Statistical information American Samoa 1999

American Samoa in the World
top of pageBackground: 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.
top of pageLocation: 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:
OceaniaAreaTotal: 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 claimsExclusive 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)
ElevationExtremes lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
Extremes highest point: Lata 966 m
Natural resources: pumice, pumicite
Land useArable land: 5%
Permanent crops: 10%
Permanent pastures: 0%
Forests and woodland: 70%
Other: 15% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: NA km²
Major riversMajor watersheds area km²Total water withdrawalTotal renewable water resourcesNatural hazards: typhoons common from December to March
GeographyNote: 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
top of pagePopulation: 63,786 (July 1999 est.)
Growth rate: 2.64% (1999 est.)
Below poverty line: NA%
NationalityNoun: 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 profileAge structure0-14 years: 39% (male 12,840; female 12,074)
15-64 years: 56% (male 17,933; female 18,035)
65 years and over: 5% (male 1,494; female 1,410) (1999 est.)
Dependency ratiosMedian agePopulation growth rate: 2.64% (1999 est.)
Birth rate: 26.53 births/1000 population (1999 est.)
Death rate: 4.04 deaths/1000 population (1999 est.)
Net migration rate: 3.92 migrant(s)/1000 population (1999 est.)
Population distributionUrbanizationMajor urban areasEnvironmentCurrent 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
International agreements party to: NA
International agreements signed but not ratified: NA
Air pollutantsSex ratioAt birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
Under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 1.06 male(s)/female
Total population: 1.02 male(s)/female (1999 est.)
Mothers mean age at first birthMaternal mortality ratioInfant mortality rate: 10.19 deaths/1000 live births (1999 est.)
Life expectancy at birthTotal population: 75.46 years
Male: 71.23 years
Female: 79.95 years (1999 est.)
Total fertility rate: 3.66 children born/woman (1999 est.)
Contraceptive prevalence rateDrinking water sourceCurrent health expenditurePhysicians densityHospital bed densitySanitation facility accessHiv/AidsMajor infectious diseasesObesity adult prevalence rateAlcohol consumptionTobacco useChildren under the age of 5 years underweightEducation expendituresLiteracyDefinition: age 15 and over can read and write
Total population: 97%
Male: 98%
Female: 97% (1980 est.)
School life expectancy primary to tertiary educationYouth unemploymenttop of pageCountry nameConventional 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; 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
Dependent areasIndependence: 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 participationCitizenshipSuffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branchChief of state: President William Jefferson CLINTON of the US (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: US president and vice president elected on the same ticket for four-year terms; 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; 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 and serve four-year terms)
Elections: House of Representatives_last held NA November 1998 (next to be held NA November 2000); 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; election last held 3 November 1998 (next to be held 7 November 2000); results_Eni R. F. H. FALEOMAVAEGA (Democrat) reelected as delegate for a sixth term
Judicial branch: High Court (chief justice and associate justices are appointed by the US Secretary of the Interior)
Political parties and leadersInternational organization participation: ESCAP (associate), Interpol (subbureau), IOC, SPC
Diplomatic representationIn 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 symbolsNational anthemNational heritagetop of pageEconomy overview: This is 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 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. 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. Tourism, a developing sector, may be held back by the current financial difficulties in East Asia.
Real gdp purchasing power parityReal gdp growth rate: NA%
Real gdp per capita: purchasing power parity: $2,600 (1995 est.)
Gross national savingGdp composition by sector of origin
Gdp composition by end useGdp composition by sector of originAgriculture: NA%
Industry: NA%
Services: NA%
Agriculture products: bananas, coconuts, vegetables, taro, breadfruit, yams, copra, pineapples, papayas; dairy products, livestock
Industries: tuna canneries (largely dependent on foreign fishing vessels), handicrafts
Industrial production growth rate: NA%
Labor force: 13,949 (1996)
By occupation government: 33%
By occupation tunacanneries: 34%
By occupation other: 33% (1990)
Unemployment rate: 12% (1991)
Youth unemploymentPopulation below poverty line: NA%
Gini indexHousehold income or consumption by percentage shareDistribution of family income gini indexBudgetRevenues: $121 million (37% in local revenue and 63% in US grants )
Expenditures: $127 million, including capital expenditures of $N/A (FY96/97)
Taxes and other revenuesPublic debtRevenueFiscal year: 1 October_30 September
Inflation rate consumer pricesCentral bank discount rateCommercial bank prime lending rateStock of narrow moneyStock of broad moneyStock of domestic creditMarket value of publicly traded sharesCurrent account balanceExports: $313 million (1996)
Commodities: canned tuna 93%
Partners: US 99.6%
Imports: $471 million (1996)
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 goldDebt external: $NA
Stock of direct foreign investment at homeStock of direct foreign investment abroadExchange rates: US currency is used
top of pageElectricityProduction: 105 million kWh (1996)
Production by source fossil fuel: 100%
Production by source hydro: 0%
Production by source nuclear: 0%
Production by source other: 0% (1996)
Consumption: 105 million kWh (1996)
Exports: 0 kWh (1996)
Imports: 0 kWh (1996)
CoalPetroleumCrude oilRefined petroleumNatural gasCarbon dioxide emissionsEnergy consumption per capitatop of pageTelephones: 9,000 (1994 est.)
Telephone systemDomestic: 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 mediaInternetBroadband fixed subscriptionstop of pageMilitary expendituresMilitary and security forcesMilitary service age and obligationSpace programTerrorist groupstop of pageNational air transport systemCivil aircraft registration country code prefixAirports: 4 (1998 est.)
With paved runways total: 2
With paved runways 2438 to 3047 m: 1
With paved runways under 914 m: 1 (1998 est.)
With unpaved runways total: 2
With unpaved runways under 914 m: 2 (1998 est.)
HeliportsPipelinesRailways: 0 km
RoadwaysWaterwaysMerchant marine: none
Ports and terminalstop of pageDisputes international: none
Refugees and internally displaced personsIllicit drugs