American Samoa

Amerika Sāmoa Sāmoa Amelika American Samoa
Unincorporated territory of the ‌United States


Motto Samoa, Muamua Le Atua Samoa, Let God Be First
Anthem The Star-Spangled Banner Amerika Samoa


Region	Samoan Islands

Capital	Pago Pago

Government	Unorganized territory
Head of state
- From 2009	Barack Obama
Governor
- From 2003	Togiola Tulafono

Legislature	Fono
- Unicameral chamber	House of Representatives

History
- 1899	Tripartite Convention
- 1900	Deed of Cession of Tutuila
- 1904	Deed of Cession of Manu'a
- 1925	Annexation of Swains Island

Area	199 km²

Population
- 2007	68,200
Density	342.7/km²

GDP	2007 (PPP)
- Total	US$ 0.5 billion
- Per capita	US$ 7,874

Currency	US dollar

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American Samoa is an unincorporated unorganized territory of the United States, located in Polynesia.

Background

Settled as early as 1000 B.C., Samoa was "discovered" by European explorers in the 18th century. International rivalries in the latter half of the 19th century were settled by an 1899 treaty in which Germany and the US divided the Samoan archipelago. The US formally occupied its portion - a smaller group of eastern islands with the excellent harbor of Pago Pago - the following year.^[1]

Economy

American Samoa has a traditional Polynesian economy in which more than 90% of the land is communally owned. Economic activity is strongly linked to the US with which American Samoa conducts most of its commerce. Tuna fishing and tuna processing plants are the backbone of the private sector, with canned tuna the primary export. The two tuna canneries account for 80% of employment. In late September 2009, an earthquake and the resulting tsunami devastated American Samoa and nearby Samoa, disrupting transportation and power generation, and resulting in about 200 deaths. The US Federal Emergency Management Agency is overseeing a relief program of nearly $25 million. Transfers from the US Government add substantially to American Samoa's economic well being. Attempts by the government to develop a larger and broader economy are restrained by Samoa's remote location, its limited transportation, and its devastating hurricanes. Tourism is a promising developing sector.^[2]