ARCHIVE // AS // 2002

American Samoa

2002 Edition — territory

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Communications
Internet users (Internet Service Providers (ISPs)) [time series]
1 (2000)
Internet country code [time series]
.as
Internet users [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]
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)
Telephones - fixed lines (Telephones - main lines in use) [time series]
13,000 (1997)
Telephones - mobile cellular [time series]
2,550 (1997)
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]
US dollar (USD)
Exchange rates (Currency code) [time series]
USD
Debt - external [time series]
$NA
Economic aid (Economic aid - recipient) [time series]
important financial support from the US, more than $40 million in 1994
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 most 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.
Electricity - consumption [time series]
120.9 million kWh (2000)
Electricity - exports [time series]
0 kWh (2000)
Electricity - imports [time series]
0 kWh (2000)
Electricity - production [time series]
130 million kWh (2000)
Electricity - production by source [time series]
fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% other: 0% (2000) nuclear: 0%
Exchange rates [time series]
the US dollar is used
Exports [time series]
$345 million (1999)
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 - $500 million (2000 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 - $8,000 (2000 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]
$452 million (1999)
Imports - commodities [time series]
materials for canneries 56%, food 8%, petroleum products 7%, machinery and parts 6%
Imports - partners [time series]
US 62%, Australia 11%, Japan 9%, NZ 7%, Fiji 4%, other 7%
Industrial production growth rate [time series]
NA%
Industries [time series]
tuna canneries (largely supplied by foreign fishing vessels), handicrafts
Inflation rate (consumer prices) [time series]
NA%
Labor force [time series]
14,000 (1996)
Labor force - by occupation [time series]
government 33%, tuna canneries 34%, other 33% (1990) (1990)
Population below poverty line [time series]
NA%
Unemployment rate [time series]
6% (2000)
Geography
Area [time series]
total: 199 sq km note: includes Rose Island and Swains Island water: 0 sq km land: 199 sq km
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% other: 85% (1998 est.)
Location [time series]
Oceania, group of islands in the South Pacific Ocean, about half way between Hawaii and 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
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 George W. BUSH of the US (since 20 January 2001) and Vice President Richard B. CHENEY (since 20 January 2001) election results: Tauese P. SUNIA reelected governor; percent of vote - Tauese P. SUNIA (Democrat) 50.7%, Lealaifuaneva Peter REID (independent) 47.8% 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) head of government: Governor Tauese P. SUNIA (since 3 January 1997) and Lieutenant Governor Togiola TULAFONO (since 3 January 1997) cabinet: NA
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 7 November 2000 (next to be held NA November 2002); Senate - last held 7 November 2000 (next to be held NA November 2004) note: American Samoa elects one nonvoting representative 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 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
National holiday [time series]
Flag Day, 17 April (1900)
Political parties (Political parties and leaders) [time series]
Democratic Party [leader NA]; Republican Party [leader NA]
Political parties (Political pressure groups and leaders) [time series]
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: 38.1% (male 13,445; female 12,688) 15-64 years: 56.7% (male 19,228; female 19,741) 65 years and over: 5.2% (male 1,931; female 1,655) (2002 est.)
Birth rate [time series]
24.04 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Death rate [time series]
4.34 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Ethnic groups [time series]
Samoan (Polynesian) 89%, Caucasian 2%, Tongan 4%, other 5%
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate [time series]
NA%
HIV/AIDS - deaths [time series]
NA
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS [time series]
NA
Infant mortality rate [time series]
10.09 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 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: 75.53 years female: 80.21 years (2002 est.) male: 71.12 years
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]
3.42 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Population [time series]
68,688 (July 2002 est.)
Population growth rate [time series]
2.31% (2002 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: 0.97 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 1.17 male(s)/female total population: 1.02 male(s)/female (2002 est.)
Total fertility rate [time series]
3.4 children born/woman (2002 est.)
Transnational Issues
Disputes - international [time series]
none
Transportation
Airports [time series]
4 (2001)
Airports - with paved runways [time series]
total: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2002)
Airports - with unpaved runways [time series]
total: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2002)
Roadways (Highways) [time series]
total: 350 km paved: 150 km unpaved: 200 km
Merchant marine [time series]
none (2002 est.)
Ports (Ports and harbors) [time series]
Aunu'u (new construction), Auasi, Faleosao, Ofu, Pago Pago, Ta'u
Railways [time series]
0 km
Waterways [time series]
none