Introduction
Background
Tutuila -- the largest island in American Samoa -- was settled by 1000 B.C., and the island served as a refuge for exiled chiefs and defeated warriors from the other Samoan islands. The Manu’a Islands, which are also now part of American Samoa, developed a traditional chiefdom that maintained autonomy by controlling oceanic trade. In 1722, Dutch explorer Jacob ROGGEVEEN was the first European to sail through the Manu’a Islands, and he was followed by French explorer Louis Antoine DE BOUGAINVILLE in 1768. Whalers and missionaries arrived in American Samoa in the 1830s, but American and European traders tended to favor the port in Apia -- now in independent Samoa -- over the smaller and less-developed Pago Pago on Tutuila. In the mid-1800s, a dispute arose in Samoa over control of the Samoan archipelago, with different chiefs gaining support from Germany, the UK, and the US. In 1872, the high chief of Tutuila offered the US exclusive rights to Pago Pago in return for US protection, but the US rejected this offer. As fighting resumed, the US agreed to the chief’s request in 1878 and set up a coaling station at Pago Pago. In 1899, with continued disputes over succession, Germany and the US agreed to divide the Samoan islands, while the UK withdrew its claims in exchange for parts of the Solomon Islands. Local chiefs on Tutuila formally ceded their land to the US in 1900, followed by the chief of Manu’a in 1904. The territory was officially named “American Samoa” in 1911.
The US administered the territory through the Department of the Navy. In 1949, there was an attempt to organize the territory, granting it formal self-government, but local chiefs helped defeat the measure in the US Congress. Administration was transferred to the Department of the Interior in 1951, and in 1967, American Samoa adopted a constitution that provides significant protections for traditional Samoan land-tenure rules, language, and culture. In 1977, after four attempts, voters approved a measure to directly elect their governor. Nevertheless, American Samoa officially remains an unorganized territory, and people born in American Samoa are US nationals rather than US citizens.
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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 Atoll and Swains Island
comparison ranking: total 216
Area - comparative
slightly larger than Washington, D.C.
Land boundaries
total: 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 Atoll, Swains Island)
Elevation
highest point: Lata Mountain 964 m
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
Natural resources
pumice, pumicite
Land use
agricultural land: 14.5% (2022 est.)
arable land: 4.9% (2022 est.)
permanent crops: 9.7% (2022 est.)
permanent pasture: 0% (2022 est.)
forest: 85.4% (2022 est.)
other: 0.2% (2022 est.)
Irrigated land
0 sq km (2022)
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
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
total: 43,895 (2024 est.)
male: 21,804
female: 22,091
comparison rankings: total 211; male 211; female 211
Nationality
noun: American Samoan(s) (US nationals)
adjective: American Samoan
Ethnic groups
Pacific Islander 88.7% (includes Samoan 83.2%, Tongan 2.2%, other 3.3%), Asian 5.8% (includes Filipino 3.4%, other 2.4%), mixed 4.4%, other 1.1% (2020 est.)
note: data represent population by ethnic origin or race
Languages
Samoan 87.9% (closely related to Hawaiian and other Polynesian languages), English 3.3%, Tongan 2.1%, other Pacific Islander 4.1%, Asian languages 2.1%, other 0.5% (2020 est.)
note: most people are bilingual
Religions
Christian 98.3%, other <1%, unaffiliated <1% (2020 est.)
Age structure
0-14 years: 25.3% (male 5,738/female 5,387)
15-64 years: 66% (male 14,291/female 14,679)
65 years and over: 8.7% (2024 est.) (male 1,775/female 2,025)
Dependency ratios
total dependency ratio: 51.5 (2024 est.)
youth dependency ratio: 38.4 (2024 est.)
elderly dependency ratio: 13.1 (2024 est.)
potential support ratio: 7.6 (2024 est.)
Median age
total: 30 years (2024 est.)
male: 29.4 years
female: 30.6 years
comparison ranking: total 141
Urbanization
urban population: 87.2% of total population (2023)
rate of urbanization: 0.26% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Major urban areas - population
49,000 PAGO PAGO (capital) (2018)
Sex ratio
at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
0-14 years: 1.07 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.88 male(s)/female
total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2024 est.)
Infant mortality rate
total: 9.7 deaths/1,000 live births (2024 est.)
male: 11.7 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 7.6 deaths/1,000 live births
comparison ranking: total 136
Life expectancy at birth
total population: 75.8 years (2024 est.)
male: 73.4 years
female: 78.5 years
comparison ranking: total population 122
Gross reproduction rate
1 (2024 est.)
Drinking water source
improved:
total: 99.8% of population
unimproved:
total: 0.2% of population (2020 est.)
Sanitation facility access
improved:
total: 98.5% of population (2022 est.)
unimproved:
total: 1.5% of population (2022 est.)
Currently married women (ages 15-49)
53.5% (2023 est.)
Environment
Environmental issues
limited supply of drinking water; pollution; waste disposal; coastal and stream alteration; soil erosion
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
Land use
agricultural land: 14.5% (2022 est.)
arable land: 4.9% (2022 est.)
permanent crops: 9.7% (2022 est.)
permanent pasture: 0% (2022 est.)
forest: 85.4% (2022 est.)
other: 0.2% (2022 est.)
Urbanization
urban population: 87.2% of total population (2023)
rate of urbanization: 0.26% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Carbon dioxide emissions
389,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
from petroleum and other liquids: 389,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
comparison ranking: total emissions 192
Waste and recycling
municipal solid waste generated annually: 19,000 tons (2024 est.)
Government
Country name
conventional long form: American Samoa
conventional short form: American Samoa
former: Eastern Samoa
abbreviation: AS
etymology: the name's meaning is disputed; according to one theory, sa means "sacred" and moa means "center," so the name can mean "Holy Center"; alternatively, some assert that the name can mean "place of the sacred moa bird" of Polynesian mythology; however, the name may pre-date the Polynesian era (before 1000 B.C.), with sa'a meaning "tribe or people" and moa meaning "deep sea," or "people of the deep sea"
Government type
unincorporated, unorganized Territory of the US with local self-government; republican form of territorial government with separate executive, legislative, and judicial branches
Dependency status
unincorporated, unorganized Territory of the US; administered by the Office of Insular Affairs, US Department of the Interior
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); no first-order administrative divisions as defined by the US Government, but 3 districts and 2 islands* are considered second-order; Eastern, Manu'a, Rose Island*, Swains Island*, Western
Legal system
mixed legal system of US common law and customary law
Constitution
history: adopted 17 October 1960; revised 1 July 1967
amendment process: proposed by either house of the Legislative Assembly; passage requires three-fifths majority vote by the membership of each house, approval by simple majority vote in a referendum, approval by the US Secretary of the Interior, and only by an act of the US Congress
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 2025)
head of government: Governor Nikolao PULA (since 3 January 2025)
cabinet: Cabinet consists of 12 department directors appointed by the governor with the consent of the Legislature or Fono
election/appointment process: 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)
most recent election date: 19 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%
expected date of next election: November 2028
Legislative branch
note: American Samoa elects 1 member by simple majority popular 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
Judicial branch
highest court(s): 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)
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
note: American Samoa has no US federal courts
Political parties
Democratic Party
Republican Party
Diplomatic representation in the US
none (territory of the US)
Diplomatic representation from the US
embassy: none (territory of the US)
International organization participation
AOSIS (observer), Interpol (subbureau), IOC, PIF (observer), SPC
Independence
none (territory of the US)
National holiday
Flag Day, 17 April (1900)
Flag
description: a large white triangle edged in red is based on the right side and extends to the left side, and it is on a dark blue field; a bald eagle holding a Samoan war club (fa'alaufa'i) and a coconut-fiber fly whisk (fue) sits on the right side of the flag
meaning: the war club and fly whisk are traditional Samoan symbols of authority; the eagle carrying two objects echoes the US Great Seal and reflects the relationship between the United States and American Samoa; the red, white, and blue colors are traditionally used by both countries
National symbol(s)
a fue (coconut fiber fly whisk that represents wisdom) crossed with a to'oto'o (staff that represents authority)
National color(s)
red, white, blue
National anthem(s)
title: "Amerika Samoa" (American Samoa)
lyrics/music: Mariota Tiumalu TUIASOSOPO/Napoleon Andrew TUITELELEAPAGA
history: local anthem adopted 1950
_____
title: "The Star-Spangled Banner"
lyrics/music: Francis Scott KEY/John Stafford SMITH
history: official anthem, as a US territory
Economy
Economic overview
tourism, tuna, and government services-based territorial economy; sustained economic decline; vulnerable tuna canning industry; large territorial government presence; minimum wage increases to rise to federal standards by 2036
Real GDP (purchasing power parity)
$658 million (2016 est.)
$674.9 million (2015 est.)
$666.9 billion (2014 est.)
note: data are in 2016 dollars
comparison ranking: 209
Real GDP growth rate
1.7% (2022 est.)
-0.8% (2021 est.)
4.4% (2020 est.)
note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency
comparison ranking: 158
GDP (official exchange rate)
$871 million (2022 est.)
note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate
Agricultural products
bananas, coconuts, vegetables, taro, breadfruit, yams, copra, pineapples, papayas; dairy products, livestock
Industries
tuna canneries (largely supplied by foreign fishing vessels), handicrafts
Budget
revenues: $249 million (2016 est.)
expenditures: $262.5 million (2016 est.)
Exports
$409 million (2022 est.)
$332 million (2021 est.)
$427 million (2020 est.)
note: GDP expenditure basis - exports of goods and services in current dollars
comparison ranking: 194
Exports - partners
Australia 31%, UK 18%, Tanzania 9%, UAE 7%, Senegal 6% (2023)
note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports
Exports - commodities
animal meal, aluminum, refined petroleum, gas turbines, broadcasting equipment (2023)
note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars
Imports
$677 million (2022 est.)
$694 million (2021 est.)
$686 million (2020 est.)
note: GDP expenditure basis - imports of goods and services in current dollars
comparison ranking: 194
Imports - partners
Singapore 28%, NZ 15%, Fiji 14%, Taiwan 11%, Malaysia 11% (2023)
note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports
Imports - commodities
refined petroleum, fish, paper containers, wood, construction vehicles (2023)
note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars
Exchange rates
the US dollar is used
Energy
Electricity
installed generating capacity: 50,000 kW (2023 est.)
consumption: 157.697 million kWh (2023 est.)
transmission/distribution losses: 13.975 million kWh (2023 est.)
comparison rankings: installed generating capacity 196; consumption 192; transmission/distribution losses 21
Electricity generation sources
fossil fuels: 97.1% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
solar: 2.9% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
Petroleum
refined petroleum consumption: 3,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)
Communications
Telephones - fixed lines
total subscriptions: 10,000 (2021 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 20 (2022 est.)
comparison ranking: total subscriptions 187
Telephones - mobile cellular
total subscriptions: 2,250 (2009 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 4 (2009 est.)
comparison ranking: total subscriptions 224
Broadcast media
3 TV stations; multi-channel pay TV services are available; about a dozen radio stations, some of which are repeater stations
Internet users
percent of population: 40.3% (1990 est.)
Transportation
Ports
total ports: 1 (2024)
large: 0
medium: 0
small: 1
very small: 0
ports with oil terminals: 1
key ports: Pago Pago Harbor
Military and Security
Military - note
defense is the responsibility of the US