American Samoa

Defense note

defense is the responsibility of the US

Radio broadcast stations

AM 1, FM 1, shortwave 0

Radios

NA

Telephone system

domestic: good telex, telegraph, and facsimile services; domestic satellite system with 1 Comsat earth station international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)

Telephones

8,399

Television broadcast stations

1

Televisions

8,000 (1993 est.) Defense

Agriculture

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

Budget

revenues: $97 million ($43 million in local revenue and $54 million in grant revenue) expenditures: $NA, including capital expenditures of $NA (FY90/91)

Currency

1 US dollar (US$) = 100 cents

Economic aid

recipient: ODA, $NA note: $21 million in operational funds and $1.2 million in construction funds for capital improvement projects from the US Department of Interior (1991)

Economic 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.

Electricity

capacity: 30,000 kW production: 90 million kWh consumption per capita: 1,505 kWh (1993)

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

GDP

purchasing power parity - $128 million (1991 est.)

GDP composition by sector

agriculture: NA% industry: NA% services: NA%

GDP per capita

$2,600 (1991 est.)

GDP real growth rate

NA%

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)

NA

Labor force

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

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

current issues: limited natural fresh water resources; in many areas of the island, water supplies come from roof catchments natural hazards: typhoons common from December to March international agreements: NA

Geographic coordinates

14 20 S, 170 00 W

Geographic 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

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, group of islands in the South Pacific Ocean, about one-half of the way from Hawaii to New Zealand

Map references

Oceania

Maritime claims

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 12 nm

Natural resources

pumice, pumicite

Terrain

five volcanic islands with rugged peaks and limited coastal plains, two coral atolls (Rose Island, Swains Island) lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: Lata 966 m

Administrative divisions

none (territory of the US)

Capital

Pago Pago

Constitution

ratified 1966, in effect 1967

Data code

AQ

Diplomatic representation in US

none (territory of the US)

Executive branch

chief of state: President (of the US) William Jefferson CLINTON (since 20 January 1993) and Vice President Albert GORE, Jr. (since 20 January 1993) are popularly elected by the citizens of the US head of government: Governor A. P. LUTALI (since 3 January 1993) and Lieutenant Governor Tauese P. SUNIA (since 3 January 1993) were elected for a four-year term by popular vote; 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 outer 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 8 November 1994 (next to be held NA November 1996); results - representatives popularly elected from 17 house districts; percent of vote by party NA; seats - (21 total, 20 elected, and 1 nonvoting delegate from Swains Island); number of seats by party NA

Independence

none (territory of the US)

International organization participation

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

Judicial branch

High Court, chief justice and associate justices are appointed by the US Secretary of the Interior

Legal system

NA

Legislative branch

bicameral Legislative Assembly (Fono)

Name of country

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

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; percent of vote by party NA; seats - (18 total) number of seats by party NA

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Type of government

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 8 November 1994 (next to be held NA November 1996); results - Eni R. F. H. FALEOMAVAEGA reelected as delegate

US diplomatic representation

none (territory of the US)

Age structure

0-14 years: NA 15-64 years: NA 65 years and over: NA

Birth rate

35.75 births/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Death rate

4.01 deaths/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Ethnic divisions

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

Infant mortality rate

18.78 deaths/1,000 live births (1996 est.)

Languages

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

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 72.91 years male: 71.03 years female: 74.85 years (1996 est.)

Literacy

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

Nationality

noun: American Samoan(s) adjective: American Samoan

Net migration rate

6 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Population

59,566 (July 1996 est.)

Population growth rate

3.77% (1996 est.)

Religions

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

Sex ratio

at birth: NA male(s)/female under 15 years: NA male(s)/female 15-64 years: NA male(s)/female 65 years and over: NA male(s)/female all ages: NA male(s)/female

Total fertility rate

4.24 children born/woman (1996 est.)

Airports

total: 3 with paved runways 2 438 to 3 047 m: 1 with paved runways under 914 m: 2 note: small airstrips on Fituita and Ofu (1995 est.)

Highways

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

Merchant marine

none

Ports

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

Railways

0 km