American Samoa

Coordinates: 14°18′S 170°42′W / 14.3°S 170.7°W / -14.3; -170.7
Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

American Samoa
Amerika Sāmoa (Samoan)
Ethnic groups
Religion
Salo Ale (D
)
Legislature
USPS abbreviation
AS
ISO 3166 code
Internet TLD.as

American Samoa[c] is an unincorporated territory of the United States located in the South Pacific Ocean, southeast of the island country of Samoa.[1] Centered on 14°18′S 170°42′W / 14.3°S 170.7°W / -14.3; -170.7, it is east of the International Date Line and the Wallis and Futuna Islands, west of the Cook Islands, north of Tonga, and some 500 kilometers (310 mi) south of Tokelau. American Samoa is the southernmost territory of the United States and one of two U.S. territories south of the Equator, along with the uninhabited Jarvis Island.

American Samoa consists of five main islands and two coral atolls; the largest and most populous island is Tutuila, with the Manuʻa Islands, Rose Atoll and Swains Island also included in the territory. All islands except for Swains Island are part of the Samoan Islands, and the total land area is 199 square kilometers (76.8 sq mi), slightly more than Washington, D.C. As of 2022, the population of American Samoa is approximately 45,443 people, of whom the vast majority are indigenous ethnic Samoans.[1] Most American Samoans are bilingual and can speak English and Samoan fluently.[1][5]

Inhabited by Polynesians since prehistoric times, American Samoa was first contacted by Europeans in the 18th century. The islands attracted missionaries, explorers, and mariners, particularly to its highly protected natural harbor of Pago Pago. The United States took possession of American Samoa in the late 19th century, developing it into a major naval outpost; its strategic value was reinforced by the Second World War and subsequent Cold War. In 1967, the territory became self-governing with the adoption of a constitution; into the 21st century, it remains

unorganized and thus directly administered by the federal government. It has been a member of the Pacific Community
since 1983.

Due to its strategic location, the U.S. military has a significant presence in American Samoa and plays a major role in its economy and society. The territory is noted for having the highest rate of military enlistment of any U.S. state or territory; as of 2021, the local U.S. Army recruiting station in Pago Pago ranked first in recruitment.[6][7] Tuna products are the main exports, with the U.S. proper serving as the largest trading partner. Tourism is a nascent but underdeveloped sector, owing in part to the territory's relative geographic isolation, which also accounts for its high rate of poverty and emigration.

Residents of American Samoa are

citizenship is not granted at birth, and people born there are considered "non-citizen nationals
" with limited rights.

History

Samoa Islands

Traditional

cowry
).

18th century: First Western contact

Contact with Europeans began in the early 18th century. Dutchman

Louis-Antoine de Bougainville, who named them the "Îles des Navigateurs" in 1768. British explorer James Cook recorded the island names in 1773, but never visited.[10]

The 1789 visit by

Aasu is still called "Massacre Bay".[10]

HMS Pandora, under the command of Admiral Edward Edwards (Royal Navy officer), visited the island in 1791 during its search for the H.M.S. Bounty mutineers. Von Kotzebue visited in 1824.[10]

19th century

German, British and American warships in Apia Harbor, Samoa, 1899

Mission work in the Samoas had begun in late 1830 when John Williams of the London Missionary Society arrived from the Cook Islands and Tahiti.[11] By the late nineteenth century, French, British, German, and American vessels routinely stopped at Samoa, as they valued Pago Pago Harbor as a refueling station for coal-fired shipping and whaling.

The United States Exploring Expedition visited the islands in 1839.[12]

1896 map of the Samoa Islands

In March 1889, an Imperial German naval force entered a village in Samoa, and in doing so destroyed some American property. Three American warships then entered the Apia harbor and prepared to engage the three German warships found there. Before any shots were fired, a typhoon wrecked both the American and German ships. A compulsory armistice was then called because of the lack of any warships.[13]

20th century

Early 20th century

Tui Manuʻa
(1899–1909)

At the turn of the 20th century, international rivalries in the latter half of the century were settled by the 1899

Tripartite Convention in which Germany and the United States partitioned the Samoan Islands into two:[14] the eastern island group became a territory of the United States (Tutuila in 1900 and officially Manuʻa in 1904)[15] and is today known as American Samoa; the western islands, by far the greater landmass, became known as German Samoa, after Britain gave up all claims to Samoa and in return accepted the termination of German rights in Tonga and certain areas in the Solomon Islands and West Africa.[16] Forerunners to the Tripartite Convention of 1899 were the Washington Conference of 1887, the Treaty of Berlin of 1889
and the Anglo-German Agreement on Samoa of 1899.

American colonization

Governor of American Samoa (1900–1901)

The following year, the U.S. formally

Tui Manuʻa Elisala, signed a Deed of Cession of Manuʻa following a series of U.S. naval trials, known as the "Trial of the Ipu", in Pago Pago, Taʻu, and aboard a Pacific Squadron gunboat.[18] The territory became known as the U.S. Naval Station Tutuila
.

On July 17, 1911, the U.S. Naval Station Tutuila, which was composed of Tutuila,

Manuʻa had been unhappy since they were left out of the name "Naval Station Tutuila". In May 1911, Governor William Michael Crose authored a letter to the Secretary of the Navy conveying the sentiments of Manuʻa. The department responded that the people should choose a name for their new territory. The traditional leaders chose "American Samoa", and, on July 7, 1911, the solicitor general of the Navy authorized the governor to proclaim it as the name for the new territory.[21]
: 209 

World War I and the 1918 influenza pandemic

Commander John Martin Poyer served as the 12th Governor of American Samoa (1915–1919).[22]

In 1918, during the final stages of

Pacific islands, with 90% of the population infected; 30% of adult men, 22% of adult women and 10% of children died.[23] Poyer offered assistance to help his New Zealand counterparts but was refused by the administrator of Western Samoa, Robert Logan
, who became outraged after witnessing the number of quarantine ships surrounding American Samoa. Angered by this, Logan cut off communications with his American counterparts.

Interwar period

American Samoa Mau movement

After World War I, during the time of the

Kingdom of Hawaii
.

Annexation of Swains Island

Swains Island, which had been included in the list of guano islands appertaining to the United States and bonded under the Guano Islands Act, was annexed in 1925 by Pub. Res. 68–75,[24] following the dissolution of the Gilbert and Ellice Islands Colony by the United Kingdom.

World War II and aftermath

During World War II, U.S. Marines stationed in Samoa outnumbered the local population and had a huge cultural influence. Young Samoan men from age 14 and above were combat trained by U.S. military personnel. Samoans served in various capacities during World War II, including as combatants, medical personnel, code personnel, and ship repairmen.

In 1949, Organic Act 4500, a U.S. Department of Interior–sponsored attempt to incorporate American Samoa, was introduced in Congress. It was ultimately defeated, primarily through the efforts of Samoan chiefs, led by Tuiasosopo Mariota.[25] The efforts of these chiefs led to the creation of a territorial legislature, the American Samoa Fono, which meets in the village of Fagatogo. In 1950 the Department of the Interior began to administer American Samoa.[26]

1951–1999

Locations of Pacific Ocean splashdowns of American spacecraft

By 1956, the U.S. Navy-appointed governor was replaced by

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 territorial government officials, who do consider themselves to be self-governing.

American Samoa and

C-141 Starlifter military aircraft.[28]

While the two Samoas share language and ethnicity, their cultures have recently followed different paths, with American Samoans often emigrating to Hawaiʻi and the U.S. mainland, and adopting many U.S. customs, such as the playing of American football and baseball. Samoans have tended to emigrate instead to New Zealand, whose influence has made the sports of rugby and cricket more popular in the western Samoan islands. Travel writer Paul Theroux noted that there were marked differences between the societies in Samoa and American Samoa.

21st century

American Samoans have a high rate of service in the

U.S. Armed Forces.[29] Because of economic hardship, military service has been seen as an opportunity in American Samoa and other U.S. Overseas territories.[30]

Notable events

Pre-20th century

Death of Fleuriot de Langle in 1787

On December 13, 1784, French navigator Jean-François de Galaup, comte de Lapérouse landed two exploration parties on Tutuila's north shore: one from the ship La Boussole at Fagasa, and the other from L'Astrolabe at Aʻasu. One of the cooks, David, died of "scorbutic dropsy". On December 11, twelve members of Lapérouse's crew (including First Officer Paul Antoine Fleuriot de Langle) were killed by angry Samoans at Aʻasu Bay, Tutuila, thereafter known as "Massacre Bay", which Lapérouse described as "this den, more fearful from its treacherous situation and the cruelty of its inhabitants than the lair of a lion or a tiger". This incident gave Samoa a reputation for savagery that kept Europeans away until the arrival of the first Christian missionaries four decades later. On December 12, at Aʻasu Bay, Lapérouse ordered his gunners to fire one cannonball amid the attackers who had killed his men the day before and were now returning to launch another attack. He later wrote in his journal "I could have destroyed or sunk a hundred canoes, with more than 500 people in them: but I was afraid of striking the wrong victims; the call of my conscience saved their lives."[31][32]

20th century

English author W. Somerset Maugham stayed at Sadie Thompson Inn during his six-week visit to Pago Pago in 1916.

On December 19, 1912, English writer

Sadie Thompson Building. Today it is a prominent restaurant and inn.[33]

On November 2, 1921, American Samoa's 13th

Warren Jay Terhune, died by suicide with a pistol in the bathroom of the government mansion, overlooking the entrance to Pago Pago Harbor. His body was discovered by Government House's cook, SDI[clarification needed
] First Class Felisiano Debid Ahchica, USN. His ghost is rumored to walk about the grounds at night.

Pago Pago Harbor today and inter-island dock area

On August 17, 1924, Margaret Mead arrived in American Samoa aboard the SS Sonoma to begin fieldwork for her doctoral dissertation in anthropology at Columbia University, where she was a student of Professor Franz Boas. Her work Coming of Age in Samoa was published in 1928, at the time becoming the most widely read book in the field of anthropology. The book has sparked years of ongoing and intense debate and controversy. Mead returned to American Samoa in 1971 for the dedication of the Jean P. Haydon Museum.

The Samoan Clipper

In 1938, the noted aviator

Pan American World Airways S-42 Samoan Clipper over Pago Pago, while on a survey flight to Auckland, New Zealand. Sometime after takeoff, the aircraft experienced trouble, and Musick turned it back toward Pago Pago. While the crew dumped fuel in preparation for an emergency landing, an explosion occurred that tore the aircraft apart.[34]

On November 21, 1939, American Samoa's last execution was carried out. Imoa was convicted of stabbing Sema to death and was hanged in the Customs House. The popular Samoan song "Faʻafofoga Samoa" is based on this, said to be the final words of Imoa.[35]

On January 13, 1942, at 2:26 am, a Japanese submarine surfaced off Tutuila between Southworth Point and

shrapnel, and "a member of the colorful native Fita Fita Guard" received minor injuries; they were the only casualties. This was the only time the Japanese attacked Tutuila during World War II, although "Japanese submarines had patrolled the waters around Samoa before the war, and continued to be active there throughout the war."[36]

On August 24, 1943, First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt visited American Samoa and inspected the Fita Fita Guard and Band and the First Samoan Battalion of U.S. Marine Corps Reserve at the U.S. Naval Station American Samoa.[37]: 178 [38] The fact that First Lady reviewed the troops led to further assurance that Tutuila Island was considered safe.[39] Her presence underscored that World War II had passed by American Samoa. While the Fita Fita band played, Eleanor Roosevelt inspected the guard.[40]

On October 18, 1966, President

Lyndon Baines Johnson and First Lady Lady Bird Johnson visited American Samoa. Mrs. Johnson dedicated the "Manulele Tausala" ("Lady Bird") Elementary School in Nuʻuuli, which was named after her. Johnson is the only US president to have visited American Samoa, while Mrs. Johnson was the second First Lady, preceded by Eleanor Roosevelt in 1943.[37]: 192  The territory's only hospital was renamed the LBJ Tropical Medical Center in honor of President Johnson.[41]

In the late 1960s and early 1970s, American Samoa played a pivotal role in five of the

Moon rocks to the American Samoan government, and these are on display in the Jean P. Haydon Museum, along with a flag carried to the Moon on one of the missions.[42]

In November 1970, Pope Paul VI visited American Samoa in a brief but lavish greeting.[21]: 292 

On January 30, 1974, Pan Am Flight 806 from Auckland, New Zealand crashed at Pago Pago International Airport at 10:41 pm, with 91 passengers aboard. 86 people were killed, including Captain Leroy A. Petersen and the entire flight crew. Four of the five surviving passengers were seriously injured, with the other only slightly injured. The airliner was destroyed by the impact and succeeding fire. The crash was attributed to poor visibility, pilot error, or wind shear since a violent storm was raging at the time.[43] In January 2014, filmmaker Paul Crompton visited the territory to interview local residents for a documentary film about the 1974 crash.

A U.S. Navy

P-3 Orion patrol plane from Patrol Squadron 50 (VP-50) had its vertical stabilizer shorn off by the Solo Ridge-Mount Alava aerial tramway cable across Pago Pago harbor on April 17, 1980, during the Flag Day celebrations, when carrying six skydivers from the U.S. Army's Hawaii-based Tropic Lightning Parachute Club. The plane crashed, demolishing a wing of the Rainmaker Hotel
and killing all six crew members and one civilian. The six skydivers had already left the aircraft during a demonstration jump. A memorial monument is erected on Mt. Mauga O Aliʻi to honor their memory.

On November 1, 1988, President

21st century

On July 22, 2010, Detective Lieutenant Lusila Brown was fatally shot outside the temporary High Court building in Fagatogo. It was the first time in more than 15 years that a police officer was killed in the line of duty. The last was Sa Fuimaono, who drowned after saving a teenager from rough seas.[45]

On November 8, 2010, United States Secretary of State and former First Lady Hillary Clinton made a refueling stopover at the Pago Pago International Airport. She was greeted by government dignitaries and presented with gifts and a traditional ava ceremony.[46]

Mike Pence was the third sitting U.S. vice president to visit American Samoa (after Dan Quayle and Joe Biden)[47] when he made a stopover in Pago Pago in April 2017.[48] He addressed 200 soldiers here during his refueling stop.[49] U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson visited town on June 3, 2017.[50]

September 2009 earthquake and tsunami

Tonga Trench south of the Samoa Islands and north of New Zealand

On September 28, 2009, at 17:48:11 UTC, an 8.1

Pacific Ring of Fire, where tectonic plates in the Earth's lithosphere meet, and earthquakes and volcanic activity are common. The quake struck 11.2 miles (18.0 km) below the ocean floor and generated an onsetting tsunami that killed more than 170 people in the Samoa Islands and Tonga.[52][53] Four waves with heights from 15 feet (4.6 m) to 20 feet (6.1 m) high were reported to have reached up to one mile (1.6 km) inland on the island of Tutuila.[54]

The Defense Logistics Agency worked with the Federal Emergency Management Agency to provide 16 ft × 16 ft (4.9 m × 4.9 m) humanitarian tents to the devastated areas of American Samoa.

Government and politics

Government

American Samoa is classified in U.S. law as an

unincorporated territory; the Ratification Act of 1929 vested all civil, judicial, and military powers in the President of the United States.[17] In 1951, with Executive Order 10264, President Harry Truman delegated that authority to the Secretary of the Interior. On June 21, 1963 Paramount Chief Tuli Leʻiato of Fagaʻitua was sworn in and installed as the first Secretary of Samoan Affairs by Governor H. Rex Lee.[55] On June 2, 1967, Interior Secretary Stewart Udall promulgated the Revised Constitution of American Samoa, which took effect on July 1, 1967.[56]

Lemanu Peleti Mauga, the 58th and incumbent Governor of American Samoa (2021–present)

The

Governor of American Samoa is the head of government and along with the Lieutenant Governor of American Samoa is elected on the same ticket by popular vote for a four-year term.[57] The governor's office is located in Utulei.[58][59] Since American Samoa is a U.S. territory, the President of the United States serves as the head of state but does not play a direct role in government. The Secretary of the Interior oversees the government, retaining the power to approve constitutional amendments, overrides the governor's vetoes, and nomination of justices.[56]

The

legislative power is vested in the American Samoa Fono, which has two chambers. The House of Representatives has 21 members serving two-year terms, being 20 representatives popularly elected from various districts and one non-voting delegate from Swains Island elected in a public meeting. The Senate has 18 members, elected for four-year terms by and from the chiefs of the islands.[56] The Fono is located in Fagatogo.[60][59]

The judiciary of American Samoa is composed of the High Court of American Samoa, a District Court, and village courts.[61] The High Court and District Court are located in Fagatogo, near the Fono.[62][63][60] The High Court is led by a Chief Justice and an Associate Justice, appointed by the Secretary of the Interior.[64] Other judges are appointed by the governor upon the recommendation of the Chief Justice and confirmed by the Senate.[65][66]

Politics

American Samoa is an unincorporated and

U.S. Department of the Interior
. American Samoa's constitution was ratified in 1966 and came into effect in 1967.

However, despite being

.

Legislative power is vested in the two chambers of the legislature. The American political parties (Republican and Democratic) exist in American Samoa, but few politicians are aligned with the parties. The judiciary is independent of the executive and the legislature
.

There is also the traditional village politics of the Samoa Islands, the "faʻamatai" and the "faʻa Sāmoa", which continues in American Samoa and independent Samoa, and which interacts across these current boundaries. The faʻa Sāmoa is the language and customs, and the faʻamatai are the protocols of the "fono" (council) and the chief system. The faʻamatai and the fono take place at all levels of the Samoan body politic, from the family to the village, to the region, to national matters.

The ʻaiga is the family unit of Samoan society, which differs from the Western sense of a family[67] in that it consists of an "extended family" based on the culture's communal socio-political organization. The head of the ʻaiga is the matai. The matai (chiefs) are elected by consensus within the fono of the extended family and village(s) concerned. The matai and the fono, which are themselves made of matai, decide on the distribution of family exchanges and tenancy of communal lands. The majority of lands in American Samoa and independent Samoa are communal. A matai can represent a small family group or a great extended family that reaches across islands and to both American Samoa and independent Samoa.

In 2010, voters rejected a

package of amendments
to the territorial constitution, which would have, among other things, allowed U.S. citizens to be legislators only if they had Samoan ancestry.

In 2012, both the Governor and American Samoa's delegate to the U.S. Congress Eni Faleomavaega called for the populace to consider a move toward autonomy if not independence, with a mixed response.[68][69]

Nationality

Message in the passport of an American Samoan stating that the passport holder is a national, not citizen, of the U.S

According to the

nationals but not citizens of the United States at birth".[70][71][72] If a child is born on any of these islands to any U.S. citizen, then that child is considered a national and a citizen of the United States at birth.[73] All U.S. nationals have statutory rights to reside in all parts of the United States, and may apply for citizenship by naturalization after three months of residency by paying a fee, passing a test in English and civics, and taking an oath of allegiance to the United States.[74]
All U.S. nationals also have the right to work in the United States, except in certain government jobs that specifically require U.S. citizenship.

In 2012, a group of American Samoans sued the federal government seeking recognition of birthright citizenship for American Samoans in the case

U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia affirmed that Fourteenth Amendment citizenship guarantees did not apply to persons born in unincorporated territories and a year later the U.S. Supreme Court declined to review the lower court's decision.[77]

In December 2019, U.S. District Judge Clark Waddoups struck down 8 U.S.C. § 1408(1) as facially unconstitutional, holding that "Persons born in American Samoa are citizens of the United States by the Citizenship Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment",[78] but the United States Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit reversed the district court's judgment and found the statute constitutional.[79] On July 20, 2021, the Legislature of American Samoa unanimously passed a resolution in support of the 10th Circuit Court's decision to reverse.[80]

Voting rights

As U.S. nationals, American Samoans can vote in local elections in the territory; however, if they live in other parts of the United States, they are

Aumua Amata Radewagen (2015–)[82] American Samoans also participate in partisan presidential primaries, as well as send delegates to the Democratic and Republican National Conventions.[83]

Immigration

Unique among U.S. territories, American Samoa has its own immigration law, separate from the laws that apply in other parts of the United States. U.S. nationals may freely reside in American Samoa.[d] The American Samoan government, via its Immigration Office, controls the migration of foreign nationals to the islands.[86] Special application forms exist for migration to American Samoa based on family or employment sponsorship.[87]

Unlike all other permanently inhabited U.S. jurisdictions (

U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam and Northern Mariana Islands), American Samoa is not considered a U.S. state for the purposes of the U.S. Immigration and Nationality Act.[88] As a result, there is no path for immigrants to American Samoa to apply for U.S. citizenship, or U.S. nationality at all, without permanent residence in another U.S. jurisdiction.[89][90] In addition, foreign nationals who do have lawful permanent residence in the United States may be considered to have abandoned it if they have moved to live in American Samoa, and time spent there does not count in the required period of U.S. presence for naturalization.[91]

U.S. nationals without U.S. citizenship (the status of most American Samoans) have the right to reside in all parts of the United States without immigration restrictions. They also have the same rights as lawful permanent residents to sponsor foreign family members to immigrate to the United States (they may sponsor spouses and unmarried children), but not the same rights as U.S. citizens (who may also sponsor parents, married children, and siblings).[92]

Land ownership

Under American Samoan law, land ownership is subject to racial restrictions.[93] Since 1900, there have been three main categories of land ownership: native, individual, and freehold. Native land, which makes up over 90% of all land in the territory, is land under the communal ownership of an ʻaiga, as opposed to the private ownership of an individual. Freehold land, which makes up only about 2% of the total, is land which was granted to foreigners before the U.S. took possession of the territory in 1900 and whose owners have not chosen to revert to native or individual land status.[94][95]

The American Samoa Code (Annotated) prohibits the transfer of ownership (whether by sale or otherwise) of any land other than freehold land to any person who has less than one-half native Samoan blood, which in this context includes both American and Western Samoa.[96] In addition, it is prohibited to transfer ownership of any native (communal) land to any person who is not a full-blooded native Samoan: this includes any person who has any non-native blood whatsoever, even if they are more than one-half native Samoan.[97][98]

In Craddick v. Territorial Registrar, 1 Am. Samoa 2d. 10, 14 (1980), the Appellate Division of the High Court of American Samoa held that while these laws created a classification based on race, they did not violate the guarantees of equal protection and due process contained in the U.S. Constitution and the Revised American Samoan Constitution. Given the cruciality of land ownership and the communal ownership structure to American Samoan culture, and the American Samoan government's vital and demonstrated interest in preserving Samoan land and culture, the Court found that the laws in question pursued a proper purpose rather than a discriminatory one, and, being necessary to achieve that purpose, were sufficiently justified and thus constitutional.[99]

Official protest to naming of neighboring Samoa

The U.S. Embassy in Samoa notes that: "In July 1997 the Constitution was amended to change the country's name from Western Samoa to Samoa. Samoa had been known simply as Samoa in the United Nations since joining the organization in 1976. The neighboring U.S. territory of American Samoa protested the move, feeling that the change diminished its own Samoan identity. American Samoans still use the terms Western Samoa and Western Samoans."[100]

Administrative divisions

Islands, atolls, districts and counties of American Samoa[e][105]

American Samoa is administratively divided into three districts – Western, Eastern and Manuʻa – and two "unorganized" atolls, Swains Island and the uninhabited Rose Atoll. The districts are subdivided into counties and villages. Pago Pago, often cited as the capital of American Samoa,[b] is one of the largest villages and is located on the central part of Tutuila island in Maʻoputasi County.

Geography

Map of American Samoa

American Samoa, located within the geographical region of Oceania, is one of only two possessions of the United States in the Southern Hemisphere, the other being Jarvis Island. Its total land area is 76.1 square miles (197.1 km2)—slightly larger than Washington, D.C.—consisting of five rugged, volcanic islands and two coral atolls.[107]

Cockscomb Point on Pola Island is seen jutting into the ocean.

The five volcanic islands are

Marine National Monument. American Samoa is the southernmost reach of the United States at fourteen degrees below the equator.[108]

A view of American Samoa's Ofu Beach on Ofu Island in the Manuʻa Islands

Due to its positioning in the South

southernmost point of the United States.[109] American Samoa is home to the National Park of American Samoa
.

The highest mountains are:

Mount Pioa, nicknamed the Rainmaker, is 1,718 ft (524 m).[21]: 3  American Samoa is also home to some of the world's highest sea cliffs at 3,000 ft (910 m).[110]

Coastline of American Samoa (in Vatia)

The Vailuluʻu seamount, an active submerged volcano, lies 28 miles (45 km) east of Taʻū in American Samoa. It was discovered in 1975 and has since been studied by an international team of scientists, contributing towards understanding of the Earth's fundamental processes.[111] Growing inside the summit crater of Vailuluʻu is an active underwater volcanic cone, named after Samoa's goddess of war, Nafanua.

American Samoa lies within two terrestrial ecoregions: Samoan tropical moist forests and Western Polynesian tropical moist forests.[112]

Climate

Climate chart for Pago Pago

American Samoa has a tropical climate all year round with two distinct seasons, the wet and dry season. The wet season is usually between December and March and the dry season is from April through to September with the average daily temperature around 81–83 °F (27–28 °C) all year round.

The climate is warm, tropical, and humid, averaging around 80 °F or 26.7 °C, with a variation of about 15 °F or 8 °C during the year. The southern hemisphere winter, from June to September, is the coolest time of the year. The summer months of December to March bring hotter temperatures, while the months from April to November are considered the "dry" season. Throughout the year, however, rain follows clouds blown in by the trade winds that rise from the east almost daily. The mountains of the Pago Pago area, standing protectively over Pago Pago Harbor, catch these clouds, bringing an average of 200 inches or 5,100 millimeters of rainfall per year.[21]: 4 

Climate data for Pago Pago International Airport, Pago Pago (1991–2020 normals, extremes 1957–present)
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Record high °F (°C) 95
(35)
99
(37)
95
(35)
95
(35)
93
(34)
95
(35)
91
(33)
92
(33)
92
(33)
94
(34)
95
(35)
94
(34)
99
(37)
Mean maximum °F (°C) 91.0
(32.8)
91.3
(32.9)
91.3
(32.9)
90.7
(32.6)
89.6
(32.0)
88.0
(31.1)
87.7
(30.9)
88.0
(31.1)
88.9
(31.6)
89.6
(32.0)
90.4
(32.4)
90.7
(32.6)
92.4
(33.6)
Mean daily maximum °F (°C) 87.8
(31.0)
88.1
(31.2)
88.4
(31.3)
87.8
(31.0)
86.5
(30.3)
85.3
(29.6)
84.6
(29.2)
84.8
(29.3)
85.7
(29.8)
86.4
(30.2)
87.0
(30.6)
87.6
(30.9)
86.7
(30.4)
Daily mean °F (°C) 83.0
(28.3)
83.2
(28.4)
83.3
(28.5)
83.0
(28.3)
82.2
(27.9)
81.5
(27.5)
80.9
(27.2)
80.9
(27.2)
81.6
(27.6)
82.1
(27.8)
82.5
(28.1)
82.9
(28.3)
82.3
(27.9)
Mean daily minimum °F (°C) 78.2
(25.7)
78.3
(25.7)
78.2
(25.7)
78.1
(25.6)
77.9
(25.5)
77.8
(25.4)
77.2
(25.1)
77.0
(25.0)
77.5
(25.3)
77.7
(25.4)
78.0
(25.6)
78.2
(25.7)
77.8
(25.4)
Mean minimum °F (°C) 75.1
(23.9)
75.2
(24.0)
75.0
(23.9)
74.7
(23.7)
73.6
(23.1)
73.4
(23.0)
72.4
(22.4)
72.6
(22.6)
73.3
(22.9)
73.7
(23.2)
73.9
(23.3)
74.7
(23.7)
70.7
(21.5)
Record low °F (°C) 67
(19)
65
(18)
63
(17)
68
(20)
65
(18)
61
(16)
62
(17)
60
(16)
62
(17)
59
(15)
60
(16)
65
(18)
59
(15)
Average precipitation inches (mm) 15.25
(387)
13.70
(348)
10.95
(278)
11.27
(286)
11.73
(298)
6.37
(162)
7.51
(191)
6.93
(176)
7.99
(203)
10.24
(260)
12.05
(306)
14.35
(364)
128.34
(3,260)
Average precipitation days (≥ 0.01 in) 24.3 22.0 23.8 22.2 20.8 18.8 20.0 19.0 18.4 21.1 21.3 23.8 255.5
Average
relative humidity
(%)
82.8 83.3 83.2 84.0 83.6 82.0 80.4 79.8 80.2 81.5 82.3 82.1 82.1
Mean monthly sunshine hours 165.3 150.3 179.2 132.2 123.3 113.7 148.0 168.0 196.0 159.6 156.7 156.8 1,849.1
Percent possible sunshine 41 43 48 37 35 34 42 47 54 41 41 39 42
Source: NOAA (relative humidity and sun 1961–1990)[113][114][115]

Climate change

Locations of the Samoan Islands, including American Samoa

Climate change in American Samoa encompasses the effects of climate change, attributed to man-made increases in atmospheric carbon dioxide, in the U.S. territory of American Samoa. The American Samoa Environmental Protection Agency (ASEPA) notes that the territory "has a fragile ecosystem" which is "directly and immediately impacted by global climate change".[116]

The Human Rights Measurement Initiative[117] finds that the climate crisis has worsened human rights conditions in American Samoa slightly (2.3 out of 6). [118] Human rights experts provided that the climate crisis has affected shores, fishers and resource availability, and that only a small group of people are able to connect the climate crisis with existing human rights conditions. [119]

Economy

Tuna boats in the port of Pago Pago

The economic health of American Samoa reflects the trends in other populated U.S. territories, which are in turn dependent on federal appropriations. Federal dollars enter the economy through congressional appropriations, categorical grants,

military. Tuna canning is the backbone of the American Samoa economy. Cannery employment and local auxiliary businesses provide additional revenues for the territorial government. In the mid-1960s, efforts began to develop a tourism industry in American Samoa. Efforts were delayed due to issues with inconsistent airline service, insufficient high-quality accommodations, and the lack of well-trained workers in the hospitality and tourism industries. Agriculture and fishing still provide sustenance for local families.[21]
: 8–9 

Breadfruit and taro from Pago Pago

Employment on the island falls into three relatively equal-sized categories of approximately 5,000 workers each: the

cannery, and the rest of the private sector
.

There are only a few federal employees in American Samoa and a few active duty military personnel, except members of the U.S. Coast Guard, military recruiters, and some Full-Time Support staff at the Pele Army Reserve unit that maintains the facility and provides cadre, training, and logistics support. The Pele US Army Reserve Center is in Tafuna,[120] and a U.S. Army and United States Marine Corps recruiting station is in Nuʻuuli.

There are six Army Reserve units at Pele:[121]

  • Bravo Company, 100th Battalion, 442nd Infantry
  • Charlie Company, 100th Battalion, 442nd Infantry
  • 411th Forward Support Company (Engineer)
  • USAR Theater Support Group Detachment American Samoa
  • 1st Evacuation/Mortuary Platoon, 2nd Platoon, 962nd Quartermaster Company
  • 127th Chaplain Detachment
Atuʻu

The overwhelming majority of public sector employees work for the American Samoa territorial government. One tuna cannery is

StarKist, which exports several hundred million dollars worth of canned tuna to the United States each year. In early 2007, the Samoan economy was highlighted in the Congress at the request of Eni Faleomavaega, the Samoan delegate to the United States House of Representatives, as it was not mentioned in the minimum wage bill. It was given no exemption from the coming increases, which he protested as unfair to the Samoan economy. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi initially granted his request for an exemption, but backed down after being accused of serving special interests, since tuna packing company Chicken of the Sea was based in her district. Samoa Packing, a Chicken of the Sea subsidiary closed in 2009, citing both minimum wage increases and increasing foreign competition, with the latter as the "main reason". Minimum wage in Samoa has been the topic of much debate, with the Samoan government and Chamber of Commerce strongly opposed, while businesses and workers hold nuanced views.[122][123]

From 2002 to 2007, real GDP of American Samoa increased at an average annual rate of 0.4 percent. The annual growth rates of real GDP ranged from −2.9 percent to +2.1 percent. The volatility in the growth rates of real GDP was primarily accounted for by changes in the exports of canned tuna. The tuna canning industry was the largest private employer in American Samoa during this period. In 2017, GDP in American Samoa decreased by 5.8%, but in 2018 it increased by 2.2%.[124]

Summary statistics for American Samoa
2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2002–2007 AAGRA
GDPB 536 527 553 550 548 532 −0.1%
Real GDPC 527 535 539 550 534 537 0.4%
PopulationD 60,800 62,600 64,100 65,500 66,900 68,200 2.3%
Real GDP per capita 8,668 8,546 8,409 8,397 7,982 7,874 −1.9%
  • A Average annual growth rate.
  • B In millions of dollars.
  • C In millions of 2005 chained dollars.
  • D Source: 2008 American Samoa Statistical Yearbook.

From 2002 to 2007, the population of American Samoa increased at an average annual rate of 2.3 percent, and real GDP per capita decreased at an average annual rate of 1.9 percent.

Agricultural production serves as a cover for domestic needs and only a small share of fruits and vegetables are exported. According to figures as of 2013, the ratio between import and export is almost balanced. Many residents rely on transfer payments from relatives living on the mainland or from federal subsidies.[125]

Tisa's Barefoot Bar & Grill

The

Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 has contained special provisions for American Samoa since its inception, citing its limited economy.[126] American Samoan wages are based on the recommendations of a Special Industry Committee meeting bi-annually.[127] Originally, the act contained provisions for other territories, provisions which were phased out as those territories developed more diverse economies.[128]

In 2007, the Fair Minimum Wage Act of 2007 was passed, increasing the minimum wage in American Samoa by 50¢ per hour in 2007 and another 50¢ per hour each year thereafter until the minimum wage in American Samoa equals the federal minimum wage of $7.25 per hour in the United States.[129] In response to the minimum wage increase, the Chicken of the Sea tuna canning plant was shut down in 2009, and 2,041 employees were laid off in the process.[130] The other major tuna canning plant in American Samoa is StarKist, which began laying off workers in August 2010, with plans to lay off a total of 800 workers due to the minimum wage increases and other rising operation costs.[131] American Samoa Governor Togiola Tulafono suggested that, rather than laying off minimum wage workers, the companies could reduce salaries and bonuses of top-tier employees.[132]

The unemployment rate was 29.8% in 2005 but improved to 23.8% as of 2010. In 2020, American Samoa's GDP was $709 million.[3] Its GDP per capita (PPP) was $11,200 as of 2016.[1]

Some aspects of

U.S. territories, inferior to that of the mainland United States; a recent estimate showed that American Samoa's Internet speed is slower than that of several Eastern European countries.[133]

Taxation

As in other U.S. territories, the U.S. federal government imposes

payroll taxes[134][135] and the equivalent self-employment tax[136] on income from work in American Samoa, but not the federal income tax on income generated in American Samoa by its residents (except from work as U.S. government employees).[137] Instead, the government of American Samoa itself taxes the worldwide income of its residents, as well as the income generated there by nonresidents, largely under the same rules and rates as the U.S. tax code in effect in 2000,[138] with certain modifications such as a minimum tax rate of 4%.[139][140] A similar situation applies to corporations.[141] In 1983, the use of citizenship in taxation by American Samoa (due to its incorporation of the U.S. tax code) was ruled unconstitutional.[142]

The U.S. federal government does not impose

District of Columbia) owned by residents of a U.S. territory (including American Samoa) who are not U.S. citizens or who acquired U.S. citizenship by birth or naturalization in that same U.S. territory.[143] However, these taxes still apply to residents of a U.S. territory who acquired U.S. citizenship by birth or naturalization in a different part of the U.S. or by descent.[144] It has been argued that this distinction based on place of birth, and not only residence or citizenship, is a rare case of unconstitutional tax discrimination, but it has never been challenged in court.[145] The government of American Samoa itself does not impose estate or gift taxes.[146]

Unlike U.S. citizens, U.S. nationals without U.S. citizenship (the status of most American Samoans) who do not reside in the United States or any U.S. territory enjoy the unique combination of maintaining a U.S. passport and the right of return to the U.S. while not being subject to U.S. federal income tax on their non-U.S. income,[147] or to U.S. federal estate or gift taxes on their non-U.S. property.[148][149] U.S. citizens (or anyone) cannot acquire this status after birth.[150][151]

American Samoa does not impose a sales tax, but it imposes a general import tax of 8%.[152][153] American Samoa is an independent customs territory, whose importation rules and taxes differ from those applicable to other parts of the United States.[154][155]

Telecommunications

In 2012 Michael Calabrese, Daniel Calarco, and Colin Richardson stated that American Samoa had the most expensive internet of any U.S. territory and that the speeds were only slightly superior to those of

dial-up internet in the U.S. Mainland in the 1990s. They also stated that many American Samoans are too poor to afford "high-speed internet".[156]

Transportation

The current territorial license plate design, introduced in 2011
American Samoa Route Marker – Main Road

American Samoa has 150 miles (240 km) of

merchant marine.[1]

On June 8, 1922, the first bus service on Tutuila began its operations.[158] The ʻaiga bus system travels across the island of Tutuila.[159][160]

Demographics

As of 2022, the population of American Samoa is estimated around 45,443 people.[1] The 2020 census counted 49,710 people, 97.5% of whom lived on the largest island, Tutuila.[2][161] About 57.6% of the population were born in American Samoa, 28.6% in independent Samoa, 6.1% in other parts of the United States, 4.5% in Asia, 2.9% in other parts of Oceania, and 0.2% elsewhere. At least 69% of the population had a parent born outside American Samoa.[5]

American Samoa is small enough to have just one

ZIP code, 96799, and uses the U.S. Postal Service (state code "AS") for mail delivery.[162][163]

Ethnicity and language

In the 2020 census, 89.4% of the population reported at least partial Samoan ethnicity, 83.2% only Samoan, 5.8% Asian, 5.5% other Pacific island ethnicities, 4.4% mixed, and 1.1% other ethnicities.[164] The Samoan language was spoken at home by 87.9% of the population, while 6.1% spoke other Pacific island languages, 3.3% spoke English, 2.1% spoke an Asian language, and 0.5% spoke other languages; 47.2% of the population spoke English at home or "very well".[5] In 2022, Samoan and English were designated as official languages of the territory.[165] At least some of the deaf population use Samoan Sign Language.

Religion

Zion Church in Leone

Major

Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
, and the Methodist Church of Samoa. Collectively, these churches account for the vast majority of the population.

and The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

One of many churches in Samoa

CIA Factbook 2010 estimate shows the religious affiliations of American Samoa as 98.3% Christian, other 1%, unaffiliated 0.7%.[1] World Christian Database 2010 estimate shows the religious affiliations of American Samoa as 98.3% Christian, 0.7% agnostic, 0.4% Chinese Universalist, 0.3% Buddhist and 0.3% followers of the Baháʼí Faith.[166]

According to

Reformed denomination in the Congregationalist tradition. As of April 2023, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints website claims a membership of 16,512 (nearly 30% of American Samoa's entire population), with 43 congregations and five family history centers.[167] Jehovah's Witnesses claim 210 "ministers of the word" and three congregations.[168]

The Catholic Church has at least 18 churches in the territory[169] and 29 parishes[170] under the Diocese of Samoa-Pago (Diœcesis Samoa-Pagopagensis)[170] which was created in 1982 by Pope John Paul II through the bull Studiose quidem[171] and constitutes a suffragan see of the Archdiocese of Samoa-Apia. The bishop has his see in the Cathedral of the Holy Family in Tafuna and in the Co-cathedral of St. Joseph the Worker in Fagatogo.

Education

American Samoa Community College

The island contains 23 primary schools. Of the ten secondary schools, five are operated by the American Samoa Department of Education;[172] the other five are either administered by religious denominations or are privately owned. American Samoa Community College, founded in 1970, provides post-secondary education on the islands.

Leone High School

American Samoa was home to one high school as of 1961, which existed due to the matai's pressure on the naval governor to transform the old Marine barracks at

Utulei into a school. The teenagers of well-off and more politically connected families attended the school, which would later be known as Samoana High School. With a median age of 15, the demand for more high schools was increasing, and three new high schools were established by 1968. Another two soon followed, and by 1979, 2,800 high school students were attending six public and private high schools in American Samoa. Looking for a cost-effective way for educational reformation, Governor H. Rex Lee introduced the public television system in 1964.[40]

Culture

Jean P. Haydon Museum in Pago Pago

The Samoan culture has developed over 3,500 years and largely withstood interaction with European cultures. It was adapted well to the teachings of

Christianity. The Samoan language is still in use in daily exchange; however, English is widely used and also the legal official language. Besides Samoan language
classes and cultural courses, all instructions in public schools are in English. The basic unit of the American Samoa culture is the ʻaiga (family). It consists of both immediate and extended family.

The matai, or chief, is the head of the ʻaiga. The chief is the custodian of all ʻaiga properties. A village (nuʻu) is made up of several or many ʻaiga with a common or shared interest. Each ʻaiga is represented by their chief in the village councils.[21]: 5–6 

Music

Samoan Talipalau log drums at Piula Theological College, distant ancestor of the Fijian Lali drums

The

hip hop
have been integrated into Samoan music.

Traditional Samoan
fala, which is a rolled-up mat beaten with sticks and several types of slit drum
.

Sports

South Pacific Games

The main sports played in American Samoa are

Samoan cricket, canoeing, yachting, basketball, golf, netball, tennis, rugby, table tennis, boxing, bowling, volleyball, and fishing tournaments. Some current and former sports clubs are the American Samoa Tennis Association, Rugby Unions, Lavalava Golf Club, and Gamefish Association. Leagues improved and organized better after the completion of the Veterans Memorial Stadium.[21]
: 338 

The

U.S. Army Reserve carried the torch from Tula and Leone.[21]
: 357–358 

About 2,000 athletes, coaches, and sponsors attended from 19 countries and competed in 11 sports at the game. American Samoa fielded a team of 248 athletes. The team won 48 medals, 22 of which were gold medals, and American Samoa came in fourth overall in the ratings. American Samoa Rotary Club honored Fuga Tolani Teleso with the community's top award, the Paul Harris Fellowship Award, for his work on constructing the Veterans Memorial Stadium.[21]: 359 

In 1982, yachters competed in the Hobie World Championship held in

San Diego, California.[21]
: 338 

In 1987, American Samoa became the 167th member of the International Olympic Committee. The first South Pacific Junior Tennis Tournament was held at the Tafuna courts in January 1990.[21]: 339 

Daniel Teʻo-Nesheim
.

After World War II, a Welfare and Recreation Department was created. This department arranged bowling, softball, badminton tournaments, basketball, and volleyball at various Tutuila locations. Boxing matches and dancing also became popular activities.[174]

American football

High school football game

About 30 ethnic Samoans, all from American Samoa, currently play in the

Division I college football.[175] In recent years, it has been estimated that a Samoan male (either an American Samoan, or a Samoan living in the mainland United States) is anywhere from 40[176] to 56 times[175] more likely to play in the NFL than a non-Samoan American, giving American Samoa the nickname "Football Islands".[177] Samoans are the most disproportionately overrepresented ethnic group in the National Football League.[178][179]

Six-time

NFL 1990s All-Decade Team and Pro Football Hall of Fame. Pittsburgh Steelers safety Troy Polamalu, though born and raised in the mainland United States, is another famous American of Samoan heritage to have played in the NFL, not having his hair cut since 2000 (and only because a USC coach told him he had to) and wearing it down during games in honor of his heritage. The football culture was featured on 60 Minutes
on January 17, 2010.

At the 2016 Republican National Convention, American Samoa's delegation said American Samoa is "the greatest exporter of NFL players".[180][181]

Association football

The American Samoa national football team is one of the newest teams in the world and is also noted for being the world's weakest. They lost to Australia 31–0 in a FIFA World Cup qualifying match on April 11, 2001, but on November 22, 2011, they finally won their first ever game, beating Tonga 2–1 in a FIFA World Cup qualifier.[182] The appearance of American Samoa's Jaiyah Saelua in the contest "apparently became the first transgender player to compete on a World Cup stage".[183] The American Samoan national team features in the highly rated 2014 British film Next Goal Wins. The film documents the team's 2014 FIFA World Cup qualifying campaign, in which they achieved their first-ever international win. Saelua and Nicky Salapu, the man famous for being the goalkeeper during the team's 31–0 loss to Australia in 2001, feature prominently in the film.[184][185] A feature film adaptation of the documentary was released in 2023 and was directed by Taika Waititi.[186][187]

Rugby league

The

Pacific Cup against Tonga, Tonga won the match 38–14 which is still the biggest loss by an American Samoan side. American Samoa's biggest win was in 2004 against New Caledonia
with a final score of 62–6.

American Samoa gets broadcasts of the National Rugby League in Australia on free-to-air television.[188]

There is also a new movement that aims to set up a four-team domestic competition in American Samoa.[188]

Rugby union

All Blacks. Frank Solomon (born in Pago Pago) became the first American national of Samoan descent to play for a New Zealand team. Considered a pacific pioneer in New Zealand rugby,[189] Solomon scored a try against Australia in the inaugural Bledisloe Cup
match in 1932, which New Zealand won 21–13.

The second American Samoan to play for the All Blacks is

2015 Rugby World Cup squad, where he played every match including a try he scored in the quarterfinals against France which New Zealand won 62–13. He scored again in the semifinals against South Africa, which New Zealand won 20–18. He played in the World Cup final against Australia where New Zealand won again 34–17 to become world champions for a record three times (1987, 2011, and 2015). Kaino is one of twenty New Zealand rugby players to have won the Rugby World Cup
twice, back to back in 2011 and 2015. In August 2015, the American Samoa Rugby Union Board selected Leota Toma Patu from the village of Leone as the coach for the Talavalu 15 men's team that represented American Samoa at the Ocean Cup 2015 in Papua New Guinea.

Other sports

Recreation

Pola Island
Aunuʻu Island

A team from the

Utulei Beach. A specialist in beach developments, Ala Varone of the Army, directed the project. The centerpiece of the park was to be at the head of Pago Pago Harbor, where it proposed a 13-acre site created by the dredge. The park would have facilities for sports and recreation as well as facilities for boats and the growing number of Asian immigrants arriving from Korea, Japan, and China.[21]
: 285 

The Department of Parks and Recreation was created by law in 1980 and the Parks Commission was also established.[21]: 315  In 1981, Governor Peter Tali Coleman appointed Fuga Tolani Teleso as Director of Parks and Recreation. On May 25, 1984, a groundbreaking ceremony was held at the Onesosopo reclamation to initiate work on the first park in the Eastern District.[21]: 332 

At the urging of Paul Cox, High Chief Nafanua of

Manuel Lujan signed leases formalizing the establishment of the fiftieth U.S. National Park.[21]
: 335 

National Natural Landmarks

The ASG Parks and Recreation oversees the maintenance of all public parks, including the

Amanave Mini Park, Lions Park in Tafuna, Onesosopo Park in Aua, Malaloa Mini Park, Fagaʻalu Park, Tia Seu Lupe historical site at Fatuoaiga, Pago Pago Park, Pago Pago Tennis Courts, the Little League Softball Field, Tony Solaʻita Baseball Field, Solo Ridge at the Utulei Tramway, Utulei Beach Park and Suʻigaulaoleatuvasa in Utulei.[191]

Matafao Peak National Natural Landmark

American Samoa has seven areas designated as National Natural Landmarks on Tutuila Island. This program is administrated by the U.S. National Park Service and the areas contain unique ecological or geological features. Except Vaiʻava Strait, none of the areas are within the National Park of American Samoa.[192]: 281  American Samoa's seven National Natural Landmarks (NNL) were designated in 1972:

Wildlife

Notable terrestrial species include the

House gecko.[194][192]
: 253 

Turtles include the threatened Green sea turtle and the endangered Hawksbill sea turtle. Hawksbill sea turtles tend to nest on Tutuila beaches, while the Green sea turtle is most common on Rose Atoll.[195] Tutuila has the highest number of nesting turtles, consisting of around fifty nesting females per year.[196]

American Samoa is home to one species of amphibian: the Cane toad. Biologists estimate that there are over two million toads on Tutuila.[192]: 252 

915 nearshore fish species have been recorded in American Samoa, compared to only 460 nearshore fish species in

marine biodiversity in the United States.[197]

Fruit bats

The Samoa flying fox is only found in Fiji and the Samoan Islands.

Sheath-tailed bat is another species found here, which is a smaller insect-eating bat. In 1992, the American Samoa Government banned the hunting of fruit bats to help their populations recover.[198] The Samoa flying fox is only found in Fiji and the Samoan Islands.[194][192]
: 200 

From 1995 to 2000, the population of Samoa flying fox remained stable at about 900 animals on Tutuila, and 100 in the

Amalau Valley on Tutuila's north coast offers great roadside views of many bird species and both species of fruit bat.[192]: 274  The valley has been called a prime bird- and bat-watching area.[201][202][203]

Avifauna

The Blue-crowned lorikeet is the only parrot found in American Samoa.

Sixteen of the Samoan Islands' 34 bird species are found nowhere else on Earth. This includes the critically endangered

friendly ground-dove. The spotless crake has only been observed on Taʻū Island.[194]

There are more species of birds than all species of reptiles, mammals and amphibians combined. Native land birds include two honeyeaters:

shy ground dove. The local government banned all pigeon hunting in 1992.[205]

The many-colored fruit dove is one of the rarest birds that nest on Tutuila. Studies in the 1980s estimated their population size at Tutuila to be only around 80 birds.[194] Amalau Valley has been described as the best place in American Samoa to observe the many-colored fruit dove.[206]

The offshore islet of

red-footed boobies.[208]

Birds that depend on freshwater habitat include the Pacific reef heron and Pacific black duck, the Samoan Islands' only species of duck. The largest wetland areas are the pala lagoons in Nuʻuuli and Leone as well as Pala Lake on Aunuʻu Island.[194]

See also

Notes

  1. ^ American Samoa belongs to, but is not a part of, the United States. See the page for the Insular Cases for more information.
  2. ^ a b c The constitution specifies the seat of government at Fagatogo, where the legislature, High Court and District Court are located.[56][62][63][60] The executive office building is located in neighboring Utulei.[58][59] These two villages are located along Pago Pago Harbor, whose largest village is Pago Pago. Many sources list Pago Pago as the capital, referring to the whole agglomeration around the harbor.[106][1]
  3. ^ Samoan: Amerika Sāmoa, pronounced [aˈmɛɾika ˈsaːmʊa]; also Amelika Sāmoa or Sāmoa Amelika
  4. ^ To travel to American Samoa, U.S. nationals need to show proof of existing residence or future employment in American Samoa, or a ticket for future departure from the territory.[84] However, once there, U.S. nationals may reside indefinitely and cannot be deported.[85]
  5. ^ An American Samoan law of 1962 defined 14 counties.[101] The constitution of 1967, signed by delegates from these 14 counties, established 15 counties from then on, separating Fofo from Lealataua.[56] The election law was later revised accordingly.[102][103][104] However, the U.S. Census Bureau continues to list 14 counties, treating Fofo as part of Lealataua.[2]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o "American Samoa". The World Factbook. CIA. Archived from the original on January 29, 2021. Retrieved August 30, 2019.
  2. ^ a b c Population of American Samoa: 2010 and 2020 Archived February 6, 2022, at the Wayback Machine, U.S. Census Bureau.
  3. ^ a b American Samoa Archived August 30, 2019, at the Wayback Machine, World Bank.
  4. ^ "Gross domestic product for American Samoa increases for the second year in a row" (PDF). Bureau of Economic Analysis. Archived from the original (PDF) on May 13, 2017. Retrieved July 14, 2017.
  5. ^ a b c Selected social characteristics Archived December 1, 2022, at the Wayback Machine, 2020 Decennial Census of the Island Areas, American Samoa demographic profile, U.S. Census Bureau.
  6. ^ "American Samoans' strong military tradition". KIRO 7 News Seattle. May 27, 2021. Archived from the original on April 27, 2023. Retrieved April 27, 2023.
  7. ^ "Local US Army recruiting station ranked #1 in the world – Samoa News". Archived from the original on April 2, 2015. Retrieved March 10, 2015.
  8. from the original on June 30, 2023. Retrieved November 24, 2020.
  9. ^ E. E. V. Collocott. "Journal of the Polynesian Society: An Experiment In Tongan History, By E. E. V. Collocott, P 166-184". www.jps.auckland.ac.nz. Archived from the original on April 11, 2021. Retrieved November 19, 2020.
  10. ^ .
  11. ^ Watson, R.M. (1919). History of Samoa: The Advent of the Missionary. (1830. 1839). Chapter III. Archived from the original on May 3, 2011.
  12. .
  13. .
  14. ^ Ryden, George Herbert. The Foreign Policy of the United States in Relation to Samoa. New York: Octagon Books, 1975. (Reprint by special arrangement with Yale University Press. Originally published at New Haven: Yale University Press, 1928), p. 574. The Tripartite Convention (United States, Germany, Great Britain) was signed at Washington on December 2, 1899, with ratifications exchanged on February 16, 1900.
  15. ^ "American Samoa Office of Insular Affairs". www.doi.gov. U.S. Department of the Interior. June 11, 2015. Archived from the original on March 9, 2018. Retrieved August 11, 2018.
  16. ^ Ryden, p. 571
  17. ^ a b Lin, Tom C.W., Americans, Almost and Forgotten Archived September 21, 2020, at the Wayback Machine, 107 California Law Review (2019)
  18. from the original on June 21, 2020. Retrieved October 12, 2015.
  19. ^ Sorensen, Stan (July 12, 2006). "Historical Notes" (PDF). Tapuitea. p. 2. Archived from the original (PDF) on September 26, 2011. Retrieved August 16, 2011.
  20. ^ "Manuʻa celebrates 105 years under the U.S. Flag". Samoa News. July 16, 2009. Archived from the original on September 27, 2011. Retrieved August 16, 2011.
  21. ^ .
  22. ^ Life in Samoa from 1916 to 1919 (archived from the original on 2015-09-26).
  23. JSTOR 25169127
    .
  24. ^ Pub. Res. 68–75, 43 Stat. 1357, enacted March 4, 1925.
  25. ^ Story of the Legislature of American Samoa. 1988.
  26. from the original on June 30, 2023. Retrieved October 24, 2020.
  27. ^ "Apollo Splashdowns Near American Samoa". Tavita Herdrich and News Bulletin. Archived from the original on May 17, 2021. Retrieved July 7, 2010.
  28. ^ "Apollo 17 Lunar Surface Journal – Kevin Steen". Eric M. Jones. Archived from the original on May 13, 2011. Retrieved February 23, 2011.
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Further reading

  • Ellison, Joseph (1938). Opening and Penetration of Foreign Influence in Samoa to 1880. Corvallis: Oregon State College.
  • Sunia, Fofo (1988). The Story of the Legislature of American Samoa. Pago Pago: American Samoa Legislature.
  • Meti, Lauofo (2002). Samoa: The Making of the Constitution. Apia: Government of Samoa.

External links

Country data

14°18′S 170°42′W / 14.3°S 170.7°W / -14.3; -170.7