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.

Geographic coordinates: 14 20 S 170 00 W

Map reference: Oceania

Area
Total: 199 km²
Rank: 215
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
Territorial sea: 12 nm
Exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Climate: 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
Extremes highest point: Lata Mountain 964 m

Natural resources: pumice pumicite

Land use
Arable land: 10%
Permanent crops: 15%
Other: 75% (2005)

Irrigated land: NA

Natural hazards: typhoons common from December to March
Volcanism: American Samoa experiences limited volcanic activity on the Ofu and Olosega Islands neither has erupted since the 19th century

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

Population: 66,432 (July 2010 est.)
Rank: 202
Growth rate: 1.212% (2010 est.)
Growth rate rank: 103
Below poverty line: NA%

Nationality
Noun: American Samoan
Adjective: American Samoan

Ethnic groups: native Pacific islander 91.6% Asian 2.8% white 1.1% mixed 4.2% other 0.3% (2000 census)

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)

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

Age structure
0-14 years: 33.4%
15-64 years: 62.7% (male 20,848/female 20,271)
65 years and over: 3.9% (male 1211/female 1371) (2010 est.)

Median age
Total: 23.4 years
Male: 23.3 years
Female: 23.6 years (2010 est.)

Population growth rate: 1.212% (2010 est.)
Rank: 103

Birth rate: 23.05 births/1000 population (2010 est.)
Rank: 73

Death rate: 4.09 deaths/1000 population (July 2010 est.)
Rank: 209

Net migration rate: -6.83 migrant(s)/1000 population (2010 est.)
Rank: 206

Urbanization
Urban population: 92% of total population
Rate of urbanization: 2.4% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

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

Sex ratio
At birth: 1.061 male/female
Under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.88 male(s)/female
Total population: 1.02 male(s)/female (2010 est.)

Infant mortality rate
Total: 9.91 deaths/1000 live births
Rank: 152
Male: 12.91 deaths/1000 live births
Female: 6.73 deaths/1000 live births (2010 est.)

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 73.97 years
Rank: 104
Male: 71.04 years
Female: 77.08 years (2010 est.)

Total fertility rate: 3.22 children born/woman (2010 est.)
Rank: 55

Hivaids
Adult prevalence rate: NA
People living with hivaids: NA
Deaths: NA

Education expenditures: NA

Literacy
Definition: age 15 and over can read and write
Total population: 97%
Male: 98%
Female: 97% (1980 est.)

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

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 on 2 June 1966; effective 1 July 1967

Legal system: NA

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch
Chief of state: President Barack H. OBAMA ; Vice President Joseph R. BIDEN (since 20 January 2009)
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; however they may vote in Democratic and Republican presidential primary elections; governor and lieutenant governor elected on the same ticket by popular vote for four-year terms (eligible for a second term); election last held on 4 and 18 November 2008 (next to be held in November 2012)
Election results: Togiola TULAFONO reelected governor; percent of vote - Togiola TULAFONO 56.5% Afoa Moega LUTU 43.5%

Legislative branch: bicameral Fono or Legislative Assembly consists of the Senate (18 seats; members are elected from local chiefs to serve four-year terms)and the House of Representatives (21 seats; 20 members are elected by popular vote and 1 is an appointed nonvoting delegate from Swains Island; members serve two-year terms)
Elections: House of Representatives - last held on 4 November 2008 (next to be held in November 2010); Senate - last held on 4 November 2008 (next to be held in November 2012)
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 2 November 2010 (next to be held in November 2012); 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]

International organization participation: AOSIS Interpol (subbureau) IOC SPC UPU

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 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 war club known as a 'Fa'alaufa'i' (upper; left talon) and a coconut fiber fly whisk known as a 'Fue' (lower; right talon); the combination of symbols broadly mimics that seen on the US Great Seal and reflects the relationship between the United States and American Samoa

National anthem
Name: 'Amerika Samoa'
Lyricsmusic: Mariota Tiumalu TUIASOSOPO/Napoleon Andrew TUITELELEAPAGA
Note: local anthem adopted 1950; as a territory of the United States 'The Star-Spangled Banner' is official (see United States)

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. The two tuna canneries account for 80% of employment. In late September 2009 an earthquake and the resulting tsunami devastated American Samoa and nearby Samoa disrupting transportation and power generation and resulting in about 200 deaths. The US Federal Emergency Management Agency is overseeing a relief program of nearly $25 million. 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.

Real gdp purchasing power parity: $510.1 million (2003 est.)
Rank: 212

Real gdp growth rate: 3% (2003)
Rank: 119

Real gdp per capita: $5,800 (2005 est.)
Rank: 124

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

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

Industries: tuna canneries (largely supplied by foreign fishing vessels) handicrafts

Industrial production growth rate: NA%

Labor force: 17,630 (2005)
Rank: 210
By occupation agriculture: 34%
By occupation industry: 33%
By occupation services: 33% (1990)

Unemployment rate: 29.8% (2005)
Rank: 176

Population below poverty line: NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share
Lowest 10: NA%
Highest 10: NA%

Inflation rate consumer prices: NA%

Exports: $445.6 million (FY04 est.)
Rank: 169
Commodities: canned tuna 93%

Imports: $308.8 million (FY04 est.)
Rank: 194
Commodities: raw materials for canneries 56% food petroleum products machinery and parts

Debt external: $NA

Exchange rates: the US dollar is used

Electricity
Production: 185 million kWh (2007 est.)
Production rank: 178
Consumption: 172.1 million kWh (2007 est.)
Consumption rank: 180
Exports: 0 kWh (2008 est.)
Imports: 0 kWh (2008 est.)

Natural gas
Production: 0 m³ (2008 est.)
Production rank: 94
Consumption: 0 m³ (2008 est.)
Consumption rank: 112
Exports: 0 m³ (2008 est.)
Exports rank: 47
Imports: 0 m³ (2008 est.)
Imports rank: 203
Proven reserves: 0 m³ (1 January 2010 est.)
Proven reserves rank: 104

Telephones
Main lines in use: 10,400 (2009)
Main lines in use rank: 200
Mobile cellular: 2,200 (2004)
Mobile cellular rank: 214

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)

Broadcast media: 3 television stations broadcasting; multi-channel pay-per-view television services are available; about a dozen radio stations some of which are repeater stations (2009)

Internet
Country code: .as
Hosts: 1676 (2010)
Hosts rank: 157
Users: NA

Airports: 3 (2010)
Rank: 190
With paved runways total: 3
With paved runways over 3047 m: 1
With paved runways 914 to 1523 m: 1
With paved runways under 914 m: 1 (2010)

Roadways
Total: 241 km
Rank: 205

Ports and terminals: Pago Pago

Disputes international: Tokelau periodically asserts claims to American Samoa's Swains Island (Olohega) such as in its 2006 draft independence constitution