American Samoa

Airports

total: 4 usable: 4 with permanent-surface runways: 2 with runways over 3,659 m: 0 with runways 2,440 to 3,659 m: 1 (international airport at Tafuna) with runways 1,200 to 2,439 m: 0 note: small airstrips on Fituita and Ofu

Highways

total: 350 km paved: 150 km unpaved: 200 km

Ports

Pago Pago, Ta'u, Ofu, Auasi, Aanu'u (new construction), Faleosao

Railroads

none

Telecommunications

8,399 telephones; broadcast stations - 1 AM, 1 FM, 1 TV; good telex, telegraph, and facsimile services; 1 Pacific Ocean INTELSAT earth station, 1 COMSAT earth station

Note

defense is the responsibility of the US

Agriculture

bananas, coconuts, vegetables, taro, breadfruit, yams, copra, pineapples, papayas, dairy farming

Budget

revenues: $97 million (includes $43,000,000 in local revenue and $54,000,000 in grant revenue); expenditures: $NA, including capital expenditures of $NA (FY91)

Currency

1 United States dollar = 100 cents

Economic aid

recipient: $21,042,650 in operational funds and $1,227,000 in construction funds for capital improvement projects from the US Department of Interior (1991)

Electricity

capacity: 42,000 kW production: 100 million kWh consumption per capita: 2,020 kWh (1990)

Exchange rates

US currency is used

Exports

$306 million (f.o.b., 1989) commodities: canned tuna 93% partners: US 99.6%

External debt

$NA

Fiscal year

1 October - 30 September

Imports

$360.3 million (c.i.f., 1989) commodities: materials for canneries 56%, food 8%, petroleum products 7%, machinery and parts 6% partners: US 62%, Japan 9%, NZ 7%, Australia 11%, Fiji 4%, other 7%

Industrial production

growth rate NA%

Industries

tuna canneries (largely dependent on foreign fishing vessels), meat canning, handicrafts

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

7% (1990)

National product

GDP - purchasing power equivalent - $128 million (1991)

National product per capita

$2,600 (1991)

National product real growth rate

NA%

Overview

Economic activity is strongly linked to the US, with which American Samoa conducts 80%-90% of its foreign trade. Tuna fishing and tuna processing plants are the backbone of the private sector, with canned tuna the primary export. The tuna canneries and the government are by far the two largest employers. Other economic activities include a slowly developing tourist industry. Transfers from the US Government add substantially to American Samoa's economic well-being.

Unemployment rate

12% (1991)

Area

total area: 199 sq km land area: 199 sq km comparative area: slightly larger than Washington, DC note: includes Rose Island and Swains Island

Climate

tropical marine, moderated by southeast trade winds; annual rainfall averages 124 inches; rainy season from November to April, dry season from May to October; little seasonal temperature variation

Coastline

116 km

Environment

rent issues: NA ural hazards: typhoons common from December to March ernational agreements: NA

International disputes

none

Irrigated land

NA sq km

Land boundaries

0 km

Land use

arable land: 10% permanent crops: 5% meadows and pastures: 0% forest and woodland: 75% other: 10%

Location

Oceania, Polynesia, in the South Pacific Ocean, 3,700 km south-southwest of Honolulu, about halfway between Hawaii and New Zealand

Map references

Oceania

Maritime claims

contiguous zone: 24 nm continental shelf: 200-m depth or to depth of exploitation exclusive economic zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 12 nm

Natural resources

pumice, pumicite

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

Terrain

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

Abbreviation

AS

Administrative divisions

none (territory of the US)

Capital

Pago Pago

Constitution

ratified 1966, in effect 1967

Digraph

AQ

Diplomatic representation in US

none (territory of the US)

Executive branch

chief of state: President William Jefferson CLINTON (since 20 January 1993); Vice President Albert GORE, Jr. (since 20 January 1993) head of government: Governor A. P. LUTALI (since 3 January 1993); Lieutenant Governor Tauese P. SUNIA (since 3 January 1993); election last held 3 November 1992 (next to be held NA November 1996); results - A. P. LUTALI (Democrat) 53%, Peter Tali COLEMAN (Republican) 36%

Flag

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 two traditional Samoan symbols of authority, a staff and a war club

House of Representatives

elections last held 3 November 1992 (next to be held NA November 1994); results - representatives popularly elected from 17 house districts; seats - (21 total, 20 elected, and 1 nonvoting delegate from Swains Island)

Independence

none (territory of the US)

Judicial branch

High Court

Legal system

NA

Legislative branch

bicameral Legislative Assembly (Fono)

Member of

ESCAP (associate), INTERPOL (subbureau), IOC, SPC

Names

conventional long form: Territory of American Samoa conventional short form: American Samoa

National holiday

Territorial Flag Day, 17 April (1900)

Political parties and leaders

NA

Senate

elections last held 3 November 1992 (next to be held NA November 1996); results - senators elected by village chiefs from 12 senate districts; seats - (18 total) number of seats by party NA

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Type

unincorporated and unorganized territory of the US; administered by the US Department of Interior, Office of Territorial and International Affairs

US House of Representatives

elections last held 3 November 1992 (next to be held NA November 1994); results - Eni R. F. H. FALEOMAVAEGA reelected as delegate

US diplomatic representation

none (territory of the US)

Birth rate

36.63 births/1,000 population (1994 est.)

Death rate

4.01 deaths/1,000 population (1994 est.)

Ethnic divisions

Samoan (Polynesian) 89%, Caucasian 2%, Tongan 4%, other 5%

Infant mortality rate

18.78 deaths/1,000 live births (1994 est.)

Labor force

14,400 (1990) by occupation: government 33%, tuna canneries 34%, other 33% (1990)

Languages

Samoan (closely related to Hawaiian and other Polynesian languages), English; most people are bilingual

Literacy

age 15 and over can read and write (1980) total population: 97% male: 97% female: 97%

Nationality

noun: American Samoan(s) adjective: American Samoan

Net migration rate

6 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1994 est.)

Population

55,223 (July 1994 est.)

Population growth rate

3.86% (1994 est.)

Religions

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

Total fertility rate

4.36 children born/woman (1994 est.)

Total population

72.91 years male: 71.03 years female: 74.85 years (1994 est.)