ARCHIVE // AS // 2000

American Samoa

2000 Edition — territory

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Communications
Internet users (Internet Service Providers (ISPs)) [time series]
NA
Broadcast media (Radio broadcast stations) [time series]
AM 1, FM 1, shortwave 0 (1998)
Radios [time series]
57,000 (1997)
Telecommunication systems (Telephone system) [time series]
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)
Telephones - fixed lines (Telephones - main lines in use) [time series]
10,000 (1994)
Telephones - mobile cellular [time series]
1,200 (1994)
Broadcast media (Television broadcast stations) [time series]
1 (1997)
Televisions [time series]
14,000 (1997)
Economy
Agricultural products (Agriculture - products) [time series]
bananas, coconuts, vegetables, taro, breadfruit, yams, copra, pineapples, papayas; dairy products, livestock
Budget [time series]
revenues: $121 million (37% in local revenue and 63% in US grants) expenditures: $127 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (FY96/97)
Exchange rates (Currency) [time series]
1 US dollar (US$) = 100 cents
Debt - external [time series]
$NA
Economic aid (Economic aid - recipient) [time series]
$NA; note - important financial support from the US
Economic overview (Economy - overview) [time series]
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, may be held back by the current financial difficulties in East Asia.
Electricity - consumption [time series]
116 million kWh (1998)
Electricity - exports [time series]
0 kWh (1998)
Electricity - imports [time series]
0 kWh (1998)
Electricity - production [time series]
125 million kWh (1998)
Electricity - production by source [time series]
fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (1998)
Exchange rates [time series]
US currency is used
Exports [time series]
$313 million (1996)
Exports - commodities [time series]
canned tuna 93%
Exports - partners [time series]
US 99.6%
Fiscal year [time series]
1 October - 30 September
Real GDP (purchasing power parity) (GDP) [time series]
purchasing power parity - $150 million (1995 est.)
GDP - composition, by sector of origin (GDP - composition by sector) [time series]
agriculture: NA% industry: NA% services: NA%
Real GDP per capita (GDP - per capita) [time series]
purchasing power parity - $2,600 (1995 est.)
Real GDP growth rate (GDP - real growth rate) [time series]
NA%
Household income or consumption by percentage share [time series]
lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%
Imports [time series]
$471 million (1996)
Imports - commodities [time series]
materials for canneries 56%, food 8%, petroleum products 7%, machinery and parts 6%
Imports - partners [time series]
US 62%, Japan 9%, NZ 7%, Australia 11%, Fiji 4%, other 7%
Industrial production growth rate [time series]
NA%
Industries [time series]
tuna canneries (largely dependent on foreign fishing vessels), handicrafts
Inflation rate (consumer prices) [time series]
NA%
Labor force [time series]
13,949 (1996)
Labor force - by occupation [time series]
government 33%, tuna canneries 34%, other 33% (1990)
Population below poverty line [time series]
NA%
Unemployment rate [time series]
12% (1991)
Geography
Area [time series]
total: 199 sq km land: 199 sq km water: 0 sq km note: includes Rose Island and Swains Island
Area - comparative [time series]
slightly larger than Washington, DC
Climate [time series]
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
Coastline [time series]
116 km
Elevation (Elevation extremes) [time series]
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: Lata 966 m
Environment - current issues [time series]
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
Geographic coordinates [time series]
14 20 S, 170 00 W
Geography - note [time series]
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 [time series]
NA sq km
Land boundaries [time series]
0 km
Land use [time series]
arable land: 5% permanent crops: 10% permanent pastures: 0% forests and woodland: 70% other: 15% (1993 est.)
Location [time series]
Oceania, group of islands in the South Pacific Ocean, about one-half of the way from Hawaii to New Zealand
Map references [time series]
Oceania
Maritime claims [time series]
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 12 nm
Natural hazards [time series]
typhoons common from December to March
Natural resources [time series]
pumice, pumicite
Terrain [time series]
five volcanic islands with rugged peaks and limited coastal plains, two coral atolls (Rose Island, Swains Island)
Government
Administrative divisions [time series]
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
Capital [time series]
Pago Pago
Constitution [time series]
ratified 1966, in effect 1967
Country name [time series]
conventional long form: Territory of American Samoa conventional short form: American Samoa abbreviation: AS
Data code [time series]
AQ
Dependency status [time series]
unincorporated and unorganized territory of the US; administered by the Office of Insular Affairs, US Department of the Interior
Diplomatic representation from the US [time series]
none (territory of the US)
Diplomatic representation in the US [time series]
none (territory of the US)
Executive branch [time series]
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%
Flag (Flag description) [time series]
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
Government type [time series]
NA
Independence [time series]
none (territory of the US)
International organization participation [time series]
ESCAP (associate), Interpol (subbureau), IOC, SPC
Judicial branch [time series]
High Court (chief justice and associate justices are appointed by the US Secretary of the Interior)
Legal system [time series]
NA
Legislative branch [time series]
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
National holiday [time series]
Territorial Flag Day, 17 April (1900)
Political parties (Political parties and leaders) [time series]
Democratic Party [leader NA]; Republican Party [leader NA]
Suffrage [time series]
18 years of age; universal
Introduction
Background [time series]
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.
Military
Military - note [time series]
defense is the responsibility of the US
People
Age structure [time series]
0-14 years: 39% (male 13,071; female 12,304) 15-64 years: 56% (male 18,358; female 18,597) 65 years and over: 5% (male 1,631; female 1,485) (2000 est.)
Birth rate [time series]
25.81 births/1,000 population (2000 est.)
Death rate [time series]
4.26 deaths/1,000 population (2000 est.)
Ethnic groups [time series]
Samoan (Polynesian) 89%, Caucasian 2%, Tongan 4%, other 5%
Infant mortality rate [time series]
10.63 deaths/1,000 live births (2000 est.)
Languages [time series]
Samoan (closely related to Hawaiian and other Polynesian languages), English note: most people are bilingual
Life expectancy at birth [time series]
total population: 75.12 years male: 70.66 years female: 79.84 years (2000 est.)
Literacy [time series]
definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 97% male: 98% female: 97% (1980 est.)
Nationality [time series]
noun: American Samoan(s) adjective: American Samoan
Net migration rate [time series]
3.74 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2000 est.)
Population [time series]
65,446 (July 2000 est.)
Population growth rate [time series]
2.53% (2000 est.)
Religions [time series]
Christian Congregationalist 50%, Roman Catholic 20%, Protestant and other 30%
Sex ratio [time series]
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: 1.1 male(s)/female total population: 1.02 male(s)/female (2000 est.)
Total fertility rate [time series]
3.6 children born/woman (2000 est.)
Transnational Issues
Disputes - international [time series]
none [Country Listing] [ The World Factbook Home]
Transportation
Airports [time series]
4 (1999 est.)
Airports - with paved runways [time series]
total: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 under 914 m: 1 (1999 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways [time series]
total: 2 under 914 m: 2 (1999 est.)
Roadways (Highways) [time series]
total: 350 km paved: 150 km unpaved: 200 km
Merchant marine [time series]
none (1999 est.)
Ports (Ports and harbors) [time series]
Aunu'u (new construction), Auasi, Faleosao, Ofu, Pago Pago, Ta'u
Railways [time series]
0 km