View source for Upolu

{{Short description|Island in Samoa}}
{{For|the point in the northern cape of the Big Island of Hawaii|Upolu Point}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2024}}
{{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]]<ref name=SOMay2022>{{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}}</ref>
| 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% [[Euronesian]]s (persons of European and [[Polynesians|Polynesian]] blood), 0.4% [[European ethnic groups|Europeans]]
| additional_info  =
}}

'''Upolu''' is an [[island]] in [[Samoa]], formed by a massive [[basalt]]ic [[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 [[Savaii|Savai'i]], the "big island". [[Apia]], the [[capital city|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 [[Samoa]]n 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 (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 (land)|estate]] in the village of [[Vailima, Samoa|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 [[Germany|German]] governor of [[German Samoa]]. When the [[United Kingdom|British]]/[[Dominion]] took over governance of the islands, they [[confiscation|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.<ref>[https://www.ibiblio.org/hyperwar/USN/Building_Bases/bases-24.html Built of US Navy bases]''US Navy''</ref><ref name="auto">{{Cite web|url=https://codenames.info/operation/straw/|title=Straw &#124; Operations & Codenames of WWII|website=codenames.info}}</ref>

===2009 Samoa tsunami===
{{Main|2009 Samoa earthquake and tsunami}}
The island of Upolu was hit by a [[tsunami]] at 06:48:11 local time on 29 September 2009 (17:48:11 [[Coordinated Universal Time|UTC]]).<ref>[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 [https://www.usgs.gov/aboutusgs/ U.S. Geological Service]'s website. Retrieved online d.d. 29 September 2009.</ref> Twenty villages on Upolu's south side were reportedly destroyed, including [[Lepā, Samoa|Lepā]], the home of Samoa's [[prime minister]],<ref>{{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 <!-- BOT GENERATED AUTHOR --> |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  }}</ref> [[Tuila'epa Sa'ilele Malielegaoi]]. In Lepā, only the [[Place of worship|church]] and the village's welcome sign remained standing after the disaster.<ref name=dt>{{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}}</ref><ref>{{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}}</ref>

===2024 HMNZS ''Manawanui'' sinking===
{{Main|HMNZS Manawanui (2019)#Sinking}}
On 5 October 2024 the [[Royal New Zealand Navy]] ship [[HMNZS Manawanui (2019)|HMNZS ''Manawanui'']] ran aground and sank 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.<ref>{{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}}</ref><ref>{{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 }}</ref> 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.<ref>{{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}}</ref><ref>{{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}}</ref> The Samoan and New Zealand authorities were criticised by local villagers for a lack of compensation and engagement with local communities.<ref>{{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}}</ref> This led local villagers to seek financial assistance from the Chinese Embassy in [[Apia]].<ref>{{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}}</ref>

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 [[kilometer|km]] prohibition zone around the sunken ship remained in force.<ref>{{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}}</ref>

==Wildlife==
The Samoan moss spider (''[[Patu marplesi]]''), an extremely small species of [[spider]], lives on Upolu. According to the [[Guinness Book of World Records]], the spider is the size of a [[Full stop|period]] (full stop) on a printed page.<ref>{{cite web|title=Smallest spider|url=http://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/world-records/smallest-spider/|publisher=Guinness World Records|access-date=6 July 2017}}</ref>

==Depictions in popular culture==
Upolu was the filming location for the 1953 [[South Seas (genre)|South Seas]] film ''[[Return to Paradise (1953 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 (franchise)|Survivor]]''. This included:

* Seven seasons of ''[[Australian Survivor]]'': the [[Australian Survivor (season 3)|3rd season]] in 2016 and the [[Australian Survivor (season 4)|4th season]] in 2017; ''[[Australian Survivor (season 10)|Australian Survivor: Heroes vs Villains]]'' in 2023 (10th season); ''[[Australian Survivor (season 11)|Australian Survivor: Titans vs Rebels]]'' in 2024 (11th season); ''[[Australian Survivor (season 12)|Australian Survivor: Brains vs Brawn II]]'' in 2025 (12th season); ''[[Australian Survivor: Australia V The World]]'' in 2025 (13th season); ''[[Australian Survivor: Redemption]]'' in 2026 (14th season).
* Four seasons of the ''[[Survivor (American TV series)|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==
<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|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.
</gallery>

==See also==
* [[1889 Apia cyclone]]
* [[Archaeology of Samoa]]
* [[Samoa Tourism Authority]]

==Notes==
{{Reflist}}

==References==
{{Refbegin}}
* {{Cite gvp
  | vn = 244030
  | name = Upolu
  | access-date = 18 December 2008 }}
{{Refend}}

==External links==
*{{Commons category-inline|Upolu}}
*{{wikivoyage inline|Upolu}}
* [http://www.samoa.travel Samoa Tourism Authority]

{{Islands of Samoa}}

{{authority control}}

[[Category:Upolu| ]]
[[Category:Islands of Samoa]]
[[Category:Mountains of Samoa]]
[[Category:Samoan mythology]]
[[Category:Polygenetic shield volcanoes]]
[[Category:Volcanoes of Samoa]]