2000 Edition

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.

Area

land

199 sq km

note

includes Rose Island and Swains Island

total

199 sq km

water

0 sq km

Area - comparative

slightly larger than Washington, DC

Climate

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

Coastline

116 km

Elevation extremes

highest point

Lata 966 m

lowest point

Pacific Ocean 0 m

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

Geographic coordinates

14 20 S, 170 00 W

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

Irrigated land

NA sq km

Land boundaries

0 km

Land use

arable land

5%

forests and woodland

70%

other

15% (1993 est.)

permanent crops

10%

permanent pastures

0%

Location

Oceania, group of islands in the South Pacific Ocean, about one-half of the way from Hawaii to New Zealand

Map references

Oceania

Maritime claims

exclusive economic zone

200 nm

territorial sea

12 nm

Natural hazards

typhoons common from December to March

Natural resources

pumice, pumicite

Terrain

five volcanic islands with rugged peaks and limited coastal plains, two coral atolls (Rose Island, Swains Island)

Age structure

0-14 years: 39% (male 13,071; female 12,304) 15-64 years: 56% (male 18,358; female 18,597) 65 years and over: 5% (male 1,631; female 1,485) (2000 est.)

Birth rate

25.81 births/1,000 population (2000 est.)

Death rate

4.26 deaths/1,000 population (2000 est.)

Ethnic groups

Samoan (Polynesian) 89%, Caucasian 2%, Tongan 4%, other 5%

Infant mortality rate

10.63 deaths/1,000 live births (2000 est.)

Languages

Samoan (closely related to Hawaiian and other Polynesian languages), English

note

most people are bilingual

Life expectancy at birth

female

79.84 years (2000 est.)

male

70.66 years

total population

75.12 years

Literacy

definition

age 15 and over can read and write

female

97% (1980 est.)

male

98%

total population

97%

Nationality

adjective

American Samoan

noun

American Samoan(s)

Net migration rate

3.74 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2000 est.)

Population

65,446 (July 2000 est.)

Population growth rate

2.53% (2000 est.)

Religions

Christian Congregationalist 50%, Roman Catholic 20%, Protestant and other 30%

Sex ratio

at birth

1.06 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 1.1 male(s)/female

total population

1.02 male(s)/female (2000 est.)

Total fertility rate

3.6 children born/woman (2000 est.)

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

Capital

Pago Pago

Constitution

ratified 1966, in effect 1967

Country name

abbreviation

AS

conventional long form

Territory of American Samoa

conventional short form

American Samoa

Data code

AQ

Dependency status

unincorporated and unorganized territory of the US; administered by the Office of Insular Affairs, US Department of the Interior

Diplomatic representation from the US

none (territory of the US)

Diplomatic representation in the US

none (territory of the US)

Executive branch

cabinet

NA

chief of state

President William Jefferson CLINTON of the US (since 20 January 1993) and Vice President Albert GORE, Jr. (since 20 January 1993)

election results

Tauese P. SUNIA elected governor; percent of vote - Tauese P. SUNIA (Democrat) 51%, Peter REID (independent) 49%

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 3 November 1996 (next to be held 7 November 2000)

head of government

Governor Tauese P. SUNIA (since 3 January 1997) and Lieutenant Governor Togiola TULAFONO (since 3 January 1997)

Flag description

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

Government type

NA

Independence

none (territory of the US)

International organization participation

ESCAP (associate), Interpol (subbureau), IOC, SPC

Judicial branch

High Court (chief justice and associate justices are appointed by the US Secretary of the Interior)

Legal system

NA

Legislative branch

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 - NA

elections

House of Representatives - last held NA November 1998 (next to be held NA November 2000); Senate - last held 3 November 1996 (next to be held 7 November 2000)

note

American Samoa elects one delegate to the US House of Representatives; election last held 3 November 1998 (next to be held 7 November 2000); results - Eni R. F. H. FALEOMAVAEGA (Democrat) reelected as delegate for a sixth term

National holiday

Territorial Flag Day, 17 April (1900)

Political parties and leaders

Democratic Party ; Republican Party

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Agriculture - products

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

Budget

expenditures

$127 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (FY96/97)

revenues

$121 million (37% in local revenue and 63% in US grants)

Currency

1 US dollar (US$) = 100 cents

Debt - external

$NA

Economic aid - recipient

$NA; note - important financial support from the US

Economy - overview

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 the great bulk 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, may be held back by the current financial difficulties in East Asia.

Electricity - consumption

116 million kWh (1998)

Electricity - exports

0 kWh (1998)

Electricity - imports

0 kWh (1998)

Electricity - production

125 million kWh (1998)

Electricity - production by source

fossil fuel

100%

hydro

0%

nuclear

0%

other

0% (1998)

Exchange rates

US currency is used

Exports

$313 million (1996)

Exports - commodities

canned tuna 93%

Exports - partners

US 99.6%

Fiscal year

1 October - 30 September

GDP

purchasing power parity - $150 million (1995 est.)

GDP - composition by sector

agriculture

NA%

industry

NA%

services

NA%

GDP - per capita

purchasing power parity - $2,600 (1995 est.)

GDP - real growth rate

NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share

lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%

Imports

$471 million (1996)

Imports - commodities

materials for canneries 56%, food 8%, petroleum products 7%, machinery and parts 6%

Imports - 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), handicrafts

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

NA%

Labor force

13,949 (1996)

Labor force - by occupation

government 33%, tuna canneries 34%, other 33% (1990)

Population below poverty line

NA%

Unemployment rate

12% (1991)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs)

NA

Radio broadcast stations

AM 1, FM 1, shortwave 0 (1998)

Radios

57,000 (1997)

Telephone system

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)

Telephones - main lines in use

10,000 (1994)

Telephones - mobile cellular

1,200 (1994)

Television broadcast stations

1 (1997)

Televisions

14,000 (1997)

Airports

4 (1999 est.)

Airports - with paved runways

total

2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 under 914 m: 1 (1999 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways

total

2 under 914 m: 2 (1999 est.)

Highways

paved

150 km

total

350 km

unpaved

200 km

Merchant marine

none (1999 est.)

Ports and harbors

Aunu'u (new construction), Auasi, Faleosao, Ofu, Pago Pago, Ta'u

Railways

0 km

Military - note

defense is the responsibility of the US

Disputes - international

none

ANDORRA