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American Samoa
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American Samoa (Samoan: Amerika Samoa) is
an unorganized, unincorporated territory of the
United States located in the South Pacific Ocean
southeast of the sovereign state of Samoa. The
main (largest and most populous) island is
Tutuila, with the Manu'a Islands, Rose Atoll,
and Swains Island also included in the
territory. American Samoa is part of the Samoan
Islands chain, located west of the
Cook Islands, north of Tonga, and some 500
km south of Tokelau. To the west are the islands
of the Wallis and Futuna group.
History
Main article: History of Samoa, History of
American Samoa
Originally inhabited as early as 1000 BC, Samoa
was reached by European explorers in the 18th
century.
International rivalries in the latter half of
the 19th century were settled by an 1899 Treaty
of Berlin in which Germany and the U.S. divided
the Samoan archipelago. The U.S. formally
occupied its portion—a smaller group of eastern
islands with the noted harbor of Pago Pago—the
following year. The western islands are now the
independent state of Samoa.
After the U.S. took possesion of American Samoa,
the U.S. Navy built a coaling station on Pago
Pago Bay for its Pacific Squadron and appointed
a local Secretary. The navy secured a Deed of
Cession of Tutuila in 1900 and a Deed of Cession
of Manuʻa in 1904. The last sovereign of Manuʻa,
the Tui Manuʻa Elisala, was forced to sign a
Deed of Cession of Manuʻa following a series of
US Naval trials, known as the "Trial of the Ipu",
in Pago Pago, Taʻu, and aboard a Pacific
Squadron gunboat.
During World War II, U.S. Marines in American
Samoa outnumbered the local population, having a
huge cultural influence. After the war, Organic
Act 4500, a U.S. Department of
Interior-sponsored attempt to incorporate
American Samoa, was defeated in Congress,
primarily through the efforts of American Samoan
chiefs, led by Tuiasosopo Mariota. These chiefs'
efforts led to the creation of a local
legislature, the American Samoa Fono, which
meets in the village of Fagatogo, the
territory's de facto and de jure capital. (See
the Trivia section below for more information on
Fagatogo.)
In time, the Navy-appointed governor was
replaced by a locally elected one. Although
technically considered "unorganized" in that 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. The U.S. Territory of American
Samoa is on the United Nations list of
Non-Self-Governing Territories, a listing which
is disputed by territorial government officials.
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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
note: includes Rose Island and Swains Island
water: 0 sq km
land: 199 sq km |
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Area - comparative:
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slightly larger than Washington, DC |
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Climate:
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tropical marine, moderated by southeast trade winds;
annual rainfall averages about 3 m; rainy season
from November to April, dry season from 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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Ethnic groups:
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Samoan (Polynesian) 89%, Caucasian 2%, Tongan 4%,
other 5% |
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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 (closely related to Hawaiian and other
Polynesian languages), English
note: most people are bilingual |
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Currency:
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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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Internet country code:
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.as
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