American Samoa
Territory of American Samoa conventional short form: American Samoa abbreviation: AS
NAIndependence none (territory of the US)
American Samoa as the 2001 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 107 fields, one of 36 editions from 1990 to 2025.
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Introduction
1 fieldBackground
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.
Geography
Oceania, group of islands in the South Pacific Ocean, about one-half of the way from Hawaii to New Zealand
17 fieldsLocation
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 about 3 m;
- 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)
Land use
arable land: 5% permanent crops: 10% permanent pastures: 0% forests and woodland: 70% other: 15% (1993 est.)
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
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
18 fieldsPer 1,000 population(2001 est.)
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.)
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.)
Life expectancy at birth
total population: 75.32 years male: 70.89 years female: 80.02 years (2001 est.)
Languages
Samoan (closely related to Hawaiian and other Polynesian languages), English note: most people are bilingual
Literacy
definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 97% male: 98% female: 97% (1980 est.)
Government
NA
19 fieldsPresidential electionpercent of vote
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
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
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%
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
Judicial branch
High Court (chief justice and associate justices are appointed by the US Secretary of the Interior)
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.
32 fieldsElectricity
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.
Budget
revenues: $121 million (37% in local revenue and 63% in US grants) expenditures: $127 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (FY96/97)
Agriculture - products
bananas, coconuts, vegetables, taro, breadfruit, yams, copra, pineapples, papayas; dairy products, livestock
Imports - commodities
materials for canneries 56%, food 8%, petroleum products 7%, machinery and parts 6%
Communications
10 fieldsTelephone 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)
Transportation
8 fieldsMilitary
1 fieldTransnational Issues
1 fieldCite this entry
Central Intelligence Agency. “American Samoa.” The World Factbook 2001. Archived by The Factbook, thefactbook.org/american-samoa/2001.