American Samoa
Background
Tutuila -- the largest island in American Samoa -- was settled by 1000 B.C., and the island served as a refuge for exiled chiefs and defeated warriors from the other Samoan islands. The Manu’a Islands, which are also now part of American Samoa, developed a traditional chiefdom that maintained autonomy by controlling oceanic trade. In 1722, Dutch explorer Jacob ROGGEVEEN was the first European to sail through the Manu’a Islands, and he was followed by French explorer Louis Antoine DE BOUGAINVILLE in 1768. Whalers and missionaries arrived in American Samoa in the 1830s, but American and European traders tended to favor the port in Apia -- now in independent Samoa -- over the smaller and less-developed Pago Pago on Tutuila. In the mid-1800s, a dispute arose in Samoa over control of the Samoan archipelago, with different chiefs gaining support from Germany, the UK, and the US. In 1872, the high chief of Tutuila offered the US exclusive rights to Pago Pago in return for US protection, but the US rejected this offer. As fighting resumed, the US agreed to the chief’s request in 1878 and set up a coaling station at Pago Pago. In 1899, with continued disputes over succession, Germany and the US agreed to divide the Samoan islands, while the UK withdrew its claims in exchange for parts of the Solomon Islands. Local chiefs on Tutuila formally ceded their land to the US in 1900, followed by the chief of Manu’a in 1904. The territory was officially named “American Samoa” in 1911. The US administered the territory through the Department of the Navy. In 1949, there was an attempt to organize the territory, granting it formal self-government, but local chiefs helped defeat the measure in the US Congress. Administration was transferred to the Department of the Interior in 1951, and in 1967, American Samoa adopted a constitution that provides significant protections for traditional Samoan land-tenure rules, language, and culture. In 1977, after four attempts, voters approved a measure to directly elect their governor. Nevertheless, American Samoa officially remains an unorganized territory, and people born in American Samoa are US nationals rather than US citizens.
Area
Coastline
116 km
Elevation
Geographic coordinates
Geography - note
Pago Pago has one of the best natural deepwater harbors in the South Pacific Ocean, sheltered by shape from rough seas and protected by peripheral mountains from high winds; strategic location in the South Pacific Ocean
Irrigated land
0 sq km (2022)
Land boundaries
total: 0 km
Location
Oceania, group of islands in the South Pacific Ocean, about halfway between Hawaii and New Zealand
Map references
Oceania
Maritime claims
territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Natural hazards
cyclones common from December to March volcanism: limited volcanic activity on the Ofu and Olosega Islands; neither has erupted since the 19th century
Natural resources
Terrain
five volcanic islands with rugged peaks and limited coastal plains, two coral atolls (Rose Atoll, Swains Island)
Age structure
Birth rate
Currently married women (ages 15-49)
47.4% (2020 est.)
Death rate
Dependency ratios
total dependency ratio: 51.3 (2025 est.) youth dependency ratio: 37.5 (2025 est.) elderly dependency ratio: 13.8 (2025 est.) potential support ratio: 7.2 (2025 est.)
Ethnic groups
Gross reproduction rate
0.96 (2025 est.)
Infant mortality rate
total: 9.5 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.) male: 11.7 deaths/1,000 live births female: 7.6 deaths/1,000 live births
Languages
Life expectancy at birth
total population: 75.8 years (2024 est.) male: 73.4 years female: 78.5 years
Major urban areas - population
49,000 PAGO PAGO (capital) (2018)
Median age
total: 30.6 years (2025 est.) male: 29.4 years female: 30.6 years
Nationality
noun: American Samoan(s) (US nationals) adjective: American Samoan
Net migration rate
-22.23 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.)
Population growth rate
-1.33% (2025 est.)
Population
- breakdown
- {"male":{"value":21478,"unit":"people","formatted":"21,478","name":"Male Population"},"female":{"value":21790,"unit":"people","formatted":"21,790","name":"Female Population"}}
- meta
- {"year":2025}
Religions
Sex ratio
at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female 0-14 years: 1.07 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.88 male(s)/female total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2024 est.)
Total fertility rate
1.99 children born/woman (2025 est.)
Carbon dioxide emissions
389,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from petroleum and other liquids: 389,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
Climate
tropical marine, moderated by southeast trade winds; annual rainfall averages about 3 m; rainy season (November to April), dry season (May to October); little seasonal temperature variation
Environmental issues
limited supply of drinking water; pollution; waste disposal; coastal and stream alteration; soil erosion
Land use
agricultural land: 14.8% (2023 est.) arable land: 5.2% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 9.6% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 0% (2023 est.) forest: 79.2% (2023 est.) other: 6% (2023 est.)
Urbanization
urban population: 87.2% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 0.26% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Waste and recycling
municipal solid waste generated annually: 19,000 tons (2024 est.)
Administrative divisions
no first-order administrative divisions as defined by the US government, but 3 districts and 2 islands* are considered second-order; Eastern, Manu'a, Rose Island*, Swains Island*, Western
Capital
- name
- Pago Pago
- geo
- {"lat":-14.2667,"lng":-170.7}
- timezone
- {"difference":"UTC-11 (6 hours behind Washington, DC, during Standard Time)","note":null,"dst":null}
- meta
- {}
- note
- pronounced PAHN-go PAHN-go
Citizenship
see United States note: in accordance with US Code Title 8, Section 1408, persons born in American Samoa are US nationals but not US citizens
Constitution
history: adopted 17 October 1960; revised 1 July 1967 amendment process: proposed by either house of the Legislative Assembly; passage requires three-fifths majority vote by the membership of each house, approval by simple majority vote in a referendum, approval by the US Secretary of the Interior, and only by an act of the US Congress
Country name
conventional long form: American Samoa conventional short form: American Samoa former: Eastern Samoa abbreviation: AS etymology: the name's meaning is disputed; according to one theory, sa means "sacred" and moa means "center," so the name can mean "Holy Center"; alternatively, some assert that the name can mean "place of the sacred moa bird" of Polynesian mythology; however, the name may pre-date the Polynesian era (before 1000 B.C.), with sa'a meaning "tribe or people" and moa meaning "deep sea," or "people of the deep sea"
Dependency status
unincorporated, unorganized Territory of the US; administered by the Office of Insular Affairs, US Department of the Interior
Executive branch
chief of state: President Donald J. TRUMP (since 20 January 2025) head of government: Governor Nikolao PULA (since 3 January 2025) cabinet: Cabinet consists of 12 department directors appointed by the governor with the consent of the Legislature or Fono election/appointment process: president and vice president indirectly elected on the same ballot by an Electoral College of 'electors' chosen from each state to serve a 4-year term (eligible for a second term); under the US Constitution, residents of unincorporated territories such as American Samoa do not vote in elections for US president and vice president; however, they may vote in Democratic and Republican presidential primary elections; governor and lieutenant governor directly elected on the same ballot by absolute-majority popular vote in 2 rounds, if needed, for a 4-year term (eligible for a second term) most recent election date: 19 November 2024 election results: Lemanu Peleti MAUGA elected governor in first round; percent of vote - Lemanu Peleti MAUGA (independent) 60.3%, Gaoteote Palaie TOFAU (independent) 21.9%, I'aulualo Fa'afetai TALIA (independent) 12.3% expected date of next election: November 2028
Flag
description: a large white triangle edged in red is based on the right side and extends to the left side, and it is on a dark blue field; a bald eagle holding a Samoan war club (fa'alaufa'i) and a coconut-fiber fly whisk (fue) sits on the right side of the flag meaning: the war club and fly whisk are traditional Samoan symbols of authority; the eagle carrying two objects echoes the US Great Seal and reflects the relationship between the United States and American Samoa; the red, white, and blue colors are traditionally used by both countries
Government type
unincorporated, unorganized Territory of the US with local self-government; republican form of territorial government with separate executive, legislative, and judicial branches
Independence
International organization participation
Judicial branch
highest court(s): High Court of American Samoa (consists of the chief justice, associate chief justice, and 6 Samoan associate judges and organized into trial, family, drug, and appellate divisions) judge selection and term of office: chief justice and associate chief justice appointed by the US Secretary of the Interior to serve for life; Samoan associate judges appointed by the governor to serve for life subordinate courts: district and village courts note: American Samoa has no US federal courts
Legal system
mixed legal system of US common law and customary law
Legislative branch
note: American Samoa elects 1 member by simple majority popular vote to serve a 2-year term as a delegate to the US House of Representatives; the delegate can vote when serving on a committee and when the House meets as the Committee of the Whole House, but not when legislation is submitted for a “full floor” House vote
National anthem(s)
title: "Amerika Samoa" (American Samoa) lyrics/music: Mariota Tiumalu TUIASOSOPO/Napoleon Andrew TUITELELEAPAGA history: local anthem adopted 1950 _____ title: "The Star-Spangled Banner" lyrics/music: Francis Scott KEY/John Stafford SMITH history: official anthem, as a US territory
National color(s)
red, white, blue
National holiday
National symbol(s)
a fue (coconut fiber fly whisk that represents wisdom) crossed with a to'oto'o (staff that represents authority)
Political parties
Democratic Party Republican Party
Suffrage
18 years of age; universal
Agricultural products
Budget
revenues: $249 million (2016 est.) expenditures: $262.5 million (2016 est.)
Economic overview
tourism, tuna, and government services-based territorial economy; sustained economic decline; vulnerable tuna canning industry; large territorial government presence; minimum wage increases to rise to federal standards by 2036
Exchange rates
the US dollar is used
Exports - commodities
Exports - partners
Exports
GDP (official exchange rate)
Imports - commodities
Imports - partners
Imports
Industries
Real GDP growth rate
1.7% (2022 est.) -0.8% (2021 est.) 4.4% (2020 est.) note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency
Real GDP (purchasing power parity)
$658 million (2016 est.) $674.9 million (2015 est.) $666.9 billion (2014 est.) note: data are in 2016 dollars
Electricity generation sources
Electricity generation sources
Electricity
installed generating capacity: 50,000 kW (2023 est.) consumption: 157.697 million kWh (2023 est.) transmission/distribution losses: 13.975 million kWh (2023 est.)
Energy consumption per capita
89.105 million Btu/person (2019 est.)
Petroleum
refined petroleum consumption: 3,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)
Broadcast media
3 TV stations; multi-channel pay TV services are available; about a dozen radio stations, some of which are repeater stations
Internet country code
.as
Internet users
percent of population: 40.3% (1990 est.)
Telephones - mobile cellular
total subscriptions: 2,250 (2004 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 4 (2004 est.)
Airports
3 (2025)
Ports
total ports: 1 (2024) large: 0 medium: 0 small: 1 very small: 0 ports with oil terminals: 1 key ports: Pago Pago Harbor
Military - note
defense is the responsibility of the US