1993 Edition
CIA World Factbook 1993 (Project Gutenberg)
Geography
Area
total area: 199 km2 land area: 199 km2 comparative area: slightly larger than Washington, DC note: includes Rose Island and Swains Island
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
Environment
typhoons common from December to March
International disputes
none
Irrigated land
NA km2
Land boundaries
0 km
Land use
arable land: 10% permanent crops: 5% meadows and pastures: 0% forest and woodland: 75% other: 10%
Location
in the South Pacific Ocean, 3,700 km south-southwest of Honolulu, about halfway between Hawaii and New Zealand
Map references
Oceania
Maritime claims
contiguous zone: 24 nm continental shelf: 200 m or depth of exploitation exclusive economic zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 12 nm
Natural resources
pumice, 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 in the South Pacific Ocean
Terrain
five volcanic islands with rugged peaks and limited coastal plains, two coral atolls (Rose Island, Swains Island)
People and Society
Birth rate
37 births/1,000 population (1993 est.)
Death rate
4 deaths/1,000 population (1993 est.)
Ethnic divisions
Samoan (Polynesian) 89%, Caucasian 2%, Tongan 4%, other 5%
Infant mortality rate
19 deaths/1,000 live births (1993 est.)
Labor force
14,400 (1990) by occupation: government 33%, tuna canneries 34%, other 33% (1990)
Languages
Samoan (closely related to Hawaiian and other Polynesian languages), English; most people are bilingual
Life expectancy at birth
total population: 73 years male: 71 years female: 75 years (1993 est.)
Literacy
age 15 and over can read and write (1980) total population: 97% male: 97% female: 97%
Nationality
noun: American Samoan(s) adjective: American Samoan
Net migration rate
6 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1993 est.)
Population
53,139 (July 1993 est.)
Population growth rate
3.9% (1993 est.)
Religions
Christian Congregationalist 50%, Roman Catholic 20%, Protestant denominations and other 30%
Total fertility rate
4.41 children born/woman (1993 est.)
Government
Abbreviation
AS
Administrative divisions
none (territory of the US)
Capital
Pago Pago
Chief of State
President William Jefferson CLINTON (since 20 January 1993); Vice President Albert GORE, Jr. (since 20 January 1993)
Constitution
ratified 1966, in effect 1967
Digraph
AQ
Diplomatic representation in US
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 3 November 1992 (next to be held NA November 1996); results - A. P. LUTALI was elected (percent of vote NA)
Head of Government
Governor A. P. LUTALI (since 3 January 1993); Lieutenant Governor Tauese P. SUNIA (since 3 January 1993)
House of Representatives
last held 3 November 1992 (next to be held NA November 1994); results - representatives popularly elected from 17 house districts; seats - (21 total, 20 elected, and 1 nonvoting delegate from Swains Island)
Independence
none (territory of the US)
Judicial branch
High Court
Legal system
NA
Legislative branch
bicameral Legislative Assembly (Fono) consists of an upper house or Senate (appointed by county village chiefs) and a lower house or House of Representatives (elected)
Member of
ESCAP (associate), INTERPOL (subbureau), IOC, SPC
Names
conventional long form: Territory of American Samoa conventional short form: American Samoa
National holiday
Territorial Flag Day, 17 April (1900)
Political parties and leaders
NA
Senate
last held 3 November 1992 (next to be held NA November 1996); results - senators elected by village chiefs from 12 senate districts; seats - (18 total) number of seats by party NA
Suffrage
18 years of age; universal
Type
unincorporated and unorganized territory of the US; administered by the US Department of Interior, Office of Territorial and International Affairs
US House of Representatives
last held 3 November 1992 (next to be held NA November 1994); results - Eni R. F. H. FALEOMAVAEGA reelected as delegate
Economy
Agriculture
bananas, coconuts, vegetables, taro, breadfruit, yams, copra, pineapples, papayas, dairy farming
Budget
revenues $97,000,000 (includes $43,000,000 in local revenue and $54,000,000 in grant revenue); including capital expenditures of $NA (FY91)
Currency
US currency is used
Economic aid
$21,042,650 in operational funds and $1,227,000 in construction funds for capital improvement projects from the US Department of Interior (1991)
Electricity
42,000 kW capacity; 100 million kWh produced, 2,020 kWh per capita (1990)
Exports
$306 million (f.o.b., 1989) commodities: canned tuna 93% partners: US 99.6%
External debt
$NA
Fiscal year
1 October - 30 September
Imports
$360.3 million (c.i.f., 1989) 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%
Industrial production
growth rate NA%
Industries
tuna canneries (largely dependent on foreign fishing vessels), meat canning, handicrafts
Inflation rate (consumer prices)
7% (1990)
National product
GDP - purchasing power equivalent - $128 million (1991)
National product per capita
$2,600 (1991)
National product real growth rate
NA%
Overview
Economic activity is strongly linked to the US, with which American Samoa does 80-90% of its foreign trade. Tuna fishing and tuna processing plants are the backbone of the private sector, 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. Transfers from the US government add substantially to American Samoa's economic well-being.
Unemployment rate
12% (1991)
Communications
Airports
total: 3 usable: 3 with permanent-surface runways: 3 with runways over 3,659 m: with runways 2,440 to 3,659 m : 1 (international airport at Tafuna) with runways 1,200 to 2,439 m: note: small airstrips on Fituita and Ofu
Highways
350 km total; 150 km paved, 200 km unpaved
Ports
Pago Pago, Ta'u, Ofu, Auasi, Aanu'u (new construction), Faleosao
Railroads
none
Telecommunications
8,399 telephones; broadcast stations - 1 AM, 1 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