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  American Samoa  
Flag of American Samoa
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  Introduction
  Geography
  People
  Government
  Economy
  Communications
  Transportation
  Military
  Transnational Issues

In general, information available as of 1 January 2003
was used in the preparation of The World Factbook 2003.


This page was last updated on 1 August, 2003


Map of American Samoa

Legend: Definition Definition Field Listing Field Listing Rank Order Rank Order
   Introduction    American Samoa
Background:
Definition Field Listing
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.
   Geography    American Samoa
Location:
Definition Field Listing
Oceania, group of islands in the South Pacific Ocean, about half way between Hawaii and New Zealand
Geographic coordinates:
Definition Field Listing
14 20 S, 170 00 W
Map references:
Definition Field Listing
Oceania
Area:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
total: 199 sq km
note: includes Rose Island and Swains Island
water: 0 sq km
land: 199 sq km
Area - comparative:
Definition Field Listing
slightly larger than Washington, DC
Land boundaries:
Definition Field Listing
0 km
Coastline:
Definition Field Listing
116 km
Maritime claims:
Definition Field Listing
exclusive economic zone: 200 NM
territorial sea: 12 NM
Climate:
Definition Field Listing
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:
Definition Field Listing
five volcanic islands with rugged peaks and limited coastal plains, two coral atolls (Rose Island, Swains Island)
Elevation extremes:
Definition Field Listing
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: Lata 966 m
Natural resources:
Definition Field Listing
pumice, pumicite
Land use:
Definition Field Listing
arable land: 5%
permanent crops: 10%
other: 85% (1998 est.)
Irrigated land:
Definition Field Listing
NA sq km
Natural hazards:
Definition Field Listing
typhoons common from December to March
Environment - current issues:
Definition Field Listing
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
Geography - note:
Definition Field Listing
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
   People    American Samoa
Population:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
70,260 (July 2003 est.)
Age structure:
Definition Field Listing
0-14 years: 37.5% (male 13,557; female 12,818)
15-64 years: 57% (male 19,712; female 20,346)
65 years and over: 5.4% (male 2,081; female 1,746) (2003 est.)
Median age:
Definition Field Listing
total: 21.6 years
male: 21.1 years
female: 22.2 years (2002)
Population growth rate:
Definition Field Listing
2.22% (2003 est.)
Birth rate:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
23.26 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Death rate:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
4.38 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Net migration rate:
Definition Field Listing
3.29 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Sex ratio:
Definition Field Listing
at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 1.19 male(s)/female
total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2003 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
total: 9.82 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 7.93 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
male: 11.61 deaths/1,000 live births
Life expectancy at birth:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
total population: 75.75 years
male: 71.35 years
female: 80.41 years (2003 est.)
Total fertility rate:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
3.3 children born/woman (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
NA%
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
NA
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
NA
Nationality:
Definition Field Listing
noun: American Samoan(s)
adjective: American Samoan
Ethnic groups:
Definition Field Listing
Samoan (Polynesian) 89%, Caucasian 2%, Tongan 4%, other 5%
Religions:
Definition Field Listing
Christian Congregationalist 50%, Roman Catholic 20%, Protestant and other 30%
Languages:
Definition Field Listing
Samoan (closely related to Hawaiian and other Polynesian languages), English
note: most people are bilingual
Literacy:
Definition Field Listing
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 97%
male: 98%
female: 97% (1980 est.)
   Government    American Samoa
Country name:
Definition Field Listing
conventional long form: Territory of American Samoa
conventional short form: American Samoa
abbreviation: AS
Dependency status:
Definition Field Listing
unincorporated and unorganized territory of the US; administered by the Office of Insular Affairs, US Department of the Interior
Government type:
Definition Field Listing
NA
Capital:
Definition Field Listing
Pago Pago
Administrative divisions:
Definition Field Listing
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:
Definition Field Listing
none (territory of the US)
National holiday:
Definition Field Listing
Flag Day, 17 April (1900)
Constitution:
Definition Field Listing
ratified 1966, in effect 1967
Legal system:
Definition Field Listing
NA
Suffrage:
Definition Field Listing
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
Definition Field Listing
chief of state: President George W. BUSH of the US (since 20 January 2001) and Vice President Richard B. CHENEY (since 20 January 2001)
election results: Tauese P. SUNIA reelected governor; percent of vote - Tauese P. SUNIA (Democrat) 50.7%, Lealaifuaneva Peter REID (independent) 47.8%
note: Togiola TULAFONO became acting governor 26 March 2003 upon the death of Governor Tauese P. SUNIA
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 7 November 2000 (next to be held NA November 2004)
head of government: Governor Togiola TULAFONO (since 7 April 2003) following the death of Governor Tauese P. SUNIA on 26 March 2003; TULAFONO had been the Lieutenant Governor
cabinet: NA
Legislative branch:
Definition Field Listing
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)
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 7 November 2002 (next to be held NA November 2004); results - Eni F. H. FALEOMAVAEGA (Democrat) reelected as delegate
elections: House of Representatives - last held 7 November 2002 (next to be held NA November 2004); Senate - last held 7 November 2000 (next to be held NA November 2004)
Judicial branch:
Definition Field Listing
High Court (chief justice and associate justices are appointed by the US Secretary of the Interior)
Political parties and leaders:
Definition Field Listing
Democratic Party [leader NA]; Republican Party [leader NA]
Political pressure groups and leaders:
Definition Field Listing
NA
International organization participation:
Definition Field Listing
ESCAP (associate), Interpol (subbureau), IOC, SPC
Diplomatic representation in the US:
Definition Field Listing
none (territory of the US)
Diplomatic representation from the US:
Definition Field Listing
none (territory of the US)
Flag description:
Definition Field Listing
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
   Economy    American Samoa
Economy - overview:
Definition Field Listing
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 most 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, has been held back by the recurring financial difficulties in East Asia.
GDP:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
purchasing power parity - $500 million (2000 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
NA%
GDP - per capita:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
purchasing power parity - $8,000 (2000 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
Definition Field Listing
agriculture: NA%
industry: NA%
services: NA%
Population below poverty line:
Definition Field Listing
NA%
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
Definition Field Listing
lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA%
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
NA%
Labor force:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
14,000 (1996)
Labor force - by occupation:
Definition Field Listing
government 33%, tuna canneries 34%, other 33% (1990)
Unemployment rate:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
6% (2000)
Budget:
Definition Field Listing
revenues: $121 million (37% in local revenue and 63% in US grants)
expenditures: $127 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (FY96/97)
Industries:
Definition Field Listing
tuna canneries (largely supplied by foreign fishing vessels), handicrafts
Industrial production growth rate:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
NA%
Electricity - production:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
130 million kWh (2001)
Electricity - production by source:
Definition Field Listing
fossil fuel: 100%
hydro: 0%
other: 0% (2001)
nuclear: 0%
Electricity - consumption:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
120.9 million kWh (2001)
Electricity - exports:
Definition Field Listing
0 kWh (2001)
Electricity - imports:
Definition Field Listing
0 kWh (2001)
Oil - production:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
0 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - consumption:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
3,800 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - exports:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
NA (2001)
Oil - imports:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
NA (2001)
Agriculture - products:
Definition Field Listing
bananas, coconuts, vegetables, taro, breadfruit, yams, copra, pineapples, papayas; dairy products, livestock
Exports:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
$345 million (1999)
Exports - commodities:
Definition Field Listing
canned tuna 93%
Exports - partners:
Definition Field Listing
US 99.6% (2000)
Imports:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
$452 million (1999)
Imports - commodities:
Definition Field Listing
materials for canneries 56%, food 8%, petroleum products 7%, machinery and parts 6%
Imports - partners:
Definition Field Listing
US 62%, Australia 11%, Japan 9%, NZ 7%, Fiji 4%, other 7% (2000)
Debt - external:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
$NA
Economic aid - recipient:
Definition Field Listing
important financial support from the US, more than $40 million in 1994
Currency:
Definition Field Listing
US dollar (USD)
Currency code:
Definition Field Listing
USD
Exchange rates:
Definition Field Listing
the US dollar is used
Fiscal year:
Definition Field Listing
1 October - 30 September
   Communications    American Samoa
Telephones - main lines in use:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
13,000 (1997)
Telephones - mobile cellular:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
2,550 (1997)
Telephone system:
Definition Field Listing
general assessment: NA
domestic: good telex, telegraph, facsimile and cellular telephone services; domestic satellite system with 1 Comsat earth station
international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)
Radio broadcast stations:
Definition Field Listing
AM 1, FM 1, shortwave 0 (1998)
Television broadcast stations:
Definition Field Listing
1 (1997)
Internet country code:
Definition Field Listing
.as
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
Definition Field Listing
1 (2000)
Internet users:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
NA
   Transportation    American Samoa
Railways:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
0 km
Highways:
Definition Field Listing
total: 350 km
paved: 150 km
unpaved: 200 km
Waterways:
Definition Field Listing
none
Ports and harbors:
Definition Field Listing
Aunu'u (new construction), Auasi, Faleosao, Ofu, Pago Pago, Ta'u
Merchant marine:
Definition Field Listing
none (2002 est.)
Airports:
Definition Field Listing
3 (2002)
Airports - with paved runways:
Definition Field Listing
total: 2
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
under 914 m: 1 (2002)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
Definition Field Listing
total: 1
under 914 m: 1 (2002)
   Military    American Samoa
Military - note:
Definition Field Listing
defense is the responsibility of the US
   Transnational Issues    American Samoa
Disputes - international:
Definition Field Listing
none

This page was last updated on 1 August, 2003


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