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One-fourteenth the area of all of the Samoan Islands, in the South Pacific, about half way between Hawaii and New Zealand. Its capital the port town of Pago Pago (pronounced Pango Pango). It rains a lot, as in Somerset Maugham's story about Sadie Thompson, "Rain."
A dispute exists over the Swains Island, administered by American Samoa, with a population of less than 50, culturally a part of the Tokelau Islands, a territory of New Zealand.
American Samoa is territory administered by the United States Department of the Interior. It was acquired in 1900 in a treaty with Germany that divided the Samoan archipelago.
Its government includes a House of Representatives with 20 seats elected by popular vote.
People born in American Samoa are U.S. "nationals," but not U.S. citizens. Samoans elect one non-voting delegate to the U.S. House of Representatives. They also send delegates to the Democratic and Republican national conventions.
Figures unless otherwise stated are from the CIA Factbook.
Estimated per capita
GDP:
2005
$5,800 (Ranks
124th)
Economic activity is linked to the United States. Most of its foreign trade is with the United States. It has been a base for tuna fishing and tuna canneries employ 34 percent of American Samoa's work force. Thirty-three percent work for the U.S. government.
Its 2002 export/import ratio was very negative: 30/123
American Samoa's major export is canned tuna, to the United States.
Aid infusions from Washington DC are regular, amounting in 1994 to $40 million - about $700 for each person in American Samoa.
More than 90 percent of the land in communally owned - a Polynesian tradition.
Estimated for 2008: Deaths 3.24. Births: 21.24, down from 23.13 in 2005.
Estimate for July 2008: 57,496, down from 57,881 in 2005. Density estimated for 2005: 291 persons per square kilometer, compared to only 60 for the other Samoa and 58 for French Polynesia. Growth estimated for 2008: minus 0.322 percent per year (an estimated population decline of 185 people, a lower number because of emigration).
More leaving than arriving, a net loss of 21.22 per 1,000: 1,220 persons. These are U.S. citizens, many going to the Hawaiian Islands or to California.
Infant mortality estimated for 2008: 8.69, down from 9.27 in 2007. (Deaths before the age of one year, per 1,000 live births.)
Average life expectancy estimated for 2008: 76.45, up from 75.84 in 2005
Polynesian 89 percent, Caucasian 2 percent.
SOURCES:
http://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/
Copyright © 2008 by Frank E. Smitha. All rights reserved.