5W0LM Team will be active from Samoa, IOTA OC - 045, 1 - 14 October 2023.
Team - 9A7Y, 9A2NY, S50B, 9A3MR.
Recent DX Spots 5W0LM
5W0LM Log search They will operate on 160 - 6m, CW, SSB, FT8.
QSL via 9A3MR.
Samoa is an independent island nation in the Pacific Ocean
Samoa (full name: Independent State of Samoa) is an island nation located in the South Pacific waters. Samoa consists of four inhabited islands (two large ones, Upolu and Savaii, and two smaller ones, Sanono and Apolima), and five smaller uninhabited islands. The favorable weather conditions, beautiful tropical nature and developed infrastructure of the islands make them an attractive destination for tourists from all over the world. Each season, the flow of visitors only increases, aided in no small part by the actions of the local authorities to improve the conditions for recreation.
5W0LM Samoa DX Pedition Logo.
Nature of Samoa
All the islands are of volcanic origin and are part of the same range. The terrain on the islands is predominantly mountainous with an abundance of small rivers, and the coastlines are partially rugged with cliffs. The highest points are on the islands of Savaii and Upolu, Mount Silisili and Mount Fito, respectively. On the island of Savaii is an active volcano called Matawanu, whose last major eruption was in 1902.
The climate is tropical, high humidity, and high temperatures all year round, with only a couple of degrees difference between winter and summer. The rainy season is from November to April and is often accompanied by hurricanes.
The composition of the land is favorable for agriculture, but due to the mountainous nature of the terrain, only a quarter of the land is used for agriculture. Almost half of the surface of the islands is covered by dense tropical forests, which in some areas have been artificially replaced by plantations of coconut palms.
The animal world is not diverse - you can admire the variety of birds, of which there are more than 50 species, 16 of which are rare, in particular the toothy-billed pigeon. The world of insects, of which there is a great variety, is also very diverse. Adjacent waters are rich in fish, octopus, crabs, not uncommon tuna, mackerel and sharks (the latter live in deep waters, and in the immediate vicinity of the shore there is little chance to meet it).
Apia, Samoa. Author - Rory Shimmin.
Discovery of the islands and the long road to independence
According to archaeological research, the first people in Samoa appeared more than 2.5 thousand years ago, but Europeans discovered the territory in 1722, when a team of Dutch explorers led by Jacob Roggeven landed on the shores of one of the islands. Later the islands were repeatedly visited by the French, among them the famous explorer of the time, J.F.La Perouse, who determined the coordinates of the islands that make up the archipelago.
However, the real development of communication with the outside world contributed to the arrival of missionaries from England and the Americans in the 30s of the 19th century. The latter began to study the nature of the islands. By the second half of the 19th century, an active struggle for influence in the archipelago between Britain, the United States and Germany. The conflict was settled peacefully in 1900 in Berlin, where all the parties to the conflict signed an agreement dividing the archipelago into two parts, with the eastern islands going to the United States and the western ones to Germany.
In 1914, the German part of Samoa was taken over by New Zealand, and 15 years later, by decision of the League of Nations, the territory officially became the New Zealand State. After this event, Western Samoa's rapid road to independence began, with the establishment of the main government organs - the parliament, the cabinet, and the drafting and adoption of a constitution. On 1 January 1962, Western Samoa became independent and the first sovereign state in Oceania. Today, the Independent State of Samoa is part of the Commonwealth under the United Kingdom.
Apia, Samoa. Author - Chris Guillebeau.
Samoa's economic development
The backbone of Samoa's economy is agriculture, which employs at least 65% of the population. Coconuts, cocoa beans, bananas, yams and taro are grown on the islands, all of which are exported in large quantities. Industry is underdeveloped and involves only 5% of all the islanders - it is the production of clothing for domestic needs, souvenirs, processing of raw agricultural materials. The rest of the population works in the field of tourism, which is well developed here.
Economic ties are best established with Great Britain, New Zealand, Fiji. Trade ships come to the largest port of the country Apia. The international airport Faleolo is situated near the port.
The official currency is the tala (or Samoan dollar), which is equal to 100 sen.
Features of the Samoan population
Over 90% of the total population of the islands are Samoans, who are ethnically Polynesian. The rest of the inhabitants are mestizo Samoans and Europeans, and there is a small percentage of Europeans. There are two official languages - English and Samoan. By the way, the Samoan script is based on Latin script.
Education on the islands is given increased attention; there is a sufficient number of public educational institutions capable of covering the entire population of the country. This good tradition began with the English missionaries, who were able to instill in the islanders a love of writing and reading.
Religious beliefs are divided into Protestants (49 percent) and Catholics (45 percent), with small numbers of Mormons and Seventh-day Adventists.
One of the ancient traditions that has remained intact is the formation of family communities that can number up to fifty people. All members of the community live in a common settlement, own common land, and manage their households together. The community is headed by an elected leader, the matai.
