Population and Demographics of Samoa
Population changed +0.63% in 2024 · median age 20 years
Age composition is uneven, with 38.46% below age 15 versus 5.88% at 65 and above; the working-age group accounts for 55.66%. Under the UN medium scenario, the 2050 total is 272.7 thousand, a 25.1% increase from 2024.
Population Over Time in Samoa
The 2000 to 2024 record shows Samoa moving from 0.182M people to 0.218M, a 20.0% increase. By 2050, the medium path reaches 0.273M, which would make the population larger than in 2024. The chart connects dated reference points only and should not be read as an annual interpolated series.
Age Structure and Sex Balance
The balance between children, working-age adults and older residents gives Samoa a very young age profile. The youngest broad age group represents 38.46% of residents, against 5.88% in the 65+ group; the working-age band is 55.66%. The age balance is weighted toward younger residents.
Population by broad age group
Samoa's 2024 population is 49.6% female and 50.4% male in the World Bank series. Males exceed females by 0.8 percentage points.
Female and male population share
Males made up 50.4% of the population in the World Bank's 2024 series, compared with 49.6% females.
What Is Shaping Population Change
For Samoa, the latest annual population movement is +0.63%, compared with fertility of 3.8, while the 15-to-64 share is 55.66% and the under-15 share is 38.46%.
By 2024, Samoa had shifted +20.0% from its 2000 population level, and the 2050 medium path differs from 2024 by +25.1%; interpreting the components of that change requires evidence not supplied by the aggregate series.
2024 estimate for Samoa. The world comparison value is 2.25 children per woman.
Samoa vs. World
Three same-year indicators show where Samoa differs from the world in 2024: population change is lower than the global rate, fertility is above the global figure, and median age is younger than the world benchmark.
| Indicator | Samoa | World | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Annual population change | +0.63% | +0.87% | 2024 |
| Total fertility rate | 3.8 | 2.25 | 2024 |
| Median age | 20 | 30.6 | 2024 |
To keep the comparison defensible, all three indicators come from one harmonized 2024 table that attributes the demographic series to UN WPP 2024.
Key Takeaways
Samoa has 218,019 people in the 2024 estimate, with the population changing +0.63% over the year.
Broad age shares show 5.88% aged 65+ compared with 38.46% under 15; the 15 to 64 group accounts for 55.66%.
The World Bank 2024 sex-share series is 49.6% female and 50.4% male.
On the medium path, 2050 reaches 0.273M, a +25.1% shift from the 2024 level.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the population of Samoa?
The 2024 harmonized population estimate for Samoa is 218,019 people.
Is the population of Samoa growing or declining?
In the 2024 estimate, Samoa's population is growing, with annual change of +0.63%.
What percentage of the population of Samoa is aged 65 or older?
People aged 65 or older account for 5.88% of Samoa's 2024 population in the UN WPP-based broad age data.
What is the projected population of Samoa in 2050?
The UN World Population Prospects 2024 medium projection puts Samoa's 2050 population at 272,726.
What is the fertility rate in Samoa?
The 2024 harmonized fertility estimate for Samoa is 3.8 children per woman.
Sources & methodology
This profile uses United Nations World Population Prospects 2024 as the primary framework for globally comparable population, age, fertility and projection data. The World Bank is the primary source for the female population share. Some country values were accessed through secondary retrieval interfaces that republish or organize UN data; those interfaces are identified below as secondary and are not treated as the original statistical publishers.
View sources used for this page
Primary global framework for the population estimates and projections.
Harmonized 2024 country table based on UN World Population Prospects 2024.
Harmonized broad age shares based on UN World Population Prospects 2024.
Harmonized reference for the 2000 population point.
Harmonized 2050 country projection based on UN World Population Prospects 2024.
Used for the 2024 female share; the male share is calculated as the remainder to 100%.