geography
Apia is situated on a natural harbour at the mouth of the Vaisigano River
The Vaisigano River is a river on Upolu, one of the two main islands of Samoa. It is one of several rivers and streams which flow through the nation's capital, Apia
Apia () is the capital and largest city of Samoa, as well as the nation's ...
. It is on a narrow coastal plain with Mount Vaea
Mount Vaea is a 472 m summit overlooking Apia, the capital of Samoa located on the north central coast of Upolu island. The mountain is situated south about 3 km inland from Apia township and harbour. The settlement at the foothills o ...
(elevation ), the burial place of writer Robert Louis Stevenson
Robert Louis Stevenson (born Robert Lewis Balfour Stevenson; 13 November 1850 – 3 December 1894) was a Scottish novelist, essayist, poet and travel writer. He is best known for works such as ''Treasure Island'', ''Strange Case of Dr Jekyll a ...
, directly to its south. Two main ridges run south on either side of the Vaisigano River, with roads on each. The more western of these is Cross Island Road, one of the few roads cutting north to south across the middle of the island to the south coast of Upolu.
Climate
Apia features a tropical rainforest climate
A tropical rainforest climate, humid tropical climate or equatorial climate is a tropical climate sub-type usually found within 10 to 15 degrees latitude of the equator. There are some other areas at higher latitudes, such as the coast of southea ...
(''Af'' according to the Köppen climate classification
The Köppen climate classification is one of the most widely used climate classification systems. It was first published by German-Russian climatologist Wladimir Köppen (1846–1940) in 1884, with several later modifications by Köppen, notabl ...
) with consistent temperatures throughout the year. Nevertheless, the climate is not equatorial because the trade wind
The trade winds or easterlies are the permanent east-to-west prevailing winds that flow in the Earth's equatorial region. The trade winds blow mainly from the northeast in the Northern Hemisphere and from the southeast in the Southern Hemisph ...
s are the dominant aerological mechanism and besides there are a few cyclone
In meteorology, a cyclone () is a large air mass that rotates around a strong center of low atmospheric pressure, counterclockwise in the Northern Hemisphere and clockwise in the Southern Hemisphere as viewed from above (opposite to an anti ...
s. Apia's driest months are July and August when on average about of rain falls. Its wettest months are December through March when average monthly precipitation easily exceeds . Apia's average temperature for the year is . Apia averages roughly of rainfall annually.
Administration
Apia is part of the Tuamasaga
Tuamāsaga is a district of Samoa, with a population (2016 Census) of 95,907. The geographic area of Tuamasaga covers the central part of Upolu island.
History & Politics
Malie & the Malietoa
The paramount ''matai'' title of Tuamasaga is the M ...
political district
An electoral district, also known as an election district, legislative district, voting district, constituency, riding, ward, division, or (election) precinct is a subdivision of a larger state (a country, administrative region, or other polit ...
and of election district
An electoral district, also known as an election district, legislative district, voting district, constituency, riding, ward, division, or (election) precinct is a subdivision of a larger state (a country, administrative region, or other polity ...
Vaimauga West and Faleata East. There is no city administration for Apia, as it consists of some 45 individual, independent villages. Apia proper is just a small village between the mouths of the Vaisigano
Vaisigano is a political district at the western tip of Savai'i island in Samoa. The capital of the district is Asau.
This area is also referred to as 'Itu Asau' (Asau district) in the Samoan language.
The population of Vaisigano is 6,543 ( ...
(east) and Mulivai (west) rivers, and is framed by Vaisigano and Mulivai villages, together constituting "Downtown
''Downtown'' is a term primarily used in North America by English speakers to refer to a city's sometimes commercial, cultural and often the historical, political and geographic heart. It is often synonymous with its central business distric ...
Apia".
The ''Planning and Urban Management Act 2004'' was passed by parliament to better plan for the urban growth of Samoa's built-up areas, with particular reference to the future urban management of Apia. The city's historical haphazard growth from village to colonial trading post to the major financial and business centre of the country has resulted in major infrastructural problems in the city. Problems of flooding are commonplace in the wet season, given the low flood-prone valley that the city is built on. In the inner-city village of Sogi, there are major shoreline pollution and effluent issues given that the village is situated on swamplands. The disparate village administrations of Apia has resulted in a lack of a unified and codified legislative approach to sewerage
Sewerage (or sewage system) is the infrastructure that conveys sewage or surface runoff (stormwater, meltwater, rainwater) using sewers. It encompasses components such as receiving drainage, drains, manholes, pumping stations, storm overflows, a ...
disposal. The relatively increase of vehicle ownership has resulted in traffic congestion in the inner city streets and the need for major projects in road-widening and traffic management. The PUMA legislation sets up the Planning Urban Management Authority to manage better the unique planning issues facing Apia's urban growth.
City features
Mulinu'u
Mulinu'u is a small village situated on a tiny peninsula on Upolu island in Samoa. It became the site of the colonial administration in Samoa in the 1870s and continues to be the site for the Parliament of Samoa. It is located on the central nort ...
, the old ceremonial capital, lies at the city's western end, and is the location of the Parliament House (''Maota Fono''), and the historic observatory built during the German era is now the meteorology office.
The historic Catholic
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.3 billion baptized Catholics worldwide . It is among the world's oldest and largest international institutions, and has played a ...
cathedral in Apia, the Immaculate Conception of Mary Cathedral, was dedicated 31 December 1867. It was pulled down mid-2011, reportedly due to structural damage from the earthquake of September 2009. A new cathedral was built and dedicated 31 May 2014.
An area of reclaimed land jutting into the harbour is the site of the Fiame Mataafa Faumuina Mulinuu II (FMFM II) building, the multi-storey government offices named after the first Prime Minister of Samoa, and the Central Bank of Samoa. A clock tower erected as a war memorial acts as a central point for the city. The new market (''maketi fou'') is inland at Fugalei, where it is more protected from the effects of cyclone
In meteorology, a cyclone () is a large air mass that rotates around a strong center of low atmospheric pressure, counterclockwise in the Northern Hemisphere and clockwise in the Southern Hemisphere as viewed from above (opposite to an anti ...
s. Apia still has some of the early, wooden, colonial buildings which remain scattered around the town, most notably the old courthouse from the German colonial era, with a museum on the upper floor (the new courthouse is in Mulinu'u). Recent infrastructural development and economic growth has seen several multi-storey buildings rise in the city. The ACC building (2001) houses the Accident Compensation Board, the National Bank of Samoa, and some government departments. The mall below it is home to shops and eateries. The Samoatel building (2004) which is the site for Samoa's international telecommunications hub, was built inland at Maluafou, also to protect it from the effects of seasonal cyclones. The DBS building (2007) in Savalalo houses the Development Bank of Samoa and new courts complex in Mulinuu, with the district, supreme, and land & titles courts (2010). The Tui Atua Tupua Tamasese Building (2012) in Sogi houses government ministries. Another addition to Apia's skyline is the SNPF Molesi shopping mall, opened in 2013. A new hospital complex was completed at Mot'ootua.
Scottish-born writer Robert Louis Stevenson
Robert Louis Stevenson (born Robert Lewis Balfour Stevenson; 13 November 1850 – 3 December 1894) was a Scottish novelist, essayist, poet and travel writer. He is best known for works such as ''Treasure Island'', ''Strange Case of Dr Jekyll a ...
spent the last four years of his life here, and is buried on Mt Vaea, overlooking both the city and the home he built, Vailima, now a museum in his honour. He made Samoa his home. A Samoan at heart, his Samoan name was Tusitala, meaning Teller of Tales.
Falemata'aga - Museum of Samoa
Falemata'aga - The Museum of Samoa is the national museum of Samoa. It is housed in a former school which was built by the German colonial administration.
Background
The museum is located in Apia and is housed in the oldest building on the isl ...
is located in a former German colonial school in the city.
The Bahá’í House of Worship
A place of worship is a specially designed structure or space where individuals or a group of people such as a congregation come to perform acts of devotion, veneration, or religious study. A building constructed or used for this purpose is somet ...
for the Pacific is located in Apia, one of only eight continental Bahá’í Houses of Worship. Designed by architect Hossein Amanat
Hossein Amanat ( fa, حسین امانت, born 1942) is an Iranian-Canadian architect. He is best known for being the architect of the Shahyad Tower (renamed as Azadi Tower after the 1979 revolution) in Tehran, Iran, the Baháʼí Arc buildin ...
and opened in 1984, it serves the island as a gathering space for people of all backgrounds and religions to meditate, reflect, and pray together.
Economy
Talofa Airways
Talofa Airways is a Samoan airline that offers flights within the Polynesian region. It started operations in August 2016 using two Rockwell 690B Turbo Commander aircraft. Talofa Airways is the third airline based in Samoa, after Samoa Air and ...
, Samoa Airways
Samoa Airways, formerly Polynesian Airlines, is the state-owned flag carrier airline of Samoa.
The airline was founded in 1959 as "Polynesian Airlines", providing domestic and international flights throughout the South Pacific. International ope ...
, and Samoa Air
Samoa Air was a small airline from Samoa that operated scheduled flights between the domestic islands as well as to American Samoa. It also provided charter flights and medical transfer flights. The airline appears to have become dormant in 2015 ...
have their headquarters in Apia. Grey Investment Group has its headquarters in downtown Apia. This company also owned the first private National Bank of Samoa
The National Bank of Samoa is a locally owned and private bank in Samoa.
History
Creation of the bank was proposed in March 1994 by Luamanuvae Dick Meredith, a successful Samoan businessman, Fa'amatai, matai and entrepreneur. In November of that ...
in Samoa, with Grey Investment Group, Samoa Artisan Water Company Ltd and Apia Bottling Company Ltd as shareholders. Grey Investment owns a multitude of commercial and residential property investments throughout Samoa and New Zealand.
Thirty per cent of the businesses in downtown Apia are owned by one Chinese family. Ten per cent of the downtown businesses are owned by Europeans
Europeans are the focus of European ethnology, the field of anthropology related to the various ethnic groups that reside in the states of Europe. Groups may be defined by common genetic ancestry, common language, or both. Pan and Pfeil (2004) ...
, while the other 60% are owned by the local community.
Transport
Apia Harbour is by far the largest and busiest harbour in Samoa
Samoa, officially the Independent State of Samoa; sm, Sāmoa, and until 1997 known as Western Samoa, is a Polynesian island country consisting of two main islands (Savai'i and Upolu); two smaller, inhabited islands (Manono Island, Manono an ...
. International shipping with containers, LPG gas, and fuels all dock here. Ferries to Tokelau
Tokelau (; ; known previously as the Union Islands, and, until 1976, known officially as the Tokelau Islands) is a dependent territory of New Zealand in the southern Pacific Ocean. It consists of three tropical coral atolls: Atafu, Nukunonu, a ...
and American Samoa
American Samoa ( sm, Amerika Sāmoa, ; also ' or ') is an unincorporated territory of the United States located in the South Pacific Ocean, southeast of the island country of Samoa. Its location is centered on . It is east of the International ...
depart from here.
Apia is served by a good road network, which is generally kept reasonably well maintained. Most of the main roads are sealed; the unsealed roads have lower use. Vehicles drive on the left-hand side of the road since 7 September 2009.
The Samoan government started the second phase of a major upgrading of arterial routes around the Apia Urban Area in 2012, with incremental widening of major roads around the city.
The country has no trains or trams, but is served by an extensive, privatised bus and taxi system. People commonly walk around the town, or even some distances outside it. There are few bicycles and motorcycles, but traffic congestion due to a huge increase in vehicle ownership has necessitated a major upgrade in road infrastructure.
Fagali'i Airport
Fagali'i Airport is a disused airport located in Fagali'i, Samoa. It has operated intermittently since 1970.
History
In 1939 the New Zealand colonial administration decided to construct two military airfields in Samoa, one each for land- and ...
, the small airstrip in Fagali'i
Fagali'i or Fagali'i-uta is a village on the island of Upolu in the Samoa archipelago approximately 5 kilometres south-east of Apia. It is in the electoral constituency of Vaimauga East (''faipule district'') which forms part of the larger politica ...
, is used for internal flights and some international flights to Pago Pago
Pago Pago ( ; Samoan: )Harris, Ann G. and Esther Tuttle (2004). ''Geology of National Parks''. Kendall Hunt. Page 604. . is the territorial capital of American Samoa. It is in Maoputasi County on Tutuila, which is American Samoa's main island. ...
in American Samoa
American Samoa ( sm, Amerika Sāmoa, ; also ' or ') is an unincorporated territory of the United States located in the South Pacific Ocean, southeast of the island country of Samoa. Its location is centered on . It is east of the International ...
. The main international airport, Faleolo International Airport
Faleolo International Airport is an airport located west of Apia, the capital of Samoa.
Until 1984, Faleolo could not accommodate jets larger than a Boeing 737. Services to the United States, Australia, or New Zealand, could only land at Pago P ...
, is a 40-minute drive west of the city. Samoa's major domestic airlines, Polynesian Airlines and Talofa Airways, service this airport.
Education
Apia is home to a number of pre-schools, primary, secondary and post-secondary institutions, including Samoa's only university, the National University of Samoa
The National University of Samoa (''Lē Iunivesitē Aoao o Sāmoa'') is the only national university in Samoa. Established in 1984 by an act of parliament, it is coeducational and provides certificate, diploma, and undergraduate degree programs, as ...
. In addition, the University of the South Pacific
The University of the South Pacific (USP) is a public university, public research university with locations spread throughout a dozen countries in Oceania. Established in 1968, the university is organised as an intergovernmental organisation and ...
School of Agriculture maintains a campus at Alafua Alafua is an Urban area, urban village in the Faleata District in the Samoan capital of Apia.
Alafua had 1,347 residents according to the 2016 census. The village is home to the Samoan campus of the University of the South Pacific. It is also near ...
, on the outskirts of Apia. Another major School
A school is an educational institution designed to provide learning spaces and learning environments for the teaching of students under the direction of teachers. Most countries have systems of formal education, which is sometimes compuls ...
in Apia is Robert Louis Stevenson School which is a private primary and secondary school. Robert Louis Stevenson school is known as Samoa's upper class
Upper class in modern societies is the social class composed of people who hold the highest social status, usually are the wealthiest members of class society, and wield the greatest political power. According to this view, the upper class is gen ...
school, due to many children of Samoa's wealthy classes attending it.
Universities
* National University of Samoa
The National University of Samoa (''Lē Iunivesitē Aoao o Sāmoa'') is the only national university in Samoa. Established in 1984 by an act of parliament, it is coeducational and provides certificate, diploma, and undergraduate degree programs, as ...
* University of the South Pacific
The University of the South Pacific (USP) is a public university, public research university with locations spread throughout a dozen countries in Oceania. Established in 1968, the university is organised as an intergovernmental organisation and ...
* Oceania University of Medicine
Oceania University of Medicine (OUM) is a Samoan-chartered medical school operated through a public-private partnership between the Government of Samoa and e-Medical Education, LLC, a Florida-based company. The OUM curriculum is divided into two ...
Colleges in Upolu Island
* LDS Church College of Pesega, Pesega
* Faatuatua Christian College, Vaitele Fou
* Leififi College, Leififi
* Leulumoega-fou College, Malua
* Maluafou College, Maluafou
* Saint Joseph's College, Alafua
* Saint Mary's College, Vaimoso
* Samoa College, Vaivase Tai
* Seventh Day Adventist College, Lalovaea
* Robert Louis Stevenson College, Tafaigata
* Wesley College, Faleula
* Nuuausala College, Nofoalii
* Paul V1 College, Leulumoega Tuai
* Chanel College, Moamoa
* Avele College, Vailima
* Lepa Lotofaga College
* Palalaua College, Siumu
* Aleipata College
* Anoamaa College
* Falealili Coleege
* Safata College
* Aana No. 1 College
* Aana No. 2 College
* Sagaga College
Colleges in Savaii Island
* Tuasivi College
* LDS Church College of Vaiola
* Wesleyan College (Uesiliana)
* Don Bosco College
* Itu O Tane College
* Palauli college
* Palauli I Sisifo College
* Amoa College
* Vaimauga College
* Papauta Girls College
*Mataevave College
Primary schools
Most of the villages have their own primary schools, but the Churches run most of the primary schools in downtown Apia.
* Robert Louis Stevenson School, Lotopa
* Marist Brothers' School, Mulivai
* Saint Mary's School, Savalalo
* Peace Chapel School, Vaimea
* Apia Baptist School, Aai o Niue
* Seventh-day Adventist primary school, Lalovaea
* All Saints Anglican School, Malifa
Sport
Pacific Games
Apia hosted the Pacific Games
The Pacific Games (French: Jeux du Pacifique), is a continental multi-sport event held every four years among athletes from Oceania. The inaugural Games took place in 1963 in Suva, Fiji, and most recently in 2019 in Apia, Samoa. The Games were ...
in 1983 for the first time in the country's history. The Games returned to Apia for the 2007 Pacific Games
The 2007 South Pacific Games were held in Apia, Samoa, from 25 August to 8 September 2007. The Games were the thirteenth to be held since the inception of the South Pacific Games in 1963, and included traditional multi-sport event disciplines, su ...
, in which Samoa
Samoa, officially the Independent State of Samoa; sm, Sāmoa, and until 1997 known as Western Samoa, is a Polynesian island country consisting of two main islands (Savai'i and Upolu); two smaller, inhabited islands (Manono Island, Manono an ...
finished third. A crowd of 20,000 attended the 2007 Games closing ceremony at Apia Park
Apia Park is a multi-function sports complex located in Apia, the capital of Samoa. Primarily used for rugby union events, Apia Park is the home stadium of the Samoa national rugby union team, Manu Samoa. It is also a venue for association footbal ...
.
Association football
Apia hosted the Oceania
Oceania (, , ) is a region, geographical region that includes Australasia, Melanesia, Micronesia, and Polynesia. Spanning the Eastern Hemisphere, Eastern and Western Hemisphere, Western hemispheres, Oceania is estimated to have a land area of ...
region's qualification matches for the 2010 FIFA World Cup
, image = 2010 FIFA World Cup.svg
, size = 200px
, caption = ''Ke Nako. (Tswana and Sotho for "It's time") Celebrate Africa's Humanity'It's time. Celebrate Africa's Humanity'' (English)''Dis tyd. Vier Afrika se mensd ...
. As such, Apia was the location of the first goal scored in the 2010 qualifiers, by Pierre Wajoka
Pierre Wajoka (born 19 December 1978) is a retired New Caledonian footballer who played as a midfielder
He played one year for AS Lössi, the club representing his custom area. In 2011, he moved to Gaïtcha FCN. He is known for scoring the fir ...
of New Caledonia
)
, anthem = ""
, image_map = New Caledonia on the globe (small islands magnified) (Polynesia centered).svg
, map_alt = Location of New Caledonia
, map_caption = Location of New Caledonia
, mapsize = 290px
, subdivision_type = Sovereign st ...
against Tahiti
Tahiti (; Tahitian ; ; previously also known as Otaheite) is the largest island of the Windward group of the Society Islands in French Polynesia. It is located in the central part of the Pacific Ocean and the nearest major landmass is Austr ...
. The qualification matches commenced on 27 August 2007 and finished on 7 September 2007. All matches were played at the Toleafoa J.S. Blatter Complex
The National Soccer Stadium is a football stadium located in Apia, Samoa. It is the national stadium of Samoa and the home of the Samoa national football team and the Samoa National League. It also was the venue for the 2012 OFC Nations Cup Qu ...
, which is named after FIFA
FIFA (; stands for ''Fédération Internationale de Football Association'' ( French), meaning International Association Football Federation ) is the international governing body of association football, beach football and futsal. It was found ...
president Sepp Blatter
Joseph "Sepp" Blatter (born Josef Blatter; 10 March 1936) is a Swiss former football administrator who served as the eighth President of FIFA from 1998 to 2015. He has been banned from participating in FIFA activities since 2015 as a result of ...
.
The complex, based in Apia, is also the venue of the Samoa national football team
The Samoa national association football team ( sm, Sāmoa soka au) represents Samoa in men's international football and it is controlled by the Football Federation Samoa, the governing body for football in Samoa. Samoa's home ground is Toleafo ...
's home matches and has a capacity of 3,500.
Judo
The capital also hosted from 2009 to 2012 the IJF Judo World Cup, which was downgraded in 2013 to become a regional tournament called the 'Oceania Open'.
Cricket
Apia hosted the 2012 ICC World Cricket League Division Eight
The 2012 ICC World Cricket League Division Eight was a cricket tournament which took place on 15–22 September 2012 in Samoa. It formed part of the World Cricket League and 2019 Cricket World Cup qualifying. tournament at the Faleata Oval's, which consists of four cricket
Cricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of eleven players on a field at the centre of which is a pitch with a wicket at each end, each comprising two bails balanced on three stumps. The batting side scores runs by striki ...
grounds. The national teams of Samoa
Samoa, officially the Independent State of Samoa; sm, Sāmoa, and until 1997 known as Western Samoa, is a Polynesian island country consisting of two main islands (Savai'i and Upolu); two smaller, inhabited islands (Manono Island, Manono an ...
, Belgium
Belgium, ; french: Belgique ; german: Belgien officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a country in Northwestern Europe. The country is bordered by the Netherlands to the north, Germany to the east, Luxembourg to the southeast, France to th ...
, Japan
Japan ( ja, 日本, or , and formally , ''Nihonkoku'') is an island country in East Asia. It is situated in the northwest Pacific Ocean, and is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan, while extending from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north ...
, Suriname
Suriname (; srn, Sranankondre or ), officially the Republic of Suriname ( nl, Republiek Suriname , srn, Ripolik fu Sranan), is a country on the northeastern Atlantic coast of South America. It is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the north ...
, Ghana
Ghana (; tw, Gaana, ee, Gana), officially the Republic of Ghana, is a country in West Africa. It abuts the Gulf of Guinea and the Atlantic Ocean to the south, sharing borders with Ivory Coast in the west, Burkina Faso in the north, and To ...
, Bhutan
Bhutan (; dz, འབྲུག་ཡུལ་, Druk Yul ), officially the Kingdom of Bhutan,), is a landlocked country in South Asia. It is situated in the Eastern Himalayas, between China in the north and India in the south. A mountainous ...
, Norway
Norway, officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic country in Northern Europe, the mainland territory of which comprises the western and northernmost portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula. The remote Arctic island of Jan Mayen and t ...
and Vanuatu
Vanuatu ( or ; ), officially the Republic of Vanuatu (french: link=no, République de Vanuatu; bi, Ripablik blong Vanuatu), is an island country located in the South Pacific Ocean. The archipelago, which is of volcanic origin, is east of no ...
took part. It was the first time a tournament officially sanctioned by the International Cricket Council
The International Cricket Council (ICC) is the world governing body of cricket. Headquartered in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, its members are List of International Cricket Council members, 108 national associations, with 12 List of Internation ...
had been held in the region.
Basketball
Apia hosted the 2018 FIBA Polynesia Basketball Cup where Samoa's national basketball team
Samoa national basketball team is the team that represents Samoa in international basketball and is a member of FIBA Oceania.
Competitive record
FIBA Asia Cup
''never participated''
FIBA Oceania Championships
Pacific Games
* 1983:
* ...
finished runner-up.
Sister cities
* Shenzhen
Shenzhen (; ; ; ), also historically known as Sham Chun, is a major sub-provincial city and one of the special economic zones of China. The city is located on the east bank of the Pearl River estuary on the central coast of southern province ...
, Guangdong
Guangdong (, ), alternatively romanized as Canton or Kwangtung, is a coastal province in South China on the north shore of the South China Sea. The capital of the province is Guangzhou. With a population of 126.01 million (as of 2020) ...
, China (2015)
* Compton, California
Compton is a city in southern Los Angeles County, California, United States, situated south of downtown Los Angeles. Compton is one of the oldest cities in the county and, on May 11, 1888, was the eighth city in Los Angeles County to incorporat ...
, United States (2010)
See also
* 1889 Apia cyclone
The 1889 Apia cyclone was a tropical cyclone in the South Pacific Ocean, which swept across Apia, Samoa on March 15, 1889, during the Samoan crisis. The effect on shipping in the harbour was devastating, largely because of what has been described ...
References
External links
View of Apia, the Capital of Samoa, One of the Islands in the Pacific Ocean
from ''Harper's Weekly
''Harper's Weekly, A Journal of Civilization'' was an American political magazine based in New York City. Published by Harper & Brothers from 1857 until 1916, it featured foreign and domestic news, fiction, essays on many subjects, and humor, ...
'', 12 January 1895 by D.J. Kennedy, the Historical Society of Pennsylvania
{{Authority control
Capitals in Oceania
Port cities in Oceania
Populated places in Tuamasaga
1850s establishments in Oceania
Populated places established in the 1850s