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  American Samoa
(territory of the US)
 
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 Geography
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This page was last updated on 20 March, 2008


Map of American Samoa



Legend: DefinitionDefinition Field ListingField Listing Rank OrderRank Order
   Introduction    American Samoa Top of Page
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 Top of Page
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
land: 199 sq km
water: 0 sq km
note: includes Rose Island and Swains Island
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
territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Climate:
Definition Field Listing
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:
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 Mountain 964 m
Natural resources:
Definition Field Listing
pumice, pumicite
Land use:
Definition Field Listing
arable land: 10%
permanent crops: 15%
other: 75% (2005)
Irrigated land:
Definition Field Listing
NA
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 Top of Page
Population:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
57,663 (July 2007 est.)
Age structure:
Definition Field Listing
0-14 years: 33.6% (male 10,049/female 9,345)
15-64 years: 63.5% (male 19,041/female 17,556)
65 years and over: 2.9% (male 606/female 1,066) (2007 est.)
Median age:
Definition Field Listing
total: 23.6 years
male: 23.4 years
female: 23.8 years (2007 est.)
Population growth rate:
Definition Field Listing
-0.262% (2007 est.)
Birth rate:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
21.83 births/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Death rate:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
3.24 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Net migration rate:
Definition Field Listing
-21.21 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Sex ratio:
Definition Field Listing
at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.075 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.085 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.568 male(s)/female
total population: 1.062 male(s)/female (2007 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
total: 8.88 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 9.47 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 8.26 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
total population: 76.25 years
male: 72.69 years
female: 80.02 years (2007 est.)
Total fertility rate:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
3.07 children born/woman (2007 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) (US nationals)
adjective: American Samoan
Ethnic groups:
Definition Field Listing
native Pacific islander 92.9%, Asian 2.9%, white 1.2%, mixed 2.8%, other 0.2% (2000 census)
Religions:
Definition Field Listing
Christian Congregationalist 50%, Roman Catholic 20%, Protestant and other 30%
Languages:
Definition Field Listing
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)
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 Top of Page
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
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:
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 2 June 1966, effective 1 July 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); Vice President Richard B. CHENEY (since 20 January 2001)
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; governor and lieutenant governor elected on the same ticket by popular vote for four-year terms (eligible for a second term); election last held 2 and 16 November 2004 (next to be held in November 2008)
election results: Togiola TULAFONO elected governor; percent of vote - Togiola TULAFONO 55.7%, Afoa Moega LUTU 44.3%
Legislative branch:
Definition Field Listing
bicameral Fono or Legislative Assembly consists of the House of Representatives (21 seats; 20 members are elected by popular vote and 1 is an appointed, nonvoting delegate from Swains Island; to serve two-year terms) and the Senate (18 seats; members are elected from local chiefs to serve four-year terms)
elections: House of Representatives - last held 7 November 2006 (next to be held in November 2008); Senate - last held 2 November 2004 (next to be held in November 2008)
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 7 November 2006 (next to be held in November 2008); results - Eni F. H. FALEOMAVAEGA reelected as delegate
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 [Oreta M. TOGAFAU]; Republican Party [Tautai A. F. FAALEVAO]
Political pressure groups and leaders:
Definition Field Listing
NA
International organization participation:
Definition Field Listing
Interpol (subbureau), IOC, SPC, UPU
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 Top of Page
Economy - overview:
Definition Field Listing
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. 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.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
$510.1 million (2003 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate):
Definition Field Listing
$333.8 million (2005)
GDP - real growth rate:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
3% (2003)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
$5,800 (2005 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
Definition Field Listing
agriculture: NA%
industry: NA%
services: NA%
Labor force:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
17,630 (2005)
Labor force - by occupation:
Definition Field Listing
agriculture: 34%
industry: 33%
services: 33% (1990)
Unemployment rate:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
29.8% (2005)
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%
Budget:
Definition Field Listing
revenues: $121 million (37% in local revenue and 63% in US grants)
expenditures: $127 million (FY96/97)
Agriculture - products:
Definition Field Listing
bananas, coconuts, vegetables, taro, breadfruit, yams, copra, pineapples, papayas; dairy products, livestock
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
180 million kWh (2005)
Electricity - consumption:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
167.4 million kWh (2005)
Electricity - exports:
Definition Field Listing
0 kWh (2005)
Electricity - imports:
Definition Field Listing
0 kWh (2005)
Oil - production:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
0 bbl/day (2005)
Oil - consumption:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
4,000 bbl/day (2005 est.)
Oil - exports:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
0 bbl/day (2004)
Oil - imports:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
3,807 bbl/day (2004)
Oil - proved reserves:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
0 bbl (1 January 2006 est.)
Natural gas - production:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
0 cu m (2005 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
0 cu m (2005 est.)
Natural gas - exports:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
0 cu m (2005 est.)
Natural gas - imports:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
0 cu m (2005)
Natural gas - proved reserves:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
0 cu m (1 January 2006 est.)
Exports:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
$445.6 million (FY04 est.)
Exports - commodities:
Definition Field Listing
canned tuna 93% (2004 est.)
Exports - partners:
Definition Field Listing
Indonesia 28.2%, India 22.3%, Australia 15.3%, Japan 11.2%, NZ 7.1% (2006)
Imports:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
$308.8 million (FY04 est.)
Imports - commodities:
Definition Field Listing
materials for canneries 56%, food 8%, petroleum products 7%, machinery and parts 6% (2004 est.)
Imports - partners:
Definition Field Listing
Australia 66%, Samoa 13.8%, NZ 10.8% (2006)
Economic aid - recipient:
Definition Field Listing
important financial support from the US, more than $40 million in 1994
Debt - external:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
$NA
Currency (code):
Definition Field Listing
US dollar (USD)
Exchange rates:
Definition Field Listing
the US dollar is used
Fiscal year:
Definition Field Listing
1 October - 30 September
   Communications    American Samoa Top of Page
Telephones - main lines in use:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
10,400 (2004)
Telephones - mobile cellular:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
2,200 (2004)
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: country code - 1-684; satellite earth station - 1 (Intelsat-Pacific Ocean)
Radio broadcast stations:
Definition Field Listing
AM 2, FM 3, shortwave 0 (2005)
Television broadcast stations:
Definition Field Listing
1 (2006)
Internet country code:
Definition Field Listing
.as
Internet hosts:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
1,824 (2007)
Internet users:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
NA
   Transportation    American Samoa Top of Page
Airports:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
3 (2007)
Airports - with paved runways:
Definition Field Listing
total: 3
over 3,047 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 1
under 914 m: 1 (2007)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
Definition Field Listing
total: 1
under 914 m: 1 (2006)
Roadways:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
total: 185 km (2004)
Ports and terminals:
Definition Field Listing
Pago Pago
   Military    American Samoa Top of Page
Military - note:
Definition Field Listing
defense is the responsibility of the US
   Transnational Issues    American Samoa Top of Page
Disputes - international:
Definition Field Listing
Tokelau included American Samoa's Swains Island (Olohega) in its 2006 draft constitution

This page was last updated on 20 March, 2008


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