Map of American Samoa | Geography | People | Government | Economy | Energy | Communication
Military | Transportation | Transnational Issues | Year: Guide198919901991199219931994199519961997199819992000200120022003200420052006200720082009201020112012201320142015201620172018201920202021202220232024 | More stats

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Background: 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.


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Location: Oceania, Polynesia, in the South Pacific Ocean, 3,700 km south-southwest of Honolulu, about halfway between Hawaii and New Zealand

Geographic coordinates

Map reference: Oceania

Area
Total area total: 199 km²
Land: 199 km²

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 116 km

Maritime claims
Contiguous zone: 24 nm
Continental shelf: 200-m depth or to depth of exploitation
Exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Territorial sea: 12 nm

Climate: tropical marine, moderated by southeast trade winds; annual rainfall averages 124 inches; rainy season from November to April, dry season from 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

Natural resources: pumice, pumicite

Land use
Arable land: 10%
Permanent crops: 5%
Meadows and pastures: 0%
Forest and woodland: 75%
Other: 10%

Irrigated land: NA km²

Major rivers

Major watersheds area km²

Total water withdrawal

Total renewable water resources

Natural hazards: typhoons common from December to March

Geography
Note: defense is the responsibility of the US


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Population: 55,223 (July 1994 est.)
Growth rate: 3.86% (1994 est.)

Nationality: noun:American Samoan(s)

Ethnic groups: Samoan (Polynesian) 89%, Caucasian 2%, Tongan 4%, other 5%

Languages: Samoan (closely related to Hawaiian and other Polynesian languages), English; most people are bilingual

Religions: Christian Congregationalist 50%, Roman Catholic 20%, Protestant denominations and other 30%

Demographic profile

Age structure

Dependency ratios

Median age

Population growth rate: 3.86% (1994 est.)

Birth rate: 36.63 births/1000 population (1994 est.)

Death rate: 4.01 deaths/1000 population (1994 est.)

Net migration rate: 6 migrant(s)/1000 population (1994 est.)

Population distribution

Urbanization

Major urban areas

Environment
Current issues: NA
International agreements: NA

Air pollutants

Sex ratio

Mothers mean age at first birth

Maternal mortality ratio

Infant mortality rate: 18.78 deaths/1000 live births (1994 est.)

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 72.91 years
Male: 71.03 years
Female: 74.85 years (1994 est.)

Total fertility rate: 4.36 children born/woman (1994 est.)

Contraceptive prevalence rate

Drinking water source

Current health expenditure

Physicians density

Hospital bed density

Sanitation facility access

Hiv/Aids

Major infectious diseases

Obesity adult prevalence rate

Alcohol consumption

Tobacco use

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

Education expenditures

Literacy: age 15 and over can read and write (1980)
Total population: 97%
Male: 97%
Female: 97%

School life expectancy primary to tertiary education

Youth unemployment


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Country name
Conventional long form: Territory of American Samoa
Conventional short form: Abbreviation:AS

Government type: unincorporated and unorganized territory of the US; administered by the US Department of Interior, Office of Territorial and International Affairs

Capital: Pago Pago

Administrative divisions: none (territory of the US)

Dependent areas

Independence: none (territory of the US)

National holiday: Territorial Flag Day, 17 April (1900)

Constitution: ratified 1966, in effect 1967

Legal system: NA

International law organization participation

Citizenship

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch
Chief of state: President William Jefferson CLINTON (since 20 January 1993); Vice President Albert GORE, Jr. (since 20 January 1993)
Head of government: Governor A. P. LUTALI (since 3 January 1993); Lieutenant Governor Tauese P. SUNIA (since 3 January 1993); election last held 3 November 1992 (next to be held NA November 1996); results - A. P. LUTALI (Democrat) 53%, Peter Tali COLEMAN (Republican) 36%

Legislative branch: bicameral Legislative Assembly (Fono)
House of Representatives: elections last held 3 November 1992 (next to be held NA November 1994); results - representatives popularly elected from 17 house districts; seats - (21 total, 20 elected, and 1 nonvoting delegate from Swains Island)
Senate: elections last held 3 November 1992 (next to be held NA November 1996); results - senators elected by village chiefs from 12 senate districts; seats - (18 total) number of seats by party NA
US House of Representatives: elections last held 3 November 1992 (next to be held NA November 1994); results - Eni R. F. H. FALEOMAVAEGA reelected as delegate

Judicial branch: High Court

Political parties and leaders

International organization participation: ESCAP (associate), INTERPOL (subbureau), IOC, SPC

Diplomatic representation
From the us:

Flag description: blue with a white triangle edged in red that is based on the fly 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

National symbols

National anthem

National heritage


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Economy overview: Economic activity is strongly linked to the US, with which American Samoa conducts 80%-90% of its foreign trade. Tuna fishing and tuna processing plants are the backbone of the private sector, with canned tuna the primary export. The tuna canneries and the government are by far the two largest employers. Other economic activities include a slowly developing tourist industry. Transfers from the US Government add substantially to American Samoa's economic well-being.

Real gdp purchasing power parity

Real gdp growth rate: NA%

Real gdp per capita: $2,600 (1991)

Gross national saving

Gdp composition by end use

Gdp composition by sector of origin

Agriculture products: bananas, coconuts, vegetables, taro, breadfruit, yams, copra, pineapples, papayas, dairy farming

Industries: tuna canneries (largely dependent on foreign fishing vessels), meat canning, handicrafts

Industrial production growth rate: NA%

Labor force: 14,400 (1990)
By occupation government: 33%
By occupation tunacanneries: 34%
By occupation other: 33% (1990)

Unemployment rate: 12% (1991)

Youth unemployment

Population below poverty line

Gini index

Household income or consumption by percentage share

Distribution of family income gini index

Budget: revenues:$97 million (includes $43,000,000 in local revenue and $54,000,000 in grant revenue;

Taxes and other revenues

Public debt

Revenue

Fiscal year: 1 October - 30 September

Inflation rate consumer prices

Central bank discount rate

Commercial bank prime lending rate

Stock of narrow money

Stock of broad money

Stock of domestic credit

Market value of publicly traded shares

Current account balance

Exports: $306 million (f.o.b., 1989)
Commodities: canned tuna 93%
Partners: US 99.6%

Imports: $360.3 million (c.i.f., 1989)
Commodities: materials for canneries 56%, food 8%, petroleum products 7%, machinery and parts 6%
Partners: US 62%, Japan 9%, NZ 7%, Australia 11%, Fiji 4%, other 7%

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

Debt external: $NA

Stock of direct foreign investment at home

Stock of direct foreign investment abroad

Exchange rates: US currency is used


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Electricity
Capacity: 42,000 kW
Production: 100 million kWh
Consumption per capita: 2,020 kWh (1990)

Coal

Petroleum

Crude oil

Refined petroleum

Natural gas

Carbon dioxide emissions

Energy consumption per capita


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Telephones

Telephone system

Broadcast media

Internet

Broadband fixed subscriptions


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Military expenditures

Military and security forces

Military service age and obligation

Space program

Terrorist groups


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National air transport system

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

Airports: 4
Usable: 4
With permanentsurface runways: 2
With runways over 3659 m: 0
With runways 2440 to 3659 m: 1 (international airport at Tafuna)
With runways 1200 to 2439 m: 0
Note: small airstrips on Fituita and Ofu

Heliports

Pipelines

Railways

Roadways

Waterways

Merchant marine

Ports and terminals


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Disputes international: none

Refugees and internally displaced persons

Illicit drugs