15 Spectacular Facts You Didn't Know About Samoa

Crystal clear lagoons, white sandy beaches, a rich cultural heritage, strong historical background coupled with Pacific-island lifestyle - that's what awaits you at Samoa!

The country of Samoa is made up of two main islands and 8 smaller islets in the South Pacific Ocean.

The country is about 1,093 sq miles in area!

The island just has one city i.e. the capital city of Apia! Located on Samoa's second-biggest island, Upolu, Apia's population was 37,000 as of 2014!

The climate of Samoa remains the same throughout the year. Being a tropical climatic country, Samoan climate is suitable for tourist visits throughout the year!

Though American Samoa is just 125 km away from Samoa, the time difference between the two islands is for real! With a 24 hr time gap, time travel gets a whole new meaning at these places.

The ancient pyramid of Pulemelei mound, that is believed to be built around 1100 to 1400 AD, is located in Samoa's Palauli district. The pyramid is made of natural basalt stones.

Houses in Samoa don't have walls and are oval or circular-shaped with a domed roof that is supported by wooden posts! The no-walls policy is to promote community bonding instead coconut palm leaves are used to protect inhabitants privacy and from bad weather.

About 37 species and subspecies of birds are found in the country with 87% of these are endemic to the country!

Few bird species like Samoan wood rail, Samoan tooth-billed pigeon, and the like are found only in Samoa.

Talk about being forward and Samoans lead the way and how! There's a third gender - the Fa’afafine, that's accepted and respected in the country. This gender is recognized based on their traditional skill sets!

As per WorldData.info, the Samoan male has a BMI of 30.5 which is 7th highest in the world while the Samoan woman has a BMI of 34.1 that is 2nd highest in the world.

Samoans are bigger people and believe in 'the bigger the better'!

Earlier when Samoa was a part of the German group during the WWI and later a part of New Zealand post-Germany's defeat in the war, the driving directions were to the right.  However, recently in 2011 after Samoa became independent, they changed the direction to left!

In 2011, Samoa skipped 30th December when they moved the International Date Line so that they can align with Australia and New Zealand, their trade partners!

The climate in Samoa is really hot and that explains the fact that you will find men wearing skirts known as the 'lava lava skirt'! It is a wrap-around skirt that is worn more than shorts or trousers by the Samoan men.

Tattoo making is big, booming business in the country as it is a part of the Samoan culture and is gender-specific! Men's tattoos are called Pe'a and are made up of geometric patterns that are drawn from knees up to the ribs. Women's tattoos are known Malu that covers the area just below the knee to the upper thighs!

The traditional meal of Umu that is mostly cooked on Sundays, is prepared by men! Cooked traditionally in an earthen oven, the dish is a delicacy of Samoa, that shouldn't be missed on your Samoa trip!