2004 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

10%

other

75% (2001)

permanent crops

15%

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

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: 36.6% (male 10,983; female 10,208) 15-64 years: 60.3% (male 18,010; female 16,933) 65 years and over: 3.1% (male 699; female 1,069) (2004 est.)

Birth rate

24.46 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Death rate

3.39 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Ethnic groups

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

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths

NA

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

NA

Infant mortality rate

female

8.86 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)

male

10.06 deaths/1,000 live births

total

9.48 deaths/1,000 live births

Languages

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

note

most people are bilingual

Life expectancy at birth

female

79.41 years (2004 est.)

male

72.05 years

total population

75.62 years

Literacy

definition

age 15 and over can read and write

female

97% (1980 est.)

male

98%

total population

97%

Median age

female

22.7 years (2004 est.)

male

22.1 years

total

22.4 years

Nationality

adjective

American Samoan

noun

American Samoan(s)

Net migration rate

-20.71 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Population

57,902 (July 2004 est.)

Population growth rate

0.04% (2004 est.)

Religions

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

Sex ratio

15-64 years: 1.06 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.65 male(s)/female

at birth

1.06 male(s)/female

total population

1.05 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

under 15 years

1.08 male(s)/female

Total fertility rate

3.41 children born/woman (2004 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

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

January 2001) and Vice President Richard B. CHENEY (since 20 January 2001)

ticket for four-year terms; governor and lieutenant governor elected on the same ticket by popular vote for four-year terms; election last held 2 and 16 November 2004 (next to be held November 2008)

cabinet

NA

chief of state

President George W. BUSH of the US (since 20

election results

Togiola TULAFONO elected governor; percent of

elections

US president and vice president elected on the same

head of government

Governor Togiola TULAFONO (since 7 April 2003)

vote

Togiola TULAFONO 55.7%, Afoa Moega LUTU 44.3%

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

Interpol (subbureau), IOC, UPU

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)

(next to be held 2 November 2004); Senate - last held 7 November 2000 (next to be held 2 November 2004)

House of Representatives; election last held 7 November 2002 (next to be held 2 November 2004); results - Eni F. H. FALEOMAVAEGA (Democrat) reelected as delegate

party - NA; seats by party - NA; Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - independents 18

election results

House of Representatives - percent of vote by

elections

House of Representatives - last held 7 November 2002

note

American Samoa elects one nonvoting representative to the US

National holiday

Flag Day, 17 April (1900)

Political parties and leaders

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

Political pressure groups and leaders

NA

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Agriculture - products

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

Budget

(FY96/97)

expenditures

$127 million, including capital expenditures of NA

revenues

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

Currency

US dollar (USD)

Currency code

USD

Debt - external

NA (2002 est.)

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 is a promising developing sector.

Electricity - consumption

120.9 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports

0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports

0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - production

130 million kWh (2001)

Exchange rates

the US dollar is used

Exports

$30 million (2002)

Exports - commodities

canned tuna 93%

Exports - partners

Samoa 33.3%, Japan 22.2%, Australia 11.1%, Canada 11.1%, New Zealand 11.1% (2003)

Fiscal year

1 October - 30 September

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

Household income or consumption by percentage share

highest 10%

NA

lowest 10%

NA

Imports

$123 million (2002)

Imports - commodities

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

Imports - partners

Australia 33.3%, New Zealand 33.3%, Mauritius 9%, Japan 5.1%, South Korea 5.1%, UK 5.1% (2003)

Industrial production growth rate

NA

Industries

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

NA (2003 est.)

Labor force

14,000 (1996)

Labor force - by occupation

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

Oil - consumption

3,800 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports

NA (2001)

Oil - imports

NA (2001)

Oil - production

0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Population below poverty line

NA

Unemployment rate

6% (2000)

Internet country code

.as

Internet Service Providers (ISPs)

1 (2000)

Internet users

NA

Radio broadcast stations

AM 1, FM 1, shortwave 0 (2004)

Radios

57,000 (1997)

Telephone system

services; domestic satellite system with 1 Comsat earth station

Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)

domestic

good telex, telegraph, facsimile and cellular telephone

general assessment

NA

international

country code - 1-684; satellite earth station - 1

Telephones - main lines in use

15,000 (2001)

Telephones - mobile cellular

2,377 (1999)

Television broadcast stations

1 (2004)

Televisions

14,000 (1997)

Airports

3 (2003 est.)

Airports - with paved runways

2,438 to 3,047 m: 1

total

2

under 914 m

1 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways

total

1

under 914 m

1 (2004 est.)

Highways

paved

150 km

total

350 km

unpaved

200 km

Merchant marine

none

Ports and harbors

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

Military - note

defense is the responsibility of the US

Disputes - international

none This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005 @Andorra