countries: Samoa
The US, UK and Germany colonized the Samoan islands, including current day American Samoa, in the mid 1800?s. A deal was struck between the three countries, in which the UK relinquished claims to Samoa in return for other South Pacific territory. The Samoan islands were then split between Germany and the US. Germany colonized what is today the independent country of Samoa and the US colonized what is current day American Samoa. This was completed in the 1890?s.

Germany retained control of Western Samoa, as it was then known, until Germany?s loss to the Allied powers in WWI. After WWI, Western Samoa was given to New Zealand as a UN trusteeship. Western Samoa remained under New Zealand administration until January 1, 1962, when it was the first of the South Pacific island nations to gain independence.

Western Samoa officially changed its name to Samoa by altering its constitution in 1997.

Celebrated on June 1 because of the rainy season in January

To congratulate friends