2006 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: 34.7% (male 10,388/female 9,654) 15-64 years: 62.4% (male 18,698/female 17,350) 65 years and over: 2.9% (male 633/female 1,071) (2006 est.)

Agriculture - products

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

Airports

3 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways

over 3,047 m

1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2006)

total

2

Airports - with unpaved runways

total

1

under 914 m

1 (2006)

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

22.46 births/1,000 population (2006 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

geographic coordinates

14 16 S, 170 42 W

name

Pago Pago

time difference

UTC-11 (6 hours behind Washington, DC during Standard Time)

Climate

tropical marine, moderated by southeast trade winds; annual rainfall averages about 3 m; rainy season (November to April), dry season (May to October); little seasonal temperature variation

Coastline

116 km

Constitution

ratified 2 June 1966, effective 1 July 1967

Country name

abbreviation

AS

conventional long form

Territory of American Samoa

conventional short form

American Samoa

Currency (code)

US dollar (USD)

Currency code

USD

Death rate

3.27 deaths/1,000 population (2006 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 19 December, 2006

Economic aid - recipient

important financial support from the US, more than $40 million in 1994

Economy - overview

American Samoa has 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 (2003)

Electricity - exports

0 kWh (2003)

Electricity - imports

0 kWh (2003)

Electricity - production

130 million kWh (2003)

Electricity - production by source

fossil fuel

100%

hydro

0%

nuclear

0%

other

0% (2001)

Elevation extremes

highest point

Lata Mountain 964 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

native Pacific islander 92.9%, Asian 2.9%, white 1.2%, mixed 2.8%, other 0.2% (2000 census)

Exchange rates

the US dollar is used

Executive branch

cabinet

Cabinet made up of 12 department directors

chief of state

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

election results

Togiola TULAFONO elected governor; percent of vote - Togiola TULAFONO 55.7%, Afoa Moega LUTU 44.3%

elections

under the US Consitution, residents of unincorporated territories, such as American Samoa, do not vote in elections for US president and vice president; governor and lieutenant governor elected on the same ticket by popular vote for four-year terms (eligible for a second term); election last held 2 and 16 November 2004 (next to be held November 2008)

head of government

Governor Togiola TULAFONO (since 7 April 2003)

Exports

$445.6 million (FY04 est.)

Exports - commodities

canned tuna 93% (2004 est.)

Exports - partners

Indonesia 28.2%, India 22.3%, Australia 15.3%, Japan 11.2%, NZ 7.1% (2005)

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 - composition by sector

agriculture

NA%

industry

NA%

services

NA%

GDP - per capita (PPP)

$5,800 (2005 est.)

GDP - real growth rate

3% NA%

GDP (official exchange rate)

$333.8 million

GDP (purchasing power parity)

$510.1 million (2003 est.)

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

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

$308.8 million (FY04 est.)

Imports - commodities

materials for canneries 56%, food 8%, petroleum products 7%, machinery and parts 6% (2004 est.)

Imports - partners

Australia 66%, Samoa 13.8%, NZ 10.8% (2005)

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

8.45 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

male

9.66 deaths/1,000 live births

total

9.07 deaths/1,000 live births

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

NA%

International organization participation

Interpol (subbureau), IOC, SPC, UPU

Internet country code

.as

Internet hosts

1,456 (2006)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs)

1 (2000)

Internet users

NA Transportation American Samoa

Irrigated land

NA

Judicial branch

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

Labor force

17,630 (2005)

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture

34%

industry

33%

services

33% (1990)

Land boundaries

0 km

Land use

arable land

10%

other

75% (2005)

permanent crops

15%

Languages

Samoan 90.6% (closely related to Hawaiian and other Polynesian languages), English 2.9%, Tongan 2.4%, other Pacific islander 2.1%, other 2%

note

most people are bilingual (2000 census)

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 2006 (next to be held November 2008); Senate - last held 2 November 2004 (next to be held November 2008)

note

American Samoa elects one nonvoting representative to the US House of Representatives; election last held 7 November 2006 (next to be held November 2008); results - Eni F. H. FALEOMAVAEGA (Democrat) reelected as delegate

Life expectancy at birth

female

79.82 years (2006 est.)

male

72.48 years

total population

76.05 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

23.4 years (2006 est.)

male

22.9 years

total

23.2 years

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) (US nationals)

Natural gas - consumption

0 cu m (2003 est.)

Natural gas - production

0 cu m (2003 est.)

Natural hazards

typhoons common from December to March

Natural resources

pumice, pumicite

Net migration rate

-21.11 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Oil - consumption

4,000 bbl/day (2003 est.)

Oil - exports

NA bbl/day

Oil - imports

NA bbl/day

Oil - production

0 bbl/day (2003)

Political parties and leaders

Democratic Party [Oreta M. TOGAFAU]; Republican Party [Tautai A. F. FAALEVAO]

Political pressure groups and leaders

NA

Population

57,794 (July 2006 est.)

Population below poverty line

NA%

Population growth rate

-0.19% (2006 est.)

Ports and terminals

Pago Pago Military American Samoa

Radio broadcast stations

AM 2, FM 3, shortwave 0 (2006)

Radios

57,000 (1997)

Religions

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

Roadways

total

185 km (2004)

Sex ratio

at birth

1.06 male(s)/female

total population

1.06 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

under 15 years

1.08 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.08 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.59 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

country code - 684; satellite earth station - 1 (Intelsat-Pacific Ocean)

Telephones - main lines in use

15,000 (2001)

Telephones - mobile cellular

2,377 (1999)

Television broadcast stations

1 (Low Power TV); note - one cable TV station (2006)

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

3.16 children born/woman (2006 est.)

Unemployment rate

29.8% (2005)