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Communications

Broadcast media [time series]

3 TV stations; multi-channel pay TV services are available; about a dozen radio stations, some of which are repeater stations

Internet country code [time series]

.as

Internet users [time series]

total: 17,000 | percent of population: 31.3% (July 2016 est.)

Telecommunication systems [time series]

general assessment: good telex, telegraph, facsimile, and cellular telephone services; one of the most complete and modern telecommunications systems in the South Pacific Islands; all inhabited islands have telephone connectivity | domestic: 18 per 100 fixed-line teledensity, domestic satellite system with 1 Comsat earth station (2019) | international: country code - 1-684; landing points for the ASH, Southern Cross NEXT and Hawaiki providing connectivity to New Zealand, Australia, American Samoa, Hawaii, California, and SAS connecting American Samoa with Samoa; satellite earth station - 1 (Intelsat-Pacific Ocean) (2019) | note: the COVID-19 outbreak is negatively impacting telecommunications production and supply chains globally; consumer spending on telecom devices and services has also slowed due to the pandemic's effect on economies worldwide; overall progress towards improvements in all facets of the telecom industry - mobile, fixed-line, broadband, submarine cable and satellite - has moderated

Telephones - fixed lines [time series]

total subscriptions: 8,984 | subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 17.92 (2019 est.)

Economy

Agricultural products (Agriculture - products) [time series]

bananas, coconuts, vegetables, taro, breadfruit, yams, copra, pineapples, papayas; dairy products, livestock

Budget [time series]

revenues: 249 million (2016 est.) | expenditures: 262.5 million (2016 est.)

Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-) [time series]

-2.1% (of GDP) (2016 est.)

Debt - external [time series]

Economic overview [time series]

American Samoa s 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 processing are the backbone of the private sector with processed fish products as the primary exports. The fish processing business accounted for 15.5% of employment in 2015. In late September 2009, an earthquake and the resulting tsunami devastated American Samoa and nearby Samoa, disrupting transportation and power generation, and resulting in about 200 deaths. The US Federal Emergency Management Agency oversaw a relief program of nearly $25 million. 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 has some potential as a source of income and jobs.

Exchange rates [time series]

the US dollar is used

Exports [time series]

$428 million (2016 est.) | $427 million (2015 est.)

Exports - commodities [time series]

canned tuna 93%

Exports - partners [time series]

Australia 25%, Ghana 19%, Indonesia 15.6%, Burma 10.4%, Portugal 5.1% (2017)

Fiscal year [time series]

1 October - 30 September

GDP (official exchange rate) [time series]

$658 million (2016 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) (GDP (purchasing power parity) - real) [time series]

$658 million (2016 est.) | $674.9 million (2015 est.) | $666.9 billion (2014 est.) | note: data are in 2016 US dollars

GDP - composition, by end use [time series]

household consumption: 66.4% (2016 est.) | government consumption: 49.7% (2016 est.) | investment in fixed capital: 7.3% (2016 est.) | investment in inventories: 5.1% (2016 est.) | exports of goods and services: 65% (2016 est.) | imports of goods and services: -93.5% (2016 est.)

GDP - composition, by sector of origin [time series]

agriculture: 27.4% (2012) | industry: 12.4% (2012) | services: 60.2% (2012)

Real GDP per capita (GDP - per capita (PPP)) [time series]

$11,200 (2016 est.) | $11,300 (2015 est.) | $11,200 (2014 est.)

Real GDP growth rate (GDP real growth rate) [time series]

-2.5% (2016 est.) | 1.2% (2015 est.) | 1% (2014 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share [time series]

lowest 10%: NA | highest 10%: NA

Imports [time series]

$615 million (2016 est.) | $657 million (2015 est.)

Imports - commodities [time series]

raw materials for canneries, food, petroleum products, machinery and parts

Imports - partners [time series]

Fiji 10.7%, Singapore 10.4%, NZ 10.4%, South Korea 9.3%, Samoa 8.2%, Kenya 6.4%, Australia 5.2% (2017)

Industrial production growth rate [time series]

Industries [time series]

tuna canneries (largely supplied by foreign fishing vessels), handicrafts

Inflation rate (consumer prices) [time series]

-0.5% (2015 est.) | 1.4% (2014 est.)

Labor force [time series]

17,850 (2015 est.)

Labor force - by occupation [time series]

agriculture: NA | industry: 15.5% | services: 46.4% (2015 est.)

Population below poverty line [time series]

Public debt [time series]

12.2% of GDP (2016 est.)

Taxes and other revenues [time series]

37.8% (of GDP) (2016 est.)

Unemployment rate [time series]

29.8% (2005)

Energy

Carbon dioxide emissions (Carbon dioxide emissions from consumption of energy) [time series]

361,100 Mt (2017 est.)

Crude oil - exports [time series]

0 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Crude oil - imports [time series]

0 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Crude oil - production [time series]

0 bbl/day (2018 est.)

Crude oil - proved reserves [time series]

0 bbl (1 January 2018 est.)

Electricity - consumption [time series]

157.2 million kWh (2016 est.)

Electricity - exports [time series]

0 kWh (2016 est.)

Electricity - from fossil fuels [time series]

98% of total installed capacity (2016 est.)

Electricity - from hydroelectric plants [time series]

0% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)

Electricity - from nuclear fuels [time series]

0% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)

Electricity - from other renewable sources [time series]

2% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)

Electricity - imports [time series]

0 kWh (2016 est.)

Electricity - installed generating capacity [time series]

43,000 kW (2016 est.)

Electricity - production [time series]

169 million kWh (2016 est.)

Natural gas - consumption [time series]

0 cu m (2017 est.)

Natural gas - exports [time series]

0 cu m (2017 est.)

Natural gas - imports [time series]

0 cu m (2017 est.)

Natural gas - production [time series]

0 cu m (2017 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves [time series]

0 cu m (1 January 2014 est.)

Refined petroleum products - consumption [time series]

2,375 bbl/day (2016 est.)

Refined petroleum products - exports [time series]

0 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Refined petroleum products - imports [time series]

2,346 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Refined petroleum products - production [time series]

0 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Geography

Area [time series]

total: 224 sq km | land: 224 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 [time series]

lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m | highest point: Lata Mountain 964 m

Environment - current issues [time series]

limited supply of drinking water; pollution; waste disposal; coastal and stream alteration; soil erosion

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]

0 sq km (2012)

Land boundaries [time series]

0 km

Land use [time series]

agricultural land: 21.9% (2016 est.) | arable land: 13.4% (2016 est.) / permanent crops: 8.5% (2016 est.) / permanent pasture: 0% (2016 est.) | forest: 78.1% (2016 est.) | other: 0% (2016 est.)

Location [time series]

Oceania, group of islands in the South Pacific Ocean, about halfway 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]

cyclones common from December to March volcanism: limited volcanic activity on the Ofu and Olosega Islands; neither has erupted since the 19th century

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 3 districts and 2 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) | note: pronounced pahn-go pahn-go

Citizenship [time series]

see United States Note: in accordance with US Code Title 8, Section 1408, persons born in American Samoa are US nationals but not US citizens

Constitution [time series]

history: adopted 17 October 1960; revised 1 July 1967 | amendments: proposed by either house of the Legislative Assembly; passage requires three-fifths majority vote by the membership of each house, approval in a referendum, and approval by the US Secretary of the Interior; amended 1971, 1977, 1979

Country name [time series]

conventional long form: American Samoa | conventional short form: American Samoa | abbreviation: AS | etymology: the meaning of Samoa is disputed; some modern explanations are that the "sa" connotes "sacred" and "moa" indicates "center," so the name can mean "Holy Center"; alternatively, some assertions state that it can mean "place of the sacred moa bird" of Polynesian mythology; the name, however, may go back to Proto-Polynesian (PPn) times (before 1000 B.C.); a plausible PPn reconstruction has the first syllable as "sa'a" meaning "tribe or people" and "moa" meaning "deep sea or ocean" to convey the meaning "people of the deep sea"

Dependency status [time series]

unincorporated 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 Donald J. TRUMP (since 20 January 2017); Vice President Michael R. PENCE (since 20 January 2017) | head of government: Governor Lolo Matalasi MOLIGA (since 3 January 2013) | cabinet: Cabinet consists of 12 department directors appointed by the governor with the consent of the Legislature or Fono | elections/appointments: president and vice president indirectly elected on the same ballot by an Electoral College of 'electors' chosen from each state to serve a 4-year term (eligible for a second term); 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 directly elected on the same ballot by absolute majority popular vote in 2 rounds if needed for a 4-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held on 3 November 2020 (next to be held in November 2024) | election results: Lemanu Peleti MAUGA elected governor in first round; percent of vote - Lemanu Peleti MAUGA (independent) 60.3%, Gaoteote Palaie TOFAU (independent) 21.9%, I'aulualo Fa'afetai TALIA (independent) 12.3%

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 2 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 US and American Samoa

Government type [time series]

republican form of government with separate executive, legislative, and judicial branches; unincorporated unorganized territory of the US with local self-government

Independence [time series]

none (territory of the US)

International organization participation [time series]

AOSIS (observer), Interpol (subbureau), IOC, PIF (observer), SPC

Judicial branch [time series]

highest courts: High Court of American Samoa (consists of the chief justice, associate chief justice, and 6 Samoan associate judges and organized into trial, family, drug, and appellate divisions); note - American Samoa has no US federal courts | judge selection and term of office: chief justice and associate chief justice appointed by the US Secretary of the Interior to serve for life; Samoan associate judges appointed by the governor to serve for life | subordinate courts: district and village courts

Legal system [time series]

mixed legal system of US common law and customary law

Legislative branch [time series]

description: bicameral Legislature or Fono consists of: Senate (18 seats; members indirectly selected by regional governing councils to serve 4-year terms) House of Representatives (21 seats; 20 members directly elected by simple majority vote and 1 decided by public meeting on Swains Island; members serve 2-year terms) | elections: Senate - last held on 8 November 2016 (next to be held in November 2020) House of Representatives - last held on 6 November 2018 (next to be held in November 2020) | election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - independent 18; composition - men 17, women 1, percent of women 9.5% House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NA; composition - men 14, women 7, percent of women 33.3%; note - total percent of women in Legislature 20.5% | note: American Samoa elects 1 member by simple majority vote to serve a 2-year term as a delegate to the US House of Representatives; the delegate can vote when serving on a committee and when the House meets as the Committee of the Whole House, but not when legislation is submitted for a “full floor” House vote; election of delegate last held on 6 November 2018 (next to be held in November 2020)

National anthem(s) (National anthem) [time series]

name: "Amerika Samoa" (American Samoa) | lyrics/music: Mariota Tiumalu TUIASOSOPO/Napoleon Andrew TUITELELEAPAGA | note: local anthem adopted 1950; as a territory of the United States, "The Star-Spangled Banner" is official (see United States)

National holiday [time series]

Flag Day, 17 April (1900)

National symbol(s) [time series]

a fue (coconut fiber fly whisk; representing wisdom) crossed with a to'oto'o (staff; representing authority); national colors: red, white, blue

Political parties (Political parties and leaders) [time series]

Democratic Party [Fagafaga Daniel LANGKILDE, chairman] Republican Party [William SWORD, chairman]

Suffrage [time series]

18 years of age; universal

Introduction

Background [time series]

Settled as early as 1000 B.C., Samoa was not reached by European explorers until 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 and Security

Military - note [time series]

defense is the responsibility of the US

People and Society

Age structure [time series]

0-14 years: 27.76% (male 7,063/female 6,662) | 15-24 years: 18.16% (male 4,521/female 4,458) | 25-54 years: 37.49% (male 9,164/female 9,370) | 55-64 years: 9.69% (male 2,341/female 2,447) | 65 years and over: 6.9% (male 1,580/female 1,831) (2020 est.) | population pyramid: The World Factbook Field Image Modal × Australia - Oceania :: American Samoa Print Image Description This is the population pyramid for American Samoa. A population pyramid illustrates the age and sex structure of a country's population and may provide insights about political and social stability, as well as economic development. The population is distributed along the horizontal axis, with males shown on the left and females on the right. The male and female populations are broken down into 5-year age groups represented as horizontal bars along the vertical axis, with the youngest age groups at the bottom and the oldest at the top. The shape of the population pyramid gradually evolves over time based on fertility, mortality, and international migration trends. For additional information, please see the entry for Population pyramid on the Definitions and Notes page under the References tab.

Birth rate [time series]

17.8 births/1,000 population (2020 est.)

Death rate [time series]

5.9 deaths/1,000 population (2020 est.)

Drinking water source [time series]

improved: total: 100% of population | unimproved: total: 0% of population (2017 est.)

Education expenditure (Education expenditures) [time series]

Ethnic groups [time series]

Pacific Islander 92.6% (includes Samoan 88.9%, Tongan 2.9%, other .8%), Asian 3.6% (includes Filipino 2.2%, other 1.4%), mixed 2.7%, other 1.2% (2010 est.) | note: data represent population by ethnic origin or race

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate [time series]

HIV/AIDS - deaths [time series]

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS [time series]

Infant mortality rate [time series]

total: 9.9 deaths/1,000 live births | male: 11.7 deaths/1,000 live births | female: 8 deaths/1,000 live births (2020 est.)

Languages [time series]

Samoan 88.6% (closely related to Hawaiian and other Polynesian languages), English 3.9%, Tongan 2.7%, other Pacific islander 3%, other 1.8% (2010 est.) | note: most people are bilingual

Life expectancy at birth [time series]

total population: 74.8 years | male: 72.3 years | female: 77.5 years (2020 est.)

Major urban areas - population [time series]

49,000 PAGO PAGO (capital) (2018)

Median age [time series]

total: 27.2 years | male: 26.7 years | female: 27.7 years (2020 est.)

Nationality [time series]

noun: American Samoan(s) (US nationals) | adjective: American Samoan

Net migration rate [time series]

-26.1 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2020 est.)

Population [time series]

49,437 (July 2020 est.)

Population growth rate [time series]

-1.4% (2020 est.)

Religions [time series]

Christian 98.3%, other 1%, unaffiliated 0.7% (2010 est.)

Sanitation facility access [time series]

improved: total: 99% of population | unimproved: total: 1% of population (2017 est.)

Sex ratio [time series]

Total fertility rate [time series]

2.35 children born/woman (2020 est.)

Urbanization [time series]

urban population: 87.2% of total population (2020) | rate of urbanization: 0.07% annual rate of change (2015-20 est.) | total population growth rate v. urban population growth rate, 2000-2030: PDF

Transnational Issues

Disputes - international [time series]

Tokelau included American Samoa's Swains Island (Olosega) in its 2006 draft independence constitution

Transportation

Airports [time series]

3 (2020)

Airports - with paved runways [time series]

total: 3 (2019) | over 3,047 m: 1 | 914 to 1,523 m: 1 | under 914 m: 1

Ports (Ports and terminals) [time series]

major seaport(s): Pago Pago

Roadways [time series]

total: 241 km (2016)