2024 Edition Primary

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

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 (2022)

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

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

15.7 births/1,000 population (2024 est.)

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

NA

Contraceptive prevalence rate

NA

Current health expenditure

NA

Currently married women (ages 15-49)

53.5% (2023 est.)

Death rate

6.3 deaths/1,000 population (2024 est.)

Dependency ratios

elderly dependency ratio

10.4

potential support ratio

9.6 (2021)

total dependency ratio

52.3

youth dependency ratio

41.9

Drinking water source

improved: rural

rural: NA

improved: total

total: 99.8% of population

improved: urban

urban: NA

unimproved: rural

rural: NA

unimproved: total

total: 0.2% of population (2020 est.)

unimproved: urban

urban: NA

Education expenditures

NA

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.)

note

note: data represent population by ethnic origin or race

Gross reproduction rate

1 (2024 est.)

Infant mortality rate

female

7.6 deaths/1,000 live births

male

11.7 deaths/1,000 live births

total

9.7 deaths/1,000 live births (2024 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.)

note

note: most people are bilingual

Life expectancy at birth

female

78.5 years

male

73.4 years

total population

75.8 years (2024 est.)

Literacy

female

NA

male

NA

total population

NA

Major urban areas - population

49,000 PAGO PAGO (capital) (2018)

Median age

female

30.6 years

male

29.4 years

total

30 years (2024 est.)

Nationality

adjective

American Samoan

noun

American Samoan(s) (US nationals)

Net migration rate

-24.8 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2024 est.)

Physician density

NA

Population

female

22,091 (2024 est.)

male

21,804

total

43,895

Population growth rate

-1.54% (2024 est.)

Religions

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

Sanitation facility access

improved: rural

rural: NA

improved: total

total: 99% of population

improved: urban

urban: NA

unimproved: rural

rural: NA

unimproved: total

total: 1% of population (2020 est.)

unimproved: urban

urban: NA

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

2.06 children born/woman (2024 est.)

Urbanization

rate of urbanization

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

urban population

87.2% of total population (2023)

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 by simple majority vote 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"

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 Joseph R. BIDEN Jr. (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

a large white triangle edged in red that is based on the fly side and extends to the hoist side and is charged with an eagle, all on a blue field; the red, white, and blue colors are those traditionally used by both the United States and Samoa; the brown and white American bald eagle flies toward the hoist side and carries 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 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); 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 the American Samoa 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 in single- and multi-seat constituencies directly elected by simple majority popular 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; percentage women 5.6%House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NA; composition - men 20, women 1; percentage women 4.8%; total Legislature percentage women 5.1%

elections

Senate - last held on 8 November 2022 (next to be held in November 2024)House of Representatives - last held on 8 November 2022 (next to be held on 5 November 2024)

note

note: American Samoa elects 1 member by simple majority popular 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

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

Democratic PartyRepublican 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.)

note

note: GDP expenditure basis - exports of goods and services in current dollars

Exports - commodities

animal meal, packaged medicine, machinery, refined petroleum, insulated wire (2022)

note

note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars

Exports - partners

Australia 33%, South Korea 16%, Taiwan 8%, Kuwait 8%, Senegal 5% (2022)

note

note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports

GDP - composition, by end use

exports of goods and services

47% (2022 est.)

government consumption

49.7% (2016 est.)

household consumption

71.3% (2022 est.)

imports of goods and services

-77.7% (2022 est.)

investment in fixed capital

7.3% (2016 est.)

investment in inventories

5.1% (2016 est.)

note

note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection

GDP (official exchange rate)

$871 million (2022 est.)

note

note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate

Imports

Imports 2020

$686 million (2020 est.)

Imports 2021

$694 million (2021 est.)

Imports 2022

$677 million (2022 est.)

note

note: GDP expenditure basis - imports of goods and services in current dollars

Imports - commodities

refined petroleum, fish, cars, paper containers, wood (2022)

note

note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars

Imports - partners

Malaysia 27%, Singapore 24%, Fiji 12%, South Korea 9%, Taiwan 9% (2022)

note

note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports

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.)

Public debt

Public debt 2016

12.2% of GDP (2016 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity)

note

note: data are in 2016 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

note

note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency

Real GDP growth rate 2020

4.41% (2020 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2021

-0.78% (2021 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2022

1.74% (2022 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.)

Carbon dioxide emissions

from petroleum and other liquids

391,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.)

total emissions

391,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.)

Electricity

consumption

157.326 million kWh (2022 est.)

installed generating capacity

48,000 kW (2022 est.)

transmission/distribution losses

13.975 million kWh (2022 est.)

Electricity generation sources

fossil fuels

97.1% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)

solar

2.9% of total installed capacity (2022 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 (2022 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% (2021 est.)

total

18,135 (2021 est.)

Telecommunication systems

domestic

nearly 22 per 100 fixed-line tele density (2021)

general assessment

American Samoa Telecommunications Authority, ASTCA, supplies telecommunication services to the residents of the American Samoan islands, a territory of the United States, which are found in a remote area of the Pacific Ocean; the primary system between the islands consists of fiber-optic cables and satellite connections; over Independence Day weekend 2021, the undersea fiber-optic cable linking the Tutuila and Manu’a Islands failed, completely stranding the Manu’a Islands from all telecommunication services; telecommunication services were restored to the people of Manu’a islands through microwave link between Tutuila to the Manu’a Islands; the link is now providing a steady 1Gbps backhaul most of the time of the year with 600Mbps at four 9’s availability, over this extremely long distance (2022)

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)

Telephones - fixed lines

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

22 (2021 est.)

total subscriptions

10,000 (2021 est.)

Telephones - mobile cellular

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

4 (2009 est.)

total subscriptions

2,250 (2009 est.)

Airports

3 (2024)

Ports

key ports

Pago Pago Harbor

ports with oil terminals

1

small

1

total ports

1 (2024)

Roadways

total

241 km (2016)

Military - note

defense is the responsibility of the US

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

0% of GDP (2018 est.)

Revenue from forest resources

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 (2023)

Waste and recycling

municipal solid waste generated annually

18,989 tons (2016 est.)