American Samoa
Official Country Name
American Samoa
American Samoa Overview
Settled as early as 1000 B.C., Samoa was "discovered" by European explorers in 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.
American Samoa Economy
American Samoa has 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 is a promising developing sector.
American Samoa Location
American Samoa is located in Oceania, group of islands in the South Pacific Ocean, about half way between Hawaii and New Zealand
Region
American Samoa is located in Oceania
American Samoa Population
American Samoa has population of 57,794 (July 2006 est.)
American Samoa Climate
American Samoa has 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
American Samoa Terrain
Five volcanic islands with rugged peaks and limited coastal plains, two coral atolls (Rose Island, Swains Island)
American Samoa Natural Resources
pumice, pumicite
Ethnic Groups in American Samoa
American Samoa has the following ethnic groups - Native Pacific islander 92.9%, Asian 2.9%, white 1.2%, mixed 2.8%, other 0.2% (2000 census)
American Samoa Religions
Christian Congregationalist 50%, Roman Catholic 20%, Protestant and other 30%
American Samoa Languages
Samoan 90.6% (closely related to Hawaiian and other Polynesian languages), English 2.9%, Tongan 2.4%, other Pacific islander 2.1%, other 2% note: most people are bilingual (2000 census)
American Samoa Capital
American Samoa capital is Pago Pago
American Samoa Currency
American Samoa currency is US dollar
Map of American Samoa
