Pacific Magazine > 2007 Pacific Almanac
American Samoa
The Basics
Population: Population: 66,000 (July 1, 2006)
Capital: Pago Pago
Land Area: Land Area: 199 sq. km.
Political Status and Form of Government: U.S. Territory.
Languages: Samoan and English
Currency: U.S. Dollar
Number of Islands: Seven
The Numbers
Gross Domestic Product: $558.80 million (2005 est)
Gross Domestic Product per capita: $9,041 (2005 est.)
Gross Domestic Product Growth Rate: 3%
National Budget: $285 million (2007 fiscal year)
Aid per capita: Not an external aid recipient since it is a U.S. territory.
Life Expectancy: Male: 76.05 years (2006 est.) Female: 76.05 years (2006 est.)
Ethnicity: Samoan (Polynesian) 92.9%, Asian 2.9%, Caucasian 1.2%, mixed 2.8%, other 0.2% (2000 census)
Nationality: American Samoas, considered U.S. "Nationals"
Age Distribution:0-14 years: 34.7%, 15-64 years: 62.4%, 65+: 2.9% (2006 est.)
Population Growth Rate: -0.19% (July 2006 est.)
People in Power
Head of Government: Gov. Togiola Tulafono
Head of State: U.S. President George W. Bush
Cabinet Members: Nuutai Sonny Thompson, Administrative Services; Apefai Taifane, Agriculture; Faleseu Eliu Paopao, Commerce; Alaalamua Filoialii, Criminal Justice Planning Agency; Talia Fa’afetai Iaulualo, Human and Social Services; Uto’ofili Asofaafetai Maga, Health; Mageo Malu Ieti, Human Resources; Malaetele Dr. Lui Tuitele, Education; Sialega Malaetasi Togafau, Attorney General’s Office and Department of Legal Affairs; Mauga T. Asuega, Local Government; Ufagafa Ray Tulafono, Marine and Wildlife Resources; Ta’amu Iakopo, Parks and Recreation; Fofo Tony Tuitele, Port Administration; Commissioner Sotoa Savali, Public Safety; Punaofo Tilei, Public Works; Velega Savali, Treasury; Tuiteleleapaga Peseta Fue Ioane, Territorial Administration on Aging; Seui M. Laau Sr., Procurement; and Paolo Sivia Sivia, Public Information.
Representative Body: American Samoa Legislature (the Fono) consists of a 21-seat, popularly elected House of Representatives and a Senate of 18 seats, whose members are elected by local chiefs; American Samoa elects one non-voting representative to the U.S. House of Representatives, cur-rently Congressman Faleomavaega Eni Hunkin.in.
Regional Organizations
ESCAP (associate), Interpol (subbureau), IOC, SPC, PIF, SOPAC (Associate), SPREP, PDBC
Media & Internet Service Providers
Radio: AM 3, FM 4, shortwave 1. TV: Government owned KVZK-TV and privately-owned American Samoa Cable Vision, Malama channel and ca-ble station PCS-TV. Newspapers: Three privately owned newspapers, in-cluding a daily newspaper the Samoa News Samoa TribuneISPs: 2 ; government-owned American Samoa Telecom-munications Authority and privately-owned Blue Sky Communications.
Recent News
2006 was dominated by a tussle between Gov. Togiola Tulafono and Hawaiian Airlines, with the governor demanding that Hawaiian reduce air-fares between Pago Pago and Honolulu. When there was no action on that demand, the governor issued an executive order that would bar the carrier from operating into the territory. The order prompted Hawaiian to file a de-claratory relief with the U.S. Department of Transportation. A decision was pending at the time of printing.
2006 also marked an increased FBI presence in the territory, when the federal agency stationed two agents in Pago Pago. The FBI’s involvement in the arrest of a former jail warden and two Chinese nationals in an al-leged prostitution ring reinforced local calls for a stronger involvement of federal law enforcement agencies in the territory.
The year also saw heightened public and lawmaker concerns over semi-autonomous agencies of the government, such as the American Samoa Power Authority and the LBJ Medical Center, as the Senate launched sev-eral probes into these agencies as well as other government departments. 2006 was an election year and Congressman Faleomavaega Eni was re-elected for a 10th consecutive term as American Samoa’s Delegate to the U.S. House. In the local House race, the biggest change was the defeat of House Speaker Matagi M. McMoore. Three Samoans died while on combat duty in 2006, two in Iraq and one in Afghanistan.
Airlines, Shippers Serving Countrys
Air: Hawaiian Airlines, Inter Island Airways, Polynesian Blue, South Pacific Express, Inc.
Shippers: container vessels to and from U.S. west coast, Samoa government vessels between the two Samoas and American Samoa; Inter-island Shipping Corporation for passenger and cargo service vessel within the islands of American Samoa.
Main Government Contact
Office of the Governor
Executive Office Building, Third Floor, Pago Pago, American Samoa 96799
Ph: (684) 633-4116
Fax: (684) 633-2269
American Samoa Government Office of Tourism
Virginia Samuelu, Deputy Director of Tourism
Ph: (684) 633-1092
Fax: (684) 633-2092
Email:
amsamoa@amerikasamoa.info
Sources and American Samoa on the Web
American Samoan Government Website
americansamoa.gov
Office of Tourism
www.amsamoa.com/tourism/index.html
CIA Factbook
www.cia.gov/
Map courtesy UH Press, The Pacific Islands; an Encyclopedia
Click map for larger image
