[191]:20 With over 950 species of native fish and 250 coral species, American Samoa has the greatest marine biodiversity in the United States. View Details Introduction Background Tutuila was settled by 1000 B.C. [157] Ports and harbors include Aunuu, Auasi, Faleasao, Ofu and Pago Pago. [97] [98], In Craddick v. Territorial Registrar, 1 Am. American Samoa fielded a team of 248 athletes. The Catholic Church has at least 18 churches in the territory[169] and 29 parishes[170] under the Diocese of Samoa-Pago (Dicesis Samoa-Pagopagensis)[170] which was created in 1982 by Pope John Paul II through the bull Studiose quidem[171] and constitutes an ecclesiastical province of the Archdiocese of Samoa-Apia. According to a 1999 estimate, the territory has no merchant marine. Official languages: Samoan and English HISTORY American. Tony Solaita was the first American Samoan to play in Major League Baseball. Mrs. Johnson dedicated the "Manulele Tausala" ("Lady Bird") Elementary School in Nuuuli, which was named after her. Agricultural production serves as a cover for domestic needs and only a small share of fruits and vegetables are exported. Residents of American Samoa are politically disenfranchised, with no voting representation in the U.S. Congress. This department arranged bowling, softball, badminton tournaments, basketball, and volleyball at various Tutuila locations. While the Fita Fita band played, Eleanor Roosevelt inspected the guard. unincorporated territory of the United States, Unincorporated and unorganized U.S. territory, United Nations list of non-self-governing territories, Jean-Franois de Galaup, comte de Laprouse, Paramount Chief Tuli Leiato of Fagaitua, Political party strength in American Samoa, U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia, United States Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit, lawful permanent residence in the United States, Administrative divisions of American Samoa, Western Polynesian tropical moist forests, Congregational Christian Church in American Samoa, Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, American Samoa national rugby league team, List of National Natural Landmarks in American Samoa, National Register of Historic Places listings in American Samoa, Population of American Samoa: 2010 and 2020, "Gross domestic product for American Samoa increases for the second year in a row", "American Samoans' strong military tradition", "Local US Army recruiting station ranked #1 in the world Samoa News", "Journal of the Polynesian Society: An Experiment In Tongan History, By E. E. V. Collocott, P 166-184", "American Samoa Office of Insular Affairs", "Passive Resistance of Samoans to US and Other Colonialisms", "Manua celebrates 105 years under the U.S. Rugby union is a growing sport in American Samoa. Contact with Europeans began in the early 18th century. 48.73 thousand people are living in urban areas, which is 87.17% of American Samoa population. 6875,[24] following the dissolution of the Gilbert and Ellice Islands Colony by the United Kingdom. The faamatai 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. [40], On October 18, 1966, President Lyndon Baines Johnson and First Lady Lady Bird Johnson visited American Samoa. jurisdiction. American Samoa is the only permanently inhabited territory of the United States in which citizenship is not granted at birth, and people born there are considered "non-citizen nationals" with limited rights. The task force merged with the American Samoa National Olympics Committee to better coordinate and facilitate preparations. The next explorer to visit the islands was Louis-Antoine de Bougainville, who named them the "les des Navigateurs" in 1768. The main island of Tutuila, the largest island of . [193][191]:200, From 1995 to 2000, the population of Samoa flying fox remained stable at about 900 animals on Tutuila, and 100 in the Manua Islands. [1] The coral atolls are Swains and Rose Atoll. Population growth rate 2.1% (2021 est.) Home > Factbook > Countries > American Samoa. [206][205] The Pola region of Vatia and Rose Atoll are the only places in American Samoa where there are breeding colonies of red-footed boobies. Von Kotzebue visited in 1824.[10]. In August 2015, the American Samoa Rugby Union Board selected Leota Toma Patu from the village of Leone as the coach for the Talavalu 15 men's team that represented American Samoa at the Ocean Cup 2015 in Papua New Guinea. [99], 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. In 1930 the U.S. Congress sent a committee to investigate the status of American Samoa, led by Americans who had a part in the overthrow of the Kingdom of Hawaii. This is part of the Pacific Ring of Fire, where tectonic plates in the Earth's lithosphere meet, and earthquakes and volcanic activity are common. ( 2 ) Census reports and other statistical publications from national statistical offices, ( 3 ) Eurostat: Demographic Statistics, ( 4 . American Samoa's Rose Atoll is the southernmost point of the United States. It has been a member of the Pacific Community since 1983. [21]:209. [c] The American Samoan government, via its Immigration Office, controls the migration of foreign nationals to the islands. With a population of about 46,000 people, it has the highest poverty rate of any state or territory in the . American Samoa Demographics Profile. 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. [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. These efforts have been delayed due to issues such as inconsistent airline services, insufficient high-quality accommodations, and the lack of well-trained workers in the hospitality and tourism industries. The climate is warm, tropical, and humid, averaging around 80F or 26.7C, with a variation of about 15F or 8C during the year. de Langle and several of his crew. [148][149] U.S. citizens (or anyone) cannot acquire this status after birth. The Governor later handed the task force on preparations to Lieutenant Governor Togiola. At the turn of the 20th century, international rivalries in the latter half of the century were settled by the 1899 Tripartite Convention in which Germany and the United States partitioned the Samoan Islands into two:[14] the eastern island group became a territory of the United States (Tutuila in 1900 and officially Manua in 1904)[15] and is today known as American Samoa; the western islands, by far the greater landmass, became known as German Samoa, after Britain gave up all claims to Samoa and in return accepted the termination of German rights in Tonga and certain areas in the Solomon Islands and West Africa. [116], The economic health of American Samoa reflects the trends in other populated U.S. territories, which are in turn dependent on federal appropriations. The summer months of December to March bring hotter temperatures, while the months from April to November are considered the dry season. [3] Its GDP per capita (PPP) was $11,200 as of 2016[update]. [184][185] A feature film adaptation of the documentary was planned, to be directed by Taika Waititi.[186]. [83], 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. The result of Poyer's quick actions earned him the Navy Cross from the U.S. Navy. 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. Considered a pacific pioneer in New Zealand rugby,[188] Solomon scored a try against Australia in the inaugural Bledisloe Cup match in 1932, which New Zealand won 2113. Inhabited by Polynesians since prehistoric times, American Samoa was first contacted by Europeans in the 18th century. [21]:332, At the urging of Dr. Paul Cox, High Chief Nafanua of Falealupo, and the Bat Preservers Association, Congressman Fof Iosefa Fiti Sunia introduced a bill in 1984 which would enter American Samoa into the Federal Fish and Wildlife Restoration Act. Watling, Dick and Dieter R. Rinke (2001). In 2020, American Samoa's GDP was $709million. The total population of American Samoa is 55,679 people. The team competed in the 1988, 1992, 1998 and 2004 Pacific Cup competitions. [194] Tutuila has the highest number of nesting turtles, consisting of around fifty nesting females per year. 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. Johnson is the only US president to have visited American Samoa, while Mrs. Johnson was the second First Lady, preceded by Eleanor Roosevelt in 1943. Please help update this article to reflect recent events or newly available information. The districts are subdivided into counties and villages. [1] American Samoa has no railways. More information about the data is available in this tip sheet. One of the cooks, David, died of "scorbutic dropsy". Population: . The Manu'a Islands developed its own traditional chiefdom that maintained its autonomy by controlling oceanic trade. In 1949, Organic Act 4500, a U.S. Department of Interiorsponsored attempt to incorporate American Samoa, was introduced in Congress. V.P. [1] Centered on .mw-parser-output .geo-default,.mw-parser-output .geo-dms,.mw-parser-output .geo-dec{display:inline}.mw-parser-output .geo-nondefault,.mw-parser-output .geo-multi-punct,.mw-parser-output .geo-inline-hidden{display:none}.mw-parser-output .longitude,.mw-parser-output .latitude{white-space:nowrap}1418S 17042W / 14.3S 170.7W / -14.3; -170.7, 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 (310mi) south of Tokelau. The median age is approximately 28.3 years. The House of Representatives has 21 members serving two-year terms, being 20 representatives popularly elected from various districts and one non-voting delegate from Swains Island elected in a public meeting. [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. [60][59], The judiciary of American Samoa is composed of the High Court of American Samoa, a District Court, and village courts. [21]:3 American Samoa is also home to some of the world's highest sea cliffs at 3,000ft (910m).[110]. 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". Territory of American Samoa is on the United Nations list of non-self-governing territories, a listing which is disputed by the territorial government officials, who do consider themselves to be self-governing. The first rugby game recorded in American Samoa was in 1924, since then the development of the game had been heavily overshadowed by the influence of American Football during the 1970s. American Samoa has a tropical climate all year round with two distinct seasons, the wet and dry season. Tuna canning is the backbone of the American Samoa economy. A native of Leone, Kaino moved to New Zealand when he was four. After meetings on the United States mainland, he was prevented from disembarking from the ship that brought him home to American Samoa and was not allowed to return because the American Samoa Mau movement was suppressed by the U.S. Navy. Title: Table 1. The first South Pacific Junior Tennis Tournament was held at the Tafuna courts in January 1990. 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]. Life expectancy in American Samoa is 69.3. The Senate has 18 members, elected for four-year terms by and from the chiefs of the islands. This article is about the demographics of American Samoa, including population density, ethnicity, education level, health of the populace, economic status, religious affiliations and other aspects of the population. 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. Employment on the island falls into three relatively equal-sized categories of approximately 5,000 workers each: the public sector, the single remaining tuna cannery, and the rest of the private sector. noun: American Samoan(s) (US nationals) adjective: American Samoan: Ethnic groups: Pacific Islander 92.6% (includes Samoan 88.9%, Tongan 2.9%, other .8%), Asian 3.6% (includes Filipino 2.2%, other 1.4%), mixed 2.7%, other 1.2% (2010 est.) [174], About 30 ethnic Samoans, all from American Samoa, currently play in the National Football League, and more than 200 play NCAA Division I college football. The following year, the U.S. formally annexed its portion, a smaller group of eastern islands, one of which contains the noted harbor of Pago Pago. 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. [29] Because of economic hardship, military service has been seen as an opportunity in American Samoa and other U.S. Overseas territories. territory. He played in the World Cup final against Australia where New Zealand won again 3417 to become world champions for a record three times (1987, 2011, and 2015). They lost to Australia 310 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 21 in a FIFA World Cup qualifier. American Samoa Demographics What is the population of American Samoa? Citizenship by persons claiming right of residence in the United States, Excise tax increased as of Tuesday, this week beer prices go up too, 19 CFR 7.2 Insular possessions of the United States other than Puerto Rico, "Freedom Run and Obstacle Course back for third year", Frommer's Planning a trip in American Samoa, 2020 census population of American Samoa: village, Governor signs Samoan Language Commission law, "American Samoa: Adherents Profile at the Association of Religion Data Archives, World Christian Database", "American Samoa: How Many Jehovah's Witnesses Are There? As of April 1, 2020, the American Samoa's population was 49,710, representing a decrease of 10.5% from the 2010 Census population of 55,519. 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 tuna canning industry was the largest private employer in American Samoa during this period. 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. American Samoa's Army recruiting station is ranked No. Population of American Samoa: 2010 and 2020 Author: U.S. Census Bureau Subject: 2020 Island Areas Censuses Created Date: 10/22/2021 4:53:00 PM [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. [122][123], From 2002 to 2007, real GDP of American Samoa increased at an average annual rate of 0.4 percent. On December 12, at Aasu Bay, Laprouse 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. Haberle, Simon and Janelle Stevenson (2010). [193], There are more species of birds than all species of reptiles, mammals and amphibians combined. 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 8183F (2728C) all year round. [51] It was the largest earthquake of 2009. Frank Solomon (born in Pago Pago) became the first American national of Samoan descent to play for a New Zealand team. Although technically considered "unorganized" since the U.S. Congress has not passed an Organic Act for the territory, American Samoa is self-governing under a constitution that became effective on July 1, 1967. 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. [189] He also played a crucial role in the Rugby World Cup 2011 playing every match in the tournament. [1] The territory has three airports, all of which have paved runways. Executive power is exercised by the governor. Young Samoan men from age 14 and above were combat trained by U.S. military personnel. Its total land area is 76.1 square miles (197.1km2)slightly larger than Washington, D.C.consisting of five rugged, volcanic islands and two coral atolls. Native land, which makes up over 90% of all land in the territory, is land under the communal ownership of an aiga, as opposed to the private ownership of an individual. The U.S. [55] On June 2, 1967, Interior Secretary Stewart Udall promulgated the Revised Constitution of American Samoa, which took effect on July 1, 1967. [89][90] In addition, foreign nationals who do have lawful permanent residence in the United States may be considered to have abandoned it if they have moved to live in American Samoa, and time spent there does not count in the required period of U.S. presence for naturalization. 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. American Samoa belongs to, but is not a part of, the United States. [177] Samoans are the most disproportionately overrepresented ethnic group in the National Football League.[178][179]. In 1983, a team coached by Dr. Adele Satele-Galeai brought home the winning trophy from the Regional women's volleyball tournament in Hawaii. The only endemic land bird to American Samoa is the Samoan starling. Free and open access to global development data. See the page for the, The constitution specifies the seat of government at. [166], According to Pew Research Center, 98.3% of the total population is Christian. The crash was attributed to poor visibility, pilot error, or wind shear since a violent storm was raging at the time. Legislative power is vested in the two chambers of the legislature. The team won 48 medals, 22 of which were gold medals, and American Samoa came in fourth overall in the ratings. [44], On July 22, 2010, Detective Lieutenant Lusila Brown was fatally shot outside the temporary High Court building in Fagatogo. Access the data tables: [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". [133], As in other U.S. territories, the U.S. federal government imposes payroll taxes[134][135] and the equivalent self-employment tax[136] on income from work in American Samoa, but not the federal income tax on income generated in American Samoa by its residents (except from work as U.S. government employees). In 2012, a group of American Samoans sued the federal government seeking recognition of birthright citizenship for American Samoans in the case Tuaua v. United States.