American Samoa

Internet Service Providers (ISPs)

1 (2000)

Internet country code

.as

Internet users

NA

Radio broadcast stations

AM 1, FM 1, shortwave 0 (1998)

Radios

57,000 (1997)

Telephone system

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

Telephones - main lines in use

13,000 (1997)

Telephones - mobile cellular

2,550 (1997)

Television broadcast stations

1 (1997)

Televisions

14,000 (1997)

Agriculture - products

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

Budget

revenues: $121 million (37% in local revenue and 63% in US grants) expenditures: $127 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (FY96/97)

Currency

US dollar (USD)

Currency code

USD

Debt - external

$NA

Economic aid - recipient

important financial support from the US, more than $40 million in 1994

Economy - overview

This is 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 the great bulk of its foreign trade. Tuna fishing and tuna processing plants are the backbone of the private sector, with canned tuna the primary export. 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, a developing sector, has been held back by the recurring financial difficulties in East Asia.

Electricity - consumption

120.9 million kWh (1999)

Electricity - exports

0 kWh (1999)

Electricity - imports

0 kWh (1999)

Electricity - production

130 million kWh (1999)

Electricity - production by source

fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (1999)

Exchange rates

the US dollar is used

Exports

$500 million (1998)

Exports - commodities

canned tuna 93%

Exports - partners

US 99.6%

Fiscal year

1 October - 30 September

GDP

purchasing power parity - $500 million (2000 est.)

GDP - composition by sector

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

GDP - per capita

purchasing power parity - $8,000 (2000 est.)

GDP - real growth rate

NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share

lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%

Imports

$471 million (1996)

Imports - commodities

materials for canneries 56%, food 8%, petroleum products 7%, machinery and parts 6%

Imports - 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), handicrafts

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

NA%

Labor force

14,000 (1996)

Labor force - by occupation

government 33%, tuna canneries 34%, other 33% (1990)

Population below poverty line

NA%

Unemployment rate

16% (1993)

Area

total: 199 sq km land: 199 sq km water: 0 sq km note: includes Rose Island and Swains Island

Area - comparative

slightly larger than Washington, DC

Climate

tropical marine, moderated by southeast trade winds; annual rainfall averages about 3 m; rainy season from November to April, dry season from May to October; little seasonal temperature variation

Coastline

116 km

Elevation extremes

lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: Lata 966 m

Environment - current issues

limited natural fresh water resources; the water division of the government has spent substantial funds in the past few years to improve water catchments and pipelines

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

NA sq km

Land boundaries

0 km

Land use

arable land: 5% permanent crops: 10% permanent pastures: 0% forests and woodland: 70% other: 15% (1993 est.)

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 hazards

typhoons common from December to March

Natural resources

pumice, pumicite

Terrain

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

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

Capital

Pago Pago

Constitution

ratified 1966, in effect 1967

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

Diplomatic representation from the US

none (territory of the US)

Diplomatic representation in the US

none (territory of the US)

Executive branch

chief of state: President George W. BUSH of the US (since 20 January 2001) and Vice President Richard B. CHENEY (since 20 January 2001) head of government: Governor Tauese P. SUNIA (since 3 January 1997) and Lieutenant Governor Togiola TULAFONO (since 3 January 1997) cabinet: NA elections: US president and vice president elected on the same ticket for four-year terms; governor and lieutenant governor elected on the same ticket by popular vote for four-year terms; election last held 7 November 2000 (next to be held NA November 2004) election results: Tauese P. SUNIA reelected governor; percent of vote - Tauese P. SUNIA (Democrat) 50.7%, Lealaifuaneva Peter REID (independent) 47.8%

Flag description

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

Government type

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 Fono or Legislative Assembly consists of the House of Representatives (21 seats - 20 of which are elected by popular vote and 1 is an appointed, nonvoting delegate from Swains Island; members serve two-year terms) and the Senate (18 seats; members are elected from local chiefs and serve four-year terms) elections: House of Representatives - last held 7 November 2000 (next to be held NA November 2002); Senate - last held 7 November 2000 (next to be held NA November 2004) election results: House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - NA; Senate - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - NA; note - only independents elected note: American Samoa elects one delegate to the US House of Representatives; election last held 7 November 2000 (next to be held NA November 2002); results - Eni F. H. FALEOMAVAEGA (Democrat) reelected as delegate for a sixth term

National holiday

Flag Day, 17 April (1900)

Political parties and leaders

Democratic Party [leader NA]; Republican Party [leader NA]

Political pressure groups and leaders

NA

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Background

Settled as early as 1000 B. C., Samoa was "discovered" by European explorers in the 18th century. International rivalries in the latter half of the 19th century were settled by an 1899 treaty in which Germany and the US divided the Samoan archipelago. The US formally occupied its portion - a smaller group of eastern islands with the excellent harbor of Pago Pago - the following year.

Military - note

defense is the responsibility of the US

Age structure

0-14 years: 38.44% (male 13,278; female 12,512) 15-64 years: 56.57% (male 18,784; female 19,163) 65 years and over: 4.99% (male 1,779; female 1,568) (2001 est.)

Birth rate

24.88 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Death rate

4.31 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Ethnic groups

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

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

NA%

HIV/AIDS - deaths

NA

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

NA

Infant mortality rate

10.36 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.)

Languages

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

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 75.32 years male: 70.89 years female: 80.02 years (2001 est.)

Literacy

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

Nationality

noun: American Samoan(s) adjective: American Samoan

Net migration rate

3.58 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Population

67,084 (July 2001 est.)

Population growth rate

2.42% (2001 est.)

Religions

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

Sex ratio

at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 1.13 male(s)/female total population: 1.02 male(s)/female (2001 est.)

Total fertility rate

3.5 children born/woman (2001 est.)

Disputes - international

none

Airports

4 (2000 est.)

Airports - with paved runways

total: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2000 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways

total: 2 under 914 m: 2 (2000 est.)

Highways

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

Merchant marine

none (2000 est.)

Ports and harbors

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

Railways

0 km

Waterways

none