Apia

Apia (äpēˈə) [key], town (1983 est. pop. 35,000), capital of Samoa, on the northern coast of Upolu island. The economic, social, and political center of Samoa, Apia is the nation's only port and city. Through its harbor bananas, copra, and cocoa are exported, and cotton goods, motor vehicles, meats, and sugar are imported. At the western end of the harbor is Mulinu'u, the old ceremonial capital of a Samoan kingdom. A campus of the Univ. of the South Pacific is in Apia. Robert Louis Stevenson is buried on a hill overlooking the city; his former home, Vailima, served as the residence of the New Zealand high commissioner.

The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, 6th ed. Copyright © 2012, Columbia University Press. All rights reserved.