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Samoa vs Vanuatu
Side-by-side comparison of Samoa and Vanuatu from official statistics: size, economy, people, trade, natural resources, health, infrastructure and military, with world ranks, years and sources.
Vanuatu
East Asia & Pacific · nation age 46 years
In short
Samoa scores 50.2 in the NationsTree Index (87th in the world) and Vanuatu scores 41.1 (126th), a gap of 9.0 points. Their trees are 0.9 m and 0.7 m tall; tree height grows with real GDP and is adjusted by the index.
Vanuatu has 53% more people than Samoa. Vanuatu is 4.3 times larger than Samoa by land area. The economy of Samoa is 35% larger than that of Vanuatu (GDP at purchasing power parity). Population: Samoa 219,306 and Vanuatu 335,169 (2025).
GDP per person at purchasing power parity is $9,319 in Samoa and $4,525 in Vanuatu (2025, international dollars). Life expectancy is almost the same: 71.8 and 71.7 years.
Of 26 indicators reported by both countries, Samoa ranks higher in the world on 22 and Vanuatu on 4. Samoa is clearly stronger in trade, infrastructure & digital and institutions & safety.
As a nation, Samoa is the older of the two (statehood since 1962, 64 years), compared with Vanuatu (since 1980). Over the last five years Samoa improved faster (direction score 96 vs 92 out of 100).
Where they differ most
The indicators with the biggest gap in world position between Samoa and Vanuatu.
Samoabetter
100.0%
1st of 215
Vanuatu
65.5%
181st of 215
Completed lower secondary, 25+Society & health
Samoabetter
92.3%
41st of 153
Vanuatu
28.7%
133rd of 153
Government effectivenessInstitutions & safety
Samoabetter
56.5
88th of 205
Vanuatu
37.0
159th of 205
Safely managed drinking waterInfrastructure & digital
Samoabetter
62.5%
100th of 150
Vanuatu
19.2%
138th of 150
Over time
How the two countries moved against each other, from the yearly data.
Samoa overtook Vanuatu in life expectancy in 2020 and has stayed ahead since.
Samoa overtook Vanuatu in the NationsTree Index in 2019 and has stayed ahead since.
Vanuatu overtook Samoa in population in 1999 and has stayed ahead since.
Samoa has been ahead of Vanuatu in GDP per person (PPP) and GDP (PPP) in every year since 1990.
Strength by category
Average world percentile of the indicators in each category (0–100, direction taken into account). i
SamoaVanuatu All indicators
Latest available value for each country with its year and world rank. Green: the better world position of the two, red: the weaker one.
| Indicator | Samoa | Vanuatu |
|---|---|---|
| Land & people | ||
| Surface area km² | 2,840173rd/216 · 2024 | 12,189160th/216 · 2024 |
| Land area km² | 2,780171st/216 · 2024 | 12,189158th/216 · 2024 |
| Population people | 219,306182nd/217 · 2025 | 335,169177th/217 · 2025 |
| Population growth % | 0.59%130th/217 · 2025 | 2.23%36th/217 · 2025 |
| Population density people/km² | 78.4125th/216 · 2024 | 26.9177th/216 · 2024 |
| Urban population % | 17.5%215th/217 · 2025 | 22.3%209th/217 · 2025 |
| Population aged 0–14 % | 38.1%32nd/217 · 2025 | 38.0%34th/217 · 2025 |
| Population aged 65+ % | 6.1%137th/217 · 2025 | 4.4%158th/217 · 2025 |
| Economy | ||
| GDP USD | $1.29 bn196th/210 · 2025 | $1.35 bn195th/210 · 2025 |
| GDP (PPP) intl. USD | $2.04 bn187th/199 · 2025 | $1.52 bn191st/199 · 2025 |
| Real GDP (PPP, constant 2021 prices) intl. USD 2021 | $1.75 bn187th/199 · 2025 | $1.30 bn191st/199 · 2025 |
| GDP per person USD | $5,873131st/210 · 2025 | $4,039150th/210 · 2025 |
| GDP per person (PPP) intl. USD | $9,319142nd/199 · 2025 | $4,525171st/199 · 2025 |
| GNI per person (Atlas) USD | $5,640123rd/201 · 2025 | $4,410135th/201 · 2025 |
| GDP growth % | 4.2%75th/210 · 2025 | 3.1%113th/210 · 2025 |
| Inflation % | 2.2%66th/180 · 2025 | 0.7%26th/180 · 2025 |
| Unemployment % | 5.0%86th/187 · 2025 | 5.1%90th/187 · 2025 |
| Central government debt % of GDP | — | 67.9%37th/55 · 2023 |
| General government gross debt % of GDP | 21.2%20th/189 · 2025 | 36.2%52nd/189 · 2025 |
| Government budget balance % of GDP | 4.7%8th/192 · 2025 | 6.2%5th/192 · 2025 |
| Main industries | ||
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing % of GDP | 9.1%74th/197 · 2025 | 26.6%17th/197 · 2024 |
| Industry incl. construction % of GDP | 10.2%183rd/200 · 2025 | 10.1%185th/200 · 2024 |
| Manufacturing % of GDP | 4.9%154th/192 · 2025 | 4.0%161st/192 · 2024 |
| Services % of GDP | 72.1%26th/200 · 2025 | 56.8%112th/200 · 2024 |
| Trade | ||
| Exports of goods & services USD | $355.7 m169th/182 · 2025 | $329.0 m172nd/182 · 2024 |
| Imports of goods & services USD | $553.9 m175th/182 · 2025 | $623.5 m173rd/182 · 2024 |
| Exports % of GDP | 27.6%117th/183 · 2025 | 25.3%123rd/183 · 2024 |
| Imports % of GDP | 43.0%94th/183 · 2025 | 48.0%84th/183 · 2024 |
| Trade openness % of GDP | 70.6%112th/183 · 2025 | 73.4%108th/183 · 2024 |
| Fuel exports % of merchandise exports | 33.3%28th/170 · 2024 | 0.1%2011 |
| Manufactures exports % of merchandise exports | 39.4%76th/171 · 2024 | 8.2%2011 |
| Food exports % of merchandise exports | 24.8%57th/171 · 2024 | 85.3%2011 |
| Ores & metals exports % of merchandise exports | 1.3%125th/171 · 2024 | 1.6%2011 |
| High-tech exports % of manufactured exports | 76.7%2nd/168 · 2024 | — |
| Current account balance % of GDP | 5.7%32nd/191 · 2025 | -6.0%150th/191 · 2025 |
| Foreign direct investment, inflows % of GDP | 0.2%169th/196 · 2025 | 2.4%86th/196 · 2025 |
| Natural resources | ||
| Natural resource rents % of GDP | 0.3%146th/209 · 2021 | 0.6%128th/209 · 2021 |
| Oil rents % of GDP | 0.00%120th/197 · 2021 | 0.00%120th/197 · 2021 |
| Natural gas rents % of GDP | 0.00%100th/197 · 2021 | 0.00%100th/197 · 2021 |
| Coal rents % of GDP | 0.00%68th/195 · 2021 | 0.00%68th/195 · 2021 |
| Mineral rents % of GDP | 0.00%91st/209 · 2021 | 0.00%91st/209 · 2021 |
| Forest rents % of GDP | 0.28%83rd/209 · 2021 | 0.57%67th/209 · 2021 |
| Arable land % of land area | 4.1%146th/206 · 2024 | 1.6%177th/206 · 2024 |
| Renewable freshwater per person m³ | — | 31,94417th/183 · 2022 |
| Tourism | ||
| International tourist arrivals arrivals | 23,900185th/194 · 2020 | 82,400172nd/194 · 2020 |
| Tourism receipts USD | $23.1 m161st/175 · 2020 | $67.0 m149th/175 · 2020 |
| Tourism receipts % of exports | 19.8%34th/168 · 2020 | 50.4%15th/168 · 2020 |
| Outbound trips departures | 18,500104th/107 · 2020 | 9,400106th/107 · 2020 |
| Society & health | ||
| Life expectancy years | 71.8139th/217 · 2024 | 71.7141st/217 · 2024 |
| Under-5 mortality per 1,000 births | 14.998th/196 · 2024 | 17.1110th/196 · 2024 |
| Physicians per 1,000 people | 0.56118th/174 · 2021 | 0.16154th/174 · 2019 |
| Hospital beds per 1,000 people | 1.02005 | 1.72008 |
| DPT immunization % of children 12–23 months | 85%132nd/193 · 2024 | 71%166th/193 · 2024 |
| Completed lower secondary, 25+ % of adults | 92.3%41st/153 · 2022 | 28.7%133rd/153 · 2023 |
| Secondary enrolment % gross | 87.4%2016 | 134.7%6th/173 · 2023 |
| Social protection coverage (incl. pensions) % of population | 33.6%2008 | 30.4%42nd/55 · 2019 |
| Old-age dependency ratio % of working-age population | 10.9%124th/217 · 2025 | 7.6%149th/217 · 2025 |
| Health spending % of GDP | 6.8%91st/193 · 2023 | 4.1%153rd/193 · 2023 |
| Adult literacy % | 98.0%2019 | 88.0%57th/98 · 2023 |
| Tertiary enrolment % gross | 16.0%127th/150 · 2024 | 4.9%2004 |
| Human Development Index index 0–1 | 0.708122nd/193 · 2023 | 0.621146th/193 · 2023 |
| Income inequality (Gini) index | 38.72013 | 32.32019 |
| Extreme poverty % of population | 4.5%2013 | 19.5%2019 |
| Infrastructure & digital | ||
| Access to electricity % of population | 100.0%1st/215 · 2024 | 65.5%181st/215 · 2024 |
| Safely managed drinking water % of population | 62.5%100th/150 · 2024 | 19.2%138th/150 · 2024 |
| Safely managed sanitation % of population | 44.1%91st/144 · 2024 | — |
| Internet users % of population | 21.2%2014 | 22.4%2015 |
| Mobile subscriptions per 100 people | 62190th/210 · 2022 | 89159th/210 · 2023 |
| Fixed broadband per 100 people | 0.9171st/208 · 2022 | 1.2167th/208 · 2024 |
| Air passengers carried passengers | 42,120144th/161 · 2023 | 359,290121st/161 · 2023 |
| Environment & energy | ||
| CO₂ emissions per person t CO₂e | 1.6079th/203 · 2024 | 0.8759th/203 · 2024 |
| Renewable energy % of final energy use | 35.9%67th/212 · 2022 | 25.0%92nd/212 · 2022 |
| Air pollution (PM2.5) µg/m³ | 4.69th/200 · 2023 | 7.026th/200 · 2023 |
| Forest area % of land area | 57.6%38th/214 · 2024 | 74.6%12th/214 · 2024 |
| Energy use per person kg oil eq. | 3072007 | 1582007 |
| Institutions & safety | ||
| Government effectiveness score 0–100 | 56.588th/205 · 2025 | 37.0159th/205 · 2025 |
| Control of corruption score 0–100 | 61.353rd/207 · 2025 | 44.4102nd/207 · 2025 |
| Rule of law score 0–100 | 76.133rd/207 · 2025 | 67.371st/207 · 2025 |
| Political stability score 0–100 | 89.011th/207 · 2025 | 82.346th/207 · 2025 |
| Regulatory quality score 0–100 | 54.2100th/205 · 2025 | 49.6122nd/205 · 2025 |
| Voice & accountability score 0–100 | 74.544th/205 · 2025 | 67.867th/205 · 2025 |
| Homicide rate per 100,000 | 6.32018 | 0.38th/145 · 2020 |
| Military | ||
| Arms imports (SIPRI TIV) TIV | 7.0 m2019 | 7.0 m117th/163 · 2021 |
| Science & innovation | ||
| Patent applications by residents applications | 1126th/137 · 2021 | 1126th/137 · 2021 |
| Scientific articles articles | 22171st/197 · 2023 | 12183rd/197 · 2023 |
Questions and answers
Which has more people, Samoa or Vanuatu?
Vanuatu has the larger population: 335,169 (2025) compared with 219,306 for Samoa (2025). Source: World Bank, SP.POP.TOTL.
Which is bigger by area, Samoa or Vanuatu?
Vanuatu is larger: 12,189 km² (2024) compared with 2,840 km² for Samoa (2024). Source: World Bank, AG.SRF.TOTL.K2.
Which economy is larger, Samoa or Vanuatu?
Samoa has the larger economy at purchasing power parity: $2.04 bn intl. (2025) compared with $1.52 bn intl. for Vanuatu (2025). Source: World Bank, NY.GDP.MKTP.PP.CD.
Which is richer per person, Samoa or Vanuatu?
Samoa has the higher GDP per person (PPP): $9,319 intl. (2025) compared with $4,525 intl. for Vanuatu (2025). Source: World Bank, NY.GDP.PCAP.PP.CD.
Where do people live longer, in Samoa or Vanuatu?
Samoa has the higher life expectancy at birth: 71.8 years (2024) compared with 71.7 years for Vanuatu (2024). Source: World Bank, SP.DYN.LE00.IN.
Which ranks higher in the NationsTree Index, Samoa or Vanuatu?
Samoa: 50.2 points (87th in the world); Vanuatu: 41.1 points (126th). The index combines foundations, economic strength, quality of life, problems and 5-year direction from public statistics.
Solomon Islands
Timor-Leste
Tonga
KiribatiSources
World Bank World Development Indicators and Worldwide Governance Indicators, compiling UN agencies, the IMF, WHO, SIPRI and national statistical offices; every row links to its world ranking with the source series. See Sources & licences and Methodology.
Cite as: NationsTree (2026). Samoa vs Vanuatu — country comparison. https://nationstree.org/compare/samoa-vs-vanuatu. Data as of 26 October 2026.