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NAVIGATION
Territory of American Samoa
Territory of the United States
GOVERNMENT
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Country name:
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conventional long form: Territory of American Samoa
conventional short form: American Samoa abbreviation: AS |
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Dependency status:
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unincorporated and unorganized territory of the US; administered by the Office of Insular Affairs, US Department of the Interior |
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Government type:
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NA |
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Capital:
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Pago Pago |
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Administrative divisions:
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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 |
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Independence:
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none (territory of the US) |
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National holiday:
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Flag Day, 17 April (1900) |
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Constitution:
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ratified 1966, in effect 1967 |
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Legal system:
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NA |
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Suffrage:
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18 years of age; universal |
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Executive branch:
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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 |
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Legislative branch:
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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 |
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Judicial branch:
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High Court (chief justice and associate justices are appointed by the US Secretary of the Interior) |
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Political parties and leaders:
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Democratic Party [leader NA]; Republican Party [leader NA] |
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Political pressure groups and leaders:
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NA |
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International organization participation:
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ESCAP (associate), Interpol (subbureau), IOC, SPC |
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Diplomatic representation in the US:
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none (territory of the US) |
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Diplomatic representation from the US:
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none (territory of the US) |
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Flag description:
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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 |
ECONOMY
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Economy - overview:
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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. |
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GDP:
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purchasing power parity - $500 million (2000 est.) |
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GDP - real growth rate:
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NA% |
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GDP - per capita:
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purchasing power parity - $8,000 (2000 est.) |
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GDP - composition by sector:
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agriculture: NA%
industry: NA% services: NA% |
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Population below poverty line:
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NA% |
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Household income or consumption by percentage share:
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lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA% |
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Inflation rate (consumer prices):
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NA% |
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Labor force:
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14,000 (1996) |
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Labor force - by occupation:
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government 33%, tuna canneries 34%, other 33% (1990) (1990) |
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Unemployment rate:
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6% (2000) |
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Budget:
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revenues: $121 million (37% in local revenue and 63% in US grants)
expenditures: $127 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (FY96/97) |
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Industries:
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tuna canneries (largely supplied by foreign fishing vessels), handicrafts |
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Industrial production growth rate:
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NA% |
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Electricity - production:
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130 million kWh (2000) |
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Electricity - production by source:
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fossil fuel: 100%
hydro: 0% other: 0% (2000) nuclear: 0% |
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Electricity - consumption:
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120.9 million kWh (2000) |
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Electricity - exports:
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0 kWh (2000) |
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Electricity - imports:
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0 kWh (2000) |
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Agriculture - products:
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bananas, coconuts, vegetables, taro, breadfruit, yams, copra, pineapples, papayas; dairy products, livestock |
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Exports:
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$345 million (1999) |
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Exports - commodities:
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canned tuna 93% |
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Exports - partners:
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US 99.6% |
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Imports:
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$452 million (1999) |
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Imports - commodities:
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materials for canneries 56%, food 8%, petroleum products 7%, machinery and parts 6% |
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Imports - partners:
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US 62%, Australia 11%, Japan 9%, NZ 7%, Fiji 4%, other 7% |
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Debt - external:
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$NA |
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Economic aid - recipient:
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important financial support from the US, more than $40 million in 1994 |
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Currency:
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US dollar (USD) |
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Currency code:
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USD |
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Exchange rates:
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the US dollar is used |
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Fiscal year:
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1 October - 30 September |