| Introduction - American Samoa: |
Country | American Samoa |
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Background | 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. |
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| Location - American Samoa: |
Location | Oceania, group of islands in the South Pacific Ocean, about half way between Hawaii and New Zealand |
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Geographic coordinates | 14 20 S, 170 00 W |
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Map references | Oceania |
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Area | total: 199 sq km
land: 199 sq km
water: 0 sq km
note: includes Rose Island and Swains Island |
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Area comparative | slightly larger than Washington, DC |
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Land boundaries | 0 km |
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Coastline | 116 km |
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Maritime claims | territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm |
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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 |
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Terrain | five volcanic islands with rugged peaks and limited coastal plains, two coral atolls (Rose Island, Swains Island) |
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Elevation extremes | lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: Lata Mountain 964 m |
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Natural resources | pumice, pumicite |
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Land use | arable land: 10%
permanent crops: 15%
other: 75% (2005) |
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Irrigated land | NA |
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Natural hazards | typhoons common from December to March |
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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 |
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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 |
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| People - American Samoa: |
Population | 57,663 (July 2007 est.) |
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Age structure | 0-14 years: 33.6% (male 10,049/female 9,345)
15-64 years: 63.5% (male 19,041/female 17,556)
65 years and over: 2.9% (male 606/female 1,066) (2007 est.) |
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Dependency status | unincorporated and unorganized territory of the US; administered by the Office of Insular Affairs, US Department of the Interior |
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Median age | total: 23.6 years
male: 23.4 years
female: 23.8 years (2007 est.) |
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Population growth rate | -0.262% (2007 est.) |
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Birth rate | 21.83 births/1,000 population (2007 est.) |
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Death rate | 3.24 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.) |
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Net migration rate | -21.21 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2007 est.) |
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Sex ratio | at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.075 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.085 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.568 male(s)/female
total population: 1.062 male(s)/female (2007 est.) |
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Infant mortality rate | total: 8.88 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 9.47 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 8.26 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.) |
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Life expectancy at birth | total population: 76.25 years
male: 72.69 years
female: 80.02 years (2007 est.) |
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Total fertility rate | 3.07 children born/woman (2007 est.) |
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Hiv aids adult prevalence rate | NA |
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Hiv aids people living with hiv aids | NA |
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Hiv aids deaths | NA |
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Nationality | noun: American Samoan(s) (US nationals)
adjective: American Samoan |
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Ethnic groups | native Pacific islander 92.9%, Asian 2.9%, white 1.2%, mixed 2.8%, other 0.2% (2000 census) |
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Religions | Christian Congregationalist 50%, Roman Catholic 20%, Protestant and other 30% |
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Languages | Samoan 90.6% (closely related to Hawaiian and other Polynesian languages), English 2.9%, Tongan 2.4%, other Pacific islander 2.1%, other 2%
note: most people are bilingual (2000 census) |
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Literacy | definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 97%
male: 98%
female: 97% (1980 est.) |
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| Government - American Samoa: |
Country name | conventional long form: Territory of American Samoa
conventional short form: American Samoa
abbreviation: AS |
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Government type | NA |
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Capital | name: Pago Pago
geographic coordinates: 14 16 S, 170 42 W
time difference: UTC-11 (6 hours behind Washington, DC during Standard Time) |
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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, Manua, Rose Island*, Swains Island*, Western |
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Independence | none (territory of the US) |
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National holiday | Flag Day, 17 April (1900) |
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Constitution | ratified 2 June 1966, effective 1 July 1967 |
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Legal system | NA |
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Suffrage | 18 years of age; universal |
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Executive branch | chief of state: President George W. BUSH of the US (since 20 January 2001); Vice President Richard B. CHENEY (since 20 January 2001)
head of government: Governor Togiola TULAFONO (since 7 April 2003)
cabinet: Cabinet made up of 12 department directors
elections: under the US Constitution, residents of unincorporated territories, such as American Samoa, do not vote in elections for US president and vice president; governor and lieutenant governor elected on the same ticket by popular vote for four-year terms (eligible for a second term); election last held 2 and 16 November 2004 (next to be held in November 2008)
election results: Togiola TULAFONO elected governor; percent of vote - Togiola TULAFONO 55.7%, Afoa Moega LUTU 44.3% |
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Legislative branch | bicameral Fono or Legislative Assembly consists of the House of Representatives (21 seats; 20 members are elected by popular vote and 1 is an appointed, nonvoting delegate from Swains Island; to serve two-year terms) and the Senate (18 seats; members are elected from local chiefs to serve four-year terms)
elections: House of Representatives - last held 7 November 2006 (next to be held in November 2008); Senate - last held 2 November 2004 (next to be held in November 2008)
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 - independents 18
note: American Samoa elects one nonvoting representative to the US House of Representatives; election last held on 7 November 2006 (next to be held in November 2008); results - Eni F. H. FALEOMAVAEGA reelected as delegate |
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Judicial branch | High Court (chief justice and associate justices are appointed by the US Secretary of the Interior) |
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Political parties and leaders | Democratic Party [Oreta M. TOGAFAU]; Republican Party [Tautai A. F. FAALEVAO] |
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Political pressure groups and leaders | NA |
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International organization participation | Interpol (subbureau), IOC, SPC, UPU |
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Diplomatic representation in the us | none (territory of the US) |
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Diplomatic representation from the us | none (territory of the US) |
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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 |
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| Economy - American Samoa: |
Economy overview | American Samoa has 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 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 Samoas economic well being. Attempts by the government to develop a larger and broader economy are restrained by Samoas remote location, its limited transportation, and its devastating hurricanes. Tourism is a promising developing sector. |
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Gdp purchasing power parity | $510.1 million (2003 est.) |
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Gdp official exchange rate | $333.8 million (2005) |
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Gdp real growth rate | 3% (2003) |
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Gdp per capita ppp | $5,800 (2005 est.) |
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Gdp composition by sector | agriculture: NA%
industry: NA%
services: NA% |
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Labor force | 17,630 (2005) |
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Labor force by occupation | agriculture: 34%
industry: 33%
services: 33% (1990) |
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Unemployment rate | 29.8% (2005) |
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Population below poverty line | NA% |
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Household income or consumption by percentage share | lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA% |
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Inflation rate consumer prices | NA% |
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Budget | revenues: $121 million (37% in local revenue and 63% in US grants)
expenditures: $127 million; including capital expenditures of $NA (FY96/97) |
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Agriculture products | bananas, coconuts, vegetables, taro, breadfruit, yams, copra, pineapples, papayas; dairy products, livestock |
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Industries | tuna canneries (largely supplied by foreign fishing vessels), handicrafts |
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Industrial production growth rate | NA% |
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Electricity production | 128 million kWh (2004) |
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Electricity consumption | 119 million kWh (2004) |
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Electricity exports | 0 kWh (2004) |
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Electricity imports | 0 kWh (2004) |
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Oil production | 0 bbl/day (2004) |
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Oil consumption | 3,900 bbl/day (2004 est.) |
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Oil exports | NA bbl/day |
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Oil imports | NA bbl/day |
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Oil proved reserves | 0 bbl |
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Natural gas production | 0 cu m (2004 est.) |
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Natural gas consumption | 0 cu m (2004 est.) |
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Exports | $445.6 million (FY04 est.) |
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Exports commodities | canned tuna 93% (2004 est.) |
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Exports partners | Indonesia 28.2%, India 22.3%, Australia 15.3%, Japan 11.2%, NZ 7.1% (2006) |
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Imports | $308.8 million (FY04 est.) |
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Imports commodities | materials for canneries 56%, food 8%, petroleum products 7%, machinery and parts 6% (2004 est.) |
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Imports partners | Australia 66%, Samoa 13.8%, NZ 10.8% (2006) |
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Debt external | $NA |
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Economic aid recipient | important financial support from the US, more than $40 million in 1994 |
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Currency code | US dollar (USD) |
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Exchange rates | the US dollar is used |
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| Communications - American Samoa: |
Fiscal year | 1 October - 30 September |
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Telephones main lines in use | 10,400 (2004) |
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Telephones mobile cellular | 2,200 (2004) |
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Telephone system | general assessment: NA
domestic: good telex, telegraph, facsimile and cellular telephone services; domestic satellite system with 1 Comsat earth station
international: country code - 1-684; satellite earth station - 1 (Intelsat-Pacific Ocean) |
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Radio broadcast stations | AM 2, FM 3, shortwave 0 (2005) |
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Television broadcast stations | 1 (2006) |
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Internet country code | .as |
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Internet hosts | 1,456 (2006) |
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Internet users | NA |
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| Transportation - American Samoa: |
Airports | 3 (2006) |
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Airports with paved runways | total: 2
over 3,047 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2006) |
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Airports with unpaved runways | total: 1
under 914 m: 1 (2006) |
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Roadways | total: 185 km (2004) |
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Ports and terminals | Pago Pago |
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| Military - American Samoa: |
Military note | defense is the responsibility of the US |
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This page was last updated on 16 September, 2007
