Personal remittances and foreign aid received in Samoa
Samoa: Personal remittances and foreign aid received was 248.38 million current US$ in 2021. ◆ Volatile
Personal remittances and foreign aid received in Samoa, 1977–2021
Source: World Bank based on International Monetary Fund balance of payments data (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in current US$.
Analysis
The most recent figure for personal remittances and foreign aid received in Samoa is 248.38 million current US$, measured in 2021. That is the highest value across all 45 years on record.
That represents a change of up 21.7% on the previous year and up 55.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, personal remittances and foreign aid received in Samoa peaked at 248.38 million current US$ in 2021 and was at its lowest, 897,780 current US$, in 2004.
That places Samoa 133rd out of 193 countries with data for 2021, putting it in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Personal remittances and foreign aid received in Samoa, year by year
| Year | current US$ | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1977 | 6.00 million current US$ | — |
| 1978 | 12.00 million current US$ | +100.0% |
| 1979 | 13.00 million current US$ | +8.3% |
| 1980 | 19.00 million current US$ | +46.2% |
| 1981 | 19.00 million current US$ | +0.0% |
| 1982 | 19.00 million current US$ | +0.0% |
| 1983 | 20.00 million current US$ | +5.3% |
| 1984 | 20.00 million current US$ | +0.0% |
| 1985 | 24.00 million current US$ | +20.0% |
| 1986 | 29.00 million current US$ | +20.8% |
| 1987 | 37.00 million current US$ | +27.6% |
| 1988 | 38.00 million current US$ | +2.7% |
| 1989 | 41.00 million current US$ | +7.9% |
| 1990 | 43.00 million current US$ | +4.9% |
| 1991 | 35.00 million current US$ | -18.6% |
| 1992 | 40.00 million current US$ | +14.3% |
| 1993 | 32.00 million current US$ | -20.0% |
| 1994 | 37.00 million current US$ | +15.6% |
| 1995 | 40.52 million current US$ | +9.5% |
| 1996 | 44.27 million current US$ | +9.3% |
| 1997 | 46.59 million current US$ | +5.2% |
| 1998 | 42.00 million current US$ | -9.8% |
| 1999 | 44.67 million current US$ | +6.4% |
| 2000 | 45.00 million current US$ | +0.7% |
| 2001 | 45.00 million current US$ | +0.0% |
| 2002 | 45.00 million current US$ | +0.0% |
| 2003 | 45.00 million current US$ | +0.0% |
| 2004 | 897,780 current US$ | -98.0% |
| 2005 | 81.60 million current US$ | +8989.4% |
| 2006 | 87.09 million current US$ | +6.7% |
| 2007 | 96.65 million current US$ | +11.0% |
| 2008 | 109.01 million current US$ | +12.8% |
| 2009 | 119.49 million current US$ | +9.6% |
| 2010 | 138.50 million current US$ | +15.9% |
| 2011 | 159.58 million current US$ | +15.2% |
| 2012 | 177.69 million current US$ | +11.3% |
| 2013 | 164.58 million current US$ | -7.4% |
| 2014 | 140.50 million current US$ | -14.6% |
| 2015 | 131.16 million current US$ | -6.7% |
| 2016 | 130.77 million current US$ | -0.3% |
| 2017 | 135.73 million current US$ | +3.8% |
| 2018 | 147.57 million current US$ | +8.7% |
| 2019 | 155.22 million current US$ | +5.2% |
| 2020 | 204.16 million current US$ | +31.5% |
| 2021 | 248.38 million current US$ | +21.7% |
Samoa compared with similar countries
- Samoa's 248.38 million current US$ is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 979.33 million current US$, 25% of the median. (56 countries reporting)
- Samoa's 248.38 million current US$ is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 453.09 million current US$, 55% of the median. (31 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Personal remittances and foreign aid received in Samoa changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2005 | +8989.4% | 897,780 current US$ | 81.60 million current US$ |
| 2004 | -98.0% | 45.00 million current US$ | 897,780 current US$ |
| 1978 | +100.0% | 6.00 million current US$ | 12.00 million current US$ |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 10.33 million current US$ | 6.00 million current US$ | 13.00 million current US$ | 3 |
| 1980s | 26.60 million current US$ | 19.00 million current US$ | 41.00 million current US$ | 10 |
| 1990s | 40.51 million current US$ | 32.00 million current US$ | 46.59 million current US$ | 10 |
| 2000s | 67.47 million current US$ | 897,780 current US$ | 119.49 million current US$ | 10 |
| 2010s | 148.13 million current US$ | 130.77 million current US$ | 177.69 million current US$ | 10 |
| 2020s | 226.27 million current US$ | 204.16 million current US$ | 248.38 million current US$ | 2 |
Countries ranked near Samoa
More reference data data for Samoa
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.023 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 0.0165 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 0.0396 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 0.0396 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.077 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 0.0626 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 0.0918 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 0.2319 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Burning - Crop residues 0 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 0.1693 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is personal remittances and foreign aid received in Samoa?
- Personal remittances and foreign aid received in Samoa was 248.38 million current US$ in 2021, according to World Bank based on International Monetary Fund balance of payments data (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest personal remittances and foreign aid received recorded in Samoa?
- The highest recorded value was 248.38 million current US$ in 2021.
- What is the lowest personal remittances and foreign aid received recorded in Samoa?
- The lowest recorded value was 897,780 current US$ in 2004.
- How does Samoa rank for personal remittances and foreign aid received?
- Samoa ranks 133rd out of 193 countries with data for 2021.
- Is personal remittances and foreign aid received rising or falling in Samoa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 55.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Samoa data come from?
- The figures come from World Bank based on International Monetary Fund balance of payments data (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Personal remittances and foreign aid received. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 45 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Remittances are financial transfers from non-residents to residents of a country, such as a worker abroad sending money to family and friends. Foreign aid is measured as official development assistance. Both are measured in current US$.