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: 18,135 (2021 est.) percent of population: 40.3% (2021 est.)

Telecommunication systems

general assessment: American Samoa Telecommunications Authority, ASTCA, supplies telecommunication services to the residents of the American Samoan islands, a territory of the United States, which are found in a remote area of the Pacific Ocean; the primary system between the islands consists of fiber-optic cables and satellite connections; over Independence Day weekend 2021, the undersea fiber-optic cable linking the Tutuila and Manu a Islands failed, completely stranding the Manu a Islands from all telecommunication services; telecommunication services were restored to the people of Manu a islands through microwave link between Tutuila to the Manu a Islands; the link is now providing a steady 1Gbps backhaul most of the time of the year with 600Mbps at four 9 s availability, over this extremely long distance (2022) domestic: nearly 22 per 100 fixed-line teledensity (2020) 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)

Telephones - fixed lines

total subscriptions: 10,000 (2021 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 22 (2021 est.)

Telephones - mobile cellular

total subscriptions: 2,250 (2009 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 4 (2009 est.)

Agricultural 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

tourism, tuna, and government services-based territorial economy; sustained economic decline; vulnerable tuna canning industry; large territorial government presence; minimum wage increases to rise to federal standards by 2036

Exchange rates

the US dollar is used

Exports

$428 million (2016 est.) $427 million (2015 est.) note: Data are in current year dollars and do not include illicit exports or re-exports.

Exports - commodities

refined petroleum, animal meal, vaccines and cultures, ethylene polymers, vulcanized rubber (2021)

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 - 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)

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.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity)

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

Real GDP growth rate

-1.87% (2021 est.) 5.07% (2020 est.) -0.49% (2019 est.)

Real GDP per capita

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

Taxes and other revenues

37.8% (of GDP) (2016 est.)

Unemployment rate

29.8% (2005)

Carbon dioxide emissions

355,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.) from coal and metallurgical coke: 0 metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.) from petroleum and other liquids: 355,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.) from consumed natural gas: 0 metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)

Coal

production: 0 metric tons (2020 est.) consumption: 0 metric tons (2020 est.) exports: 0 metric tons (2020 est.) imports: 0 metric tons (2020 est.) proven reserves: 0 metric tons (2019 est.)

Electricity

installed generating capacity: 47,000 kW (2020 est.) consumption: 151 million kWh (2019 est.) exports: 0 kWh (2020 est.) imports: 0 kWh (2020 est.) transmission/distribution losses: 12 million kWh (2019 est.)

Electricity access

electrification - total population: 59% (2020) electrification - urban areas: 60% (2020) electrification - rural areas: 45% (2020)

Electricity generation sources

fossil fuels: 100% of total installed capacity (2020 est.) nuclear: 0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.) solar: 0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.) wind: 0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.) hydroelectricity: 0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.) tide and wave: 0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.) geothermal: 0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.) biomass and waste: 0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

Energy consumption per capita

88.796 million Btu/person (2019 est.)

Natural gas

production: 0 cubic meters (2021 est.) consumption: 0 cubic meters (2021 est.) exports: 0 cubic meters (2021 est.) imports: 0 cubic meters (2021 est.) proven reserves: 0 cubic meters (2021 est.)

Petroleum

total petroleum production: 0 bbl/day (2021 est.) refined petroleum consumption: 2,300 bbl/day (2019 est.) crude oil and lease condensate exports: 0 bbl/day (2018 est.) crude oil and lease condensate imports: 0 bbl/day (2018 est.) crude oil estimated reserves: 0 barrels (2021 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.)

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

Environment - current issues

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

Land use

agricultural land: 24.5% (2018 est.) arable land: 15% (2018 est.) permanent crops: 9.5% (2018 est.) permanent pasture: 0% (2018 est.) forest: 75.5% (2018 est.) other: 0% (2018 est.)

Revenue from coal

0% of GDP (2018 est.)

Revenue from forest resources

0% of GDP (2018 est.)

Urbanization

urban population: 87.2% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 0.26% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

Waste and recycling

municipal solid waste generated annually: 18,989 tons (2016 est.)

Area

total: 224 sq km land: 224 sq km water: 0 sq km note: includes Rose Atoll 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

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

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 (2022)

Land boundaries

total: 0 km

Land use

agricultural land: 24.5% (2018 est.) arable land: 15% (2018 est.) permanent crops: 9.5% (2018 est.) permanent pasture: 0% (2018 est.) forest: 75.5% (2018 est.) other: 0% (2018 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 Atoll, 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 by simple majority vote in a referendum, approval by the US Secretary of the Interior, and only by an act of the US Congress; amended several times, last in 2021

Country name

conventional long form: American Samoa conventional short form: American Samoa former: Eastern 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

embassy: none (territory of the US)

Diplomatic representation in the US

none (territory of the US)

Executive branch

chief of state: President Joseph R. BIDEN Jr. (since 20 January 2021); Vice President Kamala D. HARRIS (since 20 January 2021) head of government: Governor Lemanu Peleti MAUGA (since 3 January 2021) 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

a large white triangle edged in red that is based on the fly side and extends to the hoist side and is charged with an eagle, all on a blue field; the red, white, and blue colors are those traditionally used by both the United States and Samoa; the brown and white American bald eagle flies toward the hoist side and carries 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

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

Independence

none (territory of the US)

International organization participation

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

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

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 in single- and multi-seat constituencies directly elected by simple majority popular vote and 1 decided by public meeting on Swains Island; members serve 2-year terms) elections: Senate - last held on 3 November 2020 (next to be held in November 2024) House of Representatives - last held on 3 November 2020 (next to be held on 5 November 2024) election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - independent 18; composition - men 17, women 1; percent of women 5.6% House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NA; composition - men 20, women 1; percent of women 4.8%; note total Legislature percent of women 5.1% note: American Samoa elects 1 member by simple majority popular 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 3 November 2020 (next to be held in November 2022); Amata Coleman RADEWAGEN elected delegate; Amata Coleman RADEWAGEN (Republican Party) 83.5%, Oreta CHRICHTON (Democratic Party) 14.4%, Meleagi SUITONU-CHAPMAN (Democratic Party) 2.1%

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 [T'ia REID, chairman] Republican Party [Taulapapa William SWORD, chairman]

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Background

Tutuila was settled by 1000 B.C. and the island served as a refuge for exiled chiefs and defeated warriors from the other Samoan islands. The Manu a Islands developed its own traditional chiefdom that maintained its autonomy by controlling oceanic trade. In 1722, Dutch explorer Jacob ROGGEVEEN was the first European to sail through the Manu a Islands, and he was followed by French explorer Louis Antoine DE BOUGAINVILLE in 1768. Whalers and missionaries arrived in American Samoa in the 1830s, but American and European traders tended to favor the port in Apia - now in independent Samoa - over the smaller and less-developed Pago Pago on Tutuila. In the mid-1800s, a dispute arose in Samoa over control of the Samoan archipelago, with different chiefs gaining support from Germany, the UK, and the US. In 1872, the high chief of Tutuila offered the US exclusive rights to Pago Pago in return for US protection, but the US rejected this offer. As fighting resumed, the US agreed to the chief s request in 1878 and set up a coaling station at Pago Pago. In 1899, with continued disputes over succession, Germany and the US agreed to divide the Samoan islands, while the UK withdrew its claims in exchange for parts of the Solomon Islands. Local chiefs on Tutuila formally ceded their land to the US in 1900, followed by the chief of Manu a in 1904. The territory was officially named American Samoa in 1911. The US administered the territory through the Department of the Navy. In 1949, there was an attempt to organize the territory, granting it formal self-government, but local chiefs helped defeat the measure in the US Congress. Administration was transferred to the Department of the Interior in 1951, and in 1967, American Samoa adopted a constitution that provides significant protections for traditional Samoan land tenure rules, language, and culture. In 1977, after four attempts, voters approved a measure to directly elect their governor. Nevertheless, American Samoa officially remains an unorganized territory and people born in American Samoa are US nationals instead of US citizens, a status many American Samoans prefer.

Military - note

defense is the responsibility of the US

Age structure

0-14 years: 25.91% (male 5,963/female 5,600) 15-64 years: 65.89% (male 14,512/female 14,888) 65 years and over: 8.2% (2023 est.) (male 1,707/female 1,950)

Birth rate

16.2 births/1,000 population (2023 est.)

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

NA

Contraceptive prevalence rate

NA

Current health expenditure

NA

Currently married women (ages 15-49)

53.5% (2023 est.)

Death rate

6.2 deaths/1,000 population (2023 est.)

Dependency ratios

total dependency ratio: 52.3 youth dependency ratio: 41.9 elderly dependency ratio: 10.4 potential support ratio: 9.6 (2021)

Drinking water source

improved: urban: NA rural: NA total: 99.8% of population unimproved: urban: NA rural: NA total: 0.2% of population (2020 est.)

Education expenditures

NA

Ethnic groups

Pacific Islander 88.7% (includes Samoan 83.2%, Tongan 2.2%, other 3.3%), Asian 5.8% (includes Filipino 3.4%, other 2.4%), mixed 4.4%, other 1.1% (2020 est.) note: data represent population by ethnic origin or race

Gross reproduction rate

1.04 (2023 est.)

Infant mortality rate

total: 9.9 deaths/1,000 live births (2023 est.) male: 11.9 deaths/1,000 live births female: 7.7 deaths/1,000 live births

Languages

Samoan 87.9% (closely related to Hawaiian and other Polynesian languages), English 3.3%, Tongan 2.1%, other Pacific Islander 4.1%, Asian languages 2.1%, other 0.5% (2020 est.) note: most people are bilingual

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 75.6 years (2023 est.) male: 73.1 years female: 78.2 years

Literacy

total population: NA male: NA female: NA

Major urban areas - population

49,000 PAGO PAGO (capital) (2018)

Median age

total: 29.4 years (2023 est.) male: 28.8 years female: 30 years

Nationality

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

Net migration rate

-27.4 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2023 est.)

Physicians density

NA

Population

44,620 (2023 est.)

Population growth rate

-1.74% (2023 est.)

Religions

Christian 98.3%, other 1%, unaffiliated 1% (2020 est.)

Sanitation facility access

improved: urban: NA rural: NA total: 99% of population unimproved: urban: NA rural: NA total: 1% of population (2020 est.)

Sex ratio

at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female 0-14 years: 1.06 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.88 male(s)/female total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2023 est.)

Total fertility rate

2.13 children born/woman (2023 est.)

Urbanization

urban population: 87.2% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 0.26% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

Disputes - international

none identified

Airports

3 (2021)

Airports - with paved runways

3 note: paved runways have a concrete or asphalt surface but not all have facilities for refueling, maintenance, or air traffic control; the length of a runway required for aircraft to safely operate depends on a number of factors including the type of aircraft, the takeoff weight (including passengers, cargo, and fuel), engine types, flap settings, landing speed, elevation of the airport, and average maximum daily air temperature; paved runways can reach a length of 5,000 m (16,000 ft.), but the typical length of a commercial airline runway is between 2,500-4,000 m (8,000-13,000 ft.)

Ports and terminals

major seaport(s): Pago Pago

Roadways

total: 241 km (2016)