While it has not been completely proven, most anthropologists feel that Samoa, like the rest of Polynesia, was originally settled some 3,000 years ago by East Indians. The Samoans themselves believe that Samoa was actually the cradle of the South Pacific population. By the mid 1700s European trading ships were arriving at the islands. Over the next 250 years, Samoa was occupied by a combination of the Germans, British and Americans. Samoans, however, are a very independent race and have always struggled for their freedom. Because Samoa and American Samoa are islands, they have always been very dependent on their seaports.
Apia is the capital of Samoa. Apia has a population of just under 40,000. It lies on the northern coast of Upolu Island. It is the largest and busiest port in Samoa. Ships bearing manufactured goods arrive and exchange these goods for local Samoan products. Most of Samoa's exports are tropical agricultural food products. These include bananas, cocoa, dried coconut meat and coffee. Apia handles 97 percent of all international trade coming to Samoa. The majority of traffic consists of container ships, which regularly arrive from Australia, the United States, Japan and Europe. Occasionally a passenger cruise ship or oil tanker cruising the South Pacific will make a call at Apia.
Pago Pago is the only commercial seaport in American Samoa. It is a small town of about 15,000 inhabitants located at the end of a beautiful deep-water harbor. This harbor was formed by a volcano that collapsed into the sea. It is considered to be one of the best deep-water ports in the Pacific. It runs deep into the island of Tutuila and offers protection against the fierce South Pacific storms. Europeans and Americans have used this port since the 1700s. During World War II the Japanese bombed the American fleet anchored there. You can find a tuna canning factory in Pago Pago, which exports its product from the seaport.
Apia and Pago Pago are the only two commercial seaports handling international trade in the Samoan islands. Some of the villages on Samoa and America Samoa have wharfs that extend into the sea and can off-load small coastal cargo vessels. One example is Saleologa on the island of Savaii in Samoa. There is also an airport in the village. Paloa in American Samoa is another example of a village that can receive goods from small vessels.
