American Samoa

American Samoa Map


American Samoa facts and history in brief

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List of photo pages in my Samoa 2005 series.

Samoa (aka Western Samoa)

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American Samoa (aka Pago Pago)

American Samoa          American Samoa buses          Fagatogo          Pago Pago

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American Samoa is an unorganized, unincorporated territory of the United States in the South Pacific Ocean, to the East of the larger state of Samoa.

Originally inhabited as early as 1000 BC, Samoa was reached by European explorers in the 18th century.

American Samoa

National motto: Samoa, Muamua Le Atua (Samoa, Let God Be First)
Official languages: Samoan, English
Capital: Pago Pago
Area: 199 km² Ranked 226th
Population: 70,260 (2003); 353/km² Ranked 203rd

Currency: USD
Time zone: UTC -11 (no DST)
Internet TLD: .as
Calling Code: +1 684

International rivalries in the latter half of the 19th century were settled by an 1899 treaty in which Germany and the U.S. divided the Samoan archipelago.
The U.S. formally occupied its portion—a smaller group of eastern islands with the noted harbour of Pago Pago—the following year.
The U.S. Navy built a coaling station in Pago Pago Bay for its Pacific Squadron, appointed a local Secretary and secured a Deed of Cession of Tutuila in 1900 and a Deed of Cession of Manu'a in 1904.
During World War II, U.S. Marines in American Samoa, outnumbering the local population, had a huge cultural influence.
After World War II, Organic Act 4500, a U.S. Department of Interior-sponsored attempt to incorporate American Samoa, was defeated in Congress, primarily through the efforts of American Samoan chiefs, led by Tuiasosopo Mariota.
These chiefs' efforts led to the creation of a local legislature, the American Samoa Fono.
In time, the Navy-appointed governor was replaced by a locally elected one.
Although technically considered "unorganized" in that the U.S. Congress has not passed an Organic Act for the territory, American Samoa is self-governing under a constitution that became effective on July 1, 1967.
The U.S. Territory of American Samoa is on the United Nations list of Non-Self-Governing Territories, a listing which is disputed by the country.

Geography of American Samoa
Oceania, group of islands in the South Pacific Ocean, about two thirds of the way from Hawaii to New Zealand
Includes (According to size) Tutuila, Ta'u, Ofu, Olosega, Aunu'u, Swain's, and Rose Islands.
Area - Slightly larger than Washington, DC.

Climate
Tropical marine, moderated by southeast trade winds; annual rainfall averages about 3 m; rainy season from November to April, dry season from May to October; little seasonal temperature variation
Island Names in order of size

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

Economy
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.
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 by the current financial difficulties in East Asia.

Trivia
American Samoa is the location of Rose Atoll, the southernmost point in the United States (if insular areas are included); see extreme points for more information).
Goods manufactured in territories or protectorates of the United States, including American Samoa, can be labeled "Made in the USA."
About 30 ethnic Samoans, many from American Samoa, currently play in the National Football League. It has been estimated that a Samoan male (either an American Samoan, or a Samoan living in the 50 United States) is 40 times more likely to play in the NFL than a non-Samoan American. A number have also ventured into professional wrestling.
Persons born in American Samoa are United States nationals, but not United States citizens. This is virtually the only circumstance under which an individual would be one and not the other.
The American Samoa national soccer team holds an unwanted world record in international soccer—the record defeat in an international match, a 31-0 crushing by Australia on April 11, 2001.

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This page was retrieved and condensed from (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Samoa) October 2005.
All text is available under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License (see Copyrights for details).
About Wikipedia Disclaimers

This information was correct in October 2005. E. & O.E.

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2005

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