(21 seats; 20 members are elected by popular vote and 1 is an appointed, nonvoting delegate from Swains Island; members serve two-year terms)
elections: House of Representatives - last held on 4 November 2008 (next to be held in November 2010); Senate - last held on 4 November 2008 (next to be held in November 2012)
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 2 November 2010 (next to be held in November 2012); results - Eni F. H. FALEOMAVAEGA reelected as delegate
Judicial branch:
High Court (chief justice and associate justices are appointed by the US Secretary of the Interior)
Political parties and leaders:
Democratic Party [Oreta M. TOGAFAU]; Republican Party [Tautai A. F.
FAALEVAO]
Political pressure groups and leaders:
Population Pressure LAS (addresses the growing population pressures)
International organization participation:
AOSIS, Interpol (subbureau), IOC, SPC, UPU
Diplomatic representation in the US:
none (territory of the US)
Diplomatic representation from the US:
none (territory of the US)
Flag description:
blue, with a white triangle edged in red that is based on the fly 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 war club known as a "Fa'alaufa'i" (upper; left talon), and a coconut fiber fly whisk known as a "Fue" (lower; right talon); the combination of symbols broadly mimics that seen on the US Great Seal and reflects the relationship between the United States and American Samoa
National anthem:
name: "Amerika Samoa" (American Samoa)
lyrics/music: Mariota Tiumalu TUIASOSOPO/Napoleon Andrew TUITELELEAPAGA
note: local anthem adopted 1950; as a territory of the United States, "The Star-Spangled Banner" is official (see United States)
Economy ::American Samoa
Economy - overview:
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.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$575.3 million (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 212 $510.1 million (2003 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate):
$462.2 million (2005)
GDP - real growth rate:
3% (2003) country comparison to the world: 119
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$8,000 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 124 $5,800 (2005 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: NA%
industry: NA%
services: NA%
Labor force:
17,630 (2005) country comparison to the world: 210
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 34%
industry: 33%
services: 33% (1990)
Unemployment rate:
29.8% (2005) country comparison to the world: 176
Population below poverty line:
NA%
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA%
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
NA%
Agriculture - products:
bananas, coconuts, vegetables, taro, breadfruit, yams, copra, pineapples, papayas; dairy products, livestock
Industries:
tuna canneries (largely supplied by foreign fishing vessels), handicrafts
Industrial production growth rate:
NA%
Electricity - production:
185 million kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 178
Electricity - consumption:
172.1 million kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 180
Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2008 est.)
Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2008 est.)
Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 205
Oil - consumption:
4,000 bbl/day (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 171
Oil - exports:
0 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to
