Map of American Samoa | Geography | People | Government | Economy | Energy | Communication
Military | Transportation | Transnational Issues | Year: Guide1989199019911992199319941995199619971998199920002001200220032004200520062007200820092010201120122013201420152016201720182019202020212022202320242025 | 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, group of islands in the South Pacific Ocean, about one-half of the way from Hawaii to New Zealand

Geographic coordinates: 14 20 S, 170 00 W

Map reference: Oceania

Area
Total: 199 km²
Land: 199 km²
Water: 0 km²
Note: includes Rose Island and Swains Island
Comparative: slightly larger than Washington, DC

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 116 km

Maritime claims
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
Extremes lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
Extremes highest point: Lata 966 m

Natural resources: pumice, pumicite

Land use
Arable land: 5%
Permanent crops: 10%
Permanent pastures: 0%
Forests and woodland: 70%
Other: 15% (1993 est.)

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: 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


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Population: 61,819 (July 1997 est.)
Growth rate: 3.72% (1997 est.)

Nationality
Noun: American Samoan(s)
Adjective: American Samoan

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

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

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

Demographic profile

Age structure
0-14 years: NA
15-64 years: NA
65 years and over: NA

Dependency ratios

Median age

Population growth rate: 3.72% (1997 est.)

Birth rate: 35.23 births/1000 population (1997 est.)

Death rate: 4.01 deaths/1000 population (1997 est.)

Net migration rate: 6 migrant(s)/1000 population (1997 est.)

Population distribution

Urbanization

Major urban areas

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

Air pollutants

Sex ratio
At birth: NA male(s)/female
Under 15 years: NA male(s)/female
15-64 years: NA male(s)/female
65 years and over: NA male(s)/female
Total population: NA male(s)/female

Mothers mean age at first birth

Maternal mortality ratio

Infant mortality rate: 18.78 deaths/1000 live births (1997 est.)

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 72.91 years
Male: 71.03 years
Female: 74.85 years (1997 est.)

Total fertility rate: 4.16 children born/woman (1997 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
Definition: age 15 and over can read and write
Total population: 97%
Male: 98%
Female: 97% (1980 est.)

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: American Samoa
Abbreviation: AS

Government type: NA

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 of the US William Jefferson CLINTON (since 20 January 1993) and Vice President Albert GORE, Jr. (since 20 January 1993)
Head of government: Governor Tauese P. SUNIA (since 3 January 1997) and Lieutenant Governor Togiola Tulafono (since 3 January 1997)
Cabinet: NA
Elections: governor and lieutenant governor elected on the same ticket by popular vote for four-year terms; election last held 3 November 1996 (next to be held 7 November 2000)
Election results: Tauese P. SUNIA elected governor of American Samoa; percent of vote - Tauese P. SUNIA (Democrat) 51%, Peter REID (Independent) 49%

Legislative branch: bicameral Fono or Legislative Assembly consists of the House of Representatives (21 seats - 20 of which are elected by popular vote and 1 is an appointed, nonvoting delegate from Swains Island; members serve two-year terms) and the Senate (18 seats; members are elected from local chiefs who serve four-year terms)
Elections: House of Representatives - last held 5 November 1996 (next to be held NA November 1998); Senate - last held 3 November 1996 (next to be held 7 November 2000)
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 - NA
Note: American Samoa elects one delegate to the US House of Representatives; elections last held 5 November 1996 (next to be held NA November 1998); results - Eni R. 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

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

Diplomatic representation
In the us: none (territory of the US)
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

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 the great bulk 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. According to one observer, 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.

Real gdp purchasing power parity

Real gdp growth rate: NA%

Real gdp per capita: purchasing power parity - $2,600 (1991 est.)

Gross national saving

Gdp composition by end use

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Agriculture: NA%
Industry: NA%
Services: NA%

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

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

Industrial production growth rate: NA%

Labor force
Total: 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 ($43 million in local revenue and $54 million in grant revenue)
Expenditures: $N/A, including capital expenditures of $N/A (FY90/91)

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

Imports
Total value: $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: 33,000 kW (1993)
Production: 100 million kWh (1994)
Consumption per capita: 1,743 kWh (1995 est.)

Coal

Petroleum

Crude oil

Refined petroleum

Natural gas

Carbon dioxide emissions

Energy consumption per capita


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Telephones: 9,000 (1994 est.)

Telephone system
Domestic: good telex, telegraph, facsimile and cellular phone services; domestic satellite system with 1 Comsat earth station
International: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)

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: 3 (1996 est.)
With paved runways total: 3
With paved runways 2438 to 3047 m: 1
With paved runways under 914 m: 2 (1996 est.)

Heliports

Pipelines

Railways: 0 km

Roadways

Waterways

Merchant marine: none

Ports and terminals


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Disputes international: none

Refugees and internally displaced persons

Illicit drugs