2021 Edition

Background

Tutuila 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 developed its own traditional chiefdom that maintained its 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, and in 1918, the naval governor instituted strict quarantine rules to prevent the spread of the Spanish flu, allowing American Samoa to avoid the deadly infection that ravaged the then-New Zealand administered territory of Samoa. 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 instead of US citizens, a status many American Samoans prefer.  

Area

land

224 sq km

note

note: includes Rose Atoll and Swains Island

total

224 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 (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 (2012)

Land boundaries

total

0 km

Land use

agricultural land

24.5% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: arable land

arable land: 15% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent crops

permanent crops: 9.5% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent pasture

permanent pasture: 0% (2018 est.)

forest

75.5% (2018 est.)

other

0% (2018 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 Marchvolcanism: 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

27.76% (male 7,063/female 6,662)

15-24 years

18.16% (male 4,521/female 4,458)

25-54 years

37.49% (male 9,164/female 9,370)

55-64 years

9.69% (male 2,341/female 2,447)

65 years and over

6.9% (male 1,580/female 1,831) (2020 est.)

Birth rate

17.19 births/1,000 population (2021 est.)

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

NA

Contraceptive prevalence rate

NA

Current Health Expenditure

NA

Death rate

6 deaths/1,000 population (2021 est.)

Dependency ratios

elderly dependency ratio

NA

potential support ratio

NA

total dependency ratio

NA

youth dependency ratio

NA

Drinking water source

improved: rural

rural: NA

improved: total

total: 100% of population NA

improved: urban

urban: NA

unimproved: rural

rural: NA

unimproved: total

total: 0% of population NA (2017 est.)

unimproved: urban

urban: NA

Education expenditures

NA

Ethnic groups

Pacific Islander 92.6% (includes Samoan 88.9%, Tongan 2.9%, other .8%), Asian 3.6% (includes Filipino 2.2%, other 1.4%), mixed 2.7%, other 1.2% (2010 est.)

note

note: data represent population by ethnic origin or race

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths

NA

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

NA

Infant mortality rate

female

8 deaths/1,000 live births (2021 est.)

male

12.39 deaths/1,000 live births

total

10.25 deaths/1,000 live births

Languages

Samoan 88.6% (closely related to Hawaiian and other Polynesian languages), English 3.9%, Tongan 2.7%, other Pacific islander 3%, other 1.8% (2010 est.)

note

note: most people are bilingual

Life expectancy at birth

female

77.72 years (2021 est.)

male

72.55 years

total population

75.06 years

Major urban areas - population

49,000 PAGO PAGO (capital) (2018)

Median age

female

27.7 years (2020 est.)

male

26.7 years

total

27.2 years

Nationality

adjective

American Samoan

noun

American Samoan(s) (US nationals)

Net migration rate

-32.18 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2021 est.)

Population

46,366 (July 2021 est.)

Population growth rate

-2.1% (2021 est.)

Religions

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

Sanitation facility access

improved: total

total: 99% of population

unimproved: total

total: 1% of population (2017 est.)

Sex ratio

0-14 years

1.06 male(s)/female

15-24 years

1.01 male(s)/female

25-54 years

0.98 male(s)/female

55-64 years

0.96 male(s)/female

65 years and over

0.86 male(s)/female

at birth

1.06 male(s)/female

total population

1 male(s)/female (2020 est.)

Total fertility rate

2.28 children born/woman (2021 est.)

Urbanization

rate of urbanization

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

urban population

87.2% of total population (2021)

Administrative divisions

none (territory of the US); there are no first-order administrative divisions as defined by the US Government, but there are 3 districts and 2 islands* at the second order; Eastern, Manu'a, Rose Island*, Swains Island*, Western

Capital

geographic coordinates

14 16 S, 170 42 W

name

Pago Pago

note

note: pronounced pahn-go pahn-go

time difference

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

Citizenship

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

Constitution

amendments

proposed by either house of the Legislative Assembly; passage requires three-fifths majority vote by the membership of each house, approval in a referendum, approval by the US Secretary of the Interior, and only by an act of  the US Congress; amended several times, last in 2021

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 meaning of Samoa is disputed; some modern explanations are that the "sa" connotes  "sacred" and "moa" indicates "center," so the name can mean "Holy Center"; alternatively, some assertions state that it can mean "place of the sacred moa bird" of Polynesian mythology; the name, however, may go back to Proto-Polynesian (PPn) times (before 1000 B.C.); a plausible PPn reconstruction has the first syllable as "sa'a" meaning "tribe or people" and "moa" meaning "deep sea or ocean" to convey the meaning "people of the deep sea"

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 Joseph R. BIDEN Jr. (since 20 January 2021); Vice President Kamala D. HARRIS (since 20 January 2021)

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%

elections/appointments

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); election last held on 3 November 2020 (next to be held in November 2024)

head of government

Governor Lemanu Peleti MAUGA (since 3 January 2021)

Flag description

blue, with a white triangle edged in red that is based on the fly side and extends to the hoist side; a brown and white American bald eagle flying toward the hoist side is carrying 2 traditional Samoan symbols of authority, a war club known as a "fa'alaufa'i" (upper; left talon), and a coconut-fiber fly whisk known as a "fue" (lower; right talon); the combination of symbols broadly mimics that seen on the US Great Seal and reflects the relationship between the US and American Samoa

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 courts

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); note - American Samoa has no US federal courts

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

Legislative branch

description

bicameral Legislature or Fono consists of:Senate (18 seats; members indirectly selected by regional governing councils to serve 4-year terms)House of Representatives (21 seats; 20 members directly elected by simple majority vote and 1 decided by public meeting on Swains Island; members serve 2-year terms)

election results

Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - independent 18; composition - men 17, women 1; percent of women 5.6%House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NA; composition - NA

elections

Senate - last held on 3 November 2020 (next to be held in November 2024)House of Representatives - last held on 3 November 2020 (next to be held in November 2024)

note

note: American Samoa elects 1 member by simple majority vote to serve a 2-year term as a delegate to the US House of Representatives; the delegate can vote when serving on a committee and when the House meets as the Committee of the Whole House, but not when legislation is submitted for a “full floor” House vote; election of delegate last held on 3 November 2020 (next to be held in November 2022); Amata Coleman RADEWAGEN elected delegate; Amata Coleman RADEWAGEN (Republican Party) 83.5%, Oreta CHRICHTON (Democratic Party) 14.4%, Meleagi SUITONU-CHAPMAN (Democratic Party) 2.1%

National anthem

lyrics/music

Mariota Tiumalu TUIASOSOPO/Napoleon Andrew TUITELELEAPAGA

name

"Amerika Samoa" (American Samoa)

note

note: local anthem adopted 1950; as a territory of the United States, "The Star-Spangled Banner" is official (see United States)

National holiday

Flag Day, 17 April (1900)

National symbol(s)

a fue (coconut fiber fly whisk; representing wisdom) crossed with a to'oto'o (staff; representing authority); national colors: red, white, blue

Political parties and leaders

Democratic Party [Fagafaga Daniel LANGKILDE, chairman]Republican Party [William SWORD, chairman]

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.)

Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-)

-2.1% (of GDP) (2016 est.)

Debt - external

NA

Economic overview

American Samoa s 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 commerce. Tuna fishing and processing are the backbone of the private sector with processed fish products as the primary exports. The fish processing business accounted for 15.5% of employment in 2015.In late September 2009, an earthquake and the resulting tsunami devastated American Samoa and nearby Samoa, disrupting transportation and power generation, and resulting in about 200 deaths. The US Federal Emergency Management Agency oversaw a relief program of nearly $25 million. 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 has some potential as a source of income and jobs.

Exchange rates

the US dollar is used

Exports

Exports 2015

$427 million (2015 est.)

Exports 2016

$428 million (2016 est.)

Exports - commodities

canned tuna

Exports - partners

Australia 25%, Ghana 19%, Indonesia 15.6%, Burma 10.4%, Portugal 5.1% (2017)

Fiscal year

1 October - 30 September

GDP - composition, by end use

exports of goods and services

65% (2016 est.)

government consumption

49.7% (2016 est.)

household consumption

66.4% (2016 est.)

imports of goods and services

-93.5% (2016 est.)

investment in fixed capital

7.3% (2016 est.)

investment in inventories

5.1% (2016 est.)

GDP - composition, by sector of origin

agriculture

27.4% (2012)

industry

12.4% (2012)

services

60.2% (2012)

GDP (official exchange rate)

$658 million (2016 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

highest 10%

NA

lowest 10%

NA

Imports

Imports 2015

$657 million (2015 est.)

Imports 2016

$615 million (2016 est.)

Imports - commodities

raw materials for canneries, food, petroleum products, machinery and parts

Imports - partners

Fiji 10.7%, Singapore 10.4%, NZ 10.4%, South Korea 9.3%, Samoa 8.2%, Kenya 6.4%, Australia 5.2% (2017)

Industrial production growth rate

NA

Industries

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2014

1.4% (2014 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2015

-0.5% (2015 est.)

Labor force

17,850 (2015 est.)

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture

NA

industry

15.5%

services

46.4% (2015 est.)

Population below poverty line

NA

Public debt

Public debt 2016

12.2% of GDP (2016 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity)

note

note: data are in 2016 US dollars

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 2014

1% (2014 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2015

1.2% (2015 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2016

-2.5% (2016 est.)

Real GDP per capita

Real GDP per capita 2014

$11,200 (2014 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2015

$11,300 (2015 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2016

$11,200 (2016 est.)

Taxes and other revenues

37.8% (of GDP) (2016 est.)

Unemployment rate

Unemployment rate 2005

29.8% (2005)

Crude oil - exports

0 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Crude oil - imports

0 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Crude oil - production

0 bbl/day (2018 est.)

Crude oil - proved reserves

0 bbl (1 January 2018 est.)

Electricity - consumption

157.2 million kWh (2016 est.)

Electricity - exports

0 kWh (2016 est.)

Electricity - from fossil fuels

98% of total installed capacity (2016 est.)

Electricity - from hydroelectric plants

0% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)

Electricity - from nuclear fuels

0% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)

Electricity - from other renewable sources

2% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)

Electricity - imports

0 kWh (2016 est.)

Electricity - installed generating capacity

43,000 kW (2016 est.)

Electricity - production

169 million kWh (2016 est.)

Natural gas - consumption

0 cu m (2017 est.)

Natural gas - exports

0 cu m (2017 est.)

Natural gas - imports

0 cu m (2017 est.)

Natural gas - production

0 cu m (2017 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves

0 cu m (1 January 2014 est.)

Refined petroleum products - consumption

2,375 bbl/day (2016 est.)

Refined petroleum products - exports

0 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Refined petroleum products - imports

2,346 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Refined petroleum products - production

0 bbl/day (2015 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

31.3% (July 2016 est.)

total

22,200 (2021 est.)

Telecommunication systems

domestic

18 per 100 fixed-line teledensity, domestic satellite system with 1 Comsat earth station (2018)

general assessment

good telex, telegraph, facsimile, and cellular telephone services; one of the most complete and modern telecommunications systems in the South Pacific Islands; all inhabited islands have telephone connectivity

international

country code - 1-684; landing points for the ASH, Southern Cross NEXT and Hawaiki  providing connectivity to New Zealand, Australia, American Samoa, Hawaii, California, and SAS connecting American Samoa with Samoa; satellite earth station - 1 (Intelsat-Pacific Ocean) (2019)

note

note: the COVID-19 pandemic continues to have a significant impact on production and supply chains globally; since 2020, some aspects of the telecom sector have experienced downturn, particularly in mobile device production; many network operators delayed upgrades to infrastructure; progress towards 5G implementation was postponed or slowed in some countries; consumer spending on telecom services and devices was affected by large-scale job losses and the consequent restriction on disposable incomes; the crucial nature of telecom services as a tool for work and school from home became evident, and received some support from governments

Telephones - fixed lines

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

17.92 (2018 est.)

total subscriptions

8,984

Airports

total

3 (2020)

Airports - with paved runways

914 to 1,523 m

1

over 3,047 m

1

total

3

under 914 m

1 (2019)

Ports and terminals

major seaport(s)

Pago Pago

Roadways

total

241 km (2016)

Military - note

defense is the responsibility of the US

Disputes - international

Tokelau included American Samoa's Swains Island (Olosega) in its 2006 draft independence constitution

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

Environment - current issues

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

Land use

agricultural land

24.5% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: arable land

arable land: 15% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent crops

permanent crops: 9.5% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent pasture

permanent pasture: 0% (2018 est.)

forest

75.5% (2018 est.)

other

0% (2018 est.)

Revenue from coal

coal revenues

0% of GDP (2018 est.)

Revenue from forest resources

forest revenues

0% of GDP (2018 est.)

Urbanization

rate of urbanization

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

urban population

87.2% of total population (2021)

Waste and recycling

municipal solid waste generated annually

18,989 tons (2016 est.)