2003 Edition

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: 37.5% (male 13,557; female 12,818) 15-64 years: 57% (male 19,712; female 20,346) 65 years and over: 5.4% (male 2,081; female 1,746) (2003 est.)

Agriculture - products

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

Airports

3 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways

total

2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1

under 914 m

1 (2002)

Airports - with unpaved runways

total

1

under 914 m

1 (2002) Military American Samoa

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

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. Geography American Samoa

Birth rate

23.26 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Budget

expenditures

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

revenues

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

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

abbreviation

AS

conventional long form

Territory of American Samoa

conventional short form

American Samoa

Currency

US dollar (USD)

Currency code

USD

Death rate

4.38 deaths/1,000 population (2003 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 This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

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 most 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 (2001)

Electricity - exports

0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports

0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - production

130 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - production by source

fossil fuel

100%

hydro

0%

nuclear

0%

other

0% (2001)

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

Ethnic groups

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

Exchange rates

the US dollar is used

Executive branch

cabinet

NA

chief of state

President George W. BUSH of the US (since 20 January 2001) and Vice President Richard B. CHENEY (since 20 January 2001)

election results

Tauese P. SUNIA reelected governor; percent of vote - Tauese P. SUNIA (Democrat) 50.7%, Lealaifuaneva Peter REID (independent) 47.8%

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)

head of government

Governor Togiola TULAFONO (since 7 April 2003) following the death of Governor Tauese P. SUNIA on 26 March 2003; TULAFONO had been the Lieutenant Governor

note

Togiola TULAFONO became acting governor 26 March 2003 upon the death of Governor Tauese P. SUNIA

Exports

$345 million (1999)

Exports - commodities

canned tuna 93%

Exports - partners

Indonesia 71.1%, Japan 7.7%, Samoa 7.7%, Australia 6.7% (2002)

Fiscal year

1 October - 30 September Communications American Samoa

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 Economy American Samoa

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 People American Samoa

Government type

NA

Highways

paved

150 km

total

350 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

highest 10%

NA%

lowest 10%

NA%

Imports

$452 million (1999)

Imports - commodities

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

Imports - partners

Australia 41%, New Zealand 23%, South Korea 18% (2002)

Independence

none (territory of the US)

Industrial production growth rate

NA%

Industries

tuna canneries (largely supplied by foreign fishing vessels), handicrafts

Infant mortality rate

female

7.93 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)

male

11.61 deaths/1,000 live births

total

9.82 deaths/1,000 live births

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 Transportation American Samoa

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%

other

85% (1998 est.)

permanent crops

10%

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)

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

elections

House of Representatives - last held 7 November 2002 (next to be held NA November 2004); Senate - last held 7 November 2000 (next to be held NA November 2004)

note

American Samoa elects one nonvoting representative to the US House of Representatives; election last held 7 November 2002 (next to be held NA November 2004); results - Eni F. H. FALEOMAVAEGA (Democrat) reelected as delegate

Life expectancy at birth

female

80.41 years (2003 est.)

male

71.35 years

total population

75.75 years

Literacy

definition

age 15 and over can read and write

female

97% (1980 est.) Government American Samoa

male

98%

total population

97%

Location

Oceania, group of islands in the South Pacific Ocean, about half way between Hawaii and New Zealand

Map references

Oceania

Maritime claims

exclusive economic zone

200 NM

territorial sea

12 NM

Median age

female

22.2 years (2002)

male

21.1 years

total

21.6 years

Merchant marine

none (2002 est.)

Military - note

defense is the responsibility of the US Transnational Issues American Samoa

National holiday

Flag Day, 17 April (1900)

Nationality

adjective

American Samoan

noun

American Samoan(s)

Natural hazards

typhoons common from December to March

Natural resources

pumice, pumicite

Net migration rate

3.29 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Oil - consumption

3,800 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports

NA (2001)

Oil - imports

NA (2001)

Oil - production

0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Political parties and leaders

Democratic Party [leader NA]; Republican Party [leader NA]

Political pressure groups and leaders

NA

Population

70,260 (July 2003 est.)

Population below poverty line

NA%

Population growth rate

2.22% (2003 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

total population

1.01 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

under 15 years

1.06 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 1.19 male(s)/female

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Telephone system

domestic

good telex, telegraph, facsimile and cellular telephone services; domestic satellite system with 1 Comsat earth station

general assessment

NA

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

3.3 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Unemployment rate

6% (2000)

Waterways

none