Short facts about the government of Western Samoa
| Country
name: |
conventional long
form: Independent State of Samoa
conventional
short form: Samoa
former: Western
Samoa |
| Government
type: |
constitutional monarchy under native
chief |
| Administrative divisions: |
11 districts; A'ana, Aiga-i-le-Tai,
Atua, Fa'asaleleaga, Gaga'emauga, Gagaifomauga, Palauli, Satupa'itea, Tuamasaga,
Va'a-o-Fonoti, Vaisigano |
| Independence: |
1 January 1962 (from New
Zealand-administered UN trusteeship) |
| National
holiday: |
Independence Day Celebration, 1 June
(1962); note - 1 January 1962 is the date of independence from the New
Zealand-administered UN trusteeship, 1 June 1962 is the date that independence
is celebrated |
| Constitution: |
1 January
1962 |
| Legal
system: |
based on English common law and local
customs; judicial review of legislative acts with respect to fundamental rights
of the citizen; has not accepted compulsory ICJ
jurisdiction |
| Suffrage: |
21 years of age;
universal |
| Executive
branch: |
chief of state:
Chief Susuga MALIETOA Tanumafili II (cochief of state from 1
January 1962 until becoming sole chief of state 5 April 1963)
head of
government: Prime Minister TUILA'EPA Sailele Malielegaoi (since 24 November
1998); note - TUILA'EPA served as deputy prime minister since 1992; he assumed
the prime ministership in November 1998 when former Prime Minister TOFILAU Eti
Alesana resigned in poor health; the post of deputy prime minister is currently
vacant
cabinet: Cabinet consists of 12 members, appointed by the
chief of state with the prime minister's advice
elections: upon
the death of Chief Susuga MALIETOA Tanumafili II, a new chief of state will be
elected by the Legislative Assembly to serve a five-year term; prime minister
appointed by the chief of state with the approval of the Legislative
Assembly |
| Legislative
branch: |
unicameral Legislative Assembly or Fono
(49 seats - 47 elected by Samoans, 2 elected by non-Samoans; only chiefs (matai)
may stand for election to the Fono; members serve five-year
terms)
elections: last held 4 March 2001 (next to be held by
March 2006)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA%;
seats by party - HRPP 23, SNDP 13, independents
13 |
| Judicial
branch: |
Supreme Court; Court of
Appeal |
| Political
parties and leaders: |
Human Rights Protection Party or HRPP
[TUILA'EPA Sailele Malielegaoi, chairman]; Samoa All People's Party or SAPP
[Matatumua NAIMOAGA]; Samoan National Development Party or SNDP [TAPUA Tamasese
Efi, chairman] (opposition); Samoa National Party [FETU Tiatia, party
secretary]; Samoan Progressive Conservative Party [LEOTA Ituau
Ale] |
| Political
pressure groups and leaders: |
NA |
| International organization participation: |
ACP, AsDB, C, ESCAP, FAO, G-77, IBRD,
ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IMF, IMO, Intelsat (nonsignatory
user), IOC, ITU, OPCW, Sparteca, SPC, SPF, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UPU, WHO, WIPO,
WMO, WTrO (observer) |
| Diplomatic
representation in the US: |
chief of mission:
Ambassador Tuiloma Neroni SLADE
chancery: 800 Second
Avenue, Suite 400D, New York, NY 10017
telephone: [1] (212)
599-6196, 6197
FAX: [1] (212)
599-0797 |
| Diplomatic
representation from the US: |
chief of mission:
Ambassador Carol MOSELEY BRAUN (Ambassador to New Zealand and
Samoa, resides in Wellington, New Zealand)
embassy: 5th floor,
Beach Road, Apia
mailing address: P. O. Box 3430,
Apia
telephone: [685] 21631
FAX: [685]
22030 |
| Flag
description: |
red with a blue rectangle in the upper
hoist-side quadrant bearing five white five-pointed stars representing the
Southern Cross constellation | Source: World Factbook |
