American Samoa
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, 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
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
History
Traditional
18th century: First Western contact
Contact with Europeans began in the early 18th century. Dutchman
The 1789 visit by
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
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]
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
At the turn of the 20th century, international rivalries in the latter half of the century were settled by the 1899
American colonization
The following year, the U.S. formally
On July 17, 1911, the U.S. Naval Station Tutuila, which was composed of Tutuila,
World War I and the 1918 influenza pandemic
In 1918, during the final stages of
Interwar period
American Samoa Mau movement
After World War I, during the time of the
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
By 1956, the U.S. Navy-appointed governor was replaced by
American Samoa and
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
Notable events
Pre-20th century
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
On December 19, 1912, English writer
On November 2, 1921, American Samoa's 13th
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.
In 1938, the noted aviator
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
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
In the late 1960s and early 1970s, American Samoa played a pivotal role in five of the
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
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
On September 28, 2009, at 17:48:11 UTC, an 8.1
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
The
The
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
However, despite being
.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
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
According to the
In 2012, a group of American Samoans sued the federal government seeking recognition of birthright citizenship for American Samoans in the case
In December 2019, U.S. District Judge Clark Waddoups struck down 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
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. 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
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
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]
The five volcanic islands are
Due to its positioning in the South
The highest mountains are:
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
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
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
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,
Employment on the island falls into three relatively equal-sized categories of approximately 5,000 workers each: the
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
The overwhelming majority of public sector employees work for the American Samoa territorial government. One tuna cannery is
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]
This section needs to be updated.(May 2020) |
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]
The
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[update]. In 2020, American Samoa's GDP was $709 million.[3] Its GDP per capita (PPP) was $11,200 as of 2016[update].[1]
Some aspects of
Taxation
As in other U.S. territories, the U.S. federal government imposes
The U.S. federal government does not impose
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
Transportation
American Samoa has 150 miles (240 km) of
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
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
Major
According to
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
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.
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
Culture
The Samoan culture has developed over 3,500 years and largely withstood interaction with European cultures. It was adapted well to the teachings of
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
Music of the United States |
---|
The
Sports
The main sports played in American Samoa are
The
: 357–358About 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
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
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
About 30 ethnic Samoans, all from American Samoa, currently play in the
Six-time
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
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
The second American Samoan to play for the All Blacks is
Other sports
- Boxing: Maselino Masoe, who represented American Samoa in three consecutive Olympics from 1988 to 1996, was WBA middleweight champion from 2004 to 2006.
- Professional wrestling: Several American Samoan athletes have been very visible in professional wrestling. The Anoaʻi family in particular has had many of its members employed by WWE.
- Sumo wrestling: Some Samoan yokozuna.
- Track and field: Hammer thrower Lisa Misipeka attracted international attention by winning a bronze medal in the 1999 World Championships in Athletics.
Recreation
A team from the
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
The ASG Parks and Recreation oversees the maintenance of all public parks, including the
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:
- Cape Taputapu
- Fogamaʻa Crater
- Matafao Peak
- Leʻala Shoreline
- Rainmaker Mountain
- Vaiʻava Strait
- Aunuʻu Island
Wildlife
Notable terrestrial species include the
: 253Turtles 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
Fruit bats
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
Sixteen of the Samoan Islands' 34 bird species are found nowhere else on Earth. This includes the critically endangered
There are more species of birds than all species of reptiles, mammals and amphibians combined. Native land birds include two honeyeaters:
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
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
- Index of American Samoa-related articles
- List of lakes in American Samoa
- List of National Natural Landmarks in American Samoa
- List of people from American Samoa
- National Register of Historic Places listings in American Samoa
- Outline of American Samoa
- Polynesia
Notes
- ^ American Samoa belongs to, but is not a part of, the United States. See the page for the Insular Cases for more information.
- ^ 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]
- ^ Samoan: Amerika Sāmoa, pronounced [aˈmɛɾika ˈsaːmʊa]; also Amelika Sāmoa or Sāmoa Amelika
- ^ 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]
- ^ 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
- ^ 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.
- ^ a b c Population of American Samoa: 2010 and 2020 Archived February 6, 2022, at the Wayback Machine, U.S. Census Bureau.
- ^ a b American Samoa Archived August 30, 2019, at the Wayback Machine, World Bank.
- ^ "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.
- ^ "American Samoans' strong military tradition". KIRO 7 News Seattle. May 27, 2021. Archived from the original on April 27, 2023. Retrieved April 27, 2023.
- ^ "Local US Army recruiting station ranked #1 in the world – Samoa News". Archived from the original on April 2, 2015. Retrieved March 10, 2015.
- ISBN 978-0-8248-2039-8. Archivedfrom the original on June 30, 2023. Retrieved November 24, 2020.
- ^ 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.
- ^ ISBN 0387977716.
- ^ Watson, R.M. (1919). History of Samoa: The Advent of the Missionary. (1830. 1839). Chapter III. Archived from the original on May 3, 2011.
- ISBN 0520025571.
- ISBN 1-4264-0754-8.
- ^ 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.
- ^ "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.
- ^ Ryden, p. 571
- ^ a b Lin, Tom C.W., Americans, Almost and Forgotten Archived September 21, 2020, at the Wayback Machine, 107 California Law Review (2019)
- ISBN 0-8032-5198-X. Archivedfrom the original on June 21, 2020. Retrieved October 12, 2015.
- ^ Sorensen, Stan (July 12, 2006). "Historical Notes" (PDF). Tapuitea. p. 2. Archived from the original (PDF) on September 26, 2011. Retrieved August 16, 2011.
- ^ "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.
- ^ ISBN 978-1573062992.
- ^ Life in Samoa from 1916 to 1919 (archived from the original on 2015-09-26).
- JSTOR 25169127.
- ^ Pub. Res. 68–75, 43 Stat. 1357, enacted March 4, 1925.
- ^ Story of the Legislature of American Samoa. 1988.
- ISBN 978-0471226017. Archivedfrom the original on June 30, 2023. Retrieved October 24, 2020.
- ^ "Apollo Splashdowns Near American Samoa". Tavita Herdrich and News Bulletin. Archived from the original on May 17, 2021. Retrieved July 7, 2010.
- ^ "Apollo 17 Lunar Surface Journal – Kevin Steen". Eric M. Jones. Archived from the original on May 13, 2011. Retrieved February 23, 2011.
- ISBN 978-1317693192.
- ^ James Brooke (August 1, 2005). "In South Pacific, US Army has strong appeal". The New York Times. Archived from the original on May 11, 2011. Retrieved September 30, 2009.
- ^ "A Brief History of "Aʻasu"". Tamug.edu. Archived from the original on February 1, 2014. Retrieved February 26, 2014.
- ^ Marchant, Leslie R. "La Pérouse, Jean-François de Galaup (1741–1788)". Biography – Jean-François de Galaup La Pérouse – Australian Dictionary of Biography. Adb.anu.edu.au. Archived from the original on May 14, 2013. Retrieved February 26, 2014.
- ^ "Sadie Thompson Inn | Sadie's Hotels". Sadieshotels.com. Archived from the original on February 1, 2014. Retrieved February 26, 2014.
- ^ "Edwin Musick – Pan Am Captain Ed Musick". Pan Am Clipper Flying Boats. Archived from the original on December 25, 2010. Retrieved February 25, 2011.
- ^ "American Samoa Gov't v. Imoa". Asbar.org. Archived from the original on February 1, 2014. Retrieved February 26, 2014.
- ^ a b Enright, John. "Tutuila in WWII: In the Cross-hairs of History – Part 1". Samoa News. Archived from the original on January 30, 2014. Retrieved February 26, 2014.
- ^ ISBN 978-0896103399.
- ^ Eleanor Roosevelt in the Pacific (July 8, 2012). "David Huebner – US Ambassador to New Zealand". Blogs.newzealand.usembassy.gov. Archived from the original on February 27, 2013. Retrieved February 26, 2014.
- ISBN 978-0980033151.
- ^ ISBN 978-1620973387.
- ^ "Lyndon B. Johnson: Remarks Upon Arrival at Tafuna International Airport, Pago Pago, American Samoa". Presidency.ucsb.edu. October 18, 1966. Archived from the original on May 25, 2017. Retrieved February 26, 2014.
- ^ "NASA History – The Apollo Program". History.nasa.gov. Archived from the original on May 26, 2013. Retrieved February 26, 2014.
- ^ "Pago Pago's Worst Air Disaster, Pan Am Flight 806, Subject of Documentary". Samoa News. January 22, 2014. Archived from the original on February 1, 2014. Retrieved February 26, 2014.
- ISBN 978-0864422255.
- ^ "Man fatally shoots American Samoa police officer outside courthouse just after hearing". Fox News. July 23, 2010. Archived from the original on February 23, 2014. Retrieved February 26, 2014.
- ^ "Clinton visits American Samoa after two-week trip to Asia". Honolulu Star Advertiser. November 8, 2010. Archived from the original on August 16, 2017. Retrieved August 16, 2017.
- ^ "US Vice-President to dedicate American Samoa clinic to 'Eni'". RNZ. April 19, 2017. Archived from the original on October 19, 2019. Retrieved October 19, 2019.
- ^ "Pence cutting Pacific trip short". Politico. April 24, 2017. Archived from the original on October 20, 2017. Retrieved November 28, 2017.
- ^ "Mike Pence cuts short his stop in Hawaii to deal with domestic issues". CBS News. April 24, 2017. Archived from the original on October 20, 2017. Retrieved November 28, 2017.
- ^ "Aumua And Governor Talk AS Issues With Secretary Of State Tillerson". June 6, 2017. Archived from the original on April 14, 2021. Retrieved March 29, 2021.
- ^ "American Samoa Earthquake and Tsunami". U.S. Department of the Interior. October 13, 2009. Archived from the original on March 16, 2013. Retrieved September 22, 2014.
- ^ "Pacific tsunami warning cancelled, Samoa takes brunt". Reuters. September 29, 2009. Archived from the original on October 3, 2009. Retrieved September 29, 2009.
- ^ Foley, Meraiah (October 1, 2009). "Scores Are Killed as Tsunami Hits Samoa Islands". The New York Times. Archived from the original on May 11, 2011. Retrieved September 30, 2009.
- ^ Joyce, Stacey (September 29, 2009). "8.0 magnitude quake generates tsunami off Samoa islands". Reuters. Archived from the original on October 3, 2009. Retrieved September 29, 2009.
- ^ "This folder contains material collected by the office of President John F. Kennedy's secretary, Evelyn Lincoln, concerning American Samoa, and consists of a letter to the President from Secretary of Samoan Affairs Leʻiato Tuli". jfklibrary.org. John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum. Archived from the original on June 4, 2016.
- ^ a b c d e Revised Constitution of American Samoa, American Samoa Bar Association. Archived January 13, 2021, at the Wayback Machine
- ^ 4.0105 Term of office Archived December 2, 2022, at the Wayback Machine, Code Annotated, American Samoa Bar Association.
- ^ a b American Samoa Representative and Liaison Offices Archived March 1, 2021, at the Wayback Machine, U.S. Department of the Interior.
- ^ a b c Tutuila Island Map Archived January 16, 2021, at the Wayback Machine, National Park Service.
- ^ a b c American Samoa Observatory, Trip to Tula Archived January 25, 2021, at the Wayback Machine, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
- ^ 3.0101 Vesting of judicial power Archived December 2, 2022, at the Wayback Machine, Code Annotated, American Samoa Bar Association.
- ^ a b 3.0207 Divisions and sessions—Composition Archived December 2, 2022, at the Wayback Machine, Code Annotated, American Samoa Bar Association.
- ^ a b 3.0303 Sessions-Petit jury Archived December 2, 2022, at the Wayback Machine, Code Annotated, American Samoa Bar Association.
- ^ 3.1001 Chief and Associate Justices-Appointment Archived December 2, 2022, at the Wayback Machine, Code Annotated, American Samoa Bar Association.
- ^ 3.1010 District court judges-Term Archived December 2, 2022, at the Wayback Machine, Code Annotated, American Samoa Bar Association.
- ^ 3.1004 Associate judges-Appointment-Term Archived December 2, 2022, at the Wayback Machine, Code Annotated, American Samoa Bar Association.
- ^ F. J. H. Grattan (1948). "The Organisation of Samoan Society". An Introduction to Samoan Custom. Papakura: R. McMILLAN. p. 10. Archived from the original on June 30, 2022. Retrieved June 30, 2022 – via NZETC.
- ^ "American Samoa must consider independence – congressman". Radioaustralia.net.au. May 18, 2012. Archived from the original on October 30, 2013. Retrieved February 26, 2014.
- ^ "Call for independence discussion for American Samoa". Radioaustralia.net.au. May 18, 2012. Archived from the original on October 30, 2013. Retrieved February 26, 2014.
- ^ "U.S. nationals born in American Samoa sue for citizenship". NBC News. Associated Press. March 28, 2018. Archived from the original on September 28, 2018. Retrieved 2018-10-01.
- ^ 8 U.S.C. § 1408. Tuaua v. United States, 788 F.3d 300 (D.C. Cir. 2015).; Mohammadi v. Islamic Republic of Iran, 782 F.3d 9, 15 (D.C. Cir. 2015) ("The sole such statutory provision that presently confers United States nationality upon non-citizens is 8 U.S.C. § 1408."). Matter of Navas-Acosta, 23 I. & N. Dec. 586 (B.I.A. 2003). See also 8 U.S.C. § 1483 ("Restrictions on loss of nationality"); 8 U.S.C. §§ 1501–1503; ("Treatment of nationality claims").
- ^ "Profile: The Samoas". BBC News. September 30, 2009. Archived from the original on October 3, 2009. Retrieved September 30, 2009.
- ^ 8 U.S.C. § 1401 ("Nationals and citizens of United States at birth").
- ^ "America Samoa: Performing a Risk Assessment Would Better Inform U.S. Agencies of the Risks Related to Acceptance of Certificates of Identity" (PDF). U.S. Government Accountability Office. June 2010. p. 11 (p. 15 of the pdf). Archived (PDF) from the original on July 8, 2015. Retrieved September 21, 2014.
- ^ Amicus Curiae Brief of Eni F. H. Faleomavaega (PDF), November 7, 2012, archived from the original (PDF) on September 23, 2015, retrieved April 26, 2014,
More than a century ago, the Supreme Court held that the Citizenship Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment does not extend birthright citizenship to United States nationals who are born in unincorporated territories. See Downes v. Bidwell, 182 US 244, 251 (1901). The Court has reaffirmed this principle through the years, noting that individuals who are born in an unincorporated territory, though "subject to the jurisdiction of the United States," are "American nationals" who are not birthright citizens of the United States. Barber v. Gonzales, 347 U.S. 637, 639 n.1 (1954).
- ^ American Samoa and the Citizenship Clause: A Study in Insular Cases Revisionism Archived December 18, 2019, at the Wayback Machine. Chapter 3. Harvard Law Review. Retrieved 7 January 2018.
- ^ Wang, Frances Kai-Hwa (February 2, 2016). "American Samoa Citizenship Case Arrives at Supreme Court". NBC News. Archived from the original on October 24, 2021. Retrieved February 17, 2016.
- ^ Fitisemanu v. US, 426 F. Supp. 3d 1155 (D. Utah Dec. 12, 2019).
- ^ Fitisemanu v. United States Archived August 10, 2021, at the Wayback Machine, Nos. 20-4017 & 20-4019 (June 15, 2021).
- ^ WILLIAMS, MICHAEL (September 15, 2021). "INTERVENOR DEFENDANTS-APPELLANTS'BRIEF OPPOSING REHEARING EN BANC" (PDF). Exhibit A. Archived (PDF) from the original on September 17, 2021.
- ISBN 978-9829008015.
- ^ "American Samoa delegate loses seat". The Hill. November 2014. Archived from the original on November 8, 2014. Retrieved November 8, 2014.
- ^ Registration information Archived April 23, 2020, at the Wayback Machine, Election Office of American Samoa.
- ^ 41.0502 Entry requirements Archived December 1, 2022, at the Wayback Machine, Code Annotated, American Samoa Bar Association.
- ^ Immigration Archived December 1, 2022, at the Wayback Machine, American Samoa Bar Association.
- ^ American Samoa: Performing a Risk Assessment Would Better Inform U.S. Agencies of the Risks Related to Acceptance of Certificates of Identity, U.S. Government Accountability Office, June 11, 2010. Archived November 16, 2017, at the Wayback Machine
- ^ Immigration Office Archived March 27, 2022, at the Wayback Machine, Department of Legal Affairs of American Samoa.
- ^ ; .
- ^ Who is eligible for naturalization? Archived January 14, 2021, at the Wayback Machine, A Guide to Naturalization, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services.
- ^ Op-ed: "Lamentations of a third-class American Samoan citizen" Archived January 12, 2021, at the Wayback Machine, Samoa News, July 23, 2018.
- ^ Volume 12, Part D, Chapter 3 – Continuous Residence Archived January 11, 2021, at the Wayback Machine, Chapter 4 – Physical Presence Archived January 25, 2021, at the Wayback Machine, Policy Manual, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, 15 December 2020. Until November 28, 2009, the Northern Mariana Islands were also not treated as a state for the purposes of maintaining U.S. permanent residence or physical presence for naturalization.
- ^ Instructions for Form I-130, Petition for Alien Relative Archived January 9, 2021, at the Wayback Machine, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services.
- ^ American Samoa Bar Association. "Craddick v. Territorial Registrar 1980 1ASR2d10". American Samoa Bar Association. Archived from the original on June 30, 2023. Retrieved December 8, 2022.
- ^ American Samoa Bar Association. "American Samoa Code Annotated 37.0201 Definitions". American Samoa Bar Association. Archived from the original on June 10, 2023. Retrieved December 8, 2022.
- ^ Institute of Island Studies, University of Prince Edward Island. "American Samoa" (PDF). Institute of Island Studies, UPEI. Archived (PDF) from the original on March 19, 2023. Retrieved December 8, 2022.
- ^ American Samoa Bar Association. "Craddick v. Territorial Registrar 1980 1ASR2d10". American Samoa Bar Association. Archived from the original on June 30, 2023. Retrieved December 8, 2022.
- ^ American Samoa Bar Association. "Craddick v. Territorial Registrar 1980 1ASR2d10". American Samoa Bar Association. Archived from the original on June 30, 2023. Retrieved December 8, 2022.
- ^ Julia Longoria (April 10, 2019). "Americanish" (Audio Podcast with Notes). Radiolab. Archived from the original on April 30, 2019. Retrieved April 30, 2019.
- ^ American Samoa Bar Association. "Craddick v. Territorial Registrar 1980 1ASR2d10". American Samoa Bar Association. Archived from the original on June 30, 2023. Retrieved December 8, 2022.
- ^ Samoan history Archived May 13, 2022, at the Wayback Machine, U.S. Embassy in Samoa.
- ^ 5.0102 Division of districts into counties Archived December 2, 2022, at the Wayback Machine, Annontated Code of American Samoa, American Samoa Bar Association.
- ^ 2.0202 Districts Archived December 2, 2022, at the Wayback Machine, Annontated Code of American Samoa, American Samoa Bar Association.
- ^ 2.0302 Districts Archived December 2, 2022, at the Wayback Machine, Annontated Code of American Samoa, American Samoa Bar Association.
- ^ 6.0102 Definitions Archived December 2, 2022, at the Wayback Machine, Annontated Code of American Samoa, American Samoa Bar Association.
- ^ 116th Congress of the United States, American Samoa Archived February 4, 2021, at the Wayback Machine, U.S. Census Bureau.
- ^ "Districts of American Samoa". Statoids. Archived from the original on April 21, 2008. Retrieved January 11, 2021.
- ^ "Insular Area Summary for American Samoa". U.S. Department of the Interior. April 6, 2010. Archived from the original on October 9, 2009. Retrieved April 11, 2011.
- ISBN 978-0824846794.
- ^ Rose Atoll Marine National Monument Archived February 19, 2022, at the Wayback Machine, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
- ISBN 978-0787299705.
- (PDF) from the original on May 14, 2011. Retrieved March 20, 2011.
- PMID 28608869.
- ^ "NOWData – NOAA Online Weather Data". National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Archived from the original on September 11, 2021. Retrieved September 11, 2021.
- ^ "Summary of Monthly Normals 1991–2020". National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Archived from the original on June 24, 2021. Retrieved September 11, 2021.
- ^ "WMO Climate Normals for Tafuna/American Samoa, PI 1961–1990". National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Archived from the original on September 11, 2021. Retrieved September 11, 2021.
- ^ "Climate Change". American Samoa Environmental Protection Agency. Retrieved May 25, 2020.
- ^ "Human Rights Measurement Initiative – The first global initiative to track the human rights performance of countries". humanrightsmeasurement.org. Retrieved May 1, 2023.
- ^ "American Samoa - HRMI Rights Tracker". rightstracker.org. Retrieved May 1, 2023.
- ^ "American Samoa - HRMI Rights Tracker". rightstracker.org. Retrieved May 1, 2023.
- ^ "Readiness of American Samoan Army Reserve Soldiers vital in the Pacific > U.S. Army Reserve > News". Usar.army.mil. Archived from the original on July 25, 2020. Retrieved April 27, 2020.
- ^ "American Samoa". Archived from the original on May 14, 2018. Retrieved May 13, 2018.
- ^ "American Samoa: Economic Trends, Status of the Tuna Canning Industry, and Stakeholders' Views on Minimum Wage Increases" (PDF). gao.gov. June 2020. Archived (PDF) from the original on December 18, 2020. Retrieved December 24, 2020.
- ^ "Congress Sacks Samoan Economy". Europac.net. January 22, 2010. Archived from the original on October 28, 2014. Retrieved November 4, 2010.
- ^ "American Samoa GDP Increases in 2018". BEA.gov. August 28, 2019. Archived from the original on August 28, 2019. Retrieved August 30, 2019.
- ISBN 9783770176946.
- ^ "FLSA section 205, "Special industry committees for American Samoa"". Law.cornell.edu. Archived from the original on July 21, 2010. Retrieved July 25, 2010.
- ^ "Statement by the President Upon Signing the American Samoa Labor Standards Amendments of 1956". Presidency.ucsb.edu. August 8, 1956. Archived from the original on December 6, 2010. Retrieved July 25, 2010.
- ^ "Faleomavaega Comments On Minimum Wage Bill Now Before Congress". House.gov. January 10, 2007. Archived from the original on November 23, 2008. Retrieved July 25, 2010.
- ^ 29 U.S.C. § 201. United States Government Printing Office. Retrieved April 12, 2008.
- ^ "Thousands lose jobs due to higher federal minimum wage | Analysis & Opinion |". Blogs.reuters.com. May 14, 2009. Archived from the original on May 15, 2011. Retrieved July 25, 2010.
- ^ "Nearly 400 StarKist Co. cannery workers lose jobs". Taiwan News. August 27, 2010. Archived from the original on October 7, 2021. Retrieved October 7, 2021.
- ^ "American Samoa Gov. Tulafono criticizes StarKist". Business Week. August 30, 2010. Archived from the original on May 16, 2011.
- ^ The most expensive internet in America: fighting to bring affordable broadband to American Samoa, Engadget, July 4, 2012. Archived December 1, 2017, at the Wayback Machine
- ^ Persons Employed in a U.S. Possession/Territory – FICA Archived July 25, 2020, at the Wayback Machine, Internal Revenue Service, 19 December 2019.
- ^ Persons Employed in a U.S. Possession/Territory – FUTA Archived July 25, 2020, at the Wayback Machine, Internal Revenue Service, 17 April 2020.
- ^ Individuals Living or Working in U.S. Territories/Possessions Archived June 1, 2020, at the Wayback Machine, Internal Revenue Service, 17 April 2020.
- ^ Publication 570, Tax Guide for Individuals With Income From U.S. Possessions Archived June 3, 2020, at the Wayback Machine, Internal Revenue Service, 27 February 2020.
- ^ 11.0403 Imposition of tax – Citation Archived December 2, 2022, at the Wayback Machine, Code Annotated, American Samoa Bar Association.
- ^ 11.0503 Section 5 added Archived December 2, 2022, at the Wayback Machine, Code Annotated, American Samoa Bar Association.
- ^ Gov. Lemanu signs tobacco tax legislation into law — 2% wage tax repealed after 13 years Archived December 2, 2022, at the Wayback Machine, Samoa News, April 14, 2021.
- ^ "U.S. Insular Areas, Application of the U.S. Constitution" (PDF). U.S. General Accounting Office. November 1997. p. 37. Archived from the original (PDF) on November 3, 2013. Retrieved April 29, 2020.
[F]ederal individual and corporate income taxes as such are not currently imposed in the insular areas.
- ^ Naber v. American Samoa Government Archived December 2, 2022, at the Wayback Machine, American Samoa Bar Association.
- ^ 26 U.S. Code § 2209. Certain residents of possessions considered nonresidents not citizens of the United States Archived July 25, 2020, at the Wayback Machine, Legal Information Institute.
- ^ 26 U.S. Code § 2208. Certain residents of possessions considered citizens of the United States Archived July 25, 2020, at the Wayback Machine, Legal Information Institute.
- ^ Citizenship: Spurious Distinctions for Tax Purposes Archived September 23, 2020, at the Wayback Machine, Noel González Miranda, Puerto Rican Academy of Jurisprudence and Legislation.
- ^ Code Annotated by Title and Chapter Archived December 2, 2022, at the Wayback Machine, American Samoa Bar Association.
- ^ Instructions for Form 1040-NR, U.S. Nonresident Alien Income Tax Return Archived July 25, 2020, at the Wayback Machine, Internal Revenue Service, 3 April 2020.
- ^ Instructions for Form 706-NA, United States Estate (and Generation-Skipping Transfer) Tax Return, Estate of nonresident not a citizen of the United States Archived July 25, 2020, at the Wayback Machine, Internal Revenue Service, 2 July 2019.
- ^ Instructions for Form 709, United States Gift (and Generation-Skipping Transfer) Tax Return Archived April 25, 2020, at the Wayback Machine, Internal Revenue Service, 19 December 2019.
- ^ Renunciation of U.S. Citizenship by persons claiming right of residence in the United States Archived April 24, 2020, at the Wayback Machine, U.S. Department of State.
- ^ Certificates of Non Citizen Nationality Archived May 31, 2022, at the Wayback Machine, U.S. Department of State.
- ^ American Samoa Sales Tax Plan On Hold, Pacific Islands Report, September 27, 2017. Archived July 25, 2020, at the Wayback Machine
- ^ Excise tax increased as of Tuesday, this week — beer prices go up too Archived July 25, 2020, at the Wayback Machine, Samoa News, April 26, 2018.
- ^ 19 CFR § 101.1 – Definitions Archived May 7, 2020, at the Wayback Machine, Legal Information Institute.
- ^ 19 CFR § 7.2 – Insular possessions of the United States other than Puerto Rico Archived July 25, 2020, at the Wayback Machine, Legal Information Institute.
- ^ Calabrese, Michael; Daniel Calarco; Colin Richardson (May 24, 2012). "The Most Expensive Internet in America". Slate. Archived from the original on December 18, 2019. Retrieved January 6, 2020.
- ^ 22.0323 Speed limits Archived December 2, 2022, at the Wayback Machine, Code Annotated, American Samoa Bar Association.
- ^ "Freedom Run and Obstacle Course back for third year". www.samoanews.com. June 11, 2018. Archived from the original on August 18, 2019. Retrieved August 27, 2019.
- ^ Accommodation and transport Archived December 2, 2022, at the Wayback Machine, American Samoa Visitors Bureau.
- ^ Frommer's – Planning a trip in American Samoa. Retrieved August 30, 2019. Archived August 14, 2019, at the Wayback Machine
- ^ 2020 census population of American Samoa: village Archived December 7, 2022, at the Wayback Machine, U.S. Census Bureau.
- ^ "Pago Pago, AS". Zip-Codes.com. Datasheer, LLC. Archived from the original on February 26, 2010. Retrieved January 24, 2010.
- ^ "Official USPS Abbreviations". United States Postal Service. Archived from the original on July 28, 2014. Retrieved July 28, 2014.
- ^ General demographic characteristics Archived December 1, 2022, at the Wayback Machine, 2020 Decennial Census of the Island Areas, American Samoa demographic profile, U.S. Census Bureau.
- ^ Governor signs Samoan Language Commission law Archived December 1, 2022, at the Wayback Machine, Talanei, April 6, 2022.
- ^ "American Samoa: Adherents Profile at the Association of Religion Data Archives, World Christian Database". Thearda.com. Archived from the original on June 23, 2017. Retrieved February 26, 2014.
- ^ "2022 LDS Facts and Statistics". Mormonnewsroom.org. Archived from the original on June 28, 2019. Retrieved April 11, 2023.
- ^ "American Samoa: How Many Jehovah's Witnesses Are There?". JW.ORG. Archived from the original on December 3, 2020. Retrieved August 13, 2017.
- ^ "Churches in the Diocese of Samoa–Pago Pago". www.gcatholic.org. Archived from the original on June 18, 2023. Retrieved June 13, 2023.
- ^ a b "Samoa-Pago Pago (Diocese) [Catholic-Hierarchy]". www.catholic-hierarchy.org. Archived from the original on June 18, 2023. Retrieved June 13, 2023.
- ^ "«AAS 75 I [1983] - ACTA APOSTOLICAE SEDIS Regio civili ratione " Samoa Americana " appellata a dioecesi Samoana et Tokelauna seiungitur et nova dioecesis conditur nomine Samoa-Pagopagensis.»" (PDF). Archived (PDF) from the original on May 31, 2020. Retrieved June 13, 2023.
- ^ "Welcome to ASDOE Website". Doe.as. Archived from the original on September 19, 2010. Retrieved July 25, 2010.
- ^ Steinberg, Leigh. "How Can Tiny Samoa Dominate The NFL?". Forbes. Archived from the original on July 19, 2019. Retrieved July 19, 2019.
- ISBN 978-0980033151.
- ^ a b Pelley, Scott (January 17, 2010). "American Samoa: Football Island". 60 Minutes. Archived from the original on May 11, 2012. Retrieved January 20, 2010.
- ^ "The Walt Disney Internet Group (WDIG) – The Dominican Republic of the NFL". Espn.go.com. Archived from the original on May 14, 2010. Retrieved July 25, 2010.
- ^ 42 Fun Facts About American Samoa, Fact Retriever. Retrieved November 24, 2017. Archived December 1, 2017, at the Wayback Machine
- ^ "The roots of Samoans' rise to football greatness". www.samoanews.com. August 11, 2018. Archived from the original on August 15, 2018. Retrieved September 8, 2019.
- ^ "The Roots of Samoans' Rise to Football Greatness". Smithsonian. Archived from the original on August 9, 2018. Retrieved September 8, 2019.
- ^ "Which State Did the Best Job Bragging at the RNC? Slate's Definitive Ranking", Slate.com. 2016-07-19. Retrieved 2017-07-21. Archived July 22, 2017, at the Wayback Machine
- ^ "American Samoa briefly in Convention lights". RNZ. July 20, 2016. Archived from the original on August 13, 2019. Retrieved August 13, 2019.
- ^ "American Samoa football team get first ever win". Bbc.co.uk. November 24, 2011. Archived from the original on January 3, 2012. Retrieved December 25, 2011.
- ^ Montague, James (November 25, 2011). "Transgender Player Helps American Samoa to First International Soccer Win". The New York Times. Archived from the original on May 25, 2017. Retrieved February 18, 2017.
- ^ Geoghegen, Kev (May 6, 2014). "Next Goal Wins for 'world's worst football team'". BBC News. Archived from the original on March 6, 2019. Retrieved April 16, 2020.
- ^ "The Remarkable Story of American Samoa". BBC News. December 24, 2011. Archived from the original on February 3, 2021. Retrieved April 16, 2020.
- ^ Kroll, Justin (September 13, 2019). "Michael Fassbender to Star in Taika Waititi's 'Next Goal Wins'". Variety. Archived from the original on July 26, 2020. Retrieved April 16, 2020.
- ^ McClintock, Pamela (April 12, 2023). "Taika Waititi's Next Goal Wins Kicks Box Office Release to November 2023". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on April 12, 2023. Retrieved April 12, 2023.
- ^ a b "American Samoa". Rugby League Planet. November 24, 2011. Archived from the original on December 16, 2011. Retrieved December 25, 2011.
- ^ "The first Island men to play for the All Blacks". Oceania Rugby. November 4, 2008. Archived from the original on August 12, 2014.
- ^ Perrott, Alan (August 11, 2011). "Jerome Kaino: The enforcer". The New Zealand Herald. Archived from the original on June 30, 2022. Retrieved June 30, 2022.
- ^ "Park usage numbers increase despite major problems with vandalism and limited facilities". www.samoanews.com. February 25, 2013. Archived from the original on July 23, 2019. Retrieved July 23, 2019.
- ^ ISBN 9781573061117.
- ISBN 978-0762705733.
- ^ a b c d e Natural History Guide to American Samoa, National Park Service, 2009. Natural History Guide to American Samoa, 3rd Edition at the Wayback Machine (archived February 24, 2017)
- ^ "American Samoa Sea Turtles" (PDF). EcoAdapt. Archived (PDF) from the original on August 7, 2019. Retrieved August 7, 2019.
- ^ Status of Sea Turtles in American Samoa in 1991, Natasha Tuatoʻo-Bartley, Thomas E. Morrell, and Peter Craig, American Samoa Department of Marine and Wildlife Resources, 1993, p. 218. Archived December 3, 2017, at the Wayback Machine
- ISBN 978-1623491741.
- ISBN 978-1921666810.
- ISBN 978-0226253312.
- ^ National Park of American Samoa, General Management Plan/Environmental Impact Statement, National Park Service, 1997, pp. 129, 131. Archived February 28, 2017, at the Wayback Machine
- ISBN 978-1566914116.
- ISBN 978-1566910408.
- ISBN 978-1566911740.
- ISBN 978-0960332236.
- ISBN 978-1921666810.
- ^ ISBN 978-9829047014.
- ISBN 978-0936546056.
- ISBN 978-1546229070.
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
- AmericanSamoa.gov – official government website
- Samoan Bios Archived May 22, 2019, at the Wayback Machine
- American Samoa at Curlie
- Wikimedia Atlas of American Samoa
- NOAA's National Weather Service – American Samoa
Country data
- American Samoa. The World Factbook. Central Intelligence Agency.
- American Samoa, national profile from the Association of Religion Data Archives.