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.
Geography
American Samoa
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
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
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
total: 24 years
male: 23.9 years female: 24.2 years (2008 est.)
Population growth rate:
-0.322% (2008 est.)
Birth rate:
21.24 births/1,000 population
(2008 est.)
Death rate:
3.24 deaths/1,000 population
(2008 est.)
Net migration rate:
-21.22 migrant(s)/1,000
population (2008 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.06
male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.08 male(s)/female 15-64
years: 1.09 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.55
male(s)/female total population: 1.06 male(s)/female (2008
est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 8.69 deaths/1,000
live births male: 9.28 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 8.08 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 76.45
years male: 72.9 years female: 80.21 years (2008
est.)
Total fertility rate:
2.98 children born/woman (2008
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.)
Government
American Samoa
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
American Samoa
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. note: as a territory
of the US, American Samoa does not treat the US as an external trade
partner
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)
Economic aid - recipient:
important financial support
from the US, more than $40 million in 1994
Debt - external:
Currency (code):
US dollar (USD)
Currency code:
USD
Exchange rates:
the US dollar is used
Fiscal year:
1 October - 30 September
Communications
American Samoa
Telephones - main lines in use:
10,400 (2004)
Telephones - mobile cellular:
2,200 (2004)
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 - 1-684; 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:
1,824 (2007)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
1 (2000)
Internet users:
NA
Transportation
American Samoa
Airports:
3 (2007)
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 3 over
3,047 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 1
(2007)
Roadways:
total: 185 km (2004)
Ports and terminals:
Pago Pago
Military
American Samoa
Military - note:
defense is the responsibility
of the US
Transnational Issues
American Samoa
Disputes - international:
Tokelau included American
Samoa's Swains Island (Olohega) in its 2006 draft constitution
