2020 Edition

Background

Tutuila -- the largest island in American Samoa -- was settled by 1000 B.C., and the island served as a refuge for exiled chiefs and defeated warriors from the other Samoan islands. The Manu’a Islands, which are also now part of American Samoa, developed a traditional chiefdom that maintained autonomy by controlling oceanic trade. In 1722, Dutch explorer Jacob ROGGEVEEN was the first European to sail through the Manu’a Islands, and he was followed by French explorer Louis Antoine DE BOUGAINVILLE in 1768. Whalers and missionaries arrived in American Samoa in the 1830s, but American and European traders tended to favor the port in Apia -- now in independent Samoa -- over the smaller and less-developed Pago Pago on Tutuila. In the mid-1800s, a dispute arose in Samoa over control of the Samoan archipelago, with different chiefs gaining support from Germany, the UK, and the US. In 1872, the high chief of Tutuila offered the US exclusive rights to Pago Pago in return for US protection, but the US rejected this offer. As fighting resumed, the US agreed to the chief’s request in 1878 and set up a coaling station at Pago Pago. In 1899, with continued disputes over succession, Germany and the US agreed to divide the Samoan islands, while the UK withdrew its claims in exchange for parts of the Solomon Islands. Local chiefs on Tutuila formally ceded their land to the US in 1900, followed by the chief of Manu’a in 1904. The territory was officially named “American Samoa” in 1911. The US administered the territory through the Department of the Navy. In 1949, there was an attempt to organize the territory, granting it formal self-government, but local chiefs helped defeat the measure in the US Congress. Administration was transferred to the Department of the Interior in 1951, and in 1967, American Samoa adopted a constitution that provides significant protections for traditional Samoan land-tenure rules, language, and culture. In 1977, after four attempts, voters approved a measure to directly elect their governor. Nevertheless, American Samoa officially remains an unorganized territory, and people born in American Samoa are US nationals rather than US citizens.  

Area

land

224 sq km

total

224 sq km

water

0 sq km

Area - comparative

slightly larger than Washington, D.C.

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

Elevation

highest point

Lata Mountain 964 m

lowest point

Pacific Ocean 0 m

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

0 sq km (2022)

Land boundaries

total

0 km

Land use

agricultural land

14.8% (2023 est.)

agricultural land: arable land

arable land: 5.2% (2023 est.)

agricultural land: permanent crops

permanent crops: 9.6% (2023 est.)

agricultural land: permanent pasture

permanent pasture: 0% (2023 est.)

forest

79.2% (2023 est.)

other

6% (2023 est.)

Location

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

Map references

Oceania

Maritime claims

exclusive economic zone

200 nm

territorial sea

12 nm

Natural hazards

cyclones common from December to March volcanism: limited volcanic activity on the Ofu and Olosega Islands; neither has erupted since the 19th century

Natural resources

pumice, pumicite

Terrain

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

Age structure

0-14 years

25.3% (male 5,738/female 5,387)

15-64 years

66% (male 14,291/female 14,679)

65 years and over

8.7% (2024 est.) (male 1,775/female 2,025)

Birth rate

15.3 births/1,000 population (2025 est.)

Currently married women (ages 15-49)

47.4% (2020 est.)

Death rate

6.4 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.)

Dependency ratios

elderly dependency ratio

13.8 (2025 est.)

potential support ratio

7.2 (2025 est.)

total dependency ratio

51.3 (2025 est.)

youth dependency ratio

37.5 (2025 est.)

Drinking water source

improved: total

total: 99.8% of population

unimproved: total

total: 0.2% of population (2020 est.)

Ethnic groups

Pacific Islander 88.7% (includes Samoan 83.2%, Tongan 2.2%, other 3.3%), Asian 5.8% (includes Filipino 3.4%, other 2.4%), mixed 4.4%, other 1.1% (2020 est.)

Gross reproduction rate

0.96 (2025 est.)

Infant mortality rate

female

7.6 deaths/1,000 live births

male

11.7 deaths/1,000 live births

total

9.5 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.)

Languages

Samoan 87.9% (closely related to Hawaiian and other Polynesian languages), English 3.3%, Tongan 2.1%, other Pacific Islander 4.1%, Asian languages 2.1%, other 0.5% (2020 est.)

Life expectancy at birth

female

78.5 years

male

73.4 years

total population

75.8 years (2024 est.)

Major urban areas - population

49,000 PAGO PAGO (capital) (2018)

Median age

female

30.6 years

male

29.4 years

total

30.6 years (2025 est.)

Nationality

adjective

American Samoan

noun

American Samoan(s) (US nationals)

Net migration rate

-22.23 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.)

Population

female

21,790

male

21,478

total

43,268 (2025 est.)

Population growth rate

-1.33% (2025 est.)

Religions

Christian 98.3%, other <1%, unaffiliated <1% (2020 est.)

Sanitation facility access

improved: total

total: 98.5% of population (2022 est.)

unimproved: total

total: 1.5% of population (2022 est.)

Sex ratio

0-14 years

1.07 male(s)/female

15-64 years

0.97 male(s)/female

65 years and over

0.88 male(s)/female

at birth

1.06 male(s)/female

total population

0.99 male(s)/female (2024 est.)

Total fertility rate

1.99 children born/woman (2025 est.)

Urbanization

rate of urbanization

0.26% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

urban population

87.2% of total population (2023)

Administrative divisions

no first-order administrative divisions as defined by the US government, but 3 districts and 2 islands* are considered second-order; Eastern, Manu'a, Rose Island*, Swains Island*, Western

Capital

geographic coordinates

14 16 S, 170 42 W

name

Pago Pago

time difference

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

Citizenship

see United States note: in accordance with US Code Title 8, Section 1408, persons born in American Samoa are US nationals but not US citizens

Constitution

amendment process

proposed by either house of the Legislative Assembly; passage requires three-fifths majority vote by the membership of each house, approval by simple majority vote in a referendum, approval by the US Secretary of the Interior, and only by an act of the US Congress

history

adopted 17 October 1960; revised 1 July 1967

Country name

abbreviation

AS

conventional long form

American Samoa

conventional short form

American Samoa

etymology

the name's meaning is disputed; according to one theory, sa means "sacred" and moa means "center," so the name can mean "Holy Center"; alternatively, some assert that the name can mean "place of the sacred moa bird" of Polynesian mythology; however, the name may pre-date the Polynesian era (before 1000 B.C.), with sa'a meaning "tribe or people" and moa meaning "deep sea," or "people of the deep sea"

former

Eastern Samoa

Dependency status

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

Diplomatic representation from the US

embassy

none (territory of the US)

Diplomatic representation in the US

none (territory of the US)

Executive branch

cabinet

Cabinet consists of 12 department directors appointed by the governor with the consent of the Legislature or Fono

chief of state

President Donald J. TRUMP (since 20 January 2025)

election results

Lemanu Peleti MAUGA elected governor in first round; percent of vote - Lemanu Peleti MAUGA (independent) 60.3%, Gaoteote Palaie TOFAU (independent) 21.9%, I'aulualo Fa'afetai TALIA (independent) 12.3%

election/appointment process

president and vice president indirectly elected on the same ballot by an Electoral College of 'electors' chosen from each state to serve a 4-year term (eligible for a second term); under the US Constitution, residents of unincorporated territories such as American Samoa do not vote in elections for US president and vice president; however, they may vote in Democratic and Republican presidential primary elections; governor and lieutenant governor directly elected on the same ballot by absolute-majority popular vote in 2 rounds, if needed, for a 4-year term (eligible for a second term)

expected date of next election

November 2028

head of government

Governor Nikolao PULA (since 3 January 2025)

most recent election date

19 November 2024

Flag

description: a large white triangle edged in red is based on the right side and extends to the left side, and it is on a dark blue field; a bald eagle holding a Samoan war club (fa'alaufa'i) and a coconut-fiber fly whisk (fue) sits on the right side of the flag meaning: the war club and fly whisk are traditional Samoan symbols of authority; the eagle carrying two objects echoes the US Great Seal and reflects the relationship between the United States and American Samoa; the red, white, and blue colors are traditionally used by both countries

Government type

unincorporated, unorganized Territory of the US with local self-government; republican form of territorial government with separate executive, legislative, and judicial branches

Independence

none (territory of the US)

International organization participation

AOSIS (observer), Interpol (subbureau), IOC, PIF (observer), SPC

Judicial branch

highest court(s)

High Court of American Samoa (consists of the chief justice, associate chief justice, and 6 Samoan associate judges and organized into trial, family, drug, and appellate divisions)

judge selection and term of office

chief justice and associate chief justice appointed by the US Secretary of the Interior to serve for life; Samoan associate judges appointed by the governor to serve for life

subordinate courts

district and village courts

Legal system

mixed legal system of US common law and customary law

National anthem(s)

history

official anthem, as a US territory

lyrics/music

Francis Scott KEY/John Stafford SMITH

title

"The Star-Spangled Banner"

National color(s)

red, white, blue

National holiday

Flag Day, 17 April (1900)

National symbol(s)

a fue (coconut fiber fly whisk that represents wisdom) crossed with a to'oto'o (staff that represents authority)

Political parties

Democratic Party Republican Party

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Agricultural products

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

Budget

expenditures

$262.5 million (2016 est.)

revenues

$249 million (2016 est.)

Economic overview

tourism, tuna, and government services-based territorial economy; sustained economic decline; vulnerable tuna canning industry; large territorial government presence; minimum wage increases to rise to federal standards by 2036

Exchange rates

the US dollar is used

Exports

Exports 2020

$427 million (2020 est.)

Exports 2021

$332 million (2021 est.)

Exports 2022

$409 million (2022 est.)

Exports - commodities

animal meal, aluminum, refined petroleum, gas turbines, broadcasting equipment (2023)

Exports - partners

Australia 31%, UK 18%, Tanzania 9%, UAE 7%, Senegal 6% (2023)

GDP (official exchange rate)

$871 million (2022 est.)

Imports

Imports 2020

$686 million (2020 est.)

Imports 2021

$694 million (2021 est.)

Imports 2022

$677 million (2022 est.)

Imports - commodities

refined petroleum, fish, paper containers, wood, construction vehicles (2023)

Imports - partners

Singapore 28%, NZ 15%, Fiji 14%, Taiwan 11%, Malaysia 11% (2023)

Industries

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

Real GDP (purchasing power parity)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2014

$666.9 billion (2014 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2015

$674.9 million (2015 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2016

$658 million (2016 est.)

Real GDP growth rate

Real GDP growth rate 2020

4.4% (2020 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2021

-0.8% (2021 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2022

1.7% (2022 est.)

Electricity

consumption

157.697 million kWh (2023 est.)

installed generating capacity

50,000 kW (2023 est.)

transmission/distribution losses

13.975 million kWh (2023 est.)

Electricity generation sources

fossil fuels

97.1% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

solar

2.9% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

Energy consumption per capita

Total energy consumption per capita 2019

89.105 million Btu/person (2019 est.)

Petroleum

refined petroleum consumption

3,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)

Broadcast media

3 TV stations; multi-channel pay TV services are available; about a dozen radio stations, some of which are repeater stations

Internet country code

.as

Internet users

percent of population

40.3% (1990 est.)

Telephones - fixed lines

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

20 (2022 est.)

total subscriptions

9,690 (2022 est.)

Telephones - mobile cellular

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

4 (2004 est.)

total subscriptions

2,250 (2004 est.)

Airports

3 (2025)

Ports

key ports

Pago Pago Harbor

large

0

medium

0

ports with oil terminals

1

small

1

total ports

1 (2024)

very small

0

Military - note

defense is the responsibility of the US

Carbon dioxide emissions

from petroleum and other liquids

389,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

total emissions

389,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

Environmental issues

limited supply of drinking water; pollution; waste disposal; coastal and stream alteration; soil erosion

Waste and recycling

municipal solid waste generated annually

19,000 tons (2024 est.)