| Government | Samoa |
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Country name:
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conventional long form: Independent State of Samoa
conventional short form: Samoa
local long form: Malo Sa'oloto Tuto'atasi o Samoa
local short form: Samoa
former: Western Samoa |
Dependency status:
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void |
Government type:
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parliamentary democracy |
Capital:
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name: Apia
geographic coordinates: 13 50 S, 171 44 W
time difference: UTC+13 (18 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
+1hr, begins last Sunday in September; ends first Sunday in April |
Administrative divisions:
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11 districts; A'ana, Aiga-i-le-Tai, Atua, Fa'asaleleaga, Gaga'emauga, Gagaifomauga, Palauli, Satupa'itea, Tuamasaga, Va'a-o-Fonoti, Vaisigano |
Dependent areas:
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void |
Independence:
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1 January 1962 (from New Zealand-administered UN trusteeship) |
National holiday:
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Independence Day Celebration, 1 June (1962); note - 1 January 1962 is the date of independence from the New Zealand-administered UN trusteeship; it is observed in June |
Constitution:
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1 January 1962 |
Legal system:
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mixed legal system of English common law and customary law; judicial review of legislative acts with respect to fundamental rights of the citizen |
International law organization participation:
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has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction |
Suffrage:
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21 years of age; universal |
Executive branch:
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chief of state: TUIATUA Tupua Tamasese Efi (since 20 June 2007)
head of government: Prime Minister TUILA'EPA Lupesoliai Sailele Malielegaoi (since 1998); Deputy Prime Minister FONOTOE Pierre Lauofo (since 2011)
cabinet: Cabinet consists of 12 members appointed by the chief of state on the prime minister's advice
elections: chief of state elected by the Legislative Assembly to serve a five-year term (no term limits); election last held on 15 June 2007 (next to be held in 2012); following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party usually appointed prime minister by the chief of state with the approval of the Legislative Assembly
election results: TUIATUA Tupua Tamasese Efi unanimously elected by the Legislative Assembly |
Legislative branch:
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unicameral Legislative Assembly or Fono (49 seats, 47 members elected by voters affiliated with traditional village-based electoral districts, 2 elected by independent, mostly non-Samoan or part-Samoan, voters who cannot, (or choose not to) establish a village affiliation; only chiefs (matai) may stand for election to the Fono from the 47 village-based electorates; members serve five-year terms)
elections: election last held on 4 March 2011 (next election to be held not later than March 2016)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - HRPP 29, Tautua Samoa 13, independents 7 |
Judicial branch:
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Court of Appeal; Supreme Court; District Court; Land and Titles Court |
Political parties and leaders:
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Human Rights Protection Party or HRPP [Sailele Malielegaoi TUILA'EPA]; Samoa Christian Party or TCP [Tuala Tiresa MALIETOA]; Samoa Democratic United Party or SDUP [LE MAMEA Ropati]; Samoa Progressive Political Party or SPPP [Toeolesulusulu SIUEVA]; Tautua Samoa [Vaelua Eti ALESANA] |
Political pressure groups and leaders:
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NA |
International organization participation:
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ACP, ADB, AOSIS, C, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IPU, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, OPCW, PIF, Sparteca, SPC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer) |
Diplomatic representation in the US:
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chief of mission: Ambassador Aliioaiga Feturi ELISAIA
chancery: 800 Second Avenue, Suite 400D, New York, NY 10017
telephone: [1] (212) 599-6196 through 6197
FAX: [1] (212) 599-0797
consulate(s) general: Pago Pago (American Samoa) |
Diplomatic representation from the US:
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chief of mission: US Ambassador to New Zealand is accredited to Samoa
embassy: Accident Corporation Building, 5th Floor, Matafele, Apia
mailing address: P. O. Box 3430, Matafele, Apia
telephone: [685] 21436/21631/21452/22696
FAX: [685] 22030 |
Flag description:
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red with a blue rectangle in the upper hoist-side quadrant bearing five white five-pointed stars representing the Southern Cross constellation; red stands for courage, blue represents freedom, and white signifies purity |
National symbol(s):
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Southern Cross constellation (five, five-pointed stars) |
Government - note:
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void |
National anthem:
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name: "O le Fu"a o le Sa"olotoga o Samoa" (The Banner of Freedom)
lyrics/music: Sauni Iiga KURESA
note: adopted 1962; the anthem is also known as "Samoa Tula'i" (Samoa Arise) |
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