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American Samoa Reference Map and Information
Note -- This American Samoa reference map and supplemental information have been modified and reformatted from the CIA World Factbook -- available in the public domain.
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| Introduction |
American Samoa |
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Background:
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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. |
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Location:
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Oceania,
group of islands in the South Pacific Ocean, about half way between
Hawaii and New Zealand |
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Geographic coordinates:
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14
20 S, 170 00 W |
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Map references:
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Oceania
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Area:
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total:
199 sq km
land: 199 sq km
water: 0 sq km
note: includes Rose Island and Swains Island |
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Area - comparative:
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slightly
larger than Washington, DC |
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Land boundaries:
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0
km |
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Coastline:
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116
km |
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Maritime claims:
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territorial
sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm |
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Climate:
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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 |
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Terrain:
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five
volcanic islands with rugged peaks and limited coastal plains, two
coral atolls (Rose Island, Swains Island) |
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Elevation extremes:
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lowest
point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: Lata Mountain 964 m |
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Natural resources:
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pumice,
pumicite |
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Land use:
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arable
land: 10%
permanent crops: 15%
other: 75% (2005) |
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Irrigated land:
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NA
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Natural hazards:
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typhoons
common from December to March |
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Environment - current issues:
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limited
natural fresh water resources; the water division of the government has
spent substantial funds in the past few years to improve water
catchments and pipelines |
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Geography - note:
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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 |
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Population:
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57,663
(July 2007 est.) |
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Age structure:
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0-14
years: 33.6% (male 10,049/female 9,345)
15-64 years: 63.5% (male 19,041/female 17,556)
65 years and over: 2.9% (male 606/female
1,066) (2007 est.) |
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Median age:
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total:
23.6 years
male: 23.4 years
female: 23.8 years (2007 est.) |
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Population growth rate:
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-0.262%
(2007 est.) |
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Birth rate:
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21.83
births/1,000 population (2007 est.) |
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Death rate:
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3.24
deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.) |
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Net migration rate:
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-21.21
migrant(s)/1,000 population (2007 est.) |
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Sex ratio:
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at
birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.075 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.085 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.568 male(s)/female
total population: 1.062 male(s)/female (2007
est.) |
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Infant mortality rate:
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total:
8.88 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 9.47 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 8.26 deaths/1,000 live births (2007
est.) |
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Life expectancy at birth:
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total
population: 76.25 years
male: 72.69 years
female: 80.02 years (2007 est.) |
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Total fertility rate:
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3.07
children born/woman (2007 est.) |
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Nationality:
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noun:
American Samoan(s) (US nationals)
adjective: American Samoan |
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Ethnic groups:
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native
Pacific islander 92.9%, Asian 2.9%, white 1.2%, mixed 2.8%, other 0.2%
(2000 census) |
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Religions:
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Christian
Congregationalist 50%, Roman Catholic 20%, Protestant and other 30% |
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Languages:
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Samoan
90.6% (closely related to Hawaiian and other Polynesian languages),
English 2.9%, Tongan 2.4%, other Pacific islander 2.1%, other 2%
note: most people are bilingual (2000 census) |
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Literacy:
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definition:
age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 97%
male: 98%
female: 97% (1980 est.) |
| Government |
American Samoa |
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Country name:
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conventional
long form: Territory of American Samoa
conventional short form: American Samoa
abbreviation: AS |
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Dependency status:
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unincorporated
and unorganized territory of the US; administered by the Office of
Insular Affairs, US Department of the Interior |
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Government type:
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NA
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Capital:
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name:
Pago Pago
geographic coordinates: 14 16 S, 170 42 W
time difference: UTC-11 (6 hours behind
Washington, DC during Standard Time) |
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Administrative divisions:
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none
(territory of the US); there are no first-order administrative
divisions as defined by the US Government, but there are three
districts and two islands* at the second order; Eastern, Manu'a, Rose
Island*, Swains Island*, Western |
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Independence:
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none
(territory of the US) |
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National holiday:
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Flag
Day, 17 April (1900) |
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Constitution:
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ratified
2 June 1966, effective 1 July 1967 |
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Legal system:
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NA
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Suffrage:
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18
years of age; universal |
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Executive branch:
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chief
of state: President George W. BUSH of the US (since 20
January 2001); Vice President Richard B. CHENEY (since 20 January 2001)
head of government: Governor Togiola TULAFONO
(since 7 April 2003)
cabinet: Cabinet made up of 12 department
directors
elections: under the US Constitution,
residents of unincorporated territories, such as American Samoa, do not
vote in elections for US president and vice president; governor and
lieutenant governor elected on the same ticket by popular vote for
four-year terms (eligible for a second term); election last held 2 and
16 November 2004 (next to be held in November 2008)
election results: Togiola TULAFONO elected
governor; percent of vote - Togiola TULAFONO 55.7%, Afoa Moega LUTU
44.3% |
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Legislative branch:
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bicameral
Fono or Legislative Assembly consists of the House of Representatives
(21 seats; 20 members are elected by popular vote and 1 is an
appointed, nonvoting delegate from Swains Island; to serve two-year
terms) and the Senate (18 seats; members are elected from local chiefs
to serve four-year terms)
elections: House of Representatives - last
held 7 November 2006 (next to be held in November 2008); Senate - last
held 2 November 2004 (next to be held in November 2008)
election results: House of Representatives -
percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NA; Senate - percent of
vote by party - NA; seats by party - independents 18
note: American Samoa elects one nonvoting
representative to the US House of Representatives; election last held
on 7 November 2006 (next to be held in November 2008); results - Eni F.
H. FALEOMAVAEGA reelected as delegate |
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Judicial branch:
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High
Court (chief justice and associate justices are appointed by the US
Secretary of the Interior) |
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Political parties and leaders:
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Democratic
Party [Oreta M. TOGAFAU]; Republican Party [Tautai A. F. FAALEVAO] |
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Political pressure groups and
leaders:
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NA
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International organization
participation:
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Interpol
(subbureau), IOC, SPC, UPU |
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Diplomatic representation in the
US:
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none
(territory of the US) |
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Diplomatic representation from
the US:
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none
(territory of the US) |
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Flag description:
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blue,
with a white triangle edged in red that is based on the outer side and
extends to the hoist side; a brown and white American bald eagle flying
toward the hoist side is carrying two traditional Samoan symbols of
authority, a staff and a war club |
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Economy - overview:
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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. 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. |
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GDP (purchasing power parity):
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$510.1
million (2003 est.) |
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GDP (official exchange rate):
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$333.8
million (2005) |
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GDP - real growth rate:
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3%
(2003) |
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GDP - per capita (PPP):
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$5,800
(2005 est.) |
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GDP - composition by sector:
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agriculture:
NA%
industry: NA%
services: NA% |
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Labor force:
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17,630
(2005) |
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Labor force - by occupation:
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agriculture:
34%
industry: 33%
services: 33% (1990) |
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Unemployment rate:
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29.8%
(2005) |
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Population below poverty line:
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NA%
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Household income or consumption
by percentage share:
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lowest
10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA% |
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Inflation rate (consumer prices):
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NA%
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Budget:
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revenues:
$121 million (37% in local revenue and 63% in US grants)
expenditures: $127 million (FY96/97) |
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Agriculture - products:
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bananas,
coconuts, vegetables, taro, breadfruit, yams, copra, pineapples,
papayas; dairy products, livestock |
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Industries:
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tuna
canneries (largely supplied by foreign fishing vessels), handicrafts |
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Industrial production growth rate:
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NA%
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Electricity - production:
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180
million kWh (2005) |
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Electricity - production by
source:
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fossil
fuel: 100%
hydro: 0%
nuclear: 0%
other: 0% (2001) |
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Electricity - consumption:
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167.4
million kWh (2005) |
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Electricity - exports:
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0
kWh (2005) |
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Electricity - imports:
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0
kWh (2005) |
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Oil - production:
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0
bbl/day (2005) |
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Oil - consumption:
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4,000
bbl/day (2005 est.) |
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Oil - exports:
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0
bbl/day (2004) |
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Oil - imports:
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3,807
bbl/day (2004) |
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Oil - proved reserves:
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0
bbl (1 January 2006 est.) |
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Natural gas - production:
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0
cu m (2005 est.) |
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Natural gas - consumption:
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0
cu m (2005 est.) |
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Natural gas - exports:
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0
cu m (2005 est.) |
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Natural gas - imports:
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0
cu m (2005) |
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Natural gas - proved reserves:
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0
cu m (1 January 2006 est.) |
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Exports:
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$445.6
million (FY04 est.) |
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Exports - commodities:
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canned
tuna 93% (2004 est.) |
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Exports - partners:
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Indonesia
28.2%, India 22.3%, Australia 15.3%, Japan 11.2%, NZ 7.1% (2006) |
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Imports:
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$308.8
million (FY04 est.) |
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Imports - commodities:
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materials
for canneries 56%, food 8%, petroleum products 7%, machinery and parts
6% (2004 est.) |
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Imports - partners:
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Australia
66%, Samoa 13.8%, NZ 10.8% (2006) |
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Economic aid - recipient:
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important
financial support from the US, more than $40 million in 1994 |
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Debt - external:
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$NA
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Currency (code):
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US
dollar (USD) |
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Currency code:
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USD
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Exchange rates:
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the
US dollar is used |
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Fiscal year:
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1
October - 30 September |
| Communications |
American Samoa |
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Telephones - main lines in use:
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10,400
(2004) |
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Telephones - mobile cellular:
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2,200
(2004) |
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Telephone system:
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general
assessment: NA
domestic: good telex, telegraph, facsimile and
cellular telephone services; domestic satellite system with 1 Comsat
earth station
international: country code - 1-684; satellite
earth station - 1 (Intelsat-Pacific Ocean) |
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Radio broadcast stations:
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AM
2, FM 3, shortwave 0 (2005) |
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Radios:
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57,000
(1997) |
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Television broadcast stations:
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1
(2006) |
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Televisions:
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14,000
(1997) |
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Internet country code:
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.as
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Internet hosts:
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1,824
(2007) |
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Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
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1
(2000) |
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Internet users:
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NA
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| Transportation |
American Samoa |
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Airports:
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3
(2007) |
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Airports - with paved runways:
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total:
3
over 3,047 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 1
under 914 m: 1 (2007) |
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Airports - with unpaved runways:
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total:
1
under 914 m: 1 (2006) |
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Roadways:
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total:
185 km (2004) |
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Ports and terminals:
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Pago
Pago |
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Military - note:
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defense
is the responsibility of the US |
| Transnational Issues |
American Samoa |
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Disputes - international:
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Tokelau
included American Samoa's Swains Island (Olohega) in its 2006 draft
constitution |
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This page was last
updated on 12 February, 2008
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