Settled as early as 1000 B.C., Samoa was "discovered" by European explorers in the 18th century. International rivalries in the latter half of the 19th century were settled by an 1899 treaty in which Germany and the US divided the Samoan archipelago. The US formally occupied its portion - a smaller group of eastern islands with the excellent harbor of Pago Pago - the following year.
Location
Oceania, group of islands in the South Pacific Ocean, about half way between Hawaii and New Zealand
Geographic coordinates
14 20 S, 170 00 W
Map references
Oceania
Area
total
199 sq km
land
199 sq km
water
0 sq km
note
includes Rose Island and Swains Island
Area - comparative
slightly larger than Washington, DC
Land boundaries
0 km
Coastline
116 km
Maritime claims
territorial sea
12 nm
exclusive economic zone
200 nm
Climate
tropical marine, moderated by southeast trade winds; annual rainfall averages about 3 m; rainy season (November to April), dry season (May to October); little seasonal temperature variation
Terrain
five volcanic islands with rugged peaks and limited coastal plains, two coral atolls (Rose Island, Swains Island)
Elevation extremes
lowest point
Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point
Lata Mountain 964 m
Natural resources
pumice, pumicite
Land use
arable land
10%
permanent crops
15%
other
75% (2005)
Irrigated land
NA
Natural hazards
typhoons common from December to March
Environment - current issues
limited natural fresh water resources; the water division of the government has spent substantial funds in the past few years to improve water catchments and pipelines
Geography - note
Pago Pago has one of the best natural deepwater harbors in the South Pacific Ocean, sheltered by shape from rough seas and protected by peripheral mountains from high winds; strategic location in the South Pacific Ocean
Population
57,663 (July 2007 est.)
Age structure
0-14 years
33.6% (male 10,049/female 9,345)
15-64 years
63.5% (male 19,041/female 17,556)
65 years and over
2.9% (male 606/female 1,066) (2007 est.)
Median age
total
23.6 years
male
23.4 years
female
23.8 years (2007 est.)
Population growth rate
-0.262% (2007 est.)
Birth rate
21.83 births/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Death rate
3.24 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Net migration rate
-21.21 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Sex ratio
at birth
1.06 male(s)/female
under 15 years
1.075 male(s)/female
15-64 years
1.085 male(s)/female
65 years and over
0.568 male(s)/female
total population
1.062 male(s)/female (2007 est.)
Infant mortality rate
total
8.88 deaths/1,000 live births
male
9.47 deaths/1,000 live births
female
8.26 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.)
Life expectancy at birth
total population
76.25 years
male
72.69 years
female
80.02 years (2007 est.)
Total fertility rate
3.07 children born/woman (2007 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate
NA
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS
NA
HIV/AIDS - deaths
NA
Nationality
noun
American Samoan(s) (US nationals)
adjective
American Samoan
Ethnic groups
native Pacific islander 92.9%, Asian 2.9%, white 1.2%, mixed 2.8%, other 0.2% (2000 census)
Religions
Christian Congregationalist 50%, Roman Catholic 20%, Protestant and other 30%
Languages
Samoan 90.6% (closely related to Hawaiian and other Polynesian languages), English 2.9%, Tongan 2.4%, other Pacific islander 2.1%, other 2%
note: most people are bilingual (2000 census)
Literacy
definition
age 15 and over can read and write
total population
97%
male
98%
female
97% (1980 est.)
Country name
conventional long form
Territory of American Samoa
conventional short form
American Samoa
abbreviation
AS
Dependency status
unincorporated and unorganized territory of the US; administered by the Office of Insular Affairs, US Department of the Interior
Government type
NA
Capital
name
Pago Pago
geographic coordinates
14 16 S, 170 42 W
time difference
UTC-11 (6 hours behind Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Administrative divisions
none (territory of the US); there are no first-order administrative divisions as defined by the US Government, but there are three districts and two islands* at the second order; Eastern, Manu'a, Rose Island*, Swains Island*, Western
Independence
none (territory of the US)
National holiday
Flag Day, 17 April (1900)
Constitution
ratified 2 June 1966, effective 1 July 1967
Legal system
NA
Suffrage
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch
chief of state
President George W. BUSH of the US (since 20 January 2001); Vice President Richard B. CHENEY (since 20 January 2001)
head of government
Governor Togiola TULAFONO (since 7 April 2003)
cabinet
Cabinet made up of 12 department directors
elections
under the US Constitution, residents of unincorporated territories, such as American Samoa, do not vote in elections for US president and vice president; governor and lieutenant governor elected on the same ticket by popular vote for four-year terms (eligible for a second term); election last held 2 and 16 November 2004 (next to be held in November 2008)
election results
Togiola TULAFONO elected governor; percent of vote - Togiola TULAFONO 55.7%, Afoa Moega LUTU 44.3%
Legislative branch
bicameral Fono or Legislative Assembly consists of the House of Representatives (21 seats; 20 members are elected by popular vote and 1 is an appointed, nonvoting delegate from Swains Island; to serve two-year terms) and the Senate (18 seats; members are elected from local chiefs to serve four-year terms)
elections: House of Representatives - last held 7 November 2006 (next to be held in November 2008); Senate - last held 2 November 2004 (next to be held in November 2008)
election results: House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NA; Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - independents 18
note: American Samoa elects one nonvoting representative to the US House of Representatives; election last held on 7 November 2006 (next to be held in November 2008); results - Eni F. H. FALEOMAVAEGA reelected as delegate
Judicial branch
High Court (chief justice and associate justices are appointed by the US Secretary of the Interior)
Political parties and leaders
Democratic Party [Oreta M. TOGAFAU]; Republican Party [Tautai A. F. FAALEVAO]
Political pressure groups and leaders
NA
International organization participation
Interpol (subbureau), IOC, SPC, UPU
Diplomatic representation in the US
none (territory of the US)
Diplomatic representation from the US
none (territory of the US)
Flag description
blue, with a white triangle edged in red that is based on the outer side and extends to the hoist side; a brown and white American bald eagle flying toward the hoist side is carrying two traditional Samoan symbols of authority, a staff and a war club
Economy - overview
American Samoa has a traditional Polynesian economy in which more than 90% of the land is communally owned. Economic activity is strongly linked to the US with which American Samoa conducts most of its commerce. Tuna fishing and tuna processing plants are the backbone of the private sector, with canned tuna the primary export. Transfers from the US Government add substantially to American Samoa's economic well being. Attempts by the government to develop a larger and broader economy are restrained by Samoa's remote location, its limited transportation, and its devastating hurricanes. Tourism is a promising developing sector.
GDP (purchasing power parity)
$510.1 million (2003 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate)
$333.8 million (2005)
GDP - real growth rate
3% (2003)
GDP - per capita (PPP)
$5,800 (2005 est.)
GDP - composition by sector
agriculture
NA%
industry
NA%
services
NA%
Labor force
17,630 (2005)
Labor force - by occupation
agriculture
34%
industry
33%
services
33% (1990)
Unemployment rate
29.8% (2005)
Population below poverty line
NA%
Household income or consumption by percentage share
lowest 10%
NA%
highest 10%
NA%
Inflation rate (consumer prices)
NA%
Budget
revenues
$121 million (37% in local revenue and 63% in US grants)
expenditures
$127 million; including capital expenditures of $NA (FY96/97)
Agriculture - products
Industries
tuna canneries (largely supplied by foreign fishing vessels), handicrafts
Industrial production growth rate
NA%
Electricity - production
128 million kWh (2004)
Electricity - production by source
fossil fuel
100%
hydro
0%
nuclear
0%
other
0% (2001)
Electricity - consumption
119 million kWh (2004)
Electricity - exports
0 kWh (2004)
Electricity - imports
0 kWh (2004)
Oil - production
0 bbl/day (2004)
Oil - consumption
3,900 bbl/day (2004 est.)
Oil - exports
NA bbl/day
Oil - imports
NA bbl/day
Natural gas - production
0 cu m (2004 est.)
Natural gas - consumption
0 cu m (2004 est.)
Exports
$445.6 million (FY04 est.)
Exports - commodities
canned tuna 93% (2004 est.)
Exports - partners
Indonesia 28.2%, India 22.3%, Australia 15.3%, Japan 11.2%, NZ 7.1% (2006)
Imports
$308.8 million (FY04 est.)
Imports - commodities
materials for canneries 56%, food 8%, petroleum products 7%, machinery and parts 6% (2004 est.)
Imports - partners
Australia 66%, Samoa 13.8%, NZ 10.8% (2006)
Debt - external
$NA
Economic aid - recipient
important financial support from the US, more than $40 million in 1994
Currency (code)
US dollar (USD)
Currency code
USD
Exchange rates
the US dollar is used
Fiscal year
1 October - 30 September
Telephones - main lines in use
15,000 (2001)
Telephones - mobile cellular
2,377 (1999)
Telephone system
general assessment
NA
domestic
good telex, telegraph, facsimile and cellular telephone services; domestic satellite system with 1 Comsat earth station
international
country code - 684; satellite earth station - 1 (Intelsat-Pacific Ocean)
Radio broadcast stations
AM 2, FM 3, shortwave 0 (2005)
Radios
57,000 (1997)
Television broadcast stations
1 (2006)
Televisions
14,000 (1997)
Internet country code
.as
Internet hosts
1,456 (2006)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs)
1 (2000)
Internet users
NA
Airports
3 (2006)
Airports - with paved runways
total
2
over 3,047 m
1
914 to 1,523 m
1 (2006)
Airports - with unpaved runways
total
1
under 914 m
1 (2006)
Roadways
total: 185 km (2004)
Ports and terminals
Pago Pago
Military - note
defense is the responsibility of the US
Disputes - international
Tokelau included American Samoa's Swains Island (Olohega) in its 2006 draft constitution
