Upolu

Upolu Savaii is next to one of the two main islands of the State of Samoa in the South Pacific. The largest city on the island is the capital Apia on the north coast of the island.

Geography

The island was formerly a great basalt volcano, which is now completely overgrown. The entire island is surrounded by a coral reef. To the east of the island there is the 56 meter high waterfall Fuipisia. The O Le Pupue National Park on Upolu is one of the few national parks in the Pacific. In it are the summit of Mount Le Pue doppelkratrigen and Mount Fito, with 1,113 meters, the highest elevation of Upolu. The West Upolu consists largely of white sand and black rocks: Here is also the Return to Paradise beach, which was named after the movie with Gary Cooper. In the southwest of the island there are extensive, protected mangrove forests.

History

Upolu got its name, according to legend by the first woman who lived on this island. The island was discovered in 1722 by Dutchman Jacob Roggeveen for Europe. He gave her the name " Groningen " after the Dutch city of Groningen. Late 18th and early 19th century, the island also Ojalava or Ojolava was called.

End of the 19th century Robert Louis Stevenson lived on the island. He managed the Vailima Plantation until his death in 1894. Vailima The plantation was used as the official residence of the German governor after Upolu was in the year 1899 became part of the colony of German Samoa. During the First World War, the island of Great Britain was occupied and later handed over together with the other Western Samoa to New Zealand. On March 19, 1927, the second independence movement of the Mau a Pule was established against the New Zealand foreign rule on the island.

Population

The population is about 134,000 inhabitants live on (2001) of which about 37,000 in the capital Apia.

The island is divided into five districts; Aana, Aiga -i -le- Tai, Atua, Tuamasaga and Vaao - Fonoti.

The main airport is Faleolo International Airport in the Northwest. Fagali'i ( IATA code: FGI ), 5 km east of Apia is only approved for regional flights.

In the interior there is a Bahai temple with a monumental dome and impressive surrounding buildings.