Country Guide

American Samoa Facts

Geography People and Society Government Economy Communications Transportation Military Transnational Issues

Geography

Location:
Oceania, group of islands in the South Pacific Ocean, about half way between Hawaii and New Zealand


Geographic coordinates:
14 20 S, 170 00 W


Map references:
Oceania


Area:
total:199 sq kmcountry comparison to the world: 216
land:199 sq km
water:0 sq km
note:includes Rose Island and Swains Island


Area - comparative:
slightly larger than Washington, DC


Land boundaries:
territorial sea:12 nm
exclusive economic zone:200 nm


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


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


Elevation extremes:
lowest point:Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point:Lata Mountain 964 m


Natural resources:
pumice, pumicite


Land use:
arable land:9.5%
permanent crops:15%
other:75.5% (2011)


Irrigated land:
NA


Natural hazards:
typhoons common from December to March


Environment - current issues:
limited natural freshwater resources; the water division of the government has spent substantial funds in the past few years to improve water catchments and pipelines


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 and Society

Nationality:
noun: American Samoan(s) (US nationals)
adjective:American Samoan


Ethnic groups:
Native Hawaiian and other Pacific Islander 91.6%, Asian 2.8%, white 1.1%, mixed 4.2%, other 0.3% (2000 est.)


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%


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


Population:
54,517 (July 2014 est.)country comparison to the world: 208


Age structure:
0-14 years:24.9% (male 6,671/female 6,917)
15-24 years:20.2% (male 5,468/female 5,565)
25-54 years:41.7% (male 11,694/female 11,056)
55-64 years:8.2% (male 2,211/female 2,260)
65 years and over:4.9% (male 1,234/female 1,441) (2014 est.)


Median age:
total:28.3 years
male:28.8 years
female:27.8 years (2014 est.)


Population growth rate:
-0.35% (2014 est.)country comparison to the world: 219


Birth rate:
22.87 births/1,000 population (2014 est.)country comparison to the world: 72


Death rate:
4.68 deaths/1,000 population (2014 est.)country comparison to the world: 198


Net migration rate:
-21.64 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2014 est.)country comparison to the world: 221


Urbanization:
urban population:93.2% of total population (2011)
rate of urbanization:1.87% annual rate of change (2010-15 est.)


Major urban areas - population:
PAGO PAGO (capital) 64,000 (2011)


Sex ratio:
at birth:1.06 male(s)/female
0-14 years:0.96 male(s)/female
15-24 years:0.98 male(s)/female
25-54 years:1.06 male(s)/female
55-64 years:1 male(s)/female
65 years and over:0.86 male(s)/female
total population:1.01 male(s)/female (2014 est.)


    Infant mortality rate:
total:8.92 deaths/1,000 live birthscountry comparison to the world: 150
male:11.47 deaths/1,000 live births
female:6.21 deaths/1,000 live births (2014 est.)


Life expectancy at birth:
total population:74.91 yearscountry comparison to the world: 104
male:71.96 years
female:78.04 years (2014 est.)


Total fertility rate:
2.98 children born/woman (2014 est.)country comparison to the world: 57


Drinking water source:
improved:
urban: 100% of population
rural: 100% of population
total: 100% of population
unimproved:
urban: 0% of population
rural: 0% of population
total: 0% of population (2012 est.)


Sanitation facility access:
improved:
urban: 62.5% of population
rural: 62.5% of population
total: 62.5% of population
unimproved:
urban: 37.5% of population
rural: 37.5% of population
total: 37.5% of population (2012 est.)


HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
NA


HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
NA


HIV/AIDS - deaths:
NA


Obesity - adult prevalence rate:
74.6% (2007)country comparison to the world: 1


Literacy:
definition:age 15 and over can read and write
total population:97%
male:98%
female:97% (1980 est.)

Government

Country name:
conventional long form: Territory of American Samoa
conventional short form:American Samoa
abbreviation:AS


Dependency status:
unincorporated and unorganized territory of the US; administered by the Office of Insular Affairs, US Department of the Interior


Government type:
NA


Capital:
name:Pago Pago
geographic coordinates:14 16 S, 170 42 W
time difference:UTC-11 (6 hours behind Washington, DC, during Standard Time)


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


Independence:
none (territory of the US)


National holiday:
Flag Day, 17 April (1900)


Constitution:
ratified 2 June 1966, effective 1 July 1967 (2013)


Legal system:
mixed legal system of US common law and customary law


Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal


Executive branch:
chief of state:President Barack H. OBAMA (since 20 January 2009); Vice President Joseph R. BIDEN (since 20 January 2009)
head of government:Governor Lolo Matalasi MOLIGA (since 3 January 2013)
cabinet:Cabinet made up of 12 department directors
elections: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 elected on the same ticket by popular vote for four-year terms (eligible for a second term); election last held on 6 November 2012 with a runoff held on 20 November 2012 (next to be held in November 2016)
election results:runoff election percent of vote - Lolo Matalasi MOLIGA 52.9%, Faoa Aitofele SUNIA 47.1%


    Legislative branch:
bicameral Fono or Legislative Assembly consists of the Senate (18 seats; members are elected from local chiefs to serve four-year terms) and the House of Representatives (21 seats; 20 members are elected by popular vote and 1 is an appointed, nonvoting delegate from Swains Island; members serve two-year terms)
elections:House of Representatives - last held on 6 November 2012 (next to be held in November 2014); Senate - last held on 6 November 2012 (next to be held in November 2016)
election results:Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - independents 18; House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - independents 20
note:American Samoa elects one nonvoting representative to the US House of Representatives; election last held on 6 November 2012 (next to be held in November 2014); results - Eni F. H. FALEOMAVAEGA reelected as delegate


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


Political parties and leaders:
Democratic Party [Oreta M. TOGAFAU]
Republican Party [Tautai A. F. FAALEVAO]


Political pressure groups and leaders:
Population Pressure LAS (addresses the growing population pressures)


International organization participation:
AOSIS, Interpol (subbureau), IOC, PIF (observer), SPC, UPU


Diplomatic representation in the US:
name:'Amerika Samoa' (American Samoa)
lyrics/music:Mariota Tiumalu TUIASOSOPO/Napoleon Andrew TUITELELEAPAGA
note:local anthem adopted 1950; as a territory of the United States, 'The Star-Spangled Banner' is official (see United States)

Economy

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 commerce. Tuna fishing and tuna processing plants are the backbone of the private sector with canned tuna the primary export. The two tuna canneries account for 80% of employment. 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 is overseeing 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 is a promising developing sector.


GDP (purchasing power parity):
$575.3 million (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 214
$510.1 million (2003 est.)


GDP (official exchange rate):
$462.2 million (2005)


GDP - real growth rate:
3% (2003)
country comparison to the world: 115

GDP - per capita (PPP):
$8,000 (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 134
$5,800 (2005 est.)


GDP - composition, by sector of origin:
agriculture:NA%
industry:NA%
services:NA%


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


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


Industrial production growth rate:
NA%


    Labor force:
17,630 (2005)
country comparison to the world: 211


Unemployment rate:
29.8% (2005)
country comparison to the world: 180

Population below poverty line:
NA%


Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%:NA%
highest 10%:NA%


Budget:
revenues:$155.4 million
expenditures:$183.6 million (2007 est.)


Taxes and other revenues:
33.6% of GDP (2007)
country comparison to the world: 72

Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-):
-6.1% of GDP (2007)
country comparison to the world: 178


Fiscal year:
1 October - 30 September


Inflation rate (consumer prices):
NA%


Exports:
$445.6 million (FY04 est.)
country comparison to the world: 177

Exports - commodities:
canned tuna 93%


Imports:
$308.8 million (FY04 est.)
country comparison to the world: 199

Imports - commodities:
raw materials for canneries, food, petroleum products, machinery and parts


Debt - external:
$NA


Exchange rates:
the US dollar is used

Energy

Electricity - production:
155 million kWh (2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 187


Electricity - consumption:
147.9 million kWh (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 192


Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 98


Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 115


Electricity - installed generating capacity:
60,000 kW (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 184


Electricity - from fossil fuels:
100% of total installed capacity (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 3


Electricity - from nuclear fuels:
0% of total installed capacity (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 40


Electricity - from hydroelectric plants:
0% of total installed capacity (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 154


Electricity - from other renewable sources:
0% of total installed capacity (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 152


Crude oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 150


Crude oil - exports:
0 bbl/day (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 79


Crude oil - imports:
0 bbl/day (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 154


    Crude oil - proved reserves:
0 bbl (1 January 2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 104


Refined petroleum products - production:
0 bbl/day (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 119


Refined petroleum products - consumption:
5,115 bbl/day (2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 167


Refined petroleum products - exports:
0 bbl/day (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 149


Refined petroleum products - imports:
2,003 bbl/day (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 180


Natural gas - production:
0 cu m (2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 99


Natural gas - consumption:
0 cu m (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 118


Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 59


Natural gas - imports:
0 cu m (2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 154


Natural gas - proved reserves:
0 cu m (1 January 2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 110


Carbon dioxide emissions from consumption of energy:
426,200 Mt (2011 est.)

Communications

Telephones - main lines in use:
10,000 (2012)
country comparison to the world: 200


Telephone system:
general assessment:good telex, telegraph, facsimile, and cellular telephone services
domestic:domestic satellite system with 1 Comsat earth station
international:country code - 1-684; satellite earth station - 1 (Intelsat-Pacific Ocean)



    Broadcast media:
3 TV stations; multi-channel pay TV services are available; about a dozen radio stations, some of which are repeater stations (2009)


Internet country code:
.as


Internet hosts:
2,387 (2012)
country comparison to the world: 161


Internet users:
NA

Transportation

Airports
3 (2013)
country comparison to the world: 193


Airports - with paved runways
total:3
over 3,047 m:1
914 to 1,523 m:1
under 914 m:1 (2013)


    Roadways
total:241 km (2008)country comparison to the world: 206

Ports and terminals
major seaport(s):Pago Pago

Military

Manpower fit for military service
females age 16-49:14,129 (2010 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually
male:775
female:762 (2010 est.)


    Military - note
defense is the responsibility of the US
 Information/ Data by CIA - The World Factbook