Districts of Samoa
Constitution |
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Samoa is made up of eleven itūmālō (political districts). These are the traditional eleven districts that were established well before European arrival. Each district has its own constitutional foundation (faavae) based on the traditional order of title precedence found in each district's faalupega (traditional salutations).[1]
The capital village of each district administers and coordinates the affairs of the district and confers each districts' paramount title, amongst other responsibilities.
Examples of district governance
Aʻana has its capital at Leulumoega. The paramount 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. The paramount tama-a-'āiga title of A'ana is Tuimalealiifano of Falelatai.
There is currently no holder of the Tui A'ana title as the orator polity of Leulumoega is yet to decide.
In Tuamasaga, the paramount matai title of Malietoa is conferred by the Sa Malietoa of Malie. The pāpā titles of Gatoaitele and Vaetamasoalii are known as pāpā fafine, owing to their roots with the original female occupants. Both titles are conferred by the Fale Tuamasaga based in Afega and Safata respectively.
The current holder of the Malietoa title is Malietoa Moli, son of former Head of State, Malietoa Tanumafili II. The current Gatoaitele holder is Savea Sano Malifa, owner of the Samoa Observer newspaper. There is no current holder of the Vaetamasoalii pāpā title.
The current holder of the Tupua Tamasese and Tui Atua titles is former Prime Minister and Head of State
Political districts
Nr. | District | Capital | Area (km2) |
Population (Census 2016)[3] | ||||||||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Upolu (including minor islands) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
1 | Tuamasaga | Afega | 479 | 95,907 | ||||||||||||||||||||
2 | Aʻana | Leulumoega | 193 | 23,265 | ||||||||||||||||||||
3 | Aiga-i-le-Tai1) | Mulifanua | 27 | 5,029 | ||||||||||||||||||||
4 | Atua2) | Lufilufi | 413 | 22,769 | ||||||||||||||||||||
5 | Vaʻa-o-Fonoti | Samamea | 38 | 1,621 | ||||||||||||||||||||
Savaiʻi | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
6 | Faʻasaleleaga | Safotulafai | 266 | 13,566 | ||||||||||||||||||||
7 | Gagaʻemauga3) | Saleaula | 223 | 7,840 | ||||||||||||||||||||
8 | Gagaʻifomauga | Aopo | 365 | 4,878 | ||||||||||||||||||||
9 | Vaisigano | Asau | 178 | 6,543 | ||||||||||||||||||||
10 | Satupaʻitea | Satupaʻitea | 127 | 5,261 | ||||||||||||||||||||
11 | Palauli | Vailoa | 523 | 9,300 | ||||||||||||||||||||
Samoa | Apia | 2,831 | 195,979 | |||||||||||||||||||||
1) including islands Manono, Apolima and Nuʻulopa | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
2) including the Aleipata Islands and Nuʻusafeʻe Island | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
3) |
Exclaves of political districts
Note that several districts include multiple
- – this is the only district with areas on both main islands
- Savai'i
- Savai'i
- A'ana: besides the main part, there is a small exclave (Satuimalufilufi village)
- Va'a-o-Fonoti: besides the main part, there is a small exclave (Faleāpuna village)
- Nu'ulopa
- Nu'usafe'eisland
Electoral districts
The itūmālō are further subdivided in 51 faipule districts. They have no administrative function, but serve as single-member electoral constituencies. The faipule districts are also used as regional units for statistics.
The faipule electoral districts are based loosely on the traditional sub-districts of the Itūmālō. For example, the faipule districts of Anoama'a West and Anoama'a East are based on the traditional sub-district of Anoama'a in the northern half of the Atua district.
Villages
At the local level, there are 265 villages. Additionally, there are 71 villages in Tuamasaga district the capital Apia is composed of (58 villages in Vaimauga West and 13 in Faleata East electoral districts). Apia does not have a common administration, the local power rests with the constituent villages.
See also
References
- ^ "About Samoa". Government of Samoa. Retrieved 30 December 2017.
- )
- ^ Census 2016 Preliminary Count Report Archived 2017-07-23 at the Wayback Machine, Samoa Bureau of Statistics.