1992 Edition
CIA World Factbook 1992 (Project Gutenberg)
Geography
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
Coastline
116 km
Comparative area
slightly larger than Washington, DC
Contiguous zone
12 nm
Continental shelf
200 m (depth)
Disputes
none
Environment
typhoons common from December to March
Exclusive economic zone
200 nm
Land area
199 km2; includes Rose Island and Swains Island
Land boundaries
none
Land use
arable land 10%; permanent crops 5%; meadows and pastures 0%; forest and woodland 75%; other 10%
Natural resources
pumice and pumicite
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 about 3,700 km south-southwest of Honolulu in the South Pacific Ocean about halfway between Hawaii and New Zealand
Terrain
five volcanic islands with rugged peaks and limited coastal plains, two coral atolls
Territorial sea
12 nm
Total area
199 km2
People and Society
Birth rate
37 births/1,000 population (1992)
Death rate
4 deaths/1,000 population (1992)
Ethnic divisions
Samoan (Polynesian) 90%, Caucasian 2%, Tongan 2%, other 6%
Infant mortality rate
19 deaths/1,000 live births (1992)
Labor force
14,400 (1990); government 48%, tuna canneries 33%, other 19% (1986 est.)
Languages
Samoan (closely related to Hawaiian and other Polynesian languages) and English; most people are bilingual
Life expectancy at birth
71 years male, 75 years female (1992)
Literacy
97% (male 97%, female 97%) age 15 and over can read and write (1980)
Nationality
noun - American Samoan(s); adjective - American Samoan; US, noncitizen nationals
Net migration rate
6 immigrants/1,000 population (1992)
Organized labor
NA
Population
51,115 (July 1992), growth rate 3.9% (1992); about 65,000 American Samoans live in the states of California and Washington and 20,000 in Hawaii
Religions
Christian Congregationalist 50%, Roman Catholic 20%, Protestant denominations and other 30%
Total fertility rate
4.5 children born/woman (1992)
Government
Administrative divisions
none (territory of the US)
Capital
Pago Pago
Chief of State
President George BUSH (since 20 January 1989); Vice President Dan QUAYLE (since 20 January 1989)
Constitution
ratified 1966, in effect 1967; note - a comprehensive revision is awaiting ratification by the US Congress (1992)
Diplomatic representation
none (territory of the US)
Executive branch
popularly elected governor and lieutenant governor
Flag
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 staff and a war club
Governor
last held 7 November 1988 (next to be held November 1992); results - Peter T. COLEMAN was elected (percent of vote NA)
Head of Government
Governor Peter Tali COLEMAN (since 20 January 1989); Lieutenant Governor Galea'i POUMELE (since NA 1989)
House of Representatives
last held November 1990 (next to be held November 1992); results - representatives popularly elected from 17 house districts; seats - (21 total, 20 elected, and 1 nonvoting delegate from Swain's Island)
Independence
none (territory of the US)
Judicial branch
High Court, district courts, and village courts
Legislative branch
bicameral Legislative Assembly (Fono) consists of an upper house or Senate and a lower house or House of Representatives
Long-form name
Territory of American Samoa
Member of
ESCAP, IOC, SPC
National holiday
Territorial Flag Day, 17 April (1900)
Senate
last held 7 November 1988 (next to be held November 1992); results - senators elected by county councils from 12 senate districts; seats - (18 total) number of seats by party NA
Suffrage
universal at age 18; indigenous inhabitants are US nationals, not US citizens
Type
unincorporated and unorganized territory of the US; administered by the US Department of Interior, Office of Territorial and International Affairs; indigenous inhabitants are US nationals, not citizens of the US
US House of Representatives
last held 19 November 1990 (next to be held November 1992); results - Eni R. F. H. FALEOMAVAEGA reelected as a nonvoting delegate
Economy
Agriculture
bananas, coconuts, vegetables, taro, breadfruit, yams, copra, pineapples, papayas, dairy farming
Budget
revenues $126,394,000 (consisting of $46,441,000 local revenue and $79,953,000 grant revenue); including capital expenditures of $NA million (1990)
Currency
US currency is used
Economic aid
$21,042,650 in operational funds and $5,948,931 in construction funds for capital improvement projects from the US Department of Interior (1991)
Electricity
42,000 kW capacity; 85 million kWh produced, 2,020 kWh per capita (1990)
Exchange rates
US currency is used
Exports
$307 million (f.o.b., 1989) commodities: canned tuna 93% partners: US 99.6%
External debt
$NA
Fiscal year
1 October - 30 September
GNP
purchasing power equivalent - $128 million, per capita $2,500; real growth rate NA% (1990)
Imports
$377.9 million (c.i.f., 1989) commodities: materials for canneries 56%, food 8%, petroleum 7%, machinery and parts 6% partners: US 72%, Japan 7%, NZ 7%, Australia 5%, other 9%
Industrial production
growth rate NA%
Industries
tuna canneries (largely dependent on foreign supplies of raw tuna), meat canning, handicrafts
Inflation rate (consumer prices)
4.3% (1989)
Overview
Economic development is strongly linked to the US, with which American Samoa does nearly 90% of its foreign trade. Tuna fishing and tuna processing plants are the backbone of the private-sector economy, with canned tuna the primary export. The tuna canneries and the government are by far the two largest employers. Other economic activities include a slowly developing tourist industry.
Unemployment rate
12% (1991)
Communications
Airports
4 total, 4 usable; 2 with permanent-surface runways; none with runways over 3,659 m; 1 with runways 2,440 to 3,659 m (international airport at Tafuna, near Pago Pago); small airstrips on Ta'u and Ofu
Highways
350 km total; 150 km paved, 200 km unpaved
Ports
Pago Pago, Ta'u
Railroads
none
Telecommunications
6,500 telephones; broadcast stations - 1 AM, 2 FM, 1 TV; good telex, telegraph, and facsimile services; 1 Pacific Ocean INTELSAT earth station, 1 COMSAT earth station
Military and Security
Note
defense is the responsibility of the US