American Samoa :: Australia-Oceania
Introduction
Background:
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.
Geography
Location:
Oceania, group of islands in the South Pacific Ocean, about halfway between Hawaii and New Zealand
Geographic coordinates:
14 20 S, 170 00 W
Map references:
Oceania
Area:
total:
224 sq km
land:
224 sq km
water:
0 sq km
note: includes Rose Island and Swains Island
country comparison to the world: 215
Area - comparative:
slightly larger than Washington, DC
Land boundaries:
0 km
Coastline:
116 km
Maritime claims:
territorial sea:
12
nm
exclusive economic zone:
200
nm
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
Terrain:
five volcanic islands with rugged peaks and limited coastal plains, two coral atolls (Rose Island, Swains Island)
Elevation:
lowest point:
Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point:
Lata Mountain 964 m
Natural resources:
pumice, pumicite
Land use:
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.)
Irrigated land:
0 sq km
(2012)
Natural hazards:
cyclones common from December to March
++ volcanism: limited volcanic activity on the Ofu and Olosega Islands; neither has erupted since the 19th century
Environment - current issues:
limited supply of drinking water; pollution; waste disposal; coastal and stream alteration; soil erosion
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
People and Society
Population:
49,437
(July 2020 est.)
country comparison to the world: 210
Nationality:
noun:
American Samoan(s) (US nationals)
adjective:
American Samoan
Ethnic groups:
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
Languages:
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
Religions:
Christian 98.3%, other 1%, unaffiliated 0.7%
(2010 est.)
Age structure:
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.)
Median age:
total:
27.2 years
male:
26.7 years
female:
27.7 years
(2020 est.)
country comparison to the world: 149
Population growth rate:
-1.4%
(2020 est.)
country comparison to the world: 233
Birth rate:
17.8 births/1,000 population
(2020 est.)
country comparison to the world: 92
Death rate:
5.9 deaths/1,000 population
(2020 est.)
country comparison to the world: 167
Net migration rate:
-26.1 migrant(s)/1,000 population
(2020 est.)
country comparison to the world: 225
Urbanization:
urban population:
87.2% of total population
(2020)
rate of urbanization:
0.07% annual rate of change
(2015-20 est.)
Major urban areas - population:
49,000 PAGO PAGO (capital)
(2018)
Sex ratio:
at birth:
1.06 male(s)/female
0-14 years:
1.06 male(s)/female
15-24 years:
1.01 male(s)/female
25-54 years:
0.98 male(s)/female
55-64 years:
0.96 male(s)/female
65 years and over:
0.86 male(s)/female
total population:
1 male(s)/female
(2020 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
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.)
country comparison to the world: 130
Life expectancy at birth:
total population:
74.8 years
male:
72.3 years
female:
77.5 years
(2020 est.)
country comparison to the world: 123
Total fertility rate:
2.35 children born/woman
(2020 est.)
country comparison to the world: 79
Drinking water source:
improved:
total:
100% of population
unimproved:
total:
0% of population
(2017 est.)
Sanitation facility access:
improved:
total:
99% of population
unimproved:
total:
1% of population
(2017 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
NA
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
NA
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
NA
Education expenditures:
NA
Government
Country name:
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:
unincorporated unorganized territory of the US; administered by the Office of Insular Affairs, US Department of the Interior
Government type:
republican form of government with separate executive, legislative, and judicial branches; unincorporated unorganized territory of the US with local self-government
Capital:
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
Administrative divisions:
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
Independence:
none (territory of the US)
National holiday:
Flag Day, 17 April (1900)
Constitution:
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
Legal system:
mixed legal system of US common law and customary law
Citizenship:
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
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
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%
Legislative branch:
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)
Judicial branch:
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
Political parties and leaders:
Democratic Party [Fagafaga Daniel LANGKILDE, chairman] ++ Republican Party [William SWORD, chairman]
International organization participation:
AOSIS (observer), Interpol (subbureau), IOC, PIF (observer), SPC
Diplomatic representation in the US:
none (territory of the US)
Diplomatic representation from the US:
none (territory of the US)
Flag description:
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
National symbol(s):
a fue (coconut fiber fly whisk; representing wisdom) crossed with a to'oto'o (staff; representing authority); national colors: red, white, blue
National anthem:
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)
Economy
Economic overview:
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.
GDP real growth rate:
-2.5%
(2016 est.)
1.2%
(2015 est.)
1%
(2014 est.)
country comparison to the world: 208
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
-0.5%
(2015 est.)
1.4%
(2014 est.)
country comparison to the world: 12
GDP (purchasing power parity) - real:
$658 million
(2016 est.)
$674.9 million
(2015 est.)
$666.9 billion
(2014 est.)
note: data are in 2016 US dollars
GDP (official exchange rate):
$658 million
(2016 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$11,200
(2016 est.)
$11,300
(2015 est.)
$11,200
(2014 est.)
country comparison to the world: 111
GDP - composition, by sector of origin:
agriculture:
27.4%
(2012)
industry:
12.4%
(2012)
services:
60.2%
(2012)
GDP - composition, by end use:
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.)
Ease of Doing Business Index scores:
Agriculture - products:
bananas, coconuts, vegetables, taro, breadfruit, yams, copra, pineapples, papayas; dairy products, livestock
Industries:
tuna canneries (largely supplied by foreign fishing vessels), handicrafts
Industrial production growth rate:
NA
Labor force:
17,850
(2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 212
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture:
NA
industry:
15.5%
services:
46.4%
(2015 est.)
Unemployment rate:
29.8%
(2005)
country comparison to the world: 206
Population below poverty line:
NA
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%:
NA
highest 10%:
NA
Budget:
revenues:
249 million
(2016 est.)
expenditures:
262.5 million
(2016 est.)
Taxes and other revenues:
37.8% (of GDP)
(2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 53
Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-):
-2.1% (of GDP)
(2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 107
Public debt:
12.2% of GDP
(2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 197
Fiscal year:
1 October - 30 September
Exports:
$428 million
(2016 est.)
$427 million
(2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 178
Exports - partners:
Australia 25%, Ghana 19%, Indonesia 15.6%, Burma 10.4%, Portugal 5.1%
(2017)
Exports - commodities:
canned tuna 93%
Imports:
$615 million
(2016 est.)
$657 million
(2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 195
Imports - commodities:
raw materials for canneries, food, petroleum products, machinery and parts
Imports - partners:
Fiji 10.7%, Singapore 10.4%, NZ 10.4%, South Korea 9.3%, Samoa 8.2%, Kenya 6.4%, Australia 5.2%
(2017)
Debt - external:
NA
Exchange rates:
the US dollar is used
Energy
Electricity - production:
169 million kWh
(2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 195
Electricity - consumption:
157.2 million kWh
(2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 197
Electricity - exports:
0 kWh
(2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 97
Electricity - imports:
0 kWh
(2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 118
Electricity - installed generating capacity:
43,000 kW
(2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 194
Electricity - from fossil fuels:
98% of total installed capacity
(2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 26
Electricity - from nuclear fuels:
0% of total installed capacity
(2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 35
Electricity - from hydroelectric plants:
0% of total installed capacity
(2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 152
Electricity - from other renewable sources:
2% of total installed capacity
(2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 131
Crude oil - production:
0 bbl/day
(2018 est.)
country comparison to the world: 102
Crude oil - exports:
0 bbl/day
(2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 83
Crude oil - imports:
0 bbl/day
(2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 86
Crude oil - proved reserves:
0 bbl
(1 January 2018 est.)
country comparison to the world: 100
Refined petroleum products - production:
0 bbl/day
(2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 111
Refined petroleum products - consumption:
2,375 bbl/day
(2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 192
Refined petroleum products - exports:
0 bbl/day
(2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 125
Refined petroleum products - imports:
2,346 bbl/day
(2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 188
Natural gas - production:
0 cu m
(2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 97
Natural gas - consumption:
0 cu m
(2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 117
Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m
(2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 59
Natural gas - imports:
0 cu m
(2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 84
Natural gas - proved reserves:
0 cu m
(1 January 2014 est.)
country comparison to the world: 103
Carbon dioxide emissions from consumption of energy:
361,100 Mt
(2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 189
Communications
Telephones - fixed lines:
total subscriptions:
8,984
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants:
17.92
(2019 est.)
country comparison to the world: 190
Telecommunication systems:
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
Broadcast media:
3 TV stations; multi-channel pay TV services are available; about a dozen radio stations, some of which are repeater stations
Internet country code:
.as
Internet users:
total:
17,000
percent of population:
31.3%
(July 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 210
Transportation
Airports:
3
(2020)
country comparison to the world: 191
Airports - with paved runways:
total:
3
(2019)
over 3,047 m:
1
914 to 1,523 m:
1
under 914 m:
1
Roadways:
total:
241 km
(2016)
country comparison to the world: 205
Ports and terminals:
major seaport(s):
Pago Pago
Military and Security
Military - note:
defense is the responsibility of the US
Transnational Issues
Disputes - international:
Tokelau included American Samoa's Swains Island (Olosega) in its 2006 draft independence constitution
