Samoa population pyramid 2026
220,528 people in 2026 (projected). Samoa’s pyramid is wide at the base but hollowed out in early adulthood, as emigration to New Zealand and beyond has removed about 200,000 people since 1950.
- 2026 population
- 220.5Krank 189 of 237
- Median age
- 19.8 yearsoldest rank 201
- Fertility rate
- 3.70births per woman · above replacement
- Structure
- Youthful6.2% age 65+
Samoa population pyramid
2026 · Share of total by five-year age group and sex
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The UN series provides historical estimates through 2023. Figures from 2024 onward—including 2026—are medium-scenario projections, not counts or predictions guaranteed to occur.
Samoa age distribution in 2026
Children under 15 account for 37.5% of the population, while 6.2% are aged 65 or older. The remaining 56.2% are in the conventional working-age range of 15–64. On these shares, the site classifies Samoa’s age structure as youthful; the guide to expansive population pyramids explains what that shape implies.
The total age dependency ratio is 77.8: about 78 people under 15 or 65+ for every 100 people aged 15–64 (66.8 children and 11.1 older people). This is an age-balance indicator, not a literal count of economic dependants per worker.
What shapes Samoa’s population pyramid
Births at home, adults abroad
Samoan fertility was among the highest in the world in the 1950s and 1960s, close to 8 children per woman, and is still about 3.7 in 2026. Yet the population has grown only from about 88,000 in 1950 to 220,000 in 2026, because emigration has absorbed much of the natural increase. The UN estimates net emigration of about 131,000 people before 2000 and a further 74,000 between 2000 and 2023, chiefly to New Zealand, American Samoa, Australia and the United States. In 2026 net emigration equals about half the number of births.
A hollow in early adulthood
The effect is a pyramid that narrows abruptly above age 20: in 2026 there are about 28,400 children aged 5–9 but only about 13,500 people aged 25–29. In recent years women have outnumbered men at ages 30–44, a pattern that may reflect men taking up seasonal work schemes abroad, though the chart alone cannot confirm the cause. With such a small population, these five-year bands can shift noticeably from one estimate to the next.
Under the medium scenario Samoa keeps growing, to about 270,000 in 2050 and 380,000 by 2100, with no peak before then. Its 2026 structure is closest to that of Tonga, followed by the Republic of the Congo, Vanuatu, Sao Tome and Principe and Tuvalu, and the fertility rate ranking shows where Samoa’s fertility stands worldwide.
What to notice across the years
Distinctive cohorts and turning points
No five-year band under age 80 is more than 10% larger or smaller than both of its neighbours, so Samoa’s 2026 pyramid has a comparatively smooth profile without sharp bulges or notches.
In the UN medium scenario births outnumber deaths in every year through 2100. Children under 15 outnumber people aged 65 and older in every pyramid year through 2100.
Births, deaths, and migration
A pyramid changes in only three ways: births add to the base, deaths remove people at every age, and migration adds or removes people mainly in young adulthood. In 2026, Samoa is projected to record 5,373 births (about 15 births a day) and 1,368 deaths, a natural increase of 4,005. Net migration adds −2,792 people, ranking #230 in the net migration rate ranking.
Between 2000 and 2023 the UN estimates 138,699 births, 27,866 deaths, and cumulative net migration of −74,472. Over that period the balance of births and deaths moved the total more than migration did. See how migration shapes a pyramid and birth rate versus fertility rate. The medium scenario assumes net migration of −56,698 between 2026 and 2050.
Annual values 1950–2100; dashed lines after 2023 are the UN medium projection. The trend table below lists the values by decade.
Life expectancy and mortality
- Life expectancy, women
- 74.1 years51.5 in 1950
- Life expectancy, men
- 70.2 years47.3 in 1950
- Further years at 65
- 14.9 yearsboth sexes
- Infant mortality
- 12.2per 1,000 births · 108 in 1950
- Under-five mortality
- 14.6per 1,000 births
- Mother’s mean age at birth
- 29.1 yearssex ratio at birth 107.6
Women in Samoa are projected to live 3.9 years longer than men, which is why the female side of the pyramid widens relative to the other at older ages (see the life expectancy gap ranking). Infant mortality has fallen from 108 to 12.2 deaths per 1,000 live births since 1950, ranking #92 of 237 in the infant mortality ranking (highest first). A mean age at childbearing of 29.1 years sets the spacing between generations, and so how far apart echo cohorts sit in the pyramid.
Median age, fertility rate, and global ranks for Samoa
The median age of 19.8 years splits the population into two equal halves. A total fertility rate of 3.70 births per woman is above the replacement level of roughly 2.1, and life expectancy at birth is 72.1 years.
These ranks compare all 237 countries and areas in this dataset using the same 2026 UN medium projection. Ranks use the stored source precision, so displayed rounding can make adjacent values look identical; small differences should not be overinterpreted.
| Indicator | 2026 value | Global rank | Ranking direction |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 220,528 | #189 | Largest first |
| Median age | 19.8 years | #201 | Oldest first |
| Fertility rate | 3.70 | #31 | Highest first |
| Annual growth | +0.6% | #128 | Fastest first |
| Life expectancy | 72.1 years | #159 | Highest first |
| Population aged 65+ | 6.2% | #157 | Highest share first |
Largest age groups in Samoa
The five largest cohorts identify where the 2026 population is concentrated. They can reflect past birth patterns, survival, and migration; the chart alone does not establish which cause dominates.
| Rank | Age group | Population | Share of total | Male / female |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 5–9 | 28,420 | 12.9% | 14.6K / 13.8K |
| 2 | 10–14 | 28,043 | 12.7% | 14.4K / 13.6K |
| 3 | 0–4 | 26,339 | 11.9% | 13.6K / 12.7K |
| 4 | 15–19 | 24,048 | 10.9% | 12.4K / 11.7K |
| 5 | 20–24 | 17,622 | 8.0% | 9.1K / 8.5K |
Sex ratio and the balance by age
In the 2026 projection, Samoa has 111,114 males and 109,414 females. That is 101.6 males per 100 females, ranking #53 when the dataset is ordered from the highest male-to-female ratio to the lowest.
Males account for 50.4% of the population and females for 49.6%. There are 1,700 more males than females overall. Among people aged 65 and older, the ratio is 85.6 males per 100 females.
The overall balance can conceal large differences by age; how sex ratios change with age explains the usual pattern. The ratio reflects the male/female categories in the UN source and is not a measure of gender identity. Compare all profiles in the sex-ratio ranking.
At birth, 107.6 boys are projected to be born for every 100 girls in 2026, above the biological norm of about 105 (see the sex ratio at birth ranking). The ratio at birth sets the balance at the base of the pyramid; how it changes with age then depends on survival and migration.
How Samoa has changed since 1950
The population has increased from 88,280 in 1950 to 220,528 in 2026, a change of 150%. Over the same span, median age moved from 14.7 to 19.8 years.
The under-15 share changed from 48.5% to 37.5%, while the share aged 65 and older changed from 2.5% to 6.2%. These shifts show why total population growth and age-structure change need to be read separately.
How the population could change by 2050
Under the UN medium scenario, Samoa’s population is projected to grow by about 24%, reaching 272,726 in 2050. The median age changes from 19.8 to 24.0 years.
The 65+ share is projected to rise by 1.9 percentage points to 8.1%. At the same time, the under-15 share is projected at 32.5%. How UN projections work explains the assumptions behind these figures.
The population is still rising at the end of the UN medium projection in 2100, when it reaches 383,557. The page therefore does not assign a peak year beyond the available horizon.
Population trend: 1950–2100
Mid-year population for every year. Estimates through 2023; dashed line shows the UN medium projection.
| Year | Population | Median age | Fertility | Life exp. | Births | Deaths | Net migration | Growth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 88,280 | 14.7 | 7.55 | 49.2 | 4,718 | 1,452 | −1,133 | +2.4% |
| 1960 | 112,490 | 14.0 | 7.78 | 55.2 | 5,736 | 1,437 | −1,333 | +2.6% |
| 1970 | 140,400 | 13.5 | 7.34 | 60.4 | 5,797 | 1,231 | −2,429 | +1.5% |
| 1980 | 164,322 | 15.3 | 5.86 | 65.0 | 5,763 | 1,091 | −3,240 | +0.9% |
| 1990 | 169,042 | 17.4 | 5.01 | 67.8 | 5,768 | 1,009 | −4,533 | +0.1% |
| 2000 | 181,685 | 18.8 | 4.52 | 70.8 | 5,824 | 970 | −3,453 | +0.8% |
| 2010 | 193,023 | 19.7 | 4.52 | 71.5 | 5,894 | 1,116 | −3,197 | +0.8% |
| 2020 | 211,944 | 20.4 | 4.00 | 70.7 | 5,819 | 1,377 | −2,299 | +1.0% |
| 2023 | 216,663 | 19.9 | 3.83 | 71.7 | 5,503 | 1,334 | −2,810 | +0.6% |
| 2024* | 218,019 | 19.8 | 3.80 | 71.8 | 5,444 | 1,343 | −2,754 | +0.6% |
| 2026* | 220,528 | 19.8 | 3.70 | 72.1 | 5,373 | 1,368 | −2,792 | +0.6% |
| 2030* | 225,971 | 20.3 | 3.54 | 72.6 | 5,525 | 1,434 | −2,580 | +0.7% |
| 2040* | 247,196 | 22.5 | 3.17 | 73.9 | 6,384 | 1,619 | −2,203 | +1.0% |
| 2050* | 272,726 | 24.0 | 2.86 | 75.2 | 6,016 | 1,743 | −1,884 | +0.9% |
| 2060* | 295,764 | 25.5 | 2.63 | 76.5 | 5,810 | 1,803 | −1,597 | +0.8% |
| 2070* | 322,070 | 28.2 | 2.43 | 77.8 | 5,946 | 1,906 | −1,339 | +0.8% |
| 2080* | 348,036 | 31.2 | 2.27 | 79.1 | 5,563 | 2,151 | −1,137 | +0.7% |
| 2090* | 368,465 | 33.9 | 2.15 | 80.4 | 5,288 | 2,611 | −914 | +0.5% |
| 2100* | 383,557 | 36.1 | 2.06 | 81.7 | 5,132 | 3,211 | −749 | +0.3% |
* 2024 onward is the UN medium projection. Fertility is births per woman; life expectancy is years at birth; births, deaths, and net migration are counts for that calendar year.
Download every year, 1950–2100 (CSV)
2026 population by age and sex
The table provides the counts behind the chart. Age groups are five-year bands, with everyone aged 100 or older combined.
| Age group | Male | Female | Total | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0–4 | 13,642 | 12,697 | 26,339 | 11.9% |
| 5–9 | 14,646 | 13,774 | 28,420 | 12.9% |
| 10–14 | 14,431 | 13,612 | 28,043 | 12.7% |
| 15–19 | 12,350 | 11,698 | 24,048 | 10.9% |
| 20–24 | 9,131 | 8,491 | 17,622 | 8.0% |
| 25–29 | 6,782 | 6,731 | 13,513 | 6.1% |
| 30–34 | 5,848 | 6,532 | 12,380 | 5.6% |
| 35–39 | 5,102 | 5,845 | 10,947 | 5.0% |
| 40–44 | 4,904 | 5,272 | 10,176 | 4.6% |
| 45–49 | 4,795 | 4,907 | 9,702 | 4.4% |
| 50–54 | 4,797 | 4,567 | 9,364 | 4.2% |
| 55–59 | 4,676 | 4,242 | 8,918 | 4.0% |
| 60–64 | 3,679 | 3,653 | 7,332 | 3.3% |
| 65–69 | 2,833 | 2,897 | 5,730 | 2.6% |
| 70–74 | 1,811 | 1,974 | 3,785 | 1.7% |
| 75–79 | 944 | 1,237 | 2,181 | 1.0% |
| 80–84 | 510 | 760 | 1,270 | 0.6% |
| 85–89 | 187 | 371 | 558 | 0.3% |
| 90–94 | 41 | 126 | 167 | 0.1% |
| 95–99 | 6 | 27 | 33 | 0.0% |
| 100+ | 1 | 4 | 5 | 0.0% |
Countries with the most similar age structure
These profiles have the 2026 age distributions closest to Samoa’s, measured by the total difference in the share of the population in each five-year band. Similar shapes can arise from very different histories, so the match is a starting point for comparison, not an explanation.
- Tonga96% overlap · median age 21.0
- Republic of the Congo94% overlap · median age 18.7
- Vanuatu93% overlap · median age 20.3
- Sao Tome and Principe93% overlap · median age 19.7
- Tuvalu93% overlap · median age 24.1
- Comoros93% overlap · median age 20.7
To calculate school-age, working-age, or older groups with other boundaries, use the age-group calculator for Samoa.
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APA
World Population Pyramid. (2026, October 19). Samoa Population Pyramid 2026. https://worldpopulationpyramid.com/countries/samoa/
MLA
“Samoa Population Pyramid 2026.” World Population Pyramid, 19 Oct. 2026, worldpopulationpyramid.com/countries/samoa/.
Chicago
World Population Pyramid. “Samoa Population Pyramid 2026.” Last modified October 19, 2026. https://worldpopulationpyramid.com/countries/samoa/.
Underlying data: United Nations, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division (2024). World Population Prospects 2024.
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Samoa in 2026?
Under the UN World Population Prospects 2024 medium scenario, Samoa's population in 2026 is projected at 220,528.
What is the median age in Samoa?
The projected median age in Samoa in 2026 is 19.8 years: half the population is younger and half is older.
What is the fertility rate in Samoa?
The projected total fertility rate in 2026 is 3.70 births per woman, above the replacement level of about 2.1 in low-mortality populations.
Is Samoa's population projected to grow?
Between 2026 and 2050, the UN medium scenario indicates the population will grow by about 24%, from 220.5K to 272.7K.
What share of Samoa is aged 65 or older?
In 2026, 6.2% of the projected population is aged 65 or older. By 2050, the medium scenario places the share at 8.1%.
How many babies are born in Samoa each year?
The UN medium scenario projects 5,373 births and 1,368 deaths in 2026, about 15 births a day. Births exceed deaths by 4,005.
What is life expectancy in Samoa for men and women?
Life expectancy at birth in 2026 is projected at 74.1 years for women and 70.2 years for men, a gap of 3.9 years in favour of women.
Does Samoa have more immigrants or emigrants?
Samoa is projected to lose about 2,792 more people through emigration than it gains in 2026. Between 2000 and 2023 the UN estimates cumulative net migration of −74,472.
What is the sex ratio in Samoa?
The projected 2026 population sex ratio is 101.6 males per 100 females. This all-age ratio is different from the sex ratio at birth and can vary substantially by age.
Sources and notes
- United Nations, DESA, Population Division: World Population Prospects 2024, medium scenario.
- Population values are mid-year figures. Source values published in thousands are converted to people; displayed figures may imply more precision than is appropriate for planning.
- Historical values through 2023 are estimates. Values from 2024 onward are projections.
- Calculations follow the site methodology.