American Samoa

Agriculture-products

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

Budget

revenues: $97 million ($43 million in local revenue and $54 million in grant revenue) expenditures: $NA, including capital expenditures of $NA (FY90/91)

Currency

1 US dollar (US$) = 100 cents

Debt-external

$NA

Economic aid

recipient: ODA, $NA note: important financial support from the US

Economy-overview

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. According to one observer, 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 in 1998 by the financial difficulties in East Asia.

Electricity-capacity

33,000 kW (1995)

Electricity-consumption per capita

1,830 kWh (1995)

Electricity-production

105 million kWh (1995)

Exchange rates

US currency is used

Exports

total value: $318 million (f.o.b., 1992) commodities: canned tuna 93% partners: US 99.6%

Fiscal year

1 October-30 September Communications

GDP

purchasing power parity-$150 million (1995 est.)

GDP-composition by sector

agriculture: NA% industry: NA% services: NA%

GDP-per capita

purchasing power parity-$2,600 (1995 est.)

GDP-real growth rate

NA%

Imports

total value: $418 million (c.i.f., 1992) commodities: materials for canneries 56%, food 8%, petroleum products 7%, machinery and parts 6% partners: US 62%, Japan 9%, NZ 7%, Australia 11%, Fiji 4%, other 7%

Industrial production growth rate

NA%

Industries

tuna canneries (largely dependent on foreign fishing vessels), handicrafts

Inflation rate-consumer price index

NA %

Labor force

total: 14,400 (1990) by occupation: government 33%, tuna canneries 34%, other 33% (1990)

Radio broadcast stations

AM 1, FM 1, shortwave 0

Radios

NA

Telephone system

domestic: good telex, telegraph, facsimile and cellular phone services; domestic satellite system with 1 Comsat earth station international: satellite earth station-1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)

Telephones

9,000 (1994 est.)

Television broadcast stations

1

Televisions

12,000 (1994 est.)

Unemployment rate

12% (1991)

Area

total: 199 sq km land: 199 sq km water: 0 sq km note: includes Rose Island and Swains Island

Area-comparative

slightly larger than Washington, DC

Climate

tropical marine, moderated by southeast trade winds; annual rainfall averages 124 inches; rainy season from November to April, dry season from May to October; little seasonal temperature variation

Coastline

116 km

Elevation extremes

lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: Lata 966 m

Environment-current issues

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

Environment-international agreements

party to: NA signed, but not ratified: NA

Geographic coordinates

14 20 S, 170 00 W

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

Irrigated land

NA sq km

Land boundaries

0 km

Land use

arable land: 5% permanent crops: 10% permanent pastures: 0% forests and woodland: 70% other: 15% (1993 est.)

Location

Oceania, group of islands in the South Pacific Ocean, about one-half of the way from Hawaii to New Zealand

Map references

Oceania

Maritime claims

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 12 nm

Natural hazards

typhoons common from December to March

Natural resources

pumice, pumicite

Terrain

five volcanic islands with rugged peaks and limited coastal plains, two coral atolls (Rose Island, Swains Island)

Administrative divisions

none (territory of the US); there are no first-order administrative divisions as defined by the US Government, but there are three political districts

Constitution

ratified 1966, in effect 1967

Country name

conventional long form: Territory of American Samoa conventional short form: American Samoa abbreviation: AS

Data code

AQ

Dependency status

unincorporated and unorganized territory of the US; administered by the Office of Insular Affairs, US Department of the Interior

Diplomatic representation from the US

none (territory of the US)

Diplomatic representation in the US

none (territory of the US)

Executive branch

chief of state: President of the US William Jefferson CLINTON (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: 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 of American Samoa; percent of vote - Tauese P. SUNIA (Democrat) 51%, Peter REID (independent) 49%

Flag description

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

NA

Independence

none (territory of the US)

International organization participation

ESCAP (associate), Interpol (subbureau), IOC, SPC

Judicial branch

High Court, chief justice and associate justices are appointed by the US Secretary of the Interior

Legal system

NA

Legislative branch

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 who serve four-year terms) elections: House of Representatives-last held 5 November 1996 (next to be held NA November 1998); 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; elections last held 5 November 1996 (next to be held NA November 1998); results - Eni R. F. H. FALEOMAVAEGA (Democrat) reelected as delegate

National capital

Pago Pago

National holiday

Territorial Flag Day, 17 April (1900)

Political parties and leaders

Democratic Party; Republican Party

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Military-note

defense is the responsibility of the US

Age structure

0-14 years: 39% (male 12,575; female 11,824) 15-64 years: 56% (male 17,513; female 17,477) 65 years and over: 5% (male 1,364; female 1,340) (July 1998 est.)

Birth rate

27.31 births/1,000 population (1998 est.)

Death rate

4.03 deaths/1,000 population (1998 est.)

Ethnic groups

Samoan (Polynesian) 89%, Caucasian 2%, Tongan 4%, other 5%

Infant mortality rate

10.47 deaths/1,000 live births (1998 est.)

Languages

Samoan (closely related to Hawaiian and other Polynesian languages), English note: most people are bilingual

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 75.23 years male: 70.95 years female: 79.77 years (1998 est.)

Literacy

definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 97% male: 98% female: 97% (1980 est.)

Nationality

noun: American Samoan(s) adjective: American Samoan

Net migration rate

4.11 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1998 est.)

Population

62,093 (July 1998 est.)

Population growth rate

2.74% (1998 est.)

Religions

Christian Congregationalist 50%, Roman Catholic 20%, Protestant denominations and other 30%

Sex ratio

at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 1.01 male(s)/female (1998 est.)

Total fertility rate

3.72 children born/woman (1998 est.)

Disputes-international

none ANDORRA

Airports

4 (1997 est.)

Airports-with paved runways

total: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 under 914 m: 1 (1997 est.)

Airports-with unpaved runways

total: 2 under 914 m: 2 (1997 est.)

Highways

total: 350 km paved: 150 km unpaved: 200 km

Merchant marine

none

Ports and harbors

Aunu'u (new construction), Auasi, Faleosao, Ofu, Pago Pago, Ta'u

Railways

0 km