American Samoa

unincorporated and unorganized territory of the USIndependence none (territory of the US)

American Samoa as the 1992 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 65 fields, one of 36 editions from 1990 to 2025.

field in that editiontext changed from the edition beforenot in that editionthe open editionEach field below ends in its editions, 1990 to 2025. Point at a year above to follow it down.

CapitalPago Pago
Area199 km2
1992

Every edition of American Samoa

Populationas each edition published it
51,115 people July 1992 · 41,840 in 1990
Population growth% a year
Not in this edition 3.9% in 1993
Median ageyears
Not in this edition 21.6 yrs in 2003
Life expectancyyears at birth
Not in this edition 73 yrs in 1993
Fertility ratechildren per woman
4.5 children per woman 1992 · 5.4 in 1990
Infant mortalitydeaths per 1,000 live births
19 deaths per 1,000 live births 1992 · 11 in 1990
GDP per capitaeach edition's own dollars
Not in this edition $2,600 in 1993
GDP real growth% a year
Not in this edition 3% in 2006

Geography

13 fields
Total area
199km2
Comparative area: slightly larger than Washington, DC
Coastline
116km
land boundaries: noneContiguous zone: 12 nmContinental shelf: 200 m (depth)Exclusive economic zone: 200 nmTerritorial sea: 12 nm

Land area

199 km2; 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

Terrain

five volcanic islands with rugged peaks and limited coastal plains, two coral atolls

Natural resources

pumice and pumicite

Land use

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

Environment

typhoons common from December to March

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

People

14 fields
Population
51,115
(July 1992), growth rate 3.9% (1992); about 65,000 American Samoans live in the states of California and Washington and 20,000 in Hawaii

Per 1,000 population(1992)

Birth
37Death
4Net migration
6

Ethnic divisions

Samoan (Polynesian) 90%Caucasian 2%Tongan 2%other 6%

Religions

Christian Congregationalist 50%Roman Catholic 20%Protestant denominations and other 30%
Labor force
14,400
(1990); government 48%, tuna canneries 33%, other 19% (1986 est.)
Literacy
97%
(male 97%, female 97%) age 15 and over can read and write (1980)

Infant mortality rate

19 deaths/1,000 live births (1992)

Life expectancy at birth

71 years male, 75 years female (1992)

Total fertility rate

4.5 children born/woman (1992)

Nationality

  • noun - American Samoan(s);
  • adjective - American Samoan;
  • US, noncitizen nationals

Languages

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

Government

Unincorporated and unorganized territory of the US

16 fields

Long-form name

Territory of American Samoa

Type

  • unincorporated and unorganized territory of the US;
  • administered by the US Department of Interior, Office of Territorial and International Affairs;
  • indigenous inhabitants are US nationals, not citizens of the US

Capital

Pago Pago

Administrative divisions

none (territory of the US)

Independence

none (territory of the US)

Constitution

ratified 1966, in effect 1967; note - a comprehensive revision is awaiting ratification by the US Congress (1992)

National holiday

Territorial Flag Day, 17 April (1900)

Executive branch

popularly elected governor and lieutenant governor

Legislative branch

bicameral Legislative Assembly (Fono) consists of an upper house or Senate and a lower house or House of Representatives

Judicial branch

High Court, district courts, and village courts

Leaders

Chief of State:
President George BUSH (since 20 January 1989); Vice President Dan QUAYLE (since 20 January 1989)
Head of Government:
Governor Peter Tali COLEMAN (since 20 January 1989); Lieutenant Governor Galea'i POUMELE (since NA 1989)

Suffrage

universal at age 18; indigenous inhabitants are US nationals, not US citizens

Elections

Governor:
last held 7 November 1988 (next to be held November 1992); results - Peter T. COLEMAN was elected (percent of vote NA)
House of Representatives:
  • last held November 1990 (next to be held November 1992);
  • results - representatives popularly elected from 17 house districts;
  • seats - (21 total, 20 elected, and 1 nonvoting delegate from Swain's Island)
Senate:
  • last held 7 November 1988 (next to be held November 1992);
  • results - senators elected by county councils from 12 senate districts;
  • seats - (18 total) number of seats by party NA
US House of Representatives:
last held 19 November 1990 (next to be held November 1992); results - Eni R. F. H. FALEOMAVAEGA reelected as a nonvoting delegate

Member of

ESCAP, IOC, SPC

Diplomatic representation

none (territory of the US)

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

Economy

Economic development is strongly linked to the US, with which American Samoa | does nearly 90% of its foreign trade.

16 fields

Overview

Economic development is strongly linked to the US, with which American Samoa does nearly 90% of its foreign trade. Tuna fishing and tuna processing plants are the backbone of the private-sector economy, 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.

GNP

purchasing power equivalent - $128 million, per capita $2,500; real growth rate NA% (1990)

Budget

revenues $126,394,000 (consisting of $46,441,000 local revenue and $79,953,000 grant revenue); including capital expenditures of $NA million (1990)

Exports

$307 million (f.o.b., 1989)

commodities:
canned tuna 93%
partners:
US 99.6%

Imports

$377.9 million (c.i.f., 1989)

commodities:
materials for canneries 56%, food 8%, petroleum 7%, machinery and parts 6%
partners:
US 72%, Japan 7%, NZ 7%, Australia 5%, other 9%

Industrial production

growth rate NA%

Electricity

42,000 kW capacity; 85 million kWh produced, 2,020 kWh per capita (1990)

Industries

tuna canneries (largely dependent on foreign supplies of raw tuna), meat canning, handicrafts

Agriculture

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

Economic aid

$21,042,650 in operational funds and $5,948,931 in construction funds for capital improvement projects from the US Department of Interior (1991)

Currency

US currency is used

Exchange rates

US currency is used

Fiscal year

1 October - 30 September

Communications

5 fields

Highways

350 km total; 150 km paved, 200 km unpaved

Ports

Pago Pago, Ta'u

Airports

  • 4 total, 4 usable;
  • 2 with permanent-surface runways;
  • none with runways over 3,659 m;
  • 1 with runways 2,440 to 3,659 m (international airport at Tafuna, near Pago Pago);
  • small airstrips on Ta'u and Ofu

Telecommunications

  • 6,500 telephones;
  • broadcast stations - 1 AM, 2 FM, 1 TV;
  • good telex, telegraph, and facsimile services;
  • 1 Pacific Ocean INTELSAT earth station, 1 COMSAT earth station

Defense Forces

1 field

Note

defense is the responsibility of the US

Central Intelligence Agency. “American Samoa.” The World Factbook 1992. Archived by The Factbook, thefactbook.org/american-samoa/1992.

How to cite ← 1991 edition 1993 edition →