SAMOA (Malo Saʻoloto Tutoʻatasi o Sāmoa)

Samoa, officially the Independent State of Samoa (Samoan: Malo Saʻoloto Tutoʻatasi o Sāmoa; Samoan: Sāmoa) and, until 4 July 1997, known as Western Samoa, is a country consisting of two main islands, Savai'i and Upolu, and four smaller islands (Manono, Apolima, Fanuatapu, and Namua). The capital city is Apia. The Lapita people discovered and settled the Samoan Islands around 3,500 years ago. They developed a Samoan language and Samoan cultural identity. Samoa is a unitary parliamentary democracy with eleven administrative divisions. The sovereign state is a member of the Commonwealth of Nations. Western Samoa was admitted to the United Nations on 15 December 1976. The entire island group, which includes American Samoa, was called "Navigator Islands" by European explorers before the 20th century because of the Samoans' seafaring skills. The country was governed by New Zealand until its independence in 1962. 

On 4 July 1997 the government amended the constitution to change the country's name from Western Samoa to Samoa.  American Samoa protested against the move, asserting that the change diminished its own identity.  On 7 September 2009, the government changed the rule of the road, from right to left, in common with most other Commonwealth countries, most notably countries in the region like Australia and New Zealand, home to large numbers of Samoans. This made Samoa the first country in the 21st century to switch to driving on the left.

At the end of December 2011, Samoa jumped forward by one day, omitting 30 December from the local calendar, when the nation moved to the west of the International Date Line. This change aimed to help the nation boost its economy in doing business with Australia and New Zealand. Before this change, Samoa was 21 hours behind Sydney, but the change means it is now three hours ahead. The previous time zone, implemented on 4 July 1892, operated in line with American traders based in California.  Samoa forms part of the Samoan tropical moist forests ecoregion. Since human habitation began, about 80% of the lowland rainforests have disappeared. Within the ecoregion about 28% of plants and 84% of land birds are endemic.

The first stamps of Samoa were issued in 1877. The Samoa Express private post was set up in 1877 and ended in 1881. The stamps were remaindered, reprinted and forged. A private service was set up by J. Davis In 1886. Stamps designated "Samoa Postage" were issued between 1886 and 1899.  German stamps were first used in German Samoa on September 21, 1886, in the form of vorläufer stamps that can be recognized by the "Apia" cancellation mark. German stamps were first used in German Samoa on September 21, 1886 in the form of vorläufer stamps that can be recognized by the "Apia" cancellation mark. 

In April, 1900 German stamps with "Samoa" overprint became available. In December 1900, the yacht issue was introduced. The German post office closed with the British occupation on September 3, 1914. "G.R.I." overprinted yacht stamps carried British denominations. In Germany between 1915 and 1919 Samoa yacht stamps (with water mark) were sold to collectors. In April 1900 German stamps with "Samoa" overprint became available. In December 1900, the yacht issue was introduced. After New Zealand forces occupied German Samoa in 1914, stamps of German Samoa were overprinted "G.R.I." (short for Georgius Rex Imperator, referring to the incumbent British King George V). These were followed by stamp of New Zealand overprinted "Samoa". The first stamps of the mandated territory of Western Samoa were issued in 1921. Samoa issued stamps as an independent state on 2 July 1962.

The letter posted on May 20,2015 and I received on June 08,2015.