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
Comparative: slightly larger than Washington DC

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 116 km

Maritime claims

Climate: tropical marine moderated by southeast trade winds; annual rainfall averages about 3 m; 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

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: 65,446 (July 2000 est.)
Growth rate: 2.53% (2000 est.)
Below poverty line: NA%

Nationality

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

Languages: Samoan (closely related to Hawaiian and other Polynesian languages) English

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

Demographic profile

Age structure

Dependency ratios

Median age

Population growth rate: 2.53% (2000 est.)

Birth rate: 25.81 births/1000 population (2000 est.)

Death rate: 4.26 deaths/1000 population (2000 est.)

Net migration rate: 3.74 migrant(s)/1000 population (2000 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

Mothers mean age at first birth

Maternal mortality ratio

Infant mortality rate: 10.63 deaths/1000 live births (2000 est.)

Life expectancy at birth

Total fertility rate: 3.6 children born/woman (2000 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

School life expectancy primary to tertiary education

Youth unemployment


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Country name

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 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

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)

Judicial branch: High Court (chief justice and associate justices are appointed by the US Secretary of the Interior)

Political parties and leaders: Democratic Party [leader NA]; Republican Party [leader NA]

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: 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. 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 parity

Real gdp growth rate: NA%

Real gdp per capita: purchasing power parity - $2,600 (1995 est.)

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 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% tuna canneries 34% other 33% (1990)

Unemployment rate: 12% (1991)

Youth unemployment

Population below poverty line: NA%

Gini index

Household income or consumption by percentage share

Distribution of family income gini index

Budget

Taxes and other revenues

Public debt

Revenue

Fiscal year: 1 October - 30 September

Inflation rate consumer prices: NA%

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: $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 gold

Debt external: $N/A

Stock of direct foreign investment at home

Stock of direct foreign investment abroad

Exchange rates: US currency is used


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Electricity
Production: 125 million kWh (1998)
Consumption: 116 million kWh (1998)
Exports: 0 kWh (1998)
Imports: 0 kWh (1998)

Coal

Petroleum

Crude oil

Refined petroleum

Natural gas

Carbon dioxide emissions

Energy consumption per capita


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Telephones
Main lines in use: 10,000 (1994)
Mobile cellular: 1200 (1994)

Telephone system

Broadcast media

Internet
Service providers isps: NA

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 (1999 est.)

Heliports

Pipelines

Railways: 0 km

Roadways

Waterways

Merchant marine: none (1999 est.)

Ports and terminals


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Disputes international: none

Refugees and internally displaced persons

Illicit drugs