Upolu

{{For|the point in the northern cape of the Big Island of Hawaii|Upolu Point}}

{{Infobox islands

| name = Upolu

| image_name = Samoa Country map.png

| image_caption = Map of Samoa showing Upolu at right

| image_size =

| map_image = Upolu - Samoa.svg

| map_caption = Location of Upolu in the Samoan Islands

| native_name =

| native_name_link =

| nickname =

| location = Pacific Ocean

| coordinates = {{Coord|13|55|S|171|45|W|region:WS_dim:100000|display=inline,title}}

| archipelago =

| total_islands =

| major_islands =

| area_km2 = 1125

| length_km = 75

| width_km =

| highest_mount = Mount Vaivai{{cite web |url=https://www.samoaobserver.ws/category/samoa/98255 |title=Mt. Fito not the highest point in Upolu |author=Fuimaono Lumepa Hald |work=Samoa Observer |date=13 May 2022 |access-date=14 May 2022}}

| elevation_m = 1113

| country = Samoa

| country_largest_city = Apia

| country_largest_city_population = ~35,000

| population = 143,418

| population_as_of = 2011

| density_km2 = 127

| ethnic_groups = 92.6% Samoans, 7% Euronesians (persons of European and Polynesian blood), 0.4% Europeans

| additional_info =

}}

Upolu is an island in Samoa, formed by a massive basaltic shield volcano which rises from the seafloor of the western Pacific Ocean. The island is {{convert|75|km|mi|abbr=off}} long and {{convert|1125|km2|abbr=off}} in area, making it the second largest of the Samoan Islands by area. With approximately 145,000 inhabitants, it is by far the most populous of the Samoan Islands. Upolu is situated to the southeast of Savai'i, the "big island". Apia, the capital, is in the middle of the north coast, and Faleolo International Airport at the western end of the island. The island has not had any historically recorded eruptions, although there is evidence of three lava flows, dating back only to between a few hundred and a few thousand years ago.

In the Samoan branch of Polynesian mythology, Upolu was the first woman on the island.

James Michener based his character Bloody Mary in Tales of the South Pacific (later a major character in the Rodgers and Hammerstein musical, South Pacific) on the owner of Aggie Grey's Hotel on the south end of the island. She was still running the hotel in 1960. A branch was later opened in Apia, overlooking the harbor.

History

In 1841, the island was the site of the Bombardment of Upolu, an incident during the United States Exploring Expedition.

In the late 19th century, the Scottish writer Robert Louis Stevenson owned a {{convert|400|acre|abbr=off|adj=on}} estate in the village of Vailima in Upolu. He died there in 1894 and is buried at the top of Mount Vaea overlooking his former estate. The Vailima estate was purchased in 1900 to serve as the official residence for the German governor of German Samoa. When the British/Dominion took over governance of the islands, they confiscated the estate and put it to the same use. It later served as the residence for the New Zealand administrator and, after independence, for the Samoan head of state. During World War II, the US Navy built Naval Base Upolu on the island.[https://www.ibiblio.org/hyperwar/USN/Building_Bases/bases-24.html Built of US Navy bases]US Navy{{Cite web|url=https://codenames.info/operation/straw/|title=Straw | Operations & Codenames of WWII|website=codenames.info}}

=2009 Samoa tsunami=

The island of Upolu was hit by a tsunami at 06:48:11 local time on 29 September 2009 (17:48:11 UTC).[https://earthquake.usgs.gov/eqcenter/recenteqsww/Quakes/us2009mdbi.php Magnitude 8.0 – Samoa Islands Region] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091007165801/http://earthquake.usgs.gov/eqcenter/recenteqsww/Quakes/us2009mdbi.php |date=7 October 2009 }} Report on [http://www.usgs.gov/aboutusgs/ U.S. Geological Service]'s website. Retrieved online d.d. 29 September 2009. Twenty villages on Upolu's south side were reportedly destroyed, including Lepā, the home of Samoa's prime minister,{{cite web |url=https://windsorstar.com/news/Tsunami+smashes+Pacific+islands+over+feared+dead/2049879/story.html |title=Tsunami smashes Pacific islands, over 100 feared dead |date=29 September 2009 |publisher=windsorstar.com |access-date=30 September 2009 |author=Baris Atayman |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111006123549/http://www.windsorstar.com/news/Tsunami+smashes+Pacific+islands+over+feared+dead/2049879/story.html |archive-date=6 October 2011 |url-status=live }} Tuila'epa Sa'ilele Malielegaoi. In Lepā, only the church and the village's welcome sign remained standing after the disaster.{{cite news|first=Tamara|last=McClean|title=Searching ruins for reason to live after the tsunami |url=http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/searching-ruins-for-reason-to-live-after-the-tsunami/story-e6freuy9-1225781822624 |work=The Daily Telegraph|location=Sydney|date=2 October 2009 |access-date=5 October 2009}}{{cite news|title=At least seven dead after quake, tsunami hit Samoa|url=http://www.nzherald.co.nz/world/news/article.cfm?c_id=2&objectid=10600416|newspaper=The New Zealand Herald|access-date=19 August 2010|date=30 September 2009}}

=2024 HMNZS ''Manawanui'' sinking=

On 5 October 2024 the Royal New Zealand Navy ship HMNZS Manawanui ran aground and sunk off the coast of Siumu on the southern coast of Upolu. The Manawanui had been surveying a nearby reef and was caught up in a storm.{{cite web |last1=Yee |first1=Isaac |title=New Zealand loses first naval ship since WWII; vessel threatening oil spill off Samoan coast |url=https://www.cnn.com/2024/10/07/world/new-zealand-navy-ship-sinks-intl-hnk/index.html |website=CNN |date=7 October 2024 |access-date=11 October 2024}}{{cite web |url=https://www.samoaobserver.ws/category/samoa/111420 |title=NZ navy ship sinks, oil smell fills village air |work=Samoa Observer |author=Sialai Sarafina Sanerivi |date=6 October 2024 |access-date=6 October 2024 |archive-date=7 October 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241007020258/https://www.samoaobserver.ws/category/samoa/111420 |url-status=live }} The sinking of the Manawanui polluted the surrounding sea and disrupted the livelihoods of local communities in the Safata district, who were unable to fish due to restrictions around the wreckage site.{{cite news |last1=Duff |first1=Michelle |last2=Tupufia |first2=Lanuola |title=A sunken timebomb? Samoa fears long-lasting damage from wrecked New Zealand navy ship |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2024/oct/19/a-sunken-timebomb-samoa-fears-long-lasting-damage-from-wrecked-new-zealand-navy-ship |access-date=20 October 2024 |work=The Guardian |date=18 October 2024}}{{cite news |last1=Tinetali-Fiavaai |first1=Grace |title=Manawanui probe 'being done by the wrong people,' Samoan expert says |url=https://www.rnz.co.nz/international/pacific-news/535236/manawanui-probe-being-done-by-the-wrong-people-samoan-expert-says |access-date=30 November 2024 |work=RNZ |date=29 November 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241129135036/https://www.rnz.co.nz/international/pacific-news/535236/manawanui-probe-being-done-by-the-wrong-people-samoan-expert-says |archive-date=29 November 2024}} The Samoan and New Zealand authorities were criticised by local villagers for a lack of compensation and engagement with local communities.{{cite news |last1=Tinetali-Fiavaai |first1=Grace |title=Manawanui probe 'being done by the wrong people,' Samoan expert says |url=https://www.rnz.co.nz/international/pacific-news/535236/manawanui-probe-being-done-by-the-wrong-people-samoan-expert-says |access-date=30 November 2024 |work=RNZ |date=29 November 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241129135036/https://www.rnz.co.nz/international/pacific-news/535236/manawanui-probe-being-done-by-the-wrong-people-samoan-expert-says |archive-date=29 November 2024}} This led local villagers to seek financial assistance from the Chinese Embassy in Apia.{{cite news |last1=Tinetali-Fiavaai |first1=Grace |title=Samoa communities affected by Manawanui sinking seek support from China |url=https://www.rnz.co.nz/international/pacific-news/541109/samoa-communities-affected-by-manawanui-sinking-seek-support-from-china |access-date=7 February 2025 |work=Radio New Zealand |date=6 February 2025}}

On 12 February 2025 the Samoan Government lifted a "precautionary zone" around the wreckage of HMNZS Manawanui following testing by the Scientific Research Organisation of Samoa (SROS). However, a two km prohibition zone around the sunken ship remained in force.{{cite news |title=Samoa govt removes precautionary zone around Manawanui disaster site |url=https://www.rnz.co.nz/international/pacific-news/541647/samoa-govt-removes-precautionary-zone-around-manawanui-disaster-site |access-date=12 February 2025 |work=Radio New Zealand |date=12 February 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250212011800/https://www.rnz.co.nz/international/pacific-news/541647/samoa-govt-removes-precautionary-zone-around-manawanui-disaster-site |archive-date=12 February 2025}}

Wildlife

An extremely small species of spider lives on Upolu. According to the Guinness Book of World Records, the spider is the size of a period (full stop) on a printed page.{{cite web|title=Smallest spider|url=http://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/world-records/smallest-spider/|publisher=Guinness World Records|access-date=6 July 2017}}

Depictions in popular culture

Upolu was the filming location for the 1953 South Seas film Return to Paradise, starring Gary Cooper.

The island was also the filming location for several seasons of several editions of the competition reality television series, Survivor. This included:

Five seasons of Australian Survivor: the 3rd season in 2016 and the 4th season in 2017; Australian Survivor: Heroes vs Villains in 2023 (10th season); Australian Survivor: Titans vs Rebels in 2024 (11th season); and Australian Survivor: Brains vs Brawn II in 2025 (12th season).
Four seasons of the American version of Survivor, Survivor: Samoa (19th season); Survivor: Heroes vs. Villains (20th season); Survivor: South Pacific (23rd season); and Survivor: One World (24th season).
One season of Survivor South Africa: Survivor South Africa: Island of Secrets (7th season) in 2019.

Gallery

File:Samoa upolu.jpg|Falefa Valley

File:Cyclone Evan, Samoa, 2012 (10690555895).jpg|Damage from Cyclone Evan in 2012

File:USNS Richard E. Byrd sits pierside in Upolu Samoa.jpg|USNS Richard E. Byrd docked at Upolu

File:View of the south-eastern coast of Upolu, Samoa - August 2016.jpg|The south-eastern coast of Upolu, Nu'utele island can be seen in the far distance.