American Samoa

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

total: 17,000 | percent of population: 31.3% (July 2016 est.)

Telecommunication systems

general assessment: good telex, telegraph, facsimile, and cellular telephone services; one of the most complete and modern telecommunications systems in the South Pacific Islands; all inhabited islands have telephone connectivity | domestic: 18 per 100 fixed-line teledensity, domestic satellite system with 1 Comsat earth station (2019) | 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) | note: the COVID-19 outbreak is negatively impacting telecommunications production and supply chains globally; consumer spending on telecom devices and services has also slowed due to the pandemic's effect on economies worldwide; overall progress towards improvements in all facets of the telecom industry - mobile, fixed-line, broadband, submarine cable and satellite - has moderated

Telephones - fixed lines

total subscriptions: 8,984 | subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 17.92 (2019 est.)

Agriculture - products

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

Budget

revenues: 249 million (2016 est.) | expenditures: 262.5 million (2016 est.)

Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-)

-2.1% (of GDP) (2016 est.)

Debt - external

NA

Economic overview

American Samoa s 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 processing are the backbone of the private sector with processed fish products as the primary exports. The fish processing business accounted for 15.5% of employment in 2015. 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 oversaw 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 has some potential as a source of income and jobs.

Exchange rates

the US dollar is used

Exports

$428 million (2016 est.) | $427 million (2015 est.)

Exports - commodities

canned tuna 93%

Exports - partners

Australia 25%, Ghana 19%, Indonesia 15.6%, Burma 10.4%, Portugal 5.1% (2017)

Fiscal year

1 October - 30 September

GDP (official exchange rate)

$658 million (2016 est.)

GDP (purchasing power parity) - real

$658 million (2016 est.) | $674.9 million (2015 est.) | $666.9 billion (2014 est.) | note: data are in 2016 US dollars

GDP - composition, by end use

household consumption: 66.4% (2016 est.) | government consumption: 49.7% (2016 est.) | investment in fixed capital: 7.3% (2016 est.) | investment in inventories: 5.1% (2016 est.) | exports of goods and services: 65% (2016 est.) | imports of goods and services: -93.5% (2016 est.)

GDP - composition, by sector of origin

agriculture: 27.4% (2012) | industry: 12.4% (2012) | services: 60.2% (2012)

GDP - per capita (PPP)

$11,200 (2016 est.) | $11,300 (2015 est.) | $11,200 (2014 est.)

GDP real growth rate

-2.5% (2016 est.) | 1.2% (2015 est.) | 1% (2014 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

lowest 10%: NA | highest 10%: NA

Imports

$615 million (2016 est.) | $657 million (2015 est.)

Imports - commodities

raw materials for canneries, food, petroleum products, machinery and parts

Imports - partners

Fiji 10.7%, Singapore 10.4%, NZ 10.4%, South Korea 9.3%, Samoa 8.2%, Kenya 6.4%, Australia 5.2% (2017)

Industrial production growth rate

NA

Industries

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

-0.5% (2015 est.) | 1.4% (2014 est.)

Labor force

17,850 (2015 est.)

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture: NA | industry: 15.5% | services: 46.4% (2015 est.)

Population below poverty line

NA

Public debt

12.2% of GDP (2016 est.)

Taxes and other revenues

37.8% (of GDP) (2016 est.)

Unemployment rate

29.8% (2005)

Carbon dioxide emissions from consumption of energy

361,100 Mt (2017 est.)

Crude oil - exports

0 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Crude oil - imports

0 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Crude oil - production

0 bbl/day (2018 est.)

Crude oil - proved reserves

0 bbl (1 January 2018 est.)

Electricity - consumption

157.2 million kWh (2016 est.)

Electricity - exports

0 kWh (2016 est.)

Electricity - from fossil fuels

98% of total installed capacity (2016 est.)

Electricity - from hydroelectric plants

0% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)

Electricity - from nuclear fuels

0% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)

Electricity - from other renewable sources

2% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)

Electricity - imports

0 kWh (2016 est.)

Electricity - installed generating capacity

43,000 kW (2016 est.)

Electricity - production

169 million kWh (2016 est.)

Natural gas - consumption

0 cu m (2017 est.)

Natural gas - exports

0 cu m (2017 est.)

Natural gas - imports

0 cu m (2017 est.)

Natural gas - production

0 cu m (2017 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves

0 cu m (1 January 2014 est.)

Refined petroleum products - consumption

2,375 bbl/day (2016 est.)

Refined petroleum products - exports

0 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Refined petroleum products - imports

2,346 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Refined petroleum products - production

0 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Area

total: 224 sq km | land: 224 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 (November to April), dry season (May to October); little seasonal temperature variation

Coastline

116 km

Elevation

lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m | highest point: Lata Mountain 964 m

Environment - current issues

limited supply of drinking water; pollution; waste disposal; coastal and stream alteration; soil erosion

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 (2012)

Land boundaries

0 km

Land use

agricultural land: 21.9% (2016 est.) | arable land: 13.4% (2016 est.) / permanent crops: 8.5% (2016 est.) / permanent pasture: 0% (2016 est.) | forest: 78.1% (2016 est.) | other: 0% (2016 est.)

Location

Oceania, group of islands in the South Pacific Ocean, about halfway between Hawaii and New Zealand

Map references

Oceania

Maritime claims

territorial sea: 12 nm | exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Natural hazards

cyclones common from December to March volcanism: 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 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 3 districts and 2 islands* at the second order; Eastern, Manu'a, Rose Island*, Swains Island*, Western

Capital

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

Citizenship

see United States Note: in accordance with US Code Title 8, Section 1408, persons born in American Samoa are US nationals but not US citizens

Constitution

history: adopted 17 October 1960; revised 1 July 1967 | amendments: proposed by either house of the Legislative Assembly; passage requires three-fifths majority vote by the membership of each house, approval in a referendum, and approval by the US Secretary of the Interior; amended 1971, 1977, 1979

Country name

conventional long form: American Samoa | conventional short form: American Samoa | abbreviation: AS | 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"

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

none (territory of the US)

Diplomatic representation in the US

none (territory of the US)

Executive branch

chief of state: President Donald J. TRUMP (since 20 January 2017); Vice President Michael R. PENCE (since 20 January 2017) | head of government: Governor Lolo Matalasi MOLIGA (since 3 January 2013) | cabinet: Cabinet consists of 12 department directors appointed by the governor with the consent of the Legislature or Fono | 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) | 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%

Flag description

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 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

republican form of government with separate executive, legislative, and judicial branches; unincorporated unorganized territory of the US with local self-government

Independence

none (territory of the US)

International organization participation

AOSIS (observer), Interpol (subbureau), IOC, PIF (observer), SPC

Judicial branch

highest courts: 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 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 directly elected by simple majority vote and 1 decided by public meeting on Swains Island; members serve 2-year terms) | elections: Senate - last held on 8 November 2016 (next to be held in November 2020) House of Representatives - last held on 6 November 2018 (next to be held in November 2020) | election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - independent 18; composition - men 17, women 1, percent of women 9.5% House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NA; composition - men 14, women 7, percent of women 33.3%; note - total percent of women in Legislature 20.5% | note: American Samoa elects 1 member by simple majority 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; election of delegate last held on 6 November 2018 (next to be held in November 2020)

National anthem

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)

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 and leaders

Democratic Party [Fagafaga Daniel LANGKILDE, chairman] Republican Party [William SWORD, chairman]

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Background

Settled as early as 1000 B.C., Samoa was not reached by European explorers until 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: 27.76% (male 7,063/female 6,662) | 15-24 years: 18.16% (male 4,521/female 4,458) | 25-54 years: 37.49% (male 9,164/female 9,370) | 55-64 years: 9.69% (male 2,341/female 2,447) | 65 years and over: 6.9% (male 1,580/female 1,831) (2020 est.) | population pyramid: The World Factbook Field Image Modal × Australia - Oceania :: American Samoa Print Image Description This is the population pyramid for American Samoa. A population pyramid illustrates the age and sex structure of a country's population and may provide insights about political and social stability, as well as economic development. The population is distributed along the horizontal axis, with males shown on the left and females on the right. The male and female populations are broken down into 5-year age groups represented as horizontal bars along the vertical axis, with the youngest age groups at the bottom and the oldest at the top. The shape of the population pyramid gradually evolves over time based on fertility, mortality, and international migration trends. For additional information, please see the entry for Population pyramid on the Definitions and Notes page under the References tab.

Birth rate

17.8 births/1,000 population (2020 est.)

Death rate

5.9 deaths/1,000 population (2020 est.)

Drinking water source

improved: total: 100% of population | unimproved: total: 0% of population (2017 est.)

Education expenditures

NA

Ethnic groups

Pacific Islander 92.6% (includes Samoan 88.9%, Tongan 2.9%, other .8%), Asian 3.6% (includes Filipino 2.2%, other 1.4%), mixed 2.7%, other 1.2% (2010 est.) | note: data represent population by ethnic origin or race

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths

NA

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

NA

Infant mortality rate

total: 9.9 deaths/1,000 live births | male: 11.7 deaths/1,000 live births | female: 8 deaths/1,000 live births (2020 est.)

Languages

Samoan 88.6% (closely related to Hawaiian and other Polynesian languages), English 3.9%, Tongan 2.7%, other Pacific islander 3%, other 1.8% (2010 est.) | note: most people are bilingual

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 74.8 years | male: 72.3 years | female: 77.5 years (2020 est.)

Major urban areas - population

49,000 PAGO PAGO (capital) (2018)

Median age

total: 27.2 years | male: 26.7 years | female: 27.7 years (2020 est.)

Nationality

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

Net migration rate

-26.1 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2020 est.)

Population

49,437 (July 2020 est.)

Population growth rate

-1.4% (2020 est.)

Religions

Christian 98.3%, other 1%, unaffiliated 0.7% (2010 est.)

Sanitation facility access

improved: total: 99% of population | unimproved: total: 1% of population (2017 est.)

Sex ratio

at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female | 0-14 years: 1.06 male(s)/female | 15-24 years: 1.01 male(s)/female | 25-54 years: 0.98 male(s)/female | 55-64 years: 0.96 male(s)/female | 65 years and over: 0.86 male(s)/female | total population: 1 male(s)/female (2020 est.)

Total fertility rate

2.35 children born/woman (2020 est.)

Urbanization

urban population: 87.2% of total population (2020) | rate of urbanization: 0.07% annual rate of change (2015-20 est.) | total population growth rate v. urban population growth rate, 2000-2030: PDF

Disputes - international

Tokelau included American Samoa's Swains Island (Olosega) in its 2006 draft independence constitution

Airports

3 (2020)

Airports - with paved runways

total: 3 (2019) | over 3,047 m: 1 | 914 to 1,523 m: 1 | under 914 m: 1

Ports and terminals

major seaport(s): Pago Pago

Roadways

total: 241 km (2016)