On May 9 the United Nations conducted a plebiscite to determine whether Western Samoa was to become an independent state under provisions adopted by the constitutional convention of October 1960. The vote was 26,766 in favor of independence and 4,666 opposed. On October 18, the United Nations General Assembly unanimously agreed to terminate the trusteeship agreement, and the Independent State of Western Samoa formally came into existence on January 1, 1962.

Western Samoan women voting for the first time.

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This page was last updated on 01/01/2019.