SAMOA

group of islands and islets in the south-central Pacific Ocean about 1,600 miles (2,600 km) northeast of New Zealand. American Samoa (q.v.), a dependency of the United States, consists of the six islands east of the 171 meridian, including Tutuila. Western Samoa (q.v.), an independent nation (since 1962), consists of the nine islands west of the meridian, including Savai'i and Upolu.