Apia

Apia, population 38,800 (2001), is the capital of Samoa. The city is located on the northern coast of Upolu Island. It is the nation's major port and only city. Fish, and copra are the country's major exports, and cotton goods, motor vehicles, meats, and sugar are the major imports. Download high resolution version (1072x1331, 255 KB)Map of the city of Apia, Samoa. ... Download high resolution version (1072x1331, 255 KB)Map of the city of Apia, Samoa. ... 2001: A Space Odyssey. ... In politics, a capital (also called capital city or political capital — although the latter phrase has an alternative meaning based on an alternative meaning of capital) is the principal city or town associated with its government. ... Samoa In Polynesian mythology (specifically Samoan), Upolu is the first woman on the island of the same name. ... Atlantic herring, Clupea harengus: one of the most abundant species of fish in the world. ... Copra is the dried meat, or kernel, of the coconut. ... Cotton ready for harvest. ... Various meats Cold Meat Salad Meat, in its broadest modern definition, is all animal tissue intended to be used as food. ... Magnified view of refined sugar crystals. ...

Location

Apia (13°50′S 171°50′W) is situated on a natural harbour at the mouth of the Vaisigano River. It is on a narrow coastal plain with Mount Vaea (Elev. 472 m) 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 which is one of the few roads crossing to the south coast of Upolu.

City features

Apia at dawn.

Mulinu'u, the old ceremonial capital, lies at the city's western end and is the location of the Parliament House (Fale Fono) as well as the historic observatory which is now the meteorology office. Download high resolution version (2560x1920, 947 KB)Photograph by --CloudSurfer 06:12, 3 Oct 2004 (UTC) File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Download high resolution version (2560x1920, 947 KB)Photograph by --CloudSurfer 06:12, 3 Oct 2004 (UTC) File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ...

An area of reclaimed land jutting into the harbour is the site of the multistorey Government Offices and the Central Bank of Samoa. In the centre of the city is a clock tower erected as a war memorial. Apia has a number of multistorey buildings of recent origin but there are still some of the early, wooden, colonial buildings scattered around the town, most notably the courthouse with the museum on the upper floor. After years of neglect, this building wasafts. The new market (maketi fou) is inland a bit at Fugalei where it is more protected from the effects of cyclones. Radar image of a tropical cyclone in the northern hemisphere. ...

Writer Robert Louis Stevenson spent the last 4 years of his life here and is buried on Mt. Vaea overlooking both the city and the home he built, "Vailima", which is now a museum in his honour. Robert Louis Stevenson Robert Louis (Balfour) Stevenson (November 13, 1850 – December 3, 1894), was a Scottish novelist, poet, and travel writer, a leading representative of Neo-romanticism in English literature. ... External link Samoa Breweries Limited (producers of Vailima Beer) Categories: Stub | Brands of beer ...

Transport

Apia Harbour at dawn, during the independence celebrations of 2003.

Apia harbour is by far the largest and busiest harbour in Samoa. International shipping with containers, LPG gas and fuels all dock here. Ferries to Tokelau and American Samoa 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 with the few unsealed roads having lower use. Vehicles drive on the right-hand side of the road. Speed limits are 25 mph near the centre of town and 35 mph in the rest of the country with a 15 mph limit in special circumstances. The country has no trains or trams but is served with an extensive bus service. It is common for people to walk around the town or even for some distances outside it. There are few bicycles and motorcycles. There are increasing numbers of privately owned cars. Taxis are a common form of transport. Apia has a small airstrip (Fagali'i) which is used for internal flights and some international flights to Pago Pago in American Samoa. The main international airport (Faleolo) is a 40 minute drive west of the city. Download high resolution version (980x216, 50 KB)Apia harbour at dawn during independence celebrations 2003. ... Download high resolution version (980x216, 50 KB)Apia harbour at dawn during independence celebrations 2003. ... Pago Pago, pronounced PAHNG-oh PAHNG-oh, is the capital of American Samoa, a territory of the United States of America. ...

Housing

This is a mixture of old colonial houses and more modern western style houses interspersed with some traditional Samoan houses (fale).