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Official Name - Territory of American Samoa
Land Area - 122.3 sq km (over 7 islands)
Population - 65,500 (July 2005 estimate)
Capital City - Pago Pago
Religion - Christian Congregational: 50%, Roman Catholic: 20%, Protestant and other: 30%
Official Languages - Samoan and English
Currency - US Dollar
Dependency status - Unincorporated and unorganised territory of
the United States; administered by the Office of Insular Affairs and the
United States Department of the Interior.
Legislative Branch - 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; members serve two-year terms) and the Senate (18 seats – members are elected from local chiefs and serve four-year terms). American Samoa elects one non-voting representative to the US House of Representatives. Incumbent Congressman Faleomavaega Eni Hunkin (Democrat) has been the American Samoan representative since 1989
Head of State - US President Barack Obama
Head of Government - Governor Togiola Tulafono (since April 2003)
Senate Appointments - Members of the Senate are appointed by village councils, rather than general election, and serve a 4 year term, with the term of current appointments spanning from 2005-2008.
GDP - US$500 million (2000 estimate), US$8,000 per capita
Inflation - 4.9% (2005)
National Budget - US$ 279 million (2006 fiscal year)
Exports - US$ 10 million (2004 fiscal year)
Imports - US$ 105 million (2004 estimate)
Main Exports - Canned fish
Main Imports - Materials for canneries; food; petroleum products; machinery and parts
Export Partners - Samoa (40%); Australia (20%); Japan (15%); NZ (11%). (2004)
Import Partners - Japan (31%); New Zealand (28%); Germany (17%); Australia (9%). (2004)
NZ Exports (FOB) - NZ$30,452,097 (year ending 2005)
Main Exports - Timber, iron/steel containers, prepared meat, sheep meat, bovine meat, sugar, iron/steel articles, fish and salt
NZ Imports (CIF) - NZ$1,910,898 (year ending 2005)
Main Imports - Ferrous waste/scrap, twine/rope, aluminium waste/scrap, cheese and curd, copper waste/scrap, gas compressors and fans, motor vehicles, printed circuits, surveying and other instruments and machinery parts
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. Germany occupied Western Samoa, while the US formally occupied its portion – a smaller group of eastern islands with the excellent harbour of Pago Pago in 1900.
Following elections in November 2006, Congressman Faleomavaega Eni Hunkin secured his tenth term, as American Samoa’s representative in the US Congress. Tauese Sunia was nearing the end of his second term as American Samoa's Governor when he died in March 2003. His Lieutenant-Governor, Togiola Tulafono, replaced him as Governor and was successful in November 2004 elections in securing a renewed four-year term as Governor.
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. The canneries have for several years benefited from tax relief under US "Section 936" legislation. Transfers from the US Government add substantially to American Samoa's economic well-being.
American Samoa is a member of the:
More recently, it joined the South Pacific Applied Geoscience Commission (SOPAC) in 2002 as an associate member.
New Zealand and American Samoa maintain official contacts through the New Zealand Consul-General to American Samoa (located in Apia, Samoa), as well as through the offices of the NZ Embassy and Congressman Faleomavaega in Washington DC. The Prime Minister met Governor Sunia during Samoa’s 40th Independence Anniversary in June 2002. Hon Jim Sutton, as Minister for Trade Negotiations, led a large trade mission to American Samoa in March 2003.
New Zealand has reasonable trade and economic links with American Samoa, although there is room for further growth. New Zealand accounted for 28% of imports to American Samoa in 2005. In addition to the presence of New Zealand construction companies in American Samoa, there are a number of other links with New Zealand, including medical referrals, employment of New Zealand doctors, and provision of training (eg through Manukau Institute of Technology for Power Authority employees). New Zealand tuna fishing vessels (from Siminovich and Sanfords) fish in the Pacific region and supply the American Samoan canneries.
New Zealand and American Samoa maintain official contacts through the New Zealand Consul-General to American Samoa (located in Apia, Samoa), as well as through the offices of the NZ Embassy and Congressman Faleomavaega in Washington DC.
Visits to American Samoa
The Safe Travel website provides a travel advisory for travellers to American Samoa [external link].
