American Samoa

Territory of American Samoa

NAIndependence none (territory of the US)

American Samoa as the 1999 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 98 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

Position14 20 S, 170 00 W

Area199 sq km

LocationOceania, group of islands in the South Pacific Ocean,

Populationas each edition published it

63,786 people July 1999 est. · 41,840 in 1990

Population growth% a year

2.64% 1999 est. · 3.9% in 1993

Median ageyears

Not in this edition 21.6 yrs in 2003

Life expectancyyears at birth

75.46 years 1999 est. · 73 yrs in 1993

Fertility ratechildren per woman

3.66 children per woman 1999 est. · 5.4 in 1990

Infant mortalitydeaths per 1,000 live births

10.19 deaths per 1,000 live births 1999 est. · 11 in 1990

GDP per capitaeach edition's own dollars

$2,600 1995 est. · $2,600 in 1993

GDP real growth% a year

Not in this edition 3% in 2006

Geography

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

18 fields

Land useshare of 199 sq km

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

Area

199sq km

land: 199 sq kmwater: 0 sq kmnote: includes Rose Island and Swains Islandslightly larger than Washington, DC

Coastline

116km

land boundaries: 0 kmexclusive economic zone: 200 nmterritorial sea: 12 nm

Highest point

966m

Latalowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m

Location

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

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 (Rose Island, Swains Island)

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

Environment--international agreements

party to:: NA
signed, but not ratified:: NA

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

People

15 fields

Population

63,786

(July 1999 est.)growth rate: 2.64% (1999 est.)

Per 1,000 population(1999 est.)

Birth

26.53Death

4.04Net migration

3.92

Male · female

TotalMale · femaleLife expectancy years (1999 est.)75.46

71.23 · 79.95

TotalMale · femaleLiteracy (1980 est.)97%

98% · 97%

MaleFemaleLiteracy definition: age 15 and over can read and write

Ethnic groups

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

Religions

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

Age structure

0-14 years:: 39% (male 12,840; female 12,074)
15-64 years:: 56% (male 17,933; female 18,035)
65 years and over:: 5% (male 1,494; female 1,410) (1999 est.)

Sex ratio

at birth:: 1.06 male(s)/female
under 15 years:: 1.06 male(s)/female
15-64 years:: 0.99 male(s)/female
65 years and over:: 1.06 male(s)/female
total population:: 1.02 male(s)/female (1999 est.)

Infant mortality rate

10.19 deaths/1,000 live births (1999 est.)

Nationality

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

Languages

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

Government

NA; President William Jefferson CLINTON of the US (since 20 January 1993) and Vice President Albert GORE, Jr. (since 20 January 1993); Governor Tauese P. SUNIA (since 3 January 1997) and Lieutenant Governor Togiola TULAFONO (since 3 January 1997)

19 fields

Presidential electionpercent of vote

51%

-Tauese P. SUNIA (Democrat) 51%Peter REID (independent) 49%election last held 3 November 1996 (next to be held 7 November 2000)

Country name

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

Data code

Dependency status

unincorporated and unorganized territory of the US; administered by the Office of Insular Affairs, US Department of the Interior

Government type

Capital

Pago Pago

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

Independence

none (territory of the US)

National holiday

Territorial Flag Day, 17 April (1900)

Constitution

ratified 1966, in effect 1967

Legal system

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch

chief of state:: President William Jefferson CLINTON of the US (since 20 January 1993) and Vice President Albert GORE, Jr. (since 20 January 1993)
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 3 November 1996 (next to be held 7 November 2000)
election results:: Tauese P. SUNIA elected governor; percent of vote--Tauese P. SUNIA (Democrat) 51%, Peter REID (independent) 49%

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 NA November 1998 (next to be held NA November 2000); Senate--last held 3 November 1996 (next to be held 7 November 2000)
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: American Samoa elects one delegate to the US House of Representatives; election last held 3 November 1998 (next to be held 7 November 2000);

results--Eni R. F. H. FALEOMAVAEGA (Democrat) reelected as delegate for a sixth term

Judicial branch

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

Political parties and leaders

Democratic Party [leader NA];

International organization participation

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

Diplomatic representation in the US

none (territory of the US)

Diplomatic representation from the US

none (territory of the US)

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

Economy

This is a traditional Polynesian economy in | which more than 90% of the land is communally owned.

31 fields

GDP per capita, PPP

$2,600

purchasing power parity? · (1995 est.)

Unemployment rate

12%

(1991)

Labor force

13,949

(1996)

Budget

Revenues

$121 million (37% in local revenue and 63% in US grants )Expenditures

$127 million

expenditures including capital expenditures of $NA (FY96/97)

Electricity

fossil fuel 100%hydro 0% · nuclear 0% · other 0%

Electricity production

105 million (1996)Electricity consumption

105 million (1996)

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. According to one observer, 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, may be held back by the current financial difficulties in East Asia.

GDP

purchasing power parity--$150 million (1995 est.)

GDP--real growth rate

NA%

GDP--composition by sector

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

Communications

6 fields

Fixed lines

9,000

(1994 est.)

Telephone system

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