Upolu
- ISS007-E-5353
- 10 May 2003
- 22:56 UTC
Situated between Savai'i (18 km to the northwest across the Apolima Strait) and the American Samoan island from Tutuila (70 km to the southeast) Upolu is the second largest of the Samoan islands at 1,118 km² in area. The island has a more elongate shape than its larger neighbour of Savai'i, measuring 75 km length and up to 24 km in width.
From the narrow coastal strip the island slopes gently to a broad central crest, reaching a height of 1,158 m at Mt. Fito, representing the erosional remains of the volcanic rift system that spans the length of the island; slopes are generally steeper on the southern side than on the north.
The coastline of Upolu is generally low-lying, with smaller areas of low cliffs; beaches of sand are common on the south, east and west coasts. Swamps and mangroves communities are common along drowned coastal valleys and behind barrier spits. Much of the island is completely surrounded by fringing and barrier reef formations that are at their most developed on the western and northern coasts.
image: earth sciences and image analysis laboratory, nasa johnson space center
