page_title: Samoa
section_title: Administrative divisions
hierarchical_section_title: Samoa / Politics / Administrative divisions
caption_attribution_description: original image:Samoa_districts_numbered.png by user:Golbez modification (numbering) by user:Ratzer1
context_page_description: Samoa, officially the Independent State of Samoa and until 1997 known as Western Samoa, is a Polynesian island country consisting of two main islands, Savai'i and Upolu, two smaller inhabited islands, Manono and Apolima, as well as several small uninhabited islands including the Aleipata Islands. The capital city is Apia. The Lapita people discovered and settled the Samoan Islands around 3,500 years ago. They developed a Samoan language and Samoan cultural identity.
  Samoa is a unitary parliamentary democracy with eleven administrative divisions. The sovereign state is a member of the Commonwealth of Nations. Western Samoa was admitted to the United Nations on 15 December 1976. The entire island group, which includes American Samoa, was called "Navigator Islands" by European explorers before the 20th century because of the Samoans' seafaring skills. The country was governed by New Zealand until its independence in 1962.
  In July 2017, Tuimalealiifano Va'aletoa Sualauvi II became the head of state, succeeding Tui Ātua Tupua Tamasese Efi. The Prime Minister Tuila'epa came back to power after a landslide victory in March 2016, beginning a fifth term for the premier.
context_section_description: Samoa comprises eleven itūmālō (political districts). These are the traditional eleven districts which predate European arrival. Each district has its own constitutional foundation (fa'avae) based on the traditional order of title precedence found in each district's faalupega (traditional salutations). The capital village of each district administers and coordinates the affairs of the district and confers each district's paramount title, amongst other responsibilities. 
  For example:
  A'ana has its capital at Leulumoega. The paramount 'tama-a-'aiga' (royal lineage) title of A'ana is Tuimalealiifano. The paramount pāpā title of A'ana is the Tui A'ana. The orator group which confers this title – the Faleiva (House of Nine) – is based at Leulumoega. 
  Ātua has its capital at Lufilufi. The paramount 'tama-a-'aiga' (royal lineage) titles of A'ana are Tupua Tamasese (based in Falefa and Salani) and Mata'afa (based in Amaile and Lotofaga). The two main political families who confer the respective titles are 'Aiga Sā Fenunuivao and 'Aiga Sā Levālasi. The paramount pāpā title of Ātua is the Tui Ātua. The orator group which confers this title - the Faleono (House of Six) - is based at Lufilufi.
  Tuamasaga has its capital at Afega. The paramount 'tama-a-'aiga' (royal lineage) title of Tuamasaga is the Malietoa title, based in Malie.  The main political family that confers the Malietoa title is 'Aiga Sā Malietoa, with Auimatagi as the main speaker for the family. The paramount pāpā titles of Tuamasaga are Gatoaitele (conferred by Afega) and Vaetamasoalii (conferred by Safata).
  The eleven itūmālō are identified to be:
  On Upolu 
  1. Tuamasaga (Afega)¹
  2. A'ana (Leulumoega)
  3. Aiga-i-le-Tai (Mulifanua)²
  4. Atua (Lufilufi)³
  5. Va'a-o-Fonoti (Samamea)
  On Savai'i 
  6. Fa'asaleleaga (Safotulafai)
  7. Gaga'emauga (Saleaula)⁴
  8. Gaga'ifomauga (Safotu)
  9. Vaisigano (Asau)
  10. Satupa'itea (Satupa'itea)
  11. Palauli (Vailoa)
  ¹ including the faipule district of Siumu
  ² including islands Manono, Apolima and Nu'ulopa
  ³ including the Aleipata Islands and Nu'usafe'e Island
  ⁴ smaller parts also on Upolu (Salamumu, incl. Salamumu-Uta and Leauvaa villages)
caption: Political districts of Samoa, including minor islands
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