Communications
Internet country code [time series]
.as
Internet users (Internet hosts) [time series]
1,923 (2008)
Internet users [time series]
NA
Broadcast media (Radio broadcast stations) [time series]
AM 2, FM 3, shortwave 0 (2005)
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: country code - 1-684; satellite earth station - 1 (Intelsat-Pacific Ocean)
Telephones - fixed lines (Telephones - main lines in use) [time series]
10,400 (2004)
Telephones - mobile cellular [time series]
2,200 (2004)
Broadcast media (Television broadcast stations) [time series]
1 (2006)
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 (FY96/97)
Exchange rates (Currency (code)) [time series]
US dollar (USD)
Debt - external [time series]
$NA
Economic overview (Economy - overview) [time series]
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 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 is a promising developing sector. note: as a territory of the US, American Samoa does not treat the US as an external trade partner
Electricity - consumption [time series]
167.4 million kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - exports [time series]
0 kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - imports [time series]
0 kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - production [time series]
180 million kWh (2006 est.)
Exchange rates [time series]
the US dollar is used
Exports [time series]
$445.6 million (FY04 est.)
Exports - commodities [time series]
canned tuna 93% (2004 est.)
Exports - partners [time series]
Indonesia 28.2%, India 22.3%, Australia 15.3%, Japan 11.2%, NZ 7.1% (2006)
GDP (official exchange rate) [time series]
$333.8 million (2005)
Real GDP (purchasing power parity) (GDP (purchasing power parity)) [time series]
$510.1 million (2003 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 (PPP)) [time series]
$5,800 (2005 est.)
Real GDP growth rate (GDP - real growth rate) [time series]
3% (2003 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share [time series]
lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%
Imports [time series]
$308.8 million (FY04 est.)
Imports - commodities [time series]
materials for canneries 56%, food 8%, petroleum products 7%, machinery and parts 6% (2004 est.)
Imports - partners [time series]
Australia 66%, Samoa 13.8%, NZ 10.8% (2006)
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]
17,630 (2005)
Labor force - by occupation [time series]
agriculture: 34% industry: 33% services: 33% (1990)
Natural gas - consumption [time series]
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - exports [time series]
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - imports [time series]
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - production [time series]
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves [time series]
0 cu m (1 January 2006 est.)
Oil - consumption [time series]
4,053 bbl/day (2006 est.)
Oil - exports [time series]
0 bbl/day (2005)
Oil - imports [time series]
4,066 bbl/day (2005)
Oil - production [time series]
0 bbl/day (2007 est.)
Oil - proved reserves [time series]
0 bbl (1 January 2006 est.)
Unemployment rate [time series]
29.8% (2005)
Geography
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 (November to April), dry season (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 Mountain 964 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
Land boundaries [time series]
0 km
Land use [time series]
arable land: 10% permanent crops: 15% other: 75% (2005)
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]
territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 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]
name: Pago Pago geographic coordinates: 14 16 S, 170 42 W time difference: UTC-11 (6 hours behind Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Constitution [time series]
ratified 2 June 1966, effective 1 July 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); 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; however, they may vote in Democratic and Republican presidential primary elections; governor and lieutenant governor elected on the same ticket by popular vote for four-year terms (eligible for a second term); election last held 4 and 18 November 2008 (next to be held in November 2012) election results: Togiola TULAFONO reelected governor; percent of vote - Togiola TULAFONO 56.5%, Afoa Moega LUTU 43.5%
Flag (Flag description) [time series]
blue, with a white triangle edged in red that is based on the fly 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 war club known as a "Fa'alaufa'i" (upper; left talon), and a coconut fiber fly whisk known as a "Fue" (lower; right talon); the combination of symbols broadly mimics that seen on the US Great Seal and reflects the relationship between the United States and American Samoa
Government type [time series]
NA
Independence [time series]
none (territory of the US)
International organization participation [time series]
Interpol (subbureau), IOC, SPC, UPU
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 members 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 to serve four-year terms) elections: House of Representatives - last held 4 November 2008 (next to be held in November 2010); Senate - last held 4 November 2008 (next to be held in November 2012) 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 4 November 2008 (next to be held in November 2010); results - Eni F. H. FALEOMAVAEGA reelected as delegate
National holiday [time series]
Flag Day, 17 April (1900)
Political parties (Political parties and leaders) [time series]
Democratic Party [Oreta M. TOGAFAU]; Republican Party [Tautai A. F. FAALEVAO]
Political parties (Political pressure groups and leaders) [time series]
Population Pressure LAS (addresses the growing population pressures)
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
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually [time series]
male: 806 female: 781 (2008 est.)
Military - note [time series]
defense is the responsibility of the US
People
Age structure [time series]
0-14 years: 34.4% (male 11,337/female 10,946) 15-64 years: 61.8% (male 20,335/female 19,728) 65 years and over: 3.8% (male 1,161/female 1,320) (2008 est.)
Birth rate [time series]
23.66 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Death rate [time series]
4.13 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Education expenditure (Education expenditures) [time series]
NA
Ethnic groups [time series]
native Pacific islander 91.6%, Asian 2.8%, white 1.1%, mixed 4.2%, other 0.3% (2000 census)
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]
total: 10.46 deaths/1,000 live births male: 13.69 deaths/1,000 live births female: 7.03 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.)
Languages [time series]
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)
Life expectancy at birth [time series]
total population: 73.47 years male: 70.55 years female: 76.56 years (2008 est.)
Literacy [time series]
definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 97% male: 98% female: 97% (1980 est.)
Median age [time series]
total: 22.8 years male: 22.7 years female: 23 years (2008 est.)
Nationality [time series]
noun: American Samoan(s) (US nationals) adjective: American Samoan
Net migration rate [time series]
-7.17 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Population [time series]
64,827 (July 2008 est.)
Population growth rate [time series]
1.236% (2008 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: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.88 male(s)/female total population: 1.03 male(s)/female (2008 est.)
Total fertility rate [time series]
3.35 children born/woman (2008 est.)
Transnational Issues
Disputes - international [time series]
Tokelau periodically asserts claims to American Samoa's Swains Island (Olohega), such as in its 2006 draft independence constitution
Transportation
Airports [time series]
3 (2007)
Airports - with paved runways [time series]
total: 3 over 3,047 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2007)
Ports (Ports and terminals) [time series]
Pago Pago
Roadways [time series]
total: 221 km (2007)