Samoa 
 

c.1858 - 2 Oct 1873 2 Oct 1873 - 24 Apr 1875 24 Apr 1875 - 22 Dec 1879 23 Dec 1879 - 1887, 1889 - 1 Mar 1900 1887- 1889 1 Mar 1900 - 29 Aug 1914 29 Aug 1914 - 25 Jan 1925 25 Jan 1925 - 1 Jun 1948 1 Jun 1948 - 14 Feb 1949 Adopted 14 Feb 1949 Map of Samoa Hear National Anthem "O le Fu'a o le Sa'olotoga  o Samoa" [aka "Samoa Tula'i"] (The Banner of Freedom [aka Samoa Arise])  Text of National Anthem Adopted 1 Jan 1962 (from 1 Jun 1948) Constitution (1 Jan 1962) (18 May 1875) Capital: Apia Currency: Tala (WST);  1914-1967 Western Samoa Pound (WSP) National Holiday: 1 Jun (1962) Independence Day Population: 208,853 (2024) GDP: $1.36 billion (2023) Exports: $347.2 million (2023) Imports: $560.5 million (2023) Ethnic groups: Samoan 96%, Samoan/New Zealander 2%, other 1.9% (2011) Total Police Force: 1,027 (2023) Informal defense ties exist with New Zealand Merchant marine: 13 ships (2023) Religions: Protestant 54.9% (Congregationalist 29%, Methodist 12.4%, Assembly of God 6.8%, Seventh Day Adventist 4.4%, other Protestant 2.3%), Roman Catholic 18.8%, Mormon 16.9%, Worship Centre 2.8%, other Christian 3.6%, other 2.9% (includes Baha'i, Muslim), none 0.2% (2016) International Organizations/Treaties: ACP, ADB, AIIB, AOSIS, APA (observer), APM, BTWC, C, CCM, CTBT, ESCR, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, ICSID, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, IRENA, ISA, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NPT, OPCW, PC, PIF, UN, UNCLOS, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNFCC, UNFCC-KP, UNFCC-PA, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO Samoa Chronology 13 Jun 1722                Upolu Island sighted by Dutch Admiral Jacob                              Roggeveen (b. 1659 - d. 1729) and named Eyland                              Groningen (Groningen Island).  5 May 1768                Re-visited by French Capt. Louis-Antoine de                               Bougainville and named L'Archipel des Navigateurs                              (Archipelago of the Navigators).  7 Oct 1839 - 10 Nov 1839  Samoa Islands visited by U.S. Capt. Charles Wilkes                              and his exploring expedition.  5 Nov 1839                U.S. opens a consular office in Apia. 24 Feb 1841                Bombardment of Upolu by U.S. Capt. Charles Wilkes. 1847                       Britain opens a consular office in Apia. 1853                       United States opens a consular office in Apia. 1861                       Prussia (Germany) opens a consular office in Apia.  2 Nov 1871                New Zealand government recommends British                               annexation of the Samoa Islands.  2 Mar 1872                U.S. is granted a coaling station in Pago Pago. 21 Aug 1873                Inauguration of central government (Kingdom of.                              Samoa).  13 Feb 1878                U.S. Treaty of Friendship with Tutuila and Aunu'u                              Islands. 21 Jan 1879                Germany offered the naval base of Saluafuta.  5 Nov 1884                King Malietoa Laupepa and Vice-King Tupua                               Tamasese Titiamaea petition U.K. Queen Victoria                              to make Samoa a British colony. 14 Jun 1889                Berlin General Act proclaims the "independence and                              neutrality of the Samoan Islands."  7 Nov 1889                Tripartite German-British-U.S. protectorate¹                              (effected 21 May 1890). 10 Jun 1899                Provisional government consisting of the consuls                              of Germany, the United Kingdom, and the United                              States.  1 Mar 1900                Samoa archipelago annexed by Germany (except for                               the part that is to become American Samoa) the                               German emperor is styled Tupu Sili o Samoa                              ("Paramount King of Samoa"), as Samoa, or German                              Samoa (Deutsch-Samoa). 29 Aug 1914                New Zealand occupation. 28 Jun 1919                Germany formally renounces claims to the islands. 17 Dec 1920                League of Nations mandate (administered by New                               Zealand), renamed Western Samoa. 25 Jan 1947                United Nations trust territory (s.a.).  1 Oct 1959                Self-government, complete self-government begins                              to function at the end of 1961.  1 Jan 1962                Independence from New Zealand as the Independent                              State of Western Samoa (‘O le Malo Tuto‘atasi o                              Sāmoa i Sisifo).  4 Jul 1997                Independent State of Samoa (‘O le Malo Tuto‘atasi o                              Sāmoa).

Note: Status in traditional Samoan society depended on the possession of one or  several chiefly titles (the tradition continues in a sense to this day). The title with the highest status is Tui Manu'a. The holders of this title lived on the Manu'a Islands in what is now American Samoa. The highest titles in the rest of the Samoan islands were Tui A'ana, Tui Atua, and Malietoa. A person holding at the same time the Tui A'ana and Tui Atua titles, together with two specified lesser titles, was traditionally entitled to be styled 'O le Tupu o Samoa, conventionally translated as King of Samoa; this combination occurred only sporadically. The record below shows the last few traditional 'O le Tupu o Samoa, and then the centralized government, whose head was conventionally also styled 'O le Tupu o Samoa.
 

Kings (title 'O le Tupu o Samoa)
.... - ....                Tupua I'amafana
.... - ....                Lei'ataua Tonumaipe'a Tamafaiga
                            "Tupu o Salafai"
.... - ....                Mata'afa Filisounu'u
1830 - 1842                Malietoa Vai'inupo Tavita 
                            "Tupu o Salafai"
Aug 1873 - 1875            Ta'imua (Council of 7)
                             [membership not available]
1875                       Ta'imua (Council of 14)
                             [only titles available, with two exceptions]
                           - Tagaloa Apela
                           - Fuataga
                           - Misa
                           - Lemana
                           - Samoa
                           - Mata'afa
                           - Taupa'u Sailusi
                           - Letufuga
                           - 'Aufa'i
                           - Lavea
                           - Asiata
                           - Ti'a
                           - Tuia
                           - Mata'utia
1875                       Malietoa Laupepa (1st time)        (b. 1841 - d. 1898)
                           + Pulepule
1875 - 22 May 1875         Ta'imua (Council of 14)
                             [the same members as the preceding Council of 14]
22 May 1875 - 1876         Malietoa Laupepa (2nd time)        (s.a.)
1876 - May 1879            Ta'imua (Council of 14)
                             [membership not available]
May 1879 -  8 Nov 1880     Malietoa Tonumaipe'a Talavou       (b. c.1810 - d. 1880)
Nov 1880 - 25 Aug 1887     Malietoa Laupepa (3rd time)        (s.a.)
                             (regent to 12 Jul 1881)
Jan 1887 - 1889            Tupua Tamasese Titiamaea           (b. 1830 - d. 1891)
                             (from 1888, Tupua Tamasese Malietoa Titiamaea)
                             (initially in rebellion)
1889 -  5 Dec 1889         Tupua Malietoa To'oa Mata'afa      (b. 1832 - d. 1912) 
                             Iosefo (1st time) 
                            (chairman provisional Council of Chiefs to Oct 1889)
 5 Dec 1889 - 22 Jun 1898  Malietoa Laupepa (4th time)        (s.a.)
22 Jun 1898 - 31 Dec 1898  William Lea Chambers               (b. 1852 - d. 1933) 
                             (president of the Supervisory Committee)
12 Nov 1898 -  4 Jan 1899  Tupua Malietoa To'oa Mata'afa      (s.a.)
                             Iosefo (2nd time) (in rebellion) 
31 Dec 1898 -  4 Jan 1899  Malietoa Tanumafili I (1st time)   (b. 1879 - d. 1939)
 4 Jan 1899 - 23 Mar 1899  Tupua Malietoa To'oa Mata'afa      (s.a.) 
                             Iosefo (3rd time) 
                             (chairman Provisional Government)
23 Mar 1899 - 10 Jun 1899  Malietoa Tanumafili I (2nd time)   (s.a.)
23 Mar 1899 - 10 Jun 1899  Tupua Malietoa To'oa Mata'afa      (s.a.)
                             Iosefo (4th time) (in rebellion)
10 Jun 1899 -  1 Mar 1900  Provisional Government
                           - Friedrich Rose (German consul)   (b. 1855 - d. 1922)
                           - Ernest George Berkeley Maxse     (b. 1863 - d. 1943)
                              (British consul)(to 23 Jun 1899)
                           - William Gilbert Mair (acting)    (b. 1832 - d. 1912)
                              (British consul)
                              (from 23 Jun 1899)
                           - Luther Wood Osborn (U.S. consul) (b. 1843 - d. 1901)
Paramount King (title Tupu Sili o Samoa)
 1 Mar 1900 - 29 Aug 1914  Wilhelm II                         (b. 1859 - d. 1941)
Governors
 1 Mar 1900 - 19 Dec 1911  Wilhelm Heinrich Solf              (b. 1862 - d. 1936)
19 Dec 1911 - 29 Aug 1914  Erich Schultz-Ewerth               (b. 1870 - d. 1935)
                             (acting to 19 Jun 1912)
Administrators
29 Aug 1914 - 28 Jan 1919  Robert Logan                       (b. 1863 - d. 1935)
28 Jan 1919 - 16 Mar 1923  Robert Ward Tate                   (b. 1864 - d. 1938)
16 Mar 1923 -  8 Apr 1928  George Spafford Richardson         (b. 1868 - d. 1938)
                             (from 3 Jun 1925, Sir George Spafford Richardson)
 5 May 1928 -  3 Apr 1931  Stephen Shepard Allen              (b. 1882 - d. 1964)
18 Apr 1931 - 25 Jul 1935  Herbert Ernest Hart                (b. 1882 - d. 1968)
25 Jul 1935 - 28 Feb 1946  Alfred Clarke Turnbull             (b. 1881 - d. 1962)
                             (from 1 Jan 1946, Sir Alfred Clarke Turnbull) 
                             (acting to 19 Feb 1943)
Mar 1946 - 10 Mar 1948     Francis William Voelcker           (b. 1896 - d. 1954)
High Commissioners
10 Mar 1948 - 23 Feb 1949  Francis William Voelcker           (s.a.)
 1 Mar 1949 -  2 Apr 1960  Guy Richardson Powles              (b. 1905 - d. 1994)
 2 Apr 1960 - 31 Dec 1961  John Bird Wright                   (b. 1909 - d. 1990)
                             (acting to Jun 1960)
Heads of state ('O le Ao o le Malo)
 1 Jan 1962 -  5 Apr 1963  Malietoa Tanumafili II (1st time)  (b. 1913 - d. 2007)  Non-party
                           + Tupua Tamasese Mea'ole           (b. 1905 - d. 1963)  Non-party
 5 Apr 1963 - 11 May 2007  Malietoa Tanumafili II (2nd time)  (s.a.)               Non-party
11 May 2007 - 20 Jun 2007  Council of Deputies (acting)
                           - Tuia'ana Tuimaleali'ifano        (b. 1947)            Non-party
                               Va'aleto'a Eti Sualauvi II
                           - Tui Ātua Tupua Tamasese Taisi    (b. 1938)            Non-party
                               Tupuola Tufuga Efi
20 Jun 2007 - 21 Jul 2017  Tui Ātua Tupua Tamasese Taisi      (s.a.)               Non-party
                             Tupuola Tufuga Efi
21 Jul 2017 -              Tuia'ana Tuimaleali'ifano          (s.a.)               Non-party
                             Va'aleto'a Eti Sualauvi II

Prime ministers
22 May 1875 -  8 Feb 1876  Albert Barnes Steinberger          (b. 1840 - d. 1894)  Non-party
 8 Feb 1876 -  1 Oct 1959  Post abolished
 1 Oct 1959 - 25 Feb 1970  Fiamē Mata'afa Faumuina Mulinu'u II(b. 1921 - d. 1975)  Non-party
                             (1st time) 
25 Feb 1970 - 20 Mar 1973  Tui Atua Tupua Tamasese Lealofi IV (b. 1922 - d. 1983)  Non-party
                             (1st time)
20 Mar 1973 - 20 May 1975  Fiamē Mata'afa Faumuina Mulinu'u II(s.a.)               Non-party
                             (2nd time)   
21 May 1975 - 24 Mar 1976  Tui Atua Tupua Tamasese Lealofi IV (s.a.)               Non-party
                             (2nd time)(acting) 
24 Mar 1976 - 13 Apr 1982  Tupuola Taisi Tufuga Efi (1st time)(s.a.)               Non-party
                             (= Tui Ātua Tupua Tamasese Tupuola Tufuga Efi)
13 Apr 1982 - 18 Sep 1982  Va'ai Kolone (1st time)            (b. 1911 - d. 2001)  HRPP
18 Sep 1982 - 31 Dec 1982  Tupuola Taisi Tufuga Efi (2nd time)(s.a.)               Non-party
31 Dec 1982 - 30 Dec 1985  Tofilau Eti Alesana (1st time)     (b. 1924 - d. 1999)  HRPP
                             (= Aualamalefalelima Alesana)
30 Dec 1985 -  8 Apr 1988  Va'ai Kolone (2nd time)            (s.a.)               HRPP
 8 Apr 1988 - 23 Nov 1998  Tofilau Eti Alesana (2nd time)     (s.a.)               HRPP
23 Nov 1998 - 27 Jul 2021  Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi       (b. 1944)            HRPP
                             (from 2004, Tuilaepa Aiono Sailele
                             Malielegaoi; from 2006, Tuilaepa
                             Lupesoliai Sailele Malielegaoi)
24 May 2021 -              Fiamē Naomi Mata'afa (f)           (b. 1957)            FAST
                             (in dissidence to 27 Jul 2021)

Chief Justices¹
 2 Jan 1891 -  3 Nov 1893  Otto Conrad Waldemar Cedercrantz   (b. 1854 - d. 1932)
                             (Sweden)
 3 Nov 1893 - 13 May 1897  Henry Clay Ide (U.S.)              (b. 1844 - d. 1921)
29 Jul 1897 - 14 Jul 1899  William Lea Chambers (U.S.)        (s.a.)
                             (on HMS Porpoise refuge 1-7 Jan 1899)
 4 Jan 1899 -  7 Jan 1899  Johannes Raffel (Germany) (acting)
                             (in opposition)
17 Jul 1899 -  1 Mar 1900  Luther Wood Osborn (U.S.) (acting) (s.a.)

 ¹An important position under the tripartite protectorate was held by the chief justice, 
who had the power to decide "any question ... respecting the rightful appointment and 
election of Kings or any other Chief claiming authority over the islands, or respecting 
the validity of the power which the King or any Chief may claim in the exercise of his 
office." The chief justice was named by agreement of the three powers, or, failing their agreement, by the king of Sweden.

Territorial Dispute: None identified.

Party abbreviations: FAST = Fa'atuatua i le Atua Samoa ua Tasi (Samoa United in Faith, christian democratic, social conservative, anti-corruption, anti-Land and Titles Bill, split from HRPP, est.30 Jul 2020); HRPP = Vaega Faaupufai e Puipuia Aia Tatau a Tagata (Human Rights Protection Party, center-right, conservative, christian democratic, est.May 1979)