2001 Edition
CIA World Factbook 2001 (Project Gutenberg)
Introduction
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
Age structure
0-14 years: 38.44% (male 13,278; female 12,512) 15-64 years: 56.57% (male 18,784; female 19,163) 65 years and over: 4.99% (male 1,779; female 1,568) (2001 est.)
Agriculture - products
bananas, coconuts, vegetables, taro, breadfruit, yams, copra, pineapples, papayas; dairy products, livestock
Airports
4 (2000 est.)
Airports - with paved runways
total: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2000 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways
total: 2 under 914 m: 2 (2000 est.) American Samoa Military
Area
total: 199 sq km land: 199 sq km water: 0 sq km note: includes Rose Island and Swains Island
Area - comparative
slightly larger than Washington, DC
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. American Samoa Geography
Birth rate
24.88 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)
Budget
revenues: $121 million (37% in local revenue and 63% in US grants) expenditures: $127 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (FY96/97)
Capital
Pago Pago
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
Constitution
ratified 1966, in effect 1967
Country name
conventional long form: Territory of American Samoa conventional short form: American Samoa abbreviation: AS
Currency
US dollar (USD)
Currency code
USD
Death rate
4.31 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.)
Debt - external
$NA
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)
Disputes - international
none
Economic aid - recipient
important financial support from the US, more than $40 million in 1994
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, has been held back by the recurring financial difficulties in East Asia.
Electricity - consumption
120.9 million kWh (1999)
Electricity - exports
0 kWh (1999)
Electricity - imports
0 kWh (1999)
Electricity - production
130 million kWh (1999)
Electricity - production by source
fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (1999)
Elevation extremes
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: Lata 966 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
Ethnic groups
Samoan (Polynesian) 89%, Caucasian 2%, Tongan 4%, other 5%
Exchange rates
the US dollar is used
Executive branch
chief of state: President George W. BUSH of the US (since 20 January 2001) and Vice President Richard B. CHENEY (since 20 January 2001) head of government: Governor Tauese P. SUNIA (since 3 January 1997) and Lieutenant Governor Togiola TULAFONO (since 3 January 1997) cabinet: NA 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) election results: Tauese P. SUNIA reelected governor; percent of vote - Tauese P. SUNIA (Democrat) 50.7%, Lealaifuaneva Peter REID (independent) 47.8%
Exports
$500 million (1998)
Exports - commodities
canned tuna 93%
Exports - partners
US 99.6%
Fiscal year
1 October - 30 September American Samoa Communications
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 American Samoa Economy
GDP
purchasing power parity - $500 million (2000 est.)
GDP - composition by sector
agriculture: NA% industry: NA% services: NA%
GDP - per capita
purchasing power parity - $8,000 (2000 est.)
GDP - real growth rate
NA%
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 American Samoa People
Government type
NA
Highways
total: 350 km paved: 150 km unpaved: 200 km
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate
NA%
HIV/AIDS - deaths
NA
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS
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%
Independence
none (territory of the US)
Industrial production growth rate
NA%
Industries
tuna canneries (largely dependent on foreign fishing vessels), handicrafts
Infant mortality rate
10.36 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices)
NA%
International organization participation
ESCAP (associate), Interpol (subbureau), IOC, SPC
Internet country code
.as
Internet Service Providers (ISPs)
1 (2000)
Internet users
NA American Samoa Transportation
Irrigated land
NA sq km
Judicial branch
High Court (chief justice and associate justices are appointed by the US Secretary of the Interior)
Labor force
14,000 (1996)
Labor force - by occupation
government 33%, tuna canneries 34%, other 33% (1990)
Land boundaries
0 km
Land use
arable land: 5% permanent crops: 10% permanent pastures: 0% forests and woodland: 70% other: 15% (1993 est.)
Languages
Samoan (closely related to Hawaiian and other Polynesian languages), English note: most people are bilingual
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) elections: House of Representatives - last held 7 November 2000 (next to be held NA November 2002); Senate - last held 7 November 2000 (next to be held NA November 2004) 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; note - only independents elected note: American Samoa elects one delegate to the US House of Representatives; election last held 7 November 2000 (next to be held NA November 2002); results - Eni F. H. FALEOMAVAEGA (Democrat) reelected as delegate for a sixth term
Life expectancy at birth
total population: 75.32 years male: 70.89 years female: 80.02 years (2001 est.)
Literacy
definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 97% male: 98% female: 97% (1980 est.) American Samoa Government
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
Merchant marine
none (2000 est.)
Military - note
defense is the responsibility of the US American Samoa Transnational Issues
National holiday
Flag Day, 17 April (1900)
Nationality
noun: American Samoan(s) adjective: American Samoan
Natural hazards
typhoons common from December to March
Natural resources
pumice, pumicite
Net migration rate
3.58 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 est.)
Political parties and leaders
Democratic Party [leader NA]; Republican Party [leader NA]
Political pressure groups and leaders
NA
Population
67,084 (July 2001 est.)
Population below poverty line
NA%
Population growth rate
2.42% (2001 est.)
Ports and harbors
Aunu'u (new construction), Auasi, Faleosao, Ofu, Pago Pago, Ta'u
Radio broadcast stations
AM 1, FM 1, shortwave 0 (1998)
Radios
57,000 (1997)
Railways
0 km
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: 0.98 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 1.13 male(s)/female total population: 1.02 male(s)/female (2001 est.)
Suffrage
18 years of age; universal
Telephone system
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)
Telephones - main lines in use
13,000 (1997)
Telephones - mobile cellular
2,550 (1997)
Television broadcast stations
1 (1997)
Televisions
14,000 (1997)
Terrain
five volcanic islands with rugged peaks and limited coastal plains, two coral atolls (Rose Island, Swains Island)
Total fertility rate
3.5 children born/woman (2001 est.)
Unemployment rate
16% (1993)
Waterways
none