Feedback

COUNTRIES
of the WORLD

. Index

. 1996 Index

. Flag

. Geography

. People

. Government

. Economy

. Transportation

. Commun'tions

. Defense

. Geo Names

. Feedback

===========

Western Samoa Government 1996

Names:

conventional long form:

Independent State of Western Samoa

conventional short form:

Western Samoa

Digraph:

Type:

constitutional monarchy under native chief

Capital:

Apia

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 UN trusteeship administered by New Zealand)

National holiday:

National Day, 1 June (1962)

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 (Co-Chief of State from 1 January 1962 until becoming sole Chief of State on 5 April 1963)

head of government:

Prime Minister TOFILAU Eti Alesana (since 7 April 1988)

cabinet:

Cabinet; appointed by the head of state with the prime minister's advice

Legislative branch:

unicameral

Legislative Assembly (Fono):

elections last held 5 April 1991 (next to be held by NA 1996); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (47 total) HRPP 28, SNDP 18, independents 1

note:

only matai (head of family) are able to run for the Legislative Assembly

Judicial branch:

Supreme Court, Court of Appeal

Political parties and leaders:

Human Rights Protection Party (HRPP), TOFILAU Eti Alesana, chairman; Samoan National Development Party (SNDP), TAPUA Tamasese Efi, chairman

Member of:

ACP, AsDB, C, ESCAP, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IMF, INTELSAT (nonsignatory user), IOC, ITU, SPARTECA, SPC, SPF, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UPU, WHO

Diplomatic representation in US:

chief of mission:

Ambassador Tuiloma Neroni SLADE

chancery:

820 Second Avenue, Suite 800, New York, NY 10017

telephone:

[1] (212) 599-6196, 6197

FAX:

[1] (212) 599-0797

US diplomatic representation:

chief of mission:

the ambassador to New Zealand is accredited to Western Samoa

embassy:

5th floor, Beach Road, Apia

mailing address:

P.O. Box 3430, Apia

telephone:

[685] 21631

FAX:

[685] 22030

Flag:

red with a blue rectangle in the upper hoist-side quadrant bearing five white five-pointed stars representing the Southern Cross constellation

Thank you for making this an award winning site

Please put this page in your BOOKMARKS - - - - -

ITA Home Page	The IMMIGRATION Superhighway	Feedback
ITA WWWDesign	Flags of all Countries	Yahoo search

Revised 13-August-1997
HTML Colors; Greece Geography Economy, people, communications, transportation, flags, maps