funds in the past few years to improve water catchments and pipelines
Environment—international agreements: party to: NA signed, but not ratified: NA
Geography—note: 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
People
Population: 63,786 (July 1999 est.)
Age structure:
0–14 years: 39% (male 12,840; female 12,074)
15–64 years: 56% (male 17,933; female 18,035)
65 years and over: 5% (male 1,494; female 1,410) (1999 est.)
Population growth rate: 2.64% (1999 est.)
Birth rate: 26.53 births/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Death rate: 4.04 deaths/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Net migration rate: 3.92 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
15–64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 1.06 male(s)/female
total population: 1.02 male(s)/female (1999 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 10.19 deaths/1,000 live births (1999 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 75.46 years male: 71.23 years female: 79.95 years (1999 est.)
Total fertility rate: 3.66 children born/woman (1999 est.)
Nationality: noun: American Samoan(s) adjective: American Samoan
Ethnic groups: Samoan (Polynesian) 89%, Caucasian 2%, Tongan 4%,
other 5%
Religions: Christian Congregationalist 50%, Roman Catholic 20%,
Protestant denominations and other 30%
Languages: Samoan (closely related to Hawaiian and other
Polynesian languages), English
note: most people are bilingual
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 97%
male: 98%
female: 97% (1980 est.)
Government
Country name:
conventional long form: Territory of American Samoa
conventional short form: American Samoa
abbreviation: AS
Data code: AQ
Dependency status: unincorporated and unorganized territory of the US; administered by the Office of Insular Affairs, US Department of the Interior
Government type: NA
Capital: Pago Pago
Administrative divisions: 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
Independence: none (territory of the US)
National holiday: Territorial Flag Day, 17 April (1900)
Constitution: ratified 1966, in effect 1967
Legal system: NA
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: President William Jefferson CLINTON of the US (since
20 January 1993) and Vice President Albert GORE, Jr. (since 20
January 1993)
head of government: Governor Tauese P. SUNIA (since 3 January 1997)
and Lieutenant Governor Togiola TULAFONO (since 3 January 1997)
cabinet: NA
elections: US president and vice president elected on the same
ticket for four-year terms; governor and lieutenant governor elected
on the same ticket by popular vote for four-year terms; election
last held 3 November 1996 (next to be held 7 November 2000)
election results: Tauese P. SUNIA elected governor; percent of
vote—Tauese P. SUNIA (Democrat) 51%, Peter REID (independent) 49%
Legislative branch: bicameral Fono or Legislative Assembly
consists of the House of Representatives (21 seats—20 of which are
elected by popular vote and 1 is an appointed, nonvoting delegate
from Swains Island; members serve two-year terms) and the Senate (18
seats; members are elected from local chiefs and serve four-year
terms)
elections: House of Representatives—last held NA November 1998 (next
to be held NA November 2000); Senate—last held 3 November 1996 (next
to be held 7 November 2000)
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—NA
note: American Samoa elects one delegate to the US House of
Representatives; election last held 3 November 1998 (next to be held
7 November 2000); results—Eni R. F. H. FALEOMAVAEGA (Democrat)
reelected as delegate for a sixth term
Judicial branch: High Court (chief justice and associate justices
are appointed by the US Secretary of the Interior)
Political parties and leaders: Democratic Party [leader NA];
International organization participation: ESCAP
