Ofu and Olosega are parts of a volcanic doublet in the Manuʻa Islands, which is a part of American Samoa in the Samoan Islands. These twin islands, formed from

shield volcano A shield volcano is a type of volcano named for its low profile, resembling a warrior's shield lying on the ground. It is formed by the eruption of highly fluid (low viscosity) lava, which travels farther and forms thinner flows than the more v ...

es, have a combined length of 6 km and a combined area of . Together, they have a population of about 500 people. Geographically, the islands are volcanic remnants separated by the narrow, ) Āsaga Strait, composed of shallow-water coral reef. Before 1970, people crossed between the two islands by waiting until low tide and then wading across the shallow water of the strait. Since 1970, there has been a bridge over the strait, providing a single-lane road that connects the two islands. The highest peak on Ofu Island is Mount Tumutumu (also called Tumu), at . The highest peak on Olosega is Mount Piumafua, at . The most recent volcanic eruption was in 1866, southeast of Olosega. Pre-historic artifacts discovered on Ofu by

archaeological Archaeology or archeology is the scientific study of human activity through the recovery and analysis of material culture. The archaeological record consists of artifacts, architecture, biofacts or ecofacts, sites, and cultural landscap ...

field work in the 1980s significantly furthered understanding of the ancient history of Ofu in particular, and the Samoa Islands and Polynesia in general. The artifacts include ceramics, adzes, and worked shell and bone pieces. Samples of red-slipped plainware ceramics were found that appear to have been crafted in the tradition of the

Lapita The Lapita culture is the name given to a Neolithic Austronesian people and their material culture, who settled Island Melanesia via a seaborne migration at around 1600 to 500 BCE. They are believed to have originated from the northern Philipp ...

culture. The field work, carried out by a team that included Pacific archaeology specialist Patrick Vinton Kirch, focused on a site called To'aga ''(site AS-13-1)'', a coastal stretch on the south coast of Ofu. Dating of the artifacts suggested that Ofu has been continuously inhabited by humans for about 3,000 years.

Ofu

Ofu is the western part of the volcanic outcrop of Ofu-Olosega Island and the westernmost of the Manu'a Islands.Hills, J.W. (2010). ''O upu muamua i le Tala i le Lalolagi mo e ua faatoa a'oa'oina u lea mataupu: Elementary Geography''. Nabu Press. Page 63. . The main village of Ofu is located on the western shore, protected behind an offshore islet (eroded tuff cone) known as Nu'utele. Ofu has a small airport and a boat harbor that serve the population on Ofu and Olosega. The twice-weekly flight from Pago Pago takes about half an hour, but the airport has been closed since April 2021 for runway rehabilitation leaving the island without air service. Olosega Native village 1896

Most of the southern shore and associated coral reef are part of the National Park of American Samoa. The island forms the Ofu County subdivision of the Manuʻa District. It has a land area of 7.215 km² (2.786 sq mi), and had an official population of 176 persons as of the 2010 census. Situated on the south coast of the island is To'aga lagoon which has a high diversity of corals and fishes. The marine site has been part of long term research and study on coral reefs and global climate change. The island is also home to the Samoa Flying-fox (''Pteropus samoensis''), a species of bat threatened by habitat loss.

Olosega

Olosega is the smallest island in the Manuʻa Islands. It is possible to walk across to Ofu Island at low tide. The name derives from Samoan ''ʻOlosega'', "fortress of parakeets." Olosega Island is a remnant of the Sili

, the

caldera A caldera ( ) is a large cauldron-like hollow that forms shortly after the emptying of a magma chamber in a volcano eruption. When large volumes of magma are erupted over a short time, structural support for the rock above the magma chamber is ...

of which may lie submerged off the north shore. The volcanic eruption of 1866 was actually east of Olosega, on a mid-ocean ridge that extends east southeast to nearby Taʻū. The island forms the Olosega County subdivision of the Manuʻa District. It has a land area of 5.163 km² (1.993 sq mi), and had an official population of 172 persons as of the 2010 census. There are four villages on Olosega: Olosega,

Lalomoana Lalomoana is a small settlement located in Olosega island in Ofu-Olosega on the slopes on Piumafua, in Manu‘a Group of the Samoan Islands—part of American Samoa American Samoa ( sm, Amerika Sāmoa, ; also ' or ') is an unincorporated ...

, Sili, and

Faiava Faiava is a tribal settlement on the island of Olosega on Ofu-Olosega Ofu and Olosega are parts of a volcanic doublet in the Manuʻa Islands, which is a part of American Samoa in the Samoan Islands. These twin islands, formed from shield vol ...

Gallery

File:Ofu_Beach_American_Samoa_US_National_Park_Service.jpg File:AmSamoa_Ofu_442.jpg File:Olosega Aerial AKK.jpg File:Coralandbeach.jpg File:Snoutsand2.jpg File:Curvedpalm.jpg

References

External links

* Office of the Governor. 2004. ''Manu‘a ma Amerika''. A brief historical documentary. Manu‘a Centennial. 16 July 1904. 16 July 2004. Office of the Governor, American Samoa Government. 20 p. *
National Park Service map of the Manu‘a Islands

G. Piniak, C. Birkeland, and G. Garrison (2004). University of Hawaii. {{American Samoa Islands of American Samoa Mountains of American Samoa Volcanoes of American Samoa Polygenetic shield volcanoes Manu'a