Territory of American Samoa
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American Samoa ( sm, Amerika Sāmoa, ; also ' or ') is an unincorporated territory of the United States located in the South Pacific Ocean, southeast of the island country of Samoa. Its location is centered on . It is east of the
International Date Line The International Date Line (IDL) is an internationally accepted demarcation on the surface of Earth, running between the South and North Poles and serving as the boundary between one calendar day and the next. It passes through the Pacific O ...
, while Samoa is west of the Line. The total land area is , slightly more than Washington, D.C. 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. Tuna products are the main exports, and the main trading partner is the rest of the United States. American Samoa consists of five main islands and two coral atolls. The largest and most populous island is Tutuila, with the Manuʻa Islands,
Rose Atoll Rose Atoll, sometimes called Rose Island or Motu O Manu ("Bird Island") by people of the nearby Manu'a Islands, is an oceanic atoll within the U.S. territory of American Samoa. An uninhabited wildlife refuge, it is the southernmost point belo ...
and
Swains Island Swains Island (; Tokelauan: ''Olohega'' ; Samoan: ''Olosega'' ) is a remote coral atoll in the Tokelau Islands in the South Pacific Ocean. The island is the subject of an ongoing territorial dispute between Tokelau and the United States, whi ...
also included in the territory. All islands except for Swains Island are part of the Samoan Islands, west of the Cook Islands, north of Tonga, and some south of Tokelau. To the west are the islands of the Wallis and Futuna group. As of 2022, the population of American Samoa is approximately 45,443 people. Most American Samoans are bilingual and can speak English and Samoan fluently. American Samoa has been a member of the Pacific Community since 1983. American Samoa is noted for having the highest rate of military enlistment of any U.S. state or territory. As of September 9, 2014, the local U.S. Army recruiting station in Pago Pago was ranked first in production out of the 885 Army recruiting stations and centers under the
United States Army Recruiting Command The United States Army Recruiting Command (USAREC) is responsible for manning both the United States Army and the Army Reserve. Recruiting operations are conducted throughout the United States, U.S. territories, and at U.S. military facilities in ...
. 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".


History

Traditional
oral literature Oral literature, orature or folk literature is a genre of literature that is spoken or sung as opposed to that which is written, though much oral literature has been transcribed. There is no standard definition, as anthropologists have used vary ...
of Samoa and Manuʻa talks of a widespread Polynesian network or
confederacy Confederacy or confederate may refer to: States or communities * Confederate state or confederation, a union of sovereign groups or communities * Confederate States of America, a confederation of secessionist American states that existed between ...
(or "empire") that was prehistorically ruled by the successive Tui Manuʻa dynasties. Manuan genealogies and religious oral literature also suggest that the Tui Manuʻa had long been one of the most prestigious and powerful paramounts of Samoa. Oral history suggests that the Tui Manuʻa kings governed a confederacy of far-flung islands which included
Fiji Fiji ( , ,; fj, Viti, ; Fiji Hindi: फ़िजी, ''Fijī''), officially the Republic of Fiji, is an island country in Melanesia, part of Oceania in the South Pacific Ocean. It lies about north-northeast of New Zealand. Fiji consists ...
, Tonga as well as smaller western Pacific chiefdoms and Polynesian outliers such as Uvea, Futuna, Tokelau, and Tuvalu. Commerce and exchange routes between the western Polynesian societies are well documented and it is speculated that the Tui Manuʻa dynasty grew through its success in obtaining control over the oceanic trade of currency goods such as finely woven ceremonial mats, whale ivory " tabua",
obsidian Obsidian () is a naturally occurring volcanic glass formed when lava extrusive rock, extruded from a volcano cools rapidly with minimal crystal growth. It is an igneous rock. Obsidian is produced from felsic lava, rich in the lighter elements s ...
and basalt tools, chiefly red feathers, and seashells reserved for royalty (such as polished nautilus and the egg cowry).


18th century: First Western contact

Contact with Europeans began in the early 18th century. Dutchman Jacob Roggeveen was the first known European to sight the Samoan Islands in 1722, calling them the "Baumann Islands" after one of his captains. The next explorer to visit the islands was
Louis-Antoine de Bougainville Louis-Antoine, Comte de Bougainville (, , ; 12 November 1729 – August 1811) was a French admiral and explorer. A contemporary of the British explorer James Cook, he took part in the Seven Years' War in North America and the American Revolution ...
, who named them the "Îles des Navigateurs" in 1768. British explorer
James Cook James Cook (7 November 1728 Old Style date: 27 October – 14 February 1779) was a British explorer, navigator, cartographer, and captain in the British Royal Navy, famous for his three voyages between 1768 and 1779 in the Pacific Ocean an ...
recorded the island names in 1773, but never visited. The 1789 visit by La Pérouse ended in an attack, on a Tutuila water collection expedition, resulting in the death of his second in command Capt. de Langle and several of his crew. La Pérouse named the island "Massacre Island", and the bay near Aasu is still called "Massacre Bay". HMS ''Pandora'', under the command of Admiral Edward Edwards (Royal Navy officer), visited the island in 1791 during its search for the H.M.S. ''Bounty'' mutineers. Von Kotzebue visited in 1824.


19th century

Mission work A Christian mission is an organized effort for the propagation of the Christian faith. Missions involve sending individuals and groups across boundaries, most commonly geographical boundaries, to carry on evangelism or other activities, such as ...
in the Samoas had begun in late 1830 when
John Williams John Towner Williams (born February 8, 1932)Nylund, Rob (15 November 2022)Classic Connection review ''WBOI'' ("For the second time this year, the Fort Wayne Philharmonic honored American composer, conductor, and arranger John Williams, who wa ...
of the London Missionary Society arrived from the Cook Islands and Tahiti. By the late nineteenth century, French, British, German, and American vessels routinely stopped at Samoa, as they valued Pago Pago Harbor as a refueling station for coal-fired shipping and whaling. The United States Exploring Expedition visited the islands in 1839. In March 1889, an
Imperial German ', literally translated "Germans of the ", is an archaic term for those ethnic Germans who resided within the German state that was founded in 1871. In contemporary usage, it referred to German citizens, the word signifying people from the Germ ...
naval force entered a village in Samoa, and in doing so destroyed some American property. Three American warships then entered the Apia harbor and prepared to engage the three German warships found there. Before any shots were fired, a typhoon wrecked both the American and German ships. A compulsory armistice was then called because of the lack of any warships.


20th century


Early 20th century

At the turn of the twentieth 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: the eastern island group became a territory of the United States (Tutuila in 1900 and officially Manuʻa in 1904) 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. Forerunners to the Tripartite Convention of 1899 were the Washington Conference of 1887, the Treaty of Berlin of 1889 and the Anglo-German Agreement on Samoa of 1899.


American colonization

The following year, the U.S. formally
annexed Annexation (Latin ''ad'', to, and ''nexus'', joining), in international law, is the forcible acquisition of one state's territory by another state, usually following military occupation of the territory. It is generally held to be an illegal act ...
its portion, a smaller group of eastern islands, one of which contains the noted harbor of Pago Pago.Lin, Tom C.W.
Americans, Almost and Forgotten
107 California Law Review (2019)
After the United States Navy took possession of eastern Samoa for the United States government, the existing coaling station at Pago Pago Bay was expanded into a full naval station, known as
United States Naval Station Tutuila United States Naval Station Tutuila was a naval station in Pago Pago Harbor on the island of Tutuila, part of American Samoa, built in 1899 and in operation until 1951. During the United States Navy rule of American Samoa, from 1900 to 1951, it was ...
and commanded by a commandant. The Navy secured a
Deed of Cession of Tutuila The Treaty of Cession of Tutuila, also known as the Deed of Cession of Tutuila, was a treaty between several chiefs of the island of Tutuila and the United States signed on April 17, 1900, whereby the chiefs swore allegiance to, and ceded the isla ...
in 1900 and a
Deed of Cession of Manuʻa The Treaty of Cession of Manuʻa, also known as the Deed of Cession of Manuʻa, was a treaty between Tui Manuʻa Elisala and the United States signed on 16 July 1904 that ceded the islands of Manuʻa to the United States, which now forms part of A ...
in 1904 on behalf of the U.S. government. The last sovereign of Manuʻa, the Tui Manuʻa Elisala, signed a Deed of Cession of Manuʻa following a series of U.S. naval trials, known as the "Trial of the Ipu", in Pago Pago, Taʻu, and aboard a
Pacific Squadron The Pacific Squadron was part of the United States Navy squadron stationed in the Pacific Ocean in the 19th and early 20th centuries. Initially with no United States ports in the Pacific, they operated out of storeships which provided naval s ...
gunboat. The territory became known as the U.S. Naval Station Tutuila. On July 17, 1911, the U.S. Naval Station Tutuila, which was composed of Tutuila, Aunuʻu and Manuʻa, was officially renamed American Samoa. People of Manuʻa had been unhappy since they were left out of the name "Naval Station Tutuila". In May 1911, Governor
William Michael Crose William Michael Crose (February 8, 1867 – April 4, 1929) was a United States Navy Captain and the seventh Naval Governor of American Samoa, from November 10, 1910 to March 14, 1913. He was the first person designated "Governor of American Sam ...
authored a letter to the Secretary of the Navy conveying the sentiments of Manuʻa. The department responded that the people should choose a name for their new territory. The traditional leaders chose “American Samoa”, and, on July 7, 1911, the
solicitor general of the Navy The Solicitor General of the Navy was an office of the United States Department of the Navy that existed periodically from 1862 until 1929. In 1941, it was superseded by the permanent office of General Counsel of the Navy. The Solicitor General o ...
authorized the governor to proclaim it as the name for the new territory.


World War I and the 1918 influenza pandemic

In 1918, during the final stages of World War I, the Great Influenza epidemic had taken its toll, spreading rapidly from country to country. American Samoa became one of the only places in the world (the others being
New Caledonia ) , anthem = "" , image_map = New Caledonia on the globe (small islands magnified) (Polynesia centered).svg , map_alt = Location of New Caledonia , map_caption = Location of New Caledonia , mapsize = 290px , subdivision_type = Sovereign st ...
and
Marajó island Marajó () is a large coastal island in the state of Pará, Brazil. It is the main and largest of the islands in the Marajó Archipelago. Marajó Island is separated from the mainland by Marajó Bay, Pará River, smaller rivers (especially M ...
in Brazil) to have proactively prevented any deaths during the pandemic through the quick response from Governor John Martin Poyer after hearing news reports of the outbreak on the radio and requesting
quarantine ships A quarantine is a restriction on the movement of people, animals and goods which is intended to prevent the spread of disease or pests. It is often used in connection to disease and illness, preventing the movement of those who may have bee ...
from the U.S. mainland. The result of Poyer's quick actions earned him the Navy Cross from the U.S. Navy. With this distinction, American Samoans regarded Poyer as their hero for what he had done to prevent the deadly disease. The neighboring New Zealand territory at the time, Western Samoa, suffered the most of all
Pacific islands Collectively called the Pacific Islands, the islands in the Pacific Ocean are further categorized into three major island groups: Melanesia, Micronesia, and Polynesia. Depending on the context, the term ''Pacific Islands'' may refer to one of se ...
, with 90% of the population infected; 30% of adult men, 22% of adult women and 10% of children died. Poyer offered assistance to help his New Zealand counterparts but was refused by the administrator of Western Samoa, Robert Logan, who became outraged after witnessing the number of quarantine ships surrounding American Samoa. Angered by this, Logan cut off communications with his American counterparts.


Interwar period


=American Samoa Mau movement

= After World War I, during the time of the Mau movement in Western Samoa (then a League of Nations mandate governed by New Zealand), there was a corresponding American Samoa Mau movement led by Samuelu Ripley, a World War I veteran who was from Leone village, Tutuila. 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. 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 The Hawaiian Kingdom, or Kingdom of Hawaiʻi ( Hawaiian: ''Ko Hawaiʻi Pae ʻĀina''), was a sovereign state located in the Hawaiian Islands. The country was formed in 1795, when the warrior chief Kamehameha the Great, of the independent island ...
.


=Annexation of Swains Island

=
Swains Island Swains Island (; Tokelauan: ''Olohega'' ; Samoan: ''Olosega'' ) is a remote coral atoll in the Tokelau Islands in the South Pacific Ocean. The island is the subject of an ongoing territorial dispute between Tokelau and the United States, whi ...
, which had been included in the list of guano islands appertaining to the United States and bonded under the Guano Islands Act, was
annexed Annexation (Latin ''ad'', to, and ''nexus'', joining), in international law, is the forcible acquisition of one state's territory by another state, usually following military occupation of the territory. It is generally held to be an illegal act ...
in 1925 by Pub. Res. 68–75, following the dissolution of the
Gilbert and Ellice Islands Colony The Gilbert and Ellice Islands (GEIC as a colony) in the Pacific Ocean were part of the British Empire from 1892 to 1976. They were a protectorate from 1892 to 12 January 1916, and then a colony until 1 January 1976. The history of the colony w ...
by the United Kingdom.


World War II and aftermath

During World War II,
U.S. Marines The United States Marine Corps (USMC), also referred to as the United States Marines, is the Marines, maritime land force military branch, service branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for conducting expeditionary warfare, exped ...
stationed in Samoa outnumbered the local population and had a huge cultural influence. Young Samoan men from age 14 and above were combat trained by U.S. military personnel. Samoans served in various capacities during World War II, including as combatants, medical personnel, code personnel, and ship repairmen. In 1949, Organic Act 4500, a
U.S. Department of Interior The United States Department of the Interior (DOI) is one of the executive departments of the U.S. federal government headquartered at the Main Interior Building, located at 1849 C Street NW in Washington, D.C. It is responsible for the man ...
–sponsored attempt to incorporate American Samoa, was introduced in Congress. It was ultimately defeated, primarily through the efforts of Samoan chiefs, led by Tuiasosopo Mariota. The efforts of these chiefs led to the creation of a territorial legislature, the American Samoa Fono, which meets in the village of Fagatogo. In 1950 the Department of the Interior began to administer the American Samoa.


1951–1999

By 1956, the U.S. Navy-appointed governor was replaced by Peter Tali Coleman, who was locally elected. 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. The U.S. 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. American Samoa and Pago Pago International Airport had historic significance with the Apollo Program. The
astronaut An astronaut (from the Ancient Greek (), meaning 'star', and (), meaning 'sailor') is a person trained, equipped, and deployed by a human spaceflight program to serve as a commander or crew member aboard a spacecraft. Although generally r ...
crews of Apollo 10, 12, 13, 14, and 17 were retrieved a few hundred miles from Pago Pago and transported by helicopter to the airport prior to being flown to Honolulu on C-141 Starlifter military aircraft. While the two Samoas share language and ethnicity, their cultures have recently followed different paths, with American Samoans often emigrating to Hawaii and the U.S. mainland, and adopting many U.S. customs, such as the playing of American football and baseball. Samoans have tended to emigrate instead to New Zealand, whose influence has made the sports of
rugby Rugby may refer to: Sport * Rugby football in many forms: ** Rugby league: 13 players per side *** Masters Rugby League *** Mod league *** Rugby league nines *** Rugby league sevens *** Touch (sport) *** Wheelchair rugby league ** Rugby union: 1 ...
and
cricket Cricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of eleven players on a field at the centre of which is a pitch with a wicket at each end, each comprising two bails balanced on three stumps. The batting side scores runs by striki ...
more popular in the western Samoan islands. Travel writer
Paul Theroux Paul Edward Theroux (born April 10, 1941) is an American novelist and travel writer who has written numerous books, including the travelogue, '' The Great Railway Bazaar'' (1975). Some of his works of fiction have been adapted as feature films. He ...
noted that there were marked differences between the societies in Samoa and American Samoa.


21st century

American Samoans have a high rate of service in the
U.S. Armed Forces The United States Armed Forces are the military forces of the United States. The armed forces consists of six service branches: the Army, Marine Corps, Navy, Air Force, Space Force, and Coast Guard. The president of the United States is the ...
. Because of economic hardship, military service has been seen as an opportunity in American Samoa and other U.S. Overseas territories. As of March 23, 2009, ten American Samoans had died in Iraq, and two had died in Afghanistan.


Notable events


Pre-20th century

On December 13, 1784, French navigator
Jean-François de Galaup, comte de Lapérouse Jean François de Galaup, comte de Lapérouse (; variant spelling: ''La Pérouse''; 23 August 17411788?), often called simply Lapérouse, was a French naval officer and explorer. Having enlisted at the age of 15, he had a successful naval caree ...
landed two exploration parties on Tutuila's north shore: one from the ship '' La Boussole'' at Fagasa, and the other from ''
L'Astrolabe ''Astrolabe'' was originally a horse-transport barge converted into an exploration ship of the French Navy. Originally named ''Coquille'', she is famous for her travels with Jules Dumont d'Urville. The name derives from an early navigational ins ...
'' at Aʻasu. One of the cooks, David, died of "scorbutic dropsy". On December 11, twelve members of Lapérouse's crew (including First Officer
Paul Antoine Fleuriot de Langle Paul Antoine Fleuriot de Langle (1 August 1744, château de Kerlouët at Quemper-Guézennec, Côtes-d'Armor – 11 December 1787, Maouna, Samoa) was a French vicomte, académicien de marine, naval commander and explorer. He was second in c ...
) were killed by angry Samoans at Aʻasu Bay, Tutuila, thereafter known as "Massacre Bay", which Lapérouse described as "this den, more fearful from its treacherous situation and the cruelty of its inhabitants than the lair of a lion or a tiger". This incident gave Samoa a reputation for savagery that kept Europeans away until the arrival of the first Christian missionaries four decades later. On December 12, at Aʻasu Bay, Lapérouse 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. He later wrote in his journal "I could have destroyed or sunk a hundred canoes, with more than 500 people in them: but I was afraid of striking the wrong victims; the call of my conscience saved their lives."


20th century

On December 19, 1912, English writer William Somerset Maugham arrived in Pago Pago, allegedly accompanied by a missionary and Miss Sadie Thompson. His visit inspired his short story " Rain" which later became plays and three major motion pictures. The building still stands where Maugham stayed and has been renamed the
Sadie Thompson Building Sadie may refer to: People Given name or nickname Women * Sadie Tanner Mossell Alexander (1898–1989), first African-American woman to earn a Ph.D. in the United States and to practice law in Pennsylvania * Sadie Benning (born 1973), American ...
. Today it is a prominent restaurant and inn. On November 2, 1921, American Samoa's 13th naval governor, Commander
Warren Jay Terhune Warren Jay Terhune (May 3, 1869 – November 3, 1920) was a United States Navy Commander (United States)#Naval rank, Commander, and the governor of American Samoa. Terhune was born in Midland Park, New Jersey, and lived in New Jersey most of his ...
, died by suicide with a pistol in the bathroom of the government mansion, overlooking the entrance to Pago Pago Harbor. His body was discovered by Government House's cook, SDI First Class Felisiano Debid Ahchica, USN. His ghost is rumored to walk about the grounds at night. On August 17, 1924, Margaret Mead arrived in American Samoa aboard the SS ''Sonoma'' to begin fieldwork for her doctoral dissertation in anthropology at Columbia University, where she was a student of Professor
Franz Boas Franz Uri Boas (July 9, 1858 – December 21, 1942) was a German-American anthropologist and a pioneer of modern anthropology who has been called the "Father of American Anthropology". His work is associated with the movements known as historical ...
. 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. The book has sparked years of ongoing and intense debate and controversy. Mead returned to American Samoa in 1971 for the dedication of the
Jean P. Haydon Museum The Jean P. Haydon Museum is a museum in Pago Pago dedicated to the culture and history of the United States territory of American Samoa. It contains a collection of canoes, coconut-shell combs, pigs’ tusk armlets and native pharmacopoeia. It als ...
. In 1938, the noted aviator
Ed Musick Edwin Charles Musick (August 13, 1894 – January 11, 1938) was chief pilot for Pan American World Airways and pioneered many of Pan Am's transoceanic routes including the famous route across the Pacific Ocean on the ''China Clipper''. Biograph ...
and his crew died on the Pan American World Airways S-42 '' Samoan Clipper'' over Pago Pago, while on a survey flight to Auckland, New Zealand. Sometime after takeoff, the aircraft experienced trouble, and Musick turned it back toward Pago Pago. While the crew dumped fuel in preparation for an emergency landing, an explosion occurred that tore the aircraft apart. On November 21, 1939, American Samoa's last execution was carried out. Imoa was convicted of stabbing Sema to death and was hanged in the Customs House. The popular Samoan song "Faʻafofoga Samoa" is based on this, said to be the final words of Imoa. On January 13, 1942, at 2:26am, a Japanese submarine surfaced off Tutuila between Southworth Point and Fagasa Bay and fired about 15 shells from its 5.5-inch deck gun at the U.S. Naval Station Tutuila over the next 10 minutes. The first shell struck the rear of Frank Shimasaki's store, ironically owned by one of Tutuila's few Japanese residents. The store was closed, as Mr. Shimasaki had been interned as an enemy alien. The next shell caused slight damage to the naval dispensary, the third landed on the lawn behind the naval quarters known as "Centipede Row," and the fourth struck the stone seawall outside the customs house. The other rounds fell harmlessly into the harbor. As one writer described it, "The fire was not returned, notwithstanding the eagerness of the Samoan Marines to test their skill against the enemy... No American or Samoan Marines were wounded." Commander Edwin B. Robinson was bicycling behind Centipede Row and was wounded in the knee by a piece of
shrapnel Shrapnel may refer to: Military * Shrapnel shell, explosive artillery munitions, generally for anti-personnel use * Shrapnel (fragment), a hard loose material Popular culture * ''Shrapnel'' (Radical Comics) * ''Shrapnel'', a game by Adam ...
, and "a member of the colorful native Fita Fita Guard" received minor injuries; they were the only casualties. This was the only time the Japanese attacked Tutuila during World War II, although "Japanese submarines had patrolled the waters around Samoa before the war, and continued to be active there throughout the war." On August 24, 1943, First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt visited American Samoa and inspected the Fita Fita Guard and Band and the First Samoan Battalion of U.S. Marine Corps Reserve at the U.S. Naval Station American Samoa.Shaffer, Robert J. (2000). ''American Samoa: 100 Years Under the United States Flag''. Island Heritage. . The fact that First Lady reviewed the troops led to further assurance that Tutuila Island was considered safe. Her presence underscored that World War II had passed by American Samoa. While the Fita Fita band played, Eleanor Roosevelt inspected the guard.Ruck, Rob (2018). ''Tropic of Football: The Long and Perilous Journey of Samoans to the NFL''. The New Press. . On October 18, 1966, President Lyndon Baines Johnson and First Lady Lady Bird Johnson visited American Samoa. Mrs. Johnson dedicated the "Manulele Tausala" ("Lady Bird") Elementary School in Nuʻuuli, which was named after her. 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. The territory's only hospital was renamed the
LBJ Tropical Medical Center Lyndon B. Johnson Tropical Medical Center is the only hospital in American Samoa, and is located in Faga'alu, Maoputasi County. It has been ranked among the best hospitals in the Pacific Ocean. It is home to an emergency room and there are docto ...
in honor of President Johnson. In the late 1960s and early 1970s, American Samoa played a pivotal role in five of the
Apollo Program missions Apollo, grc, Ἀπόλλωνος, Apóllōnos, label=genitive , ; , grc-dor, Ἀπέλλων, Apéllōn, ; grc, Ἀπείλων, Apeílōn, label=Arcadocypriot Greek, ; grc-aeo, Ἄπλουν, Áploun, la, Apollō, la, Apollinis, label= ...
. The astronauts landed several hundred miles from Pago and were transported to the islands en route back to the mainland. President Richard Nixon gave three moon rocks to the American Samoan government, and these are on display in the Jean P. Haydon Museum, along with a flag carried to the moon on one of the missions. In November 1970, Pope Paul VI visited American Samoa in a brief but lavish greeting. On January 30, 1974, Pan Am Flight 806 from Auckland, New Zealand crashed at Pago Pago International Airport at 10:41pm, with 91 passengers aboard. 86 people were killed, including Captain Leroy A. Petersen and the entire flight crew. Four of the five surviving passengers were seriously injured, with the other only slightly injured. The airliner was destroyed by the impact and succeeding fire. The crash was attributed to poor visibility, pilot error, or wind shear since a violent storm was raging at the time. In January 2014, filmmaker Paul Crompton visited the territory to interview local residents for a documentary film about the 1974 crash. A U.S. Navy
P-3 Orion The Lockheed P-3 Orion is a four-engined, turboprop anti-submarine and maritime surveillance aircraft developed for the United States Navy and introduced in the 1960s. Lockheed based it on the L-188 Electra commercial airliner.
(VP-50) had its vertical stabilizer shorn off by the Solo Ridge-Mount Alava aerial tramway cable across Pago Pago harbor on April 17, 1980, during the Flag Day celebrations, when carrying six skydivers from the U.S. Army's Hawaii-based Tropic Lightning Parachute Club. The plane crashed, demolishing a wing of the Rainmaker Hotel and killing all six crew members and one civilian. The six skydivers had already left the aircraft during a demonstration jump. A memorial monument is erected on Mt. Mauga O Aliʻi to honor their memory. On November 1, 1988, President
Ronald Reagan Ronald Wilson Reagan ( ; February 6, 1911June 5, 2004) was an American politician, actor, and union leader who served as the 40th president of the United States from 1981 to 1989. He also served as the 33rd governor of California from 1967 ...
signed a bill which created
American Samoa National Park The National Park of American Samoa is a national park in the United States territory of American Samoa, distributed across three islands: Tutuila, Ofu, and Ta‘ū. The park preserves and protects coral reefs, tropical rainforests, fruit bats, ...
.


21st century

On July 22, 2010, Detective Lieutenant Lusila Brown was fatally shot outside the temporary High Court building in Fagatogo. It was the first time in more than 15 years that a police officer was killed in the line of duty. The last was Sa Fuimaono, who drowned after saving a teenager from rough seas. On November 8, 2010, United States Secretary of State and former
First Lady First lady is an unofficial title usually used for the wife, and occasionally used for the daughter or other female relative, of a non-monarchical A monarchy is a form of government in which a person, the monarch, is head of state fo ...
Hillary Clinton made a refueling stopover at the Pago Pago International Airport. She was greeted by government dignitaries and presented with gifts and a traditional ava ceremony.
Mike Pence Michael Richard Pence (born June 7, 1959) is an American politician who served as the 48th vice president of the United States from 2017 to 2021 under President Donald Trump. A member of the Republican Party, he previously served as the 50th ...
was the third sitting U.S. vice president to visit American Samoa (after Dan Quayle and Joe Biden) when he made a stopover in Pago Pago in April 2017. He addressed 200 soldiers here during his refueling stop. U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson visited town on June 3, 2017.


September 2009 earthquake and tsunami

On September 28, 2009, at 17:48:11 UTC, an 8.1 magnitude earthquake struck off the coast of American Samoa, followed by smaller aftershocks. It was the largest earthquake of 2009. The quake occurred on the
outer rise The outer trench swell, outer trench high, or outer rise is a subtle ridge on the seafloor near an oceanic trench, where a descending plate begins to flex and fault in preparation for its descent into the Earth's mantle, mantle at a subduction zo ...
of the
Kermadec-Tonga Subduction Zone The Kermadec-Tonga subduction zone is a convergent plate boundary that stretches from the North Island of New Zealand northward. The formation of the Kermadec and Tonga Plates started about 4–5 million years ago. Today, the eastern boundary ...
. This is part of the Pacific Ring of Fire, where tectonic plates in the Earth's
lithosphere A lithosphere () is the rigid, outermost rocky shell of a terrestrial planet or natural satellite. On Earth, it is composed of the crust (geology), crust and the portion of the upper mantle (geology), mantle that behaves elastically on time sca ...
meet, and earthquakes and volcanic activity are common. The quake struck below the ocean floor and generated an onsetting tsunami that killed more than 170 people in the Samoa Islands and Tonga. Four waves with heights from to high were reported to have reached up to one mile (1.6km) inland on the island of Tutuila. The Defense Logistics Agency worked with the Federal Emergency Management Agency to provide 16' × 16' humanitarian tents to the devastated areas of American Samoa.


Government and politics


Government

American Samoa is classified in U.S. law as an unincorporated territory; the
Ratification Act of 1929 The Ratification Act of 1929 (Pub. Res. 70–89, , enacted 20 February 1929, codified at ) was joint resolution of the United States Congress that authorized the ratification of the Treaty of Cession of Tutuila of 1900 and the Treaty of Cession of ...
vested all civil, judicial, and military powers in the President of the United States. In 1951, with , President Harry Truman delegated that authority to the
Secretary of the Interior Secretary of the Interior may refer to: * Secretary of the Interior (Mexico) * Interior Secretary of Pakistan * Secretary of the Interior and Local Government (Philippines) * United States Secretary of the Interior See also

*Interior ministry ...
. On June 21, 1963 Paramount Chief Tuli Leʻiato of Fagaʻitua was sworn in and installed as the first Secretary of Samoan Affairs by Governor
H. Rex Lee Hyrum Rex Lee (April 8, 1910 – July 26, 2001) was an American government employee and diplomat who was the last non-elected Governor of American Samoa. Lee served as governor from 1961 to 1967, and again briefly from 1977 to 1978. Governor Lee ...
. On June 2, 1967, Interior Secretary
Stewart Udall Stewart Lee Udall (January 31, 1920 – March 20, 2010) was an American politician and later, a federal government official. After serving three terms as a congressman from Arizona, he served as Secretary of the Interior from 1961 to 1969, unde ...
promulgated the Revised Constitution of American Samoa, which took effect on July 1, 1967. The
Governor of American Samoa This is a list of governors, etc. of the part of the Samoan Islands (now comprising American Samoa) under United States administration since 1900. From 1900 to 1978 governors were appointed by the Federal government of the United States. Since ...
is the head of government and along with the
Lieutenant Governor of American Samoa The government of American Samoa consists of a locally elected governor, lieutenant governor and the American Samoa Fono, which consists of an 18-member Senate and a 21-member House of Representatives. The first popular election for Governor and ...
is elected on the same ticket by popular vote for a four-year term. The governor's office is located in Utulei. Since American Samoa is a U.S. territory, the President of the United States serves as the head of state but does not play a direct role in government. The Secretary of the Interior oversees the government, retaining the power to approve constitutional amendments, overrides the governor's vetoes, and nomination of justices. The legislative power is vested in the American Samoa Fono, which has two chambers. 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 Swains Island (; Tokelauan: ''Olohega'' ; Samoan: ''Olosega'' ) is a remote coral atoll in the Tokelau Islands in the South Pacific Ocean. The island is the subject of an ongoing territorial dispute between Tokelau and the United States, whi ...
elected in a public meeting. The
Senate A senate is a deliberative assembly, often the upper house or chamber of a bicameral legislature. The name comes from the ancient Roman Senate (Latin: ''Senatus''), so-called as an assembly of the senior (Latin: ''senex'' meaning "the el ...
has 18 members, elected for four-year terms by and from the chiefs of the islands. The Fono is located in Fagatogo. The judiciary of American Samoa is composed of the
High Court of American Samoa The High Court of American Samoa is a Samoan court and the highest court below the United States Supreme Court in American Samoa. The Court is located in the capital of Fagatogo. It consists of one chief justice and one associate justice, appo ...
, a District Court, and village courts. The High Court and District Court are located in Fagatogo, near the Fono. The High Court is led by a Chief Justice and an Associate Justice, appointed by the Secretary of the Interior. Other judges are appointed by the governor upon the recommendation of the Chief Justice and confirmed by the Senate.


Politics

American Samoa is an unincorporated and
unorganized territory Unorganized territory may refer to: * An unincorporated area in any number of countries * One of the current or former territories of the United States that has not had a government "organized" with an "organic act" by the U.S. Congress * Unorganize ...
of the United States, administered by the Office of Insular Affairs,
U.S. Department of the Interior The United States Department of the Interior (DOI) is one of the executive departments of the U.S. federal government headquartered at the Main Interior Building, located at 1849 C Street NW in Washington, D.C. It is responsible for the mana ...
. American Samoa's constitution was ratified in 1966 and came into effect in 1967. However, despite being de jure unorganized, American Samoa is de facto organized, with its politics taking place in the framework of a
presidential President most commonly refers to: *President (corporate title) *President (education), a leader of a college or university * President (government title) President may also refer to: Automobiles * Nissan President, a 1966–2010 Japanese fu ...
representative democratic Representative democracy, also known as indirect democracy, is a type of democracy where elected people represent a group of people, in contrast to direct democracy. Nearly all modern Western-style democracies function as some type of represe ...
dependency, whereby the Governor is the head of government, and of a
pluriform Form is the shape, visual appearance, or :wikt:configuration, configuration of an object. In a wider sense, the form is the way something happens. Form also refers to: *Form (document), a document (printed or electronic) with spaces in which to ...
multi-party system. Executive power is exercised by the governor. Legislative power is vested in the two chambers of the legislature. The
American political parties This is a list of political parties in the United States, both past and present. The list does not include independents. Active parties Major parties Third parties Represented in state legislatures ''The following third parties have ...
( Republican and Democratic) exist in American Samoa, but few politicians are aligned with the parties. The judiciary is independent of the executive and the legislature. There is also the traditional village politics of the Samoa Islands, the " faʻamatai" and the "
faʻa Sāmoa ''Faa Sāmoa'', the 'Samoan Islands, Samoan Way', is the traditional/customary way of life in Samoan culture. Concept ''Faa Sāmoa'' consists of the Samoan language, customs of relationships, and culture, that constitute the traditional and cont ...
", which continues in American Samoa and independent Samoa, and which interacts across these current boundaries. The faʻa Sāmoa is the language and customs, and the faʻamatai are the protocols of the "fono" (council) and the chief system. The faʻamatai 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. The
ʻaiga is a word in the Samoan language which means 'family.' consists of a wider family group of blood and marriage or even adopted connections who all acknowledge the ''fa'amatai, matai'' (head of the family). Such a is a titled person, either a c ...
is the family unit of Samoan society, which differs from the Western sense of a family in that it consists of an "extended family" based on the culture's communal socio-political organization. The head of the ʻaiga is the matai. The matai (chiefs) are elected by consensus within the fono of the extended family and village(s) concerned. The matai and the fono, which are themselves made of matai, decide on the distribution of family exchanges and tenancy of communal lands. The majority of lands in American Samoa and independent Samoa are
communal Communal may refer to: *A commune or also intentional community * Communalism (Bookchin) * Communalism (South Asia), the South Asian sectarian ideologies *Relating to an administrative division called comune * Sociality in animals *Community owne ...
. 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. In 2010, voters rejected a package of amendments to the territorial constitution, which would have, among other things, allowed U.S. citizens to be legislators only if they had Samoan ancestry. In 2012, both the Governor and American Samoa's delegate to the U.S. Congress
Eni Faleomavaega Eni Fa'aua'a Hunkin Faleomavaega Jr. (; August 15, 1943 – February 22, 2017) was an American Samoan politician and attorney who served as the territory's lieutenant governor (1985-1989) and non-voting delegate to the United States House of Repr ...
called for the populace to consider a move towards autonomy if not independence, with a mixed response.


Nationality

According to the
Immigration and Nationality Act The U.S. Immigration and Nationality Act may refer to one of several acts including: * Immigration and Nationality Act of 1952 * Immigration and Nationality Act of 1965 * Immigration Act of 1990 See also * List of United States immigration legisla ...
(INA), the people born in American Samoa—including those born on
Swains Island Swains Island (; Tokelauan: ''Olohega'' ; Samoan: ''Olosega'' ) is a remote coral atoll in the Tokelau Islands in the South Pacific Ocean. The island is the subject of an ongoing territorial dispute between Tokelau and the United States, whi ...
—are " nationals but not
citizens of the United States Citizenship of the United States is a citizenship, legal status that entails Americans with specific rights, duties, protections, and benefits in the United States. It serves as a foundation of fundamental rights derived from and protected by t ...
at birth". If a child is born on any of these islands to any U.S. citizen, then that child is considered a national and a citizen of the United States at birth. All U.S. nationals have statutory rights to reside in all parts of the United States, and may apply for citizenship by
naturalization Naturalization (or naturalisation) is the legal act or process by which a non-citizen of a country may acquire citizenship or nationality of that country. It may be done automatically by a statute, i.e., without any effort on the part of the in ...
after three months of residency by paying a fee, passing a test in English and civics, and taking an oath of allegiance to the United States. All U.S. nationals also have the right to work in the United States, except in certain government jobs that specifically require U.S. citizenship. 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 ''Tuaua v. United States'' is a court case, originally filed in 2012, in which a group of American Samoans sued the State Department and the Obama administration. They sued to force the government to recognize American Samoans' birthright citize ...
''. In an
amicus curiae An ''amicus curiae'' (; ) is an individual or organization who is not a party to a legal case, but who is permitted to assist a court by offering information, expertise, or insight that has a bearing on the issues in the case. The decision on ...
brief filed in federal court, American Samoan Congressman Faleomavaega supported the legal interpretation that the Citizenship Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment does not extend birthright citizenship to United States nationals born in unincorporated territories. In June 2015, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia affirmed that Fourteenth Amendment citizenship guarantees did not apply to persons born in unincorporated territories and a year later the U.S. Supreme Court declined to review the lower court's decision. In December 2019, U.S. District Judge Clark Waddoups struck down as facially unconstitutional, holding that "Persons born in American Samoa are citizens of the United States by the Citizenship Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment", but the United States Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit reversed the district court's judgment and found the statute constitutional. On July 20, 2021, the Legislature of American Samoa unanimously passed a resolution in support of the 10th Circuit Court's decision to reverse.


=Voting rights

= As U.S. nationals, American Samoans can vote in local elections in the territory; however, if they live in other parts of the United States, they are not allowed to vote in federal, state or the vast majority of local elections unless they become U.S. citizens. The only federal office American Samoans elect directly is a non-voting delegate to the United States House of Representatives. Since the delegate's office was created in 1978, three people have held the seat:
Democrat Democrat, Democrats, or Democratic may refer to: Politics *A proponent of democracy, or democratic government; a form of government involving rule by the people. *A member of a Democratic Party: **Democratic Party (United States) (D) **Democratic ...
Fofō Iosefa Fiti Sunia Fofó Iosefa Fiti Sunia (born March 13, 1937) was the first non-voting Delegate from American Samoa to the United States House of Representatives. He was born in Fagasā, Pago Pago, and attended the University of Hawaii. Sunia was the administr ...
(1981–1988); Democrat
Eni Faleomavaega Eni Fa'aua'a Hunkin Faleomavaega Jr. (; August 15, 1943 – February 22, 2017) was an American Samoan politician and attorney who served as the territory's lieutenant governor (1985-1989) and non-voting delegate to the United States House of Repr ...
(1989–2015); and Republican
Aumua Amata Radewagen Amata Catherine Coleman Radewagen (born December 29, 1947), commonly called Aumua Amata , is an American Samoan politician who is the current delegate for the United States House of Representatives from American Samoa. Radewagen, a Republican, w ...
(2015–) American Samoans also participate in partisan presidential primaries, as well as send delegates to the Democratic and Republican National Conventions.


Immigration

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. U.S. nationals may freely reside in American Samoa. The American Samoan government, via its Immigration Office, controls the migration of foreign nationals to the islands. Special application forms exist for migration to American Samoa based on family or employment sponsorship. Unlike all other permanently inhabited U.S. jurisdictions ( states, District of Columbia, Puerto Rico,
U.S. Virgin Islands The United States Virgin Islands,. Also called the ''American Virgin Islands'' and the ''U.S. Virgin Islands''. officially the Virgin Islands of the United States, are a group of Caribbean islands and an unincorporated and organized territory ...
, Guam and Northern Mariana Islands), American Samoa is not considered a U.S. state for the purposes of the U.S. Immigration and Nationality Act. As a result, there is no path for immigrants to American Samoa to apply for U.S. citizenship, or U.S. nationality at all, without permanent residence in another U.S. jurisdiction. 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. U.S. nationals without U.S. citizenship (the status of most American Samoans) have the right to reside in all parts of the United States without immigration restrictions. They also have the same rights as lawful permanent residents to sponsor foreign family members to immigrate to the United States (they may sponsor spouses and unmarried children), but not the same rights as U.S. citizens (who may also sponsor parents, married children, and siblings).


Land ownership

Under American Samoan law, land ownership is subject to racial restrictions. Since 1900, there have been three main categories of land ownership: native, individual, and freehold. Native land, which makes up over 90% of all land in the territory, is land under the communal ownership of an
ʻaiga is a word in the Samoan language which means 'family.' consists of a wider family group of blood and marriage or even adopted connections who all acknowledge the ''fa'amatai, matai'' (head of the family). Such a is a titled person, either a c ...
, as opposed to the private ownership of an individual. Freehold land, which makes up only about 2% of the total, is land which was granted to foreigners before the U.S. took possession of the territory in 1900 and whose owners have not chosen to revert to native or individual land status. The American Samoa Code (Annotated) prohibits the transfer of ownership (whether by sale or otherwise) of any land other than freehold land to any person who has less than one-half native Samoan blood, which in this context includes both American and Western Samoa. In addition, it is prohibited to transfer ownership of any native (communal) land to any person who is not a full-blooded native Samoan: this includes any person who has any non-native blood whatsoever, even if they are more than one-half native Samoan. In ''Craddick v. Territorial Registrar'', 1 Am. Samoa 2d. 10, 14 (1980), the Appellate Division of the High Court of American Samoa held that while these laws created a classification based on race, they did not violate the guarantees of equal protection and due process contained in the U.S. Constitution and the Revised American Samoan Constitution. Given the cruciality of land ownership and the communal ownership structure to American Samoan culture, and the American Samoan government's vital and demonstrated interest in preserving Samoan land and culture, the Court found that the laws in question pursued a proper purpose rather than a discriminatory one, and, being necessary to achieve that purpose, were sufficiently justified and thus constitutional.


Official protest to naming of neighboring Samoa

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. Samoa had been known simply as Samoa in the United Nations since joining the organization in 1976. The neighboring U.S. territory of American Samoa protested the move, feeling that the change diminished its own Samoan identity. American Samoans still use the terms Western Samoa and Western Samoans."


Administrative divisions

American Samoa is administratively divided into three districts Western, Eastern and Manuʻaand two "unorganized" atolls,
Swains Island Swains Island (; Tokelauan: ''Olohega'' ; Samoan: ''Olosega'' ) is a remote coral atoll in the Tokelau Islands in the South Pacific Ocean. The island is the subject of an ongoing territorial dispute between Tokelau and the United States, whi ...
and the uninhabited
Rose Atoll Rose Atoll, sometimes called Rose Island or Motu O Manu ("Bird Island") by people of the nearby Manu'a Islands, is an oceanic atoll within the U.S. territory of American Samoa. An uninhabited wildlife refuge, it is the southernmost point belo ...
. The districts are subdivided into counties and villages. Pago Pago, often cited as the capital of American Samoa, is one of the largest villages and is located on the central part of Tutuila island in Maʻoputasi County.


Geography

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. Its total land area is —slightly larger than Washington, D.C.—consisting of five rugged,
volcanic islands Geologically, a high island or volcanic island is an island of volcanic origin. The term can be used to distinguish such islands from low islands, which are formed from sedimentation or the uplifting of coral reefs (which have often formed ...
and two coral atolls. The five volcanic islands are Tutuila, Aunuʻu, Ofu, Olosega, and Taʻū. The coral atolls are Swains and
Rose Atoll Rose Atoll, sometimes called Rose Island or Motu O Manu ("Bird Island") by people of the nearby Manu'a Islands, is an oceanic atoll within the U.S. territory of American Samoa. An uninhabited wildlife refuge, it is the southernmost point belo ...
. Of the seven islands, Rose Atoll is the only uninhabited one; it is a
Marine National Monument In the United States, a national monument is a protected area that can be created from any land owned or controlled by the federal government by proclamation of the President of the United States or an act of Congress. National monuments prot ...
. American Samoa is the southernmost reach of the United States at fourteen degrees below the
equator The equator is a circle of latitude, about in circumference, that divides Earth into the Northern and Southern hemispheres. It is an imaginary line located at 0 degrees latitude, halfway between the North and South poles. The term can als ...
. Due to its positioning in the South Pacific Ocean, it is frequently hit by tropical cyclones between November and April. Rose Atoll is the easternmost point of the territory. American Samoa's
Rose Atoll Rose Atoll, sometimes called Rose Island or Motu O Manu ("Bird Island") by people of the nearby Manu'a Islands, is an oceanic atoll within the U.S. territory of American Samoa. An uninhabited wildlife refuge, it is the southernmost point belo ...
is the southernmost point of the United States. American Samoa is home to the National Park of American Samoa. The highest mountains are:
Lata Mountain Lata Mountain is the summit of the island of Taʻū in the Manuʻa Islands. The summit of Lata Mountain the highest point in American Samoa.Brillat, Michael (1999). ''South Pacific Islands''. Hunter Publishing, Inc. Page 139. . See also *List o ...
( Taʻū), ; Matafao Peak, ; Piumafua ( Olosega), ; and Tumutumu ( Ofu), .
Mount Pioa Rainmaker Mountain (also known as Mount Pioa) is the name of a mountain located near Pago Pago, American Samoa on Tutuila Island. Rainmaker Mountain traps rain clouds and gives Pago Pago the highest annual rainfall of any harbor. The average annu ...
, nicknamed the Rainmaker, is . American Samoa is also home to some of the world's highest sea cliffs at . The
Vailuluʻu Vailuluu is a volcano, volcanic seamount discovered in 1975. It rises from the sea floor to a depth of and is located between Tau, American Samoa, Tau and Rose Atoll, Rose islands at the eastern end of the Samoa hotspot chain. The basaltic seam ...
seamount, an active submerged volcano, lies east of Taʻū in American Samoa. 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. Growing inside the
summit crater A volcanic crater is an approximately circular depression in the ground caused by volcanic activity. It is typically a bowl-shaped feature containing one or more vents. During volcanic eruptions, molten magma and volcanic gases rise from an unde ...
of Vailuluʻu is an active underwater volcanic cone, named after Samoa's goddess of war, Nafanua. American Samoa lies within two terrestrial ecoregions:
Samoan tropical moist forests The Samoan tropical moist forests are a tropical moist broadleaf forest ecoregion in the Samoan Islands of the Pacific Ocean. Approximately 30% of Samoa's biodiversity is endemic, found only in Samoa, with new species still being discovered in ...
and Western Polynesian tropical moist forests.


Climate

American Samoa has a tropical climate all year round with two distinct seasons, the wet and dry season. 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 all year round. The climate is warm, tropical, and humid, averaging around , with a variation of about during the year. The southern hemisphere winter, from June to September, is the coolest time of the year. The summer months of December to March bring hotter temperatures, while the months from April to November are considered the “dry” season. Throughout the year, however, rain follows clouds blown in by the trade winds that rise from the east almost daily. The mountains of the Pago Pago area, standing protectively over Pago Pago Harbor, catch these clouds, bringing an average of of rainfall per year.


Climate change


Economy

The economic health of American Samoa reflects the trends in other populated U.S. territories, which are in turn dependent on federal appropriations. Federal dollars enter the economy through congressional appropriations, categorical grants, Social Security payments, and payments to Samoans retired from the military. Tuna canning is the backbone of the American Samoa economy. Cannery employment and local auxiliary businesses provide additional revenues for the territorial government. In the mid-1960s, efforts began to develop a tourism industry in American Samoa. 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. Agriculture and fishing still provide sustenance for local families. 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. There are only a few
federal Federal or foederal (archaic) may refer to: Politics General *Federal monarchy, a federation of monarchies *Federation, or ''Federal state'' (federal system), a type of government characterized by both a central (federal) government and states or ...
employees in American Samoa and a few active duty military personnel, except members of the
U.S. Coast Guard The United States Coast Guard (USCG) is the maritime security, search and rescue, and law enforcement service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the country's eight uniformed services. The service is a maritime, military, multi ...
, military recruiters, and some Full-Time Support staff at the Pele Army Reserve unit that maintains the facility and provides cadre, training, and logistics support. The Pele US Army Reserve Center is in Tafuna, and a U.S. Army and United States Marine Corps recruiting station is in Nuʻuuli. There are six Army Reserve units at Pele: * Bravo Company, 100th Battalion, 442nd Infantry * Charlie Company, 100th Battalion, 442nd Infantry * 411th Forward Support Company (Engineer) * USAR Theater Support Group Detachment American Samoa * 1st Evacuation/Mortuary Platoon, 2nd Platoon, 962nd Quartermaster Company * 127th Chaplain Detachment The overwhelming majority of public sector employees work for the American Samoa territorial government. One tuna cannery is
StarKist StarKist Tuna is a brand of tuna produced by StarKist Co., an American company formerly based in Pittsburgh's North Shore that is now wholly owned by Dongwon Industries of South Korea. It was purchased by Dongwon from the American food manufactur ...
, which exports several hundred million dollars worth of canned tuna to the United States each year. In early 2007, the Samoan economy was highlighted in the Congress at the request of
Eni Faleomavaega Eni Fa'aua'a Hunkin Faleomavaega Jr. (; August 15, 1943 – February 22, 2017) was an American Samoan politician and attorney who served as the territory's lieutenant governor (1985-1989) and non-voting delegate to the United States House of Repr ...
, the Samoan delegate to the United States House of Representatives, as it was not mentioned in the
minimum wage A minimum wage is the lowest remuneration that employers can legally pay their employees—the price floor below which employees may not sell their labor. Most countries had introduced minimum wage legislation by the end of the 20th century. Bec ...
bill. It was given no exemption from the coming increases, which he protested as unfair to the Samoan economy. House Speaker
Nancy Pelosi Nancy Patricia Pelosi (; ; born March 26, 1940) is an American politician who has served as Speaker of the United States House of Representatives since 2019 and previously from 2007 to 2011. She has represented in the United States House of ...
initially granted his request for an exemption, but backed down after being accused of serving special interests, since tuna packing company Chicken of the Sea was based in her district. Samoa Packing, a Chicken of the Sea
subsidiary A subsidiary, subsidiary company or daughter company is a company owned or controlled by another company, which is called the parent company or holding company. Two or more subsidiaries that either belong to the same parent company or having a s ...
closed in 2009, citing both
minimum wage A minimum wage is the lowest remuneration that employers can legally pay their employees—the price floor below which employees may not sell their labor. Most countries had introduced minimum wage legislation by the end of the 20th century. Bec ...
increases and increasing foreign competition, with the latter as the "main reason". Minimum wage in Samoa has been the topic of much debate, with the Samoan government and Chamber of Commerce strongly opposed, while businesses and workers hold nuanced views. From 2002 to 2007, real GDP of American Samoa increased at an average annual rate of 0.4 percent. The annual growth rates of real GDP ranged from −2.9 percent to +2.1 percent. The volatility in the growth rates of real GDP was primarily accounted for by changes in the exports of canned tuna. The tuna canning industry was the largest private employer in American Samoa during this period. In 2017, GDP in American Samoa decreased by 5.8%, but in 2018 it increased by 2.2%. From 2002 to 2007, the population of American Samoa increased at an average annual rate of 2.3 percent, and real GDP per capita decreased at an average annual rate of 1.9 percent. Agricultural production serves as a cover for domestic needs and only a small share of fruits and vegetables are exported. According to figures as of 2013, the ratio between import and export is almost balanced. Many residents rely on transfer payments from relatives living on the mainland or from federal subsidies. The Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 has contained special provisions for American Samoa since its inception, citing its limited economy. American Samoan wages are based on the recommendations of a Special Industry Committee meeting bi-annually. Originally, the act contained provisions for other territories, provisions which were phased out as those territories developed more diverse economies. In 2007, the Fair Minimum Wage Act of 2007 was passed, increasing the minimum wage in American Samoa by 50¢ per hour in 2007 and another 50¢ per hour each year thereafter until the minimum wage in American Samoa equals the
federal minimum wage A minimum wage is the lowest remuneration that employers can legally pay their employees—the price floor below which employees may not sell their labor. Most countries had introduced minimum wage legislation by the end of the 20th century. Bec ...
of $7.25 per hour in the United States. In response to the minimum wage increase, the Chicken of the Sea tuna canning plant was shut down in 2009, and 2,041 employees were laid off in the process. The other major tuna canning plant in American Samoa is
StarKist StarKist Tuna is a brand of tuna produced by StarKist Co., an American company formerly based in Pittsburgh's North Shore that is now wholly owned by Dongwon Industries of South Korea. It was purchased by Dongwon from the American food manufactur ...
, 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. American Samoa Governor
Togiola Tulafono Togiola Talalelei A. Tulafono (born February 28, 1947) is an American Samoan politician and lawyer who served as the 6th Governor of American Samoa. He is a member of the Democratic Party. He had previously served as lieutenant governor, taking t ...
suggested that, rather than laying off minimum wage workers, the companies could reduce salaries and bonuses of top-tier employees. The unemployment rate was 29.8% in 2005, but improved to 23.8% . In 2020, American Samoa's GDP was $709million.American Samoa
World Bank.
Its GDP per capita (PPP) was $11,200 . Some aspects of
telecommunications in American Samoa This article is about communications systems in American Samoa. Telephone Main lines in use: 10,400 (2004) ''country comparison to the world:'' 202 Mobile cellular: 2,200 (2004) ''country comparison to the world:'' 210 Telephone system: ''domes ...
are, like other U.S. territories, inferior to that of the mainland United States; a recent estimate showed that American Samoa's Internet speed is slower than that of several Eastern European countries.


Taxation

As in other U.S. territories, the U.S. federal government imposes payroll taxes and the equivalent self-employment tax 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). Instead, the government of American Samoa itself taxes the worldwide income of its residents, as well as the income generated thereby nonresidents, largely under the same rules and rates as the U.S. tax code in effect in 2000, with certain modifications such as a minimum tax rate of 4%. A similar situation applies to corporations. In 1983, the use of citizenship in taxation by American Samoa (due to its incorporation of the U.S. tax code) was ruled unconstitutional. The U.S. federal government does not impose
estate Estate or The Estate may refer to: Law * Estate (law), a term in common law for a person's property, entitlements and obligations * Estates of the realm, a broad social category in the histories of certain countries. ** The Estates, representat ...
or
gift taxes A gift tax or known originally as inheritance tax is a tax imposed on the transfer of ownership of property during the giver's life. The United States Internal Revenue Service says that a gift is "Any transfer to an individual, either directly or ...
on property not located in the United States (states and District of Columbia) owned by residents of a U.S. territory (including American Samoa) who are not U.S. citizens or who acquired U.S. citizenship by birth or naturalization in that same U.S. territory. However, these taxes still apply to residents of a U.S. territory who acquired U.S. citizenship by birth or naturalization in a different part of the U.S. or by descent. It has been argued that this distinction based on place of birth, and not only residence or citizenship, is a rare case of unconstitutional tax discrimination, but it has never been challenged in court. The government of American Samoa itself does not impose estate or gift taxes. Unlike U.S. citizens, U.S. nationals without U.S. citizenship (the status of most American Samoans) who do not reside in the United States or any U.S. territory enjoy the unique combination of maintaining a U.S. passport and the right of return to the U.S. while not being subject to U.S. federal income tax on their non-U.S. income, or to U.S. federal estate or gift taxes on their non-U.S. property. U.S. citizens (or anyone) cannot acquire this status after birth. American Samoa does not impose a sales tax, but it imposes a general import tax of 8%. American Samoa is an independent customs territory, whose importation rules and taxes differ from those applicable to other parts of the United States.


Telecommunications

In 2012 Michael Calabrese, Daniel Calarco, and Colin Richardson stated that American Samoa had the most expensive internet of any U.S. territory and that the speeds were only slightly superior to those of dial-up internet in the U.S. Mainland in the 1990s. They also stated that many American Samoans are too poor to afford "high-speed internet".


Transportation

American Samoa has 150 miles (240km) of highways (estimated in 2008). The maximum speed limit is 30 miles per hour. Ports and harbors include Aunuʻu, Auasi,
Faleasao Faleāsao is a village in American Samoa American Samoa ( sm, Amerika Sāmoa, ; also ' or ') is an unincorporated territory of the United States located in the South Pacific Ocean, southeast of the island country of Samoa. Its location is c ...
, Ofu and Pago Pago. American Samoa has no railways. The territory has three airports, all of which have paved runways. The main airport is Pago Pago International Airport, on the island of Tutuila. The Manuʻa group has two airports: Ofu Airport on the island of Ofu, and Fitiuta Airport on the island of Taʻū. According to a 1999 estimate, the territory has no merchant marine. On June 8, 1922, the first bus service on Tutuila began its operations. There is currently a bus system in American Samoa called the ''ʻaiga'' bus system—it consists of buses that travel across the island of Tutuila.


Demographics

As of 2022, the population of American Samoa is estimated around 45,443 people. The 2020 census counted 49,710 people, 97.5% of whom lived on the largest island, Tutuila.Population of American Samoa: 2010 and 2020
U.S. Census Bureau.
About 57.6% of the population were born in American Samoa, 28.6% in independent Samoa, 6.1% in other parts of the United States, 4.5% in Asia, 2.9% in other parts of Oceania, and 0.2% elsewhere. At least 69% of the population had a parent born outside American Samoa.Selected social characteristics
2020 Decennial Census of the Island Areas, American Samoa demographic profile, U.S. Census Bureau.
American Samoa is small enough to have just one ZIP code, 96799, and uses the
U.S. Postal Service The United States Postal Service (USPS), also known as the Post Office, U.S. Mail, or Postal Service, is an independent agency of the executive branch of the United States federal government responsible for providing postal service in the U. ...
(state code "AS") for mail delivery.


Ethnicity and language

In the 2020 census, 89.4% of the population reported at least partial Samoan ethnicity, 83.2% only Samoan, 5.8% Asian, 5.5% other Pacific island ethnicities, 4.4% mixed, and 1.1% other ethnicities.General demographic characteristics
2020 Decennial Census of the Island Areas, American Samoa demographic profile, U.S. Census Bureau.
The
Samoan language Samoan ( or ; ) is a Polynesian language spoken by Samoans of the Samoan Islands. Administratively, the islands are split between the sovereign country of Samoa and the United States territory of American Samoa. It is an official language, alon ...
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 A wide variety of languages are spoken throughout Asia, comprising different language families and some unrelated isolates. The major language families include Austroasiatic, Austronesian, Caucasian, Dravidian, Indo-European, Afroasiatic, Turk ...
, and 0.5% spoke other languages; 47.2% of the population spoke English at home or "very well". In 2022, Samoan and English were designated as official languages of the territory. At least some of the deaf population use
Samoan Sign Language Samoan Sign Language is the deaf sign language of Samoa. Much Samoan Sign Language is based on Australian Sign Language, though there are local signs for Samoan food. It's not clear if this means Samoan Sign Language is related to Australian Si ...
.


Religion

Major
Christian denomination A Christian denomination is a distinct religious body within Christianity that comprises all church congregations of the same kind, identifiable by traits such as a name, particular history, organization, leadership, theological doctrine, worsh ...
s on the island include the
Congregational Christian Church in American Samoa The Congregational Christian Church of American Samoa (CCCAS) or the "Ekalesia Faapotopotoga Kerisiano i Amerika Samoa" (EFKAS) is a theologically Calvinist and congregational denomination in American Samoa. It was established in 1980 with Galea'i ...
, the Catholic Church, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and the Methodist Church of Samoa. Collectively, these churches account for the vast majority of the population.
J. Gordon Melton John Gordon Melton (born September 19, 1942) is an American religious scholar who was the founding director of the Institute for the Study of American Religion and is currently the Distinguished Professor of American Religious History with the Ins ...
in his book claims that the Methodists,
Congregationalists Congregational churches (also Congregationalist churches or Congregationalism) are Protestant churches in the Calvinist tradition practising congregationalist church governance, in which each congregation independently and autonomously runs its ...
with the London Missionary Society, and Roman Catholics led the first Christian missions to the islands. Other denominations arrived later, beginning in 1895 with the Seventh-day Adventists, various Pentecostals (including the
Assemblies of God The Assemblies of God (AG), officially the World Assemblies of God Fellowship, is a group of over 144 autonomous self-governing national groupings of churches that together form the world's largest Pentecostal denomination."Assemblies of God". ...
), Church of the Nazarene,
Jehovah's Witnesses Jehovah's Witnesses is a millenarian restorationist Christian denomination with nontrinitarian beliefs distinct from mainstream Christianity. The group reports a worldwide membership of approximately 8.7 million adherents involved in ...
and The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. CIA Factbook 2010 estimate shows the religious affiliations of American Samoa as 98.3%
Christian Christians () are people who follow or adhere to Christianity, a monotheistic Abrahamic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus Christ. The words ''Christ'' and ''Christian'' derive from the Koine Greek title ''Christós'' (Χρι ...
, other 1%, unaffiliated 0.7%. World Christian Database 2010 estimate shows the religious affiliations of American Samoa as 98.3% Christian, 0.7%
agnostic Agnosticism is the view or belief that the existence of God, of the divine or the supernatural is unknown or unknowable. (page 56 in 1967 edition) Another definition provided is the view that "human reason is incapable of providing sufficient ...
, 0.4% Chinese Universalist, 0.3% Buddhist and 0.3% followers of the Baháʼí Faith. According to
Pew Research Center The Pew Research Center is a nonpartisan American think tank (referring to itself as a "fact tank") based in Washington, D.C. It provides information on social issues, public opinion, and demographic trends shaping the United States and the w ...
, 98.3% of the total population is Christian. Among Christians, 59.5% are Protestant, 19.7% are Roman Catholic and 19.2% are other Christians. A major Protestant church on the island, gathering a substantial part of the local Protestant population, is the
Congregational Christian Church in American Samoa The Congregational Christian Church of American Samoa (CCCAS) or the "Ekalesia Faapotopotoga Kerisiano i Amerika Samoa" (EFKAS) is a theologically Calvinist and congregational denomination in American Samoa. It was established in 1980 with Galea'i ...
, a
Reformed Reform is beneficial change Reform may also refer to: Media * ''Reform'' (album), a 2011 album by Jane Zhang * Reform (band), a Swedish jazz fusion group * ''Reform'' (magazine), a Christian magazine *''Reforme'' ("Reforms"), initial name of the ...
denomination in the Congregationalist tradition. , The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints website claims a membership of 16,180 (one-quarter of American Samoa's entire population), with 41 congregations and four family history centers.
Jehovah's Witnesses Jehovah's Witnesses is a millenarian restorationist Christian denomination with nontrinitarian beliefs distinct from mainstream Christianity. The group reports a worldwide membership of approximately 8.7 million adherents involved in ...
claim 210 "ministers of the word" and three congregations.


Education

The island contains 23 primary schools. Of the ten
secondary school A secondary school describes an institution that provides secondary education and also usually includes the building where this takes place. Some secondary schools provide both '' secondary education, lower secondary education'' (ages 11 to 14) ...
s, five are operated by the
American Samoa Department of Education American Samoa Department of Education (ASDOE) operates public schools in American Samoa, an insular area of the United States. The public primary schools of the Eastern District includes the following: Matafao Elementary, Aua Elementary, Pago Ele ...
; the other five are either administered by
religious denominations A religious denomination is a subgroup within a religion that operates under a common name and tradition among other activities. The term refers to the various Christian denominations (for example, Eastern Orthodox, Catholic, and the many variet ...
or are privately owned.
American Samoa Community College American Samoa Community College (ASCC) is a public land-grant community college in the village of Mapusaga, American Samoa. Only legal residents of American Samoa who have graduated from high school or obtained a General Equivalency Diploma ...
, founded in 1970, provides post-secondary education on the islands. American Samoa was home to one high school as of 1961, which existed due to the matai's pressure on the naval governor to transform the old Marine barracks at Utulei into a school. The teenagers of well-off and more politically connected families attended the school, which would later be known as Samoana High School. With a median age of 15, the demand for more high schools was increasing, and three new high schools were established by 1968. Another two soon followed, and by 1979, 2,800 high school students were attending six public and private high schools in American Samoa. Looking for a cost-effective way for educational reformation, Governor
H. Rex Lee Hyrum Rex Lee (April 8, 1910 – July 26, 2001) was an American government employee and diplomat who was the last non-elected Governor of American Samoa. Lee served as governor from 1961 to 1967, and again briefly from 1977 to 1978. Governor Lee ...
introduced the public television system in 1964.


Culture

The Samoan culture has developed over 3,500 years and largely withstood interaction with European cultures. It was adapted well to the teachings of Christianity. The Samoan language is still in use in daily exchange; however, English is widely used and also the legal official language. Besides
Samoan language Samoan ( or ; ) is a Polynesian language spoken by Samoans of the Samoan Islands. Administratively, the islands are split between the sovereign country of Samoa and the United States territory of American Samoa. It is an official language, alon ...
classes and cultural courses, all instructions in public schools are in English. The basic unit of the American Samoa culture is the ''ʻaiga'' (family). It consists of both immediate and extended family. The ''matai'', or chief, is the head of the ʻaiga. The chief is the custodian of all ʻaiga properties. A village (nuʻu) is made up of several or many ʻaiga with a common or shared interest. Each ʻaiga is represented by their chief in the village councils.


Music


Sports

The main sports played in American Samoa are
football Football is a family of team sports that involve, to varying degrees, kicking a ball to score a goal. Unqualified, the word ''football'' normally means the form of football that is the most popular where the word is used. Sports commonly c ...
, Samoan cricket,
canoeing Canoeing is an activity which involves paddling a canoe with a single-bladed paddle. Common meanings of the term are limited to when the canoeing is the central purpose of the activity. Broader meanings include when it is combined with other acti ...
, yachting, basketball, golf, netball, tennis,
rugby Rugby may refer to: Sport * Rugby football in many forms: ** Rugby league: 13 players per side *** Masters Rugby League *** Mod league *** Rugby league nines *** Rugby league sevens *** Touch (sport) *** Wheelchair rugby league ** Rugby union: 1 ...
, table tennis, boxing, bowling, volleyball, and fishing tournaments. Some current and former sports clubs are the American Samoa Tennis Association, Rugby Unions, Lavalava Golf Club, and Gamefish Association. Leagues improved and organized better after the completion of the Veterans Memorial Stadium.Sunia, Fofo I.F. (2009). ''A History of American Samoa''. Amerika Samoa Humanities Council. . The
1997 South Pacific Mini Games The 1997 South Pacific Mini Games were held at Pago Pago in American Samoa from 11 to 22 August 1997. It was the fifth edition of the South Pacific Mini Games. It was much larger than previous editions, with an almost doubling of the number of me ...
were the biggest international event ever to take place in American Samoa. The bid to host the games for the 23 participating countries was approved in May 1993. In January 1994, Governor
A. P. Lutali Aifili Paulo Lauvao (December 24, 1919 – August 1, 2002), was twice governor of American Samoa (1985–1989, 1993–1997). The founder of the U.S territory's Democratic Party, he had a long career in the legislature and the judiciary in Amer ...
appointed Fuga Teleso to head the task force charged with game preparations, including the construction of a stadium. Groundbreaking was in January 1994. The Governor later handed the task force on preparations to Lieutenant Governor Togiola. The task force merged with the American Samoa National Olympics Committee to better coordinate and facilitate preparations. V.P. Willis Construction built the 1,500-seat stands. The Department of Public Safety trained its force for special games security. The opening ceremony became extravagant where the U.S. Army Reserve carried the torch from
Tula Tula may refer to: Geography Antarctica *Tula Mountains *Tula Point India *Tulā, a solar month in the traditional Indian calendar Iran * Tula, Iran, a village in Hormozgan Province Italy * Tula, Sardinia, municipality (''comune'') in the pr ...
and Leone. About 2,000 athletes, coaches, and sponsors attended from 19 countries and competed in 11 sports at the game. American Samoa fielded a team of 248 athletes. The team won 48 medals, 22 of which were gold medals, and American Samoa came in fourth overall in the ratings.
American Samoa Rotary Club American(s) may refer to: * American, something of, from, or related to the United States of America, commonly known as the "United States" or "America" ** Americans, citizens and nationals of the United States of America ** American ancestry, p ...
honored Fuga Tolani Teleso with the community's top award, the Paul Harris Fellowship Award, for his work on constructing the Veterans Memorial Stadium. In 1982, yachters competed in the Hobie World Championship held in Tahiti. American Samoa beat the Apia team by half a point and won the Samoa Cup. In 1983, a team coached by Dr. Adele Satele-Galeai brought home the winning trophy from the Regional women's volleyball tournament in Hawaii. Also in 1983, the South Pacific Games were held in Apia. American Samoa received 13 medals: four gold, four silver, and five bronze. That same year, three junior golfers made the cut out of 1,000 players to attend the World Junior Golf Tournament in San Diego, California. In 1987, American Samoa became the 167th member of the International Olympic Committee. The first South Pacific Junior Tennis Tournament was held at the Tafuna courts in January 1990. Tony Solaita was the first American Samoan to play in Major League Baseball. There are thirty players from American Samoa in the National Football League (NFL) as of 2015 and over 200 play Div. I NCAA Football. Some American Samoan NFL football players are Shalom Luani,
Junior Siavii Saousoalii Poe Siavii, Jr. ( ; November 14, 1978 – January 13, 2022) was an American football defensive tackle in the National Football League (NFL) for the Kansas City Chiefs, Dallas Cowboys, and Seattle Seahawks. He played college footbal ...
,
Jonathan Fanene Jonathan David Fanene (born March 19, 1982) is a former American football defensive end in the National Football League (NFL). He was drafted by the Cincinnati Bengals in the seventh round of the 2005 NFL Draft. He played college football at Co ...
,
Mosi Tatupu Mosiula Faasuka Tatupu (April 26, 1955 – February 23, 2010) was an American professional football player who was a running back for 14 seasons in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at the University of Southern Ca ...
, Shaun Nua, Isaac Sopoaga, and Daniel Te'o-Nesheim. After World War II, a Welfare and Recreation Department was created. This department arranged bowling, softball, badminton tournaments, basketball, and volleyball at various Tutuila locations. Boxing matches and dancing also became popular activities.


American football

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 College football (french: Football universitaire) refers to gridiron football played by teams of student athletes. It was through college football play that American football rules first gained popularity in the United States. Unlike most ...
. In recent years, it has been estimated that a Samoan male (either an American Samoan, or a Samoan living in the mainland United States) is anywhere from 40 to 56 times more likely to play in the NFL than a non-Samoan American, giving American Samoa the nickname "Football Islands". Samoans are the most disproportionately overrepresented ethnic group in the National Football League. Six-time All-Pro Junior Seau was one of the most famous Americans of Samoan heritage ever to play in the NFL, having been elected to the NFL 1990s All-Decade Team and Pro Football Hall of Fame.
Pittsburgh Steelers The Pittsburgh Steelers are a professional American football team based in Pittsburgh. The Steelers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the American Football Conference (AFC) North division. Founded in , the Steel ...
safety Troy Polamalu, though born and raised in the mainland United States, is another famous American of Samoan heritage to have played in the NFL, not having his hair cut since 2000 (and only because a
USC USC most often refers to: * University of South Carolina, a public research university ** University of South Carolina System, the main university and its satellite campuses **South Carolina Gamecocks, the school athletic program * University of ...
coach told him he had to) and wearing it down during games in honor of his heritage. The football culture was featured on ''
60 Minutes ''60 Minutes'' is an American television news magazine broadcast on the CBS television network. Debuting in 1968, the program was created by Don Hewitt and Bill Leonard, who chose to set it apart from other news programs by using a unique styl ...
'' on January 17, 2010. At the
2016 Republican National Convention The 2016 Republican National Convention, in which delegates of the United States Republican Party chose the party's nominees for president and vice president in the 2016 U.S. presidential election, was held July 18–21, 2016, at Quicken Lo ...
, American Samoa's delegation said American Samoa is "the greatest exporter of NFL players".


Football

The American Samoa national football team is one of the newest teams in the world and is also noted for being the world's weakest. They lost to
Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a Sovereign state, sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous List of islands of Australia, sma ...
31–0 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 2–1 in a FIFA World Cup qualifier. The appearance of American Samoa's
Jaiyah Saelua Jaiyah Tauasuesimeamativa Saelua (born July 19, 1988) is an American Samoan footballer who plays as a center back for the American Samoa national team. Saelua is a fa'afafine, a third gender present in Polynesian society.Gabriel Faatau'uu-Sat ...
in the contest "apparently became the first transgender player to compete on a World Cup stage". The American Samoan national team features in the highly rated 2014 British film ''Next Goal Wins''. The film documents the team's
2014 FIFA World Cup qualifying The 2014 FIFA World Cup qualification was a series of tournaments organised by the six FIFA confederations. The 2014 FIFA World Cup featured 32 teams, with one place reserved for the host nation, Brazil. The remaining 31 places were determined by ...
campaign, in which they achieved their first-ever international win. Saelua and Nicky Salapu, the man famous for being the goalkeeper during the team's 31–0 loss to Australia in 2001, feature prominently in the film. A feature film adaptation of the documentary was planned, to be directed by Taika Waititi.


Rugby league

The American Samoa national rugby league team represents the country in international rugby league. The team competed in the 1988, 1992, 1998 and 2004 Pacific Cup competitions. The team has also competed in the 2003 and 2004
World Sevens The SVNS, known as the HSBC SVNS for Naming rights, sponsorship reasons, is an annual series of international rugby sevens tournaments run by World Rugby featuring national sevens teams. Organised for the first time in the 1999–2000 season as ...
qualifiers in the 2005 World Sevens. America Samoa's first match in the international Rugby League was in the 1988 Pacific Cup against Tonga, Tonga won the match 38–14 which is still the biggest loss by an American Samoan side. American Samoa's biggest win was in 2004 against
New Caledonia ) , anthem = "" , image_map = New Caledonia on the globe (small islands magnified) (Polynesia centered).svg , map_alt = Location of New Caledonia , map_caption = Location of New Caledonia , mapsize = 290px , subdivision_type = Sovereign st ...
with a final score of 62–6. American Samoa gets broadcasts of the National Rugby League in Australia on free-to-air television. There is also a new movement that aims to set up a four-team domestic competition in American Samoa.


Rugby union

Rugby union is a growing sport in American Samoa. 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. The highest governing body of rugby in American Samoa is the
American Samoa Rugby Union The American Samoa Rugby Union, or ASRU, is the governing body for rugby union in American Samoa. It was established in 1990, and became fully affiliated to the International Rugby Board (IRB) in 2012. The ASRU is also a full member of the Federat ...
which was founded in 1990 and was not affiliated with the IRB until 2012. Internationally, two American Samoans have played for the New Zealand national rugby union team, known as the All Blacks.
Frank Solomon Frank Solomon (30 May 1906 – 21 December 1991) was an American-born New Zealand Rugby Union player. He has played national provincial rugby for Auckland and international rugby for the All Blacks. Considered a pacific pioneer in New Zealand r ...
(born in Pago Pago) became the first American national of Samoan descent to play for a New Zealand team. Considered a pacific pioneer in New Zealand rugby, Solomon scored a try against
Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a Sovereign state, sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous List of islands of Australia, sma ...
in the inaugural Bledisloe Cup match in 1932, which New Zealand won 21–13. The second American Samoan to play for the All Blacks is
Jerome Kaino Jerome Kaino (born 6 April 1983) is a former New Zealand rugby union player. In 2004, he was named IRB International Under-21 player of the year. In 2011, he was named the New Zealand Rugby player of the year, finishing ahead of Richie McCaw ...
(born in
Fagaʻalu Fagaalu is a village in central Tutuila Island, American Samoa. It is also known as Fagaalo. It is located on the eastern shore of Pago Pago Harbor, to the south of Pago Pago. American Samoa's lone hospital, Lyndon B. Johnson Tropical Medical ...
). A native of Leone, Kaino moved to New Zealand when he was four. In 2004, at age 21, he played his first match for New Zealand against the Barbarians where he scored his first try, contributing to New Zealand's 47–19 victory that resulted in him becoming a man of the match. He also played a crucial role in the Rugby World Cup 2011 playing every match in the tournament. He scored four tries in the event which led to New Zealand winning the final against France 8–7. Kaino was also a key member of the
2015 Rugby World Cup The 2015 Rugby World Cup was the eighth Rugby World Cup, the quadrennial rugby union world championship. The tournament was hosted by England from 18 September to 31 October. Of the 20 countries competing in the World Cup in 2011, there was onl ...
squad, where he played every match including a try he scored in the quarterfinals against France which New Zealand won 62–13. He scored again in the semifinals against South Africa, which New Zealand won 20–18. He played in the World Cup final against
Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a Sovereign state, sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous List of islands of Australia, sma ...
where New Zealand won again 34–17 to become world champions for a record three times (1987, 2011, and 2015). Kaino is one of twenty New Zealand rugby players to have won the Rugby World Cup twice, back to back in 2011 and 2015. 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.


Other sports

* Boxing:
Maselino Masoe Maselino Francis Masoe Fao (born June 6, 1966 in Apia, Western Samoa) is a retired Samoan boxer who represented American Samoa at three Olympics starting with the 1988 Summer Olympics. As a professional, Masoe made history becoming the first Sa ...
, who represented American Samoa in three consecutive
Olympics The modern Olympic Games or Olympics (french: link=no, Jeux olympiques) are the leading international sporting events featuring summer and winter sports competitions in which thousands of athletes from around the world participate in a var ...
from 1988 to 1996, was WBA middleweight champion from 2004 to 2006. * Professional wrestling: Several American Samoan athletes have been very visible in professional wrestling. The
Anoa'i family The Anoaʻi family ( ) is a family of professional wrestlers originating from American Samoa. Family members have comprised several tag teams and stables within a variety of promotions. Famous members of the family include Rosey, WWE Hall of Fam ...
in particular has had many of its members employed by WWE. * Sumo wrestling: Some Samoan
Sumo is a form of competitive full-contact wrestling where a ''rikishi'' (wrestler) attempts to force his opponent out of a circular ring (''dohyō'') or into touching the ground with any body part other than the soles of his feet (usually by thr ...
wrestlers, most famously Musashimaru and Konishiki, have reached the highest ranks of '' ōzeki'' and '' yokozuna''. * Track and field: Hammer thrower
Lisa Misipeka Lisa Vasa Misipeka (born January 3, 1975) is an American Samoan athlete who specialises in the hammer throw. She was the first woman to represent American Samoa at the Olympics. She won the bronze medal at the 1999 World Championships in Athleti ...
attracted international attention by winning a bronze medal in the
1999 World Championships in Athletics The 7th World Championships in Athletics, a World Athletic Championships event held under the auspices of the International Association of Athletics Federations, were held at the Estadio Olímpico, Seville, Spain, between the August 20 and Augu ...
.


Recreation

A team from the Bureau of Outdoor Recreation conducted a parks survey on American Samoa in the 1960s. Their team recommended sites at
Cape Taputapu Cape Taputapu (Samoan: Tolotolo i Taputapu) is the name of a cape located in the Western District of American Samoa. Located in Tutuila, it is the island's westernmost point. The cape was designated as a National Natural Landmark in 1972. Cape T ...
, Leʻala at Vailoatai, Aʻoloau Fou (the plateau), Matautuloa Point, Nuʻuuli, Matafao Peak, Pago Pago,
Vaiʻava Strait Vaiava Strait (Samoan: ) is a narrow strait in Vatia, American Samoa which separates the Pola Island (Cock's Comb) from Polauta Ridge on adjacent Tutuila Island. The strait is a good example of cliffs formed by the erosional forces of waves on vol ...
, Anasosopo, ʻAoa, Cape Matautuloa, and Aunuʻu Island. After an initial objection, Secretary Leʻiato gave his support and was appointed Chairman of the Territorial Parks and Recreation Committee. The first field meeting for a parkland acquisition was held between Judge Morrow on behalf of the government and the village council of
Vatia The gens Servilia was a patrician family at ancient Rome. The gens was celebrated during the early ages of the Republic, and the names of few gentes appear more frequently at this period in the consular Fasti. It continued to produce men of inf ...
to make the
Pola Island Pola Island (Samoan: ''Motu o Pola'') is an island just offshore from the village of Vatia on Tutuila Island in American Samoa. It is also known as Cockscomb.Goldin, Meryl Rose (2002). ''Field Guide to the Samoan Archipelago: Fish, Wildlife, an ...
area a public park. The dredge ''Palolo'' was hired from Upolu in January 1966 in order to dredge sand for Utulei Beach. A specialist in beach developments, Ala Varone of the Army, directed the project. The centerpiece of the park was to be at the head of Pago Pago Harbor, where it proposed a 13-acre site created by the dredge. The park would have facilities for sports and recreation as well as facilities for boats and the growing number of Asian immigrants arriving from Korea, Japan, and China. The Department of Parks and Recreation was created by law in 1980 and the Parks Commission was also established. In 1981, Governor Peter Tali Coleman appointed Fuga Tolani Teleso as Director of Parks and Recreation. On May 25, 1984, a groundbreaking ceremony was held at the Onesosopo reclamation to initiate work on the first park in the Eastern District. At the urging of Dr. Paul Cox, High Chief Nafanua of Falealupo, and the Bat Preservers Association, Congressman
Fofō Iosefa Fiti Sunia Fofó Iosefa Fiti Sunia (born March 13, 1937) was the first non-voting Delegate from American Samoa to the United States House of Representatives. He was born in Fagasā, Pago Pago, and attended the University of Hawaii. Sunia was the administr ...
introduced a bill in 1984 which would enter American Samoa into the Federal Fish and Wildlife Restoration Act. The purpose of the bill was to protect the ancient paleotropical rainforests and the Flying fox megabat. The signing marked the beginning of American Samoa's entry into the U.S. National Park System. In July 1987, the National Park Service began establishing a federal park, the National Park of American Samoa. An initial appropriation of $400,000 was made in 1989. It contains one of the world's most remarkable rainforest and coastal reef ecologies and spreads across three islands. One of the most popular sites on
Tutuila Island Tutuila is the main island of American Samoa (and its largest), and is part of the archipelago of Samoan Islands. It is the third largest island in the Samoan Islands chain of the Central Pacific. It is located roughly northeast of Brisbane, Au ...
include Pola Rock, a rise of sheer rock formations that protrudes over 400feet (120m) above the ocean's surface. It is located off the shores of
Vatia The gens Servilia was a patrician family at ancient Rome. The gens was celebrated during the early ages of the Republic, and the names of few gentes appear more frequently at this period in the consular Fasti. It continued to produce men of inf ...
. On September 19, 1991, Governor Peter Tali Coleman and
Department of the Interior The United States Department of the Interior (DOI) is one of the executive departments of the U.S. federal government headquartered at the Main Interior Building, located at 1849 C Street NW in Washington, D.C. It is responsible for the mana ...
secretary
Manuel Lujan Manuel Archibald Lujan Jr. (May 12, 1928 – April 25, 2019) was an American politician from New Mexico who served in the U.S. House of Representatives as a Republican from 1969 to 1989 and as the United States Secretary of the Interior from 1 ...
signed leases formalizing the establishment of the fiftieth U.S. National Park. The ASG Parks and Recreation oversees the maintenance of all public parks, including the
Amanave Amanave ( sm, Āmanave) is a village on the coast of Tutuila Island, American Samoa. It is located close to the island's western tip, Cape Taputapu, and to the south of the village of Poloa. It is located in Lealataua County, American Samoa, Leala ...
Mini Park, Lions Park in Tafuna, Onesosopo Park in Aua, Malaloa Mini Park,
Fagaʻalu Fagaalu is a village in central Tutuila Island, American Samoa. It is also known as Fagaalo. It is located on the eastern shore of Pago Pago Harbor, to the south of Pago Pago. American Samoa's lone hospital, Lyndon B. Johnson Tropical Medical ...
Park,
Tia Seu Lupe Tia Seu Lupe is a historical site at Fatuoaiga, American Samoa, which is maintained by the American Samoa Department of Parks and Recreation. The Tia Seu Lupe Historic Monument was dedicated by Governor Peter Tali Coleman in May 1990. It is locate ...
historical site at Fatuoaiga, Pago Pago Park, Pago Pago Tennis Courts, the Little League Softball Field, Tony Solaʻita Baseball Field, Solo Ridge at the Utulei Tramway, Utulei Beach Park and Suʻigaulaoleatuvasa in Utulei. American Samoa has seven areas designated as National Natural Landmarks on Tutuila Island. This program is administrated by the U.S. National Park Service and the areas contain unique ecological or geological features. Except
Vaiʻava Strait Vaiava Strait (Samoan: ) is a narrow strait in Vatia, American Samoa which separates the Pola Island (Cock's Comb) from Polauta Ridge on adjacent Tutuila Island. The strait is a good example of cliffs formed by the erosional forces of waves on vol ...
, none of the areas are within the National Park of American Samoa.Goldin, Meryl Rose (2002).'' Field Guide to the Samoan Archipelago: Fish, Wildlife, and Protected Areas''. Bess Press. . American Samoa's seven National Natural Landmarks (NNL) were designated in 1972: *
Cape Taputapu Cape Taputapu (Samoan: Tolotolo i Taputapu) is the name of a cape located in the Western District of American Samoa. Located in Tutuila, it is the island's westernmost point. The cape was designated as a National Natural Landmark in 1972. Cape T ...
* Fogāmaʻa Crater * Matafao Peak * Leʻala Shoreline * Rainmaker Mountain *
Vaiʻava Strait Vaiava Strait (Samoan: ) is a narrow strait in Vatia, American Samoa which separates the Pola Island (Cock's Comb) from Polauta Ridge on adjacent Tutuila Island. The strait is a good example of cliffs formed by the erosional forces of waves on vol ...
* Aunuʻu Island


Wildlife

Notable terrestrial species include the Pacific tree boa and the
Samoa flying fox The Samoa flying fox or Samoan flying fox (''Pteropus samoensis'') is a species of flying fox in the family Pteropodidae. It is found in American Samoa, Fiji, and Samoa (where it is known as ''pe'a'' and ''pe'a vao''). Its natural habitat is sub ...
, which has a three-foot wingspread. Two snake species can be found in American Samoa: The
Brahminy blind snake ''Indotyphlops braminus'', commonly known as the brahminy blind snake and other names, is a non-venomous blind snake species found mostly in Africa and Asia, but has been introduced in many other parts of the world. They are completely fossorial ...
is found on Tutuila, while the Pacific tree boa occurs on Taʻū. The islands are home to five species of geckos: Pacific slender-toed gecko,
Oceanic gecko ''Gehyra oceanica'', also known as the Oceania gecko or Pacific dtella, is a species of gecko in the genus ''Gehyra''. The larger ''Gehyra vorax'' (voracious gecko) of Fiji, Vanuatu and New Guinea has sometimes been included in this species, but i ...
,
Mourning gecko ''Lepidodactylus lugubris'', known as the mourning gecko or common smooth-scaled gecko, is a species of lizard, a gecko of the family Gekkonidae. Description ''Lepidodactylus lugubris'' measure 8.5-10 cm in length including tail (4-4.4 cm snou ...
,
Stump-toed gecko ''Gehyra mutilata'', also known commonly as the common four-clawed gecko, Pacific gecko, stump-toed gecko, sugar gecko in Indonesia, tender-skinned house gecko, and ''butiki'' in Filipino, is a species of lizard in the family Gekkonidae. The spe ...
, and House gecko.Natural History Guide to American Samoa
National Park Service, 2009.
Turtles include the threatened
Green sea turtle The green sea turtle (''Chelonia mydas''), also known as the green turtle, black (sea) turtle or Pacific green turtle, is a species of large sea turtle of the family Cheloniidae. It is the only species in the genus ''Chelonia''. Its range exten ...
and the endangered
Hawksbill sea turtle The hawksbill sea turtle (''Eretmochelys imbricata'') is a critically endangered sea turtle belonging to the family Cheloniidae. It is the only extant species in the genus ''Eretmochelys''. The species has a global distribution, that is largel ...
. Hawksbill sea turtles tend to nest on Tutuila beaches, while the Green sea turtle is most common on
Rose Atoll Rose Atoll, sometimes called Rose Island or Motu O Manu ("Bird Island") by people of the nearby Manu'a Islands, is an oceanic atoll within the U.S. territory of American Samoa. An uninhabited wildlife refuge, it is the southernmost point belo ...
. Tutuila has the highest number of nesting turtles, consisting of around fifty nesting females per year. American Samoa is home to one species of amphibian: the Cane toad. Biologists estimate that there are over two million toads on Tutuila. 915 nearshore fish species have been recorded in American Samoa, compared to only 460 nearshore fish species in Hawaii. With over 950 species of native fish and 250 coral species, American Samoa has the greatest marine biodiversity in the United States.


Fruit bats

Megabats are the only native mammal in American Samoa. The islands are home to two species of fruit bats:
Pacific flying fox The insular flying fox or Pacific flying fox (''Pteropus tonganus'') is a species of flying fox in the family Pteropodidae. It is geographically widespread, the most widespread flying fox in the Pacific: it is found in American Samoa, the Cook I ...
and
Samoa flying fox The Samoa flying fox or Samoan flying fox (''Pteropus samoensis'') is a species of flying fox in the family Pteropodidae. It is found in American Samoa, Fiji, and Samoa (where it is known as ''pe'a'' and ''pe'a vao''). Its natural habitat is sub ...
. The Sheath-tailed bat is another species found here, which is a smaller insect-eating bat. In 1992, the American Samoa Government banned the hunting of fruit bats to help their populations recover. The Samoa flying fox is only found in
Fiji Fiji ( , ,; fj, Viti, ; Fiji Hindi: फ़िजी, ''Fijī''), officially the Republic of Fiji, is an island country in Melanesia, part of Oceania in the South Pacific Ocean. It lies about north-northeast of New Zealand. Fiji consists ...
and the Samoan Islands. From 1995 to 2000, the population of Samoa flying fox remained stable at about 900 animals on Tutuila, and 100 in the Manuʻa Islands. As of the year 2000, scientists from the American Samoa Department of Marine and Wildlife Resource estimated that there are fewer than 5,500 Pacific flying foxes in American Samoa, and an estimated 900 or fewer Samoa flying foxes. The best and biggest known
roost Roost may refer to: Animal resting * Roosting, resting behavior of birds * Communal roosting, a behavior of some birds and other animals * Monarch butterfly roosts, communal resting sites in monarch butterfly migration * Bat roost, a list of pla ...
on Tutuila Island for the Sheath-tailed bat is in the Anapeʻape Cove near Āfono.
Amalau Valley Amalau is the name of a valley and a bay within the National Park of American Samoa. Amalau Valley is located between Vatia and Afono, and it is an isolated valley with various wildlife such as large numbers of native bird species and flying fox m ...
on Tutuila's north coast offers great roadside views of many bird species and both species of fruit bat. The valley has been called a prime bird- and bat-watching area.


Avifauna

Sixteen of the Samoan Islands' 34 bird species are found nowhere else on Earth. This includes the critically endangered tooth-billed pigeon. Four species of birds are only found in the Manuʻa Islands and not on Tutuila. These include American Samoa's only parrot, the
blue-crowned Lory The blue-crowned lorikeet (''Vini australis''), also known as the blue-crowned lory, blue-crested lory, Solomon lory or Samoan lory, is a parrot found throughout the Lau Islands (Fiji), Tonga, Samoa, Niue and adjacent islands, including: ʻAlofi, ...
. Other special birds to Manuʻa are the
lesser shrikebill The Fiji shrikebill (''Clytorhynchus vitiensis'') is a songbird species in the family Monarchidae. It is found in American Samoa, Fiji, and Tonga. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests. Taxonomy and systematics T ...
and the
friendly ground-dove The Tongan ground dove (''Pampusana stairi''), also known as the shy ground dove or friendly ground dove, is a species of bird in the family Columbidae. It is found in American Samoa, Fiji, Samoa, Tonga and Wallis and Futuna Islands. Its natural ...
. The
spotless crake The spotless crake (''Zapornia tabuensis'') is a species of bird in the rail family, Rallidae. It is widely distributed species occurring from the Philippines, New Guinea and Australia, across the southern Pacific Ocean to the Marquesas Islands a ...
has only been observed on Taʻū Island. There are more species of birds than all species of reptiles, mammals and amphibians combined. Native land birds include two honeyeaters:
cardinal honeyeater The cardinal myzomela (''Myzomela cardinalis'') is a species of bird in the honeyeater family Meliphagidae. It is named for the scarlet color of the male. It is found in American Samoa, New Caledonia, Samoa, Solomon Islands, and Vanuatu, as wel ...
and
wattled honeyeater The wattled honeyeaters make up a genus (''Foulehaio'') of birds in the family Meliphagidae. It contains the following species: Foulehaio, * Birds of the Pacific Ocean,   Taxa named by Ludwig Reichenbach {{Meliphagidae-stub ...
. Cardinal honeyeaters only occur on Tutuila Island. The only endemic land bird to American Samoa is the Samoan starling. Four pigeons are native to American Samoa:
Pacific imperial pigeon The Pacific imperial pigeon (''Ducula pacifica'') is a widespread species of pigeon in the family Columbidae. It is found in American Samoa, the Cook Islands, the smaller islands of eastern Fiji, Kiribati, Niue, the smaller satellite islands of ...
, many-colored fruit dove,
white-capped fruit dove The white-capped fruit dove (''Ptilinopus dupetithouarsii'') is a species of bird in the family Columbidae. It was described by French naturalist and surgeon Adolphe-Simon Neboux in 1840. It is endemic to the Marquesas Islands in French Polynes ...
, and
shy ground dove The Tongan ground dove (''Pampusana stairi''), also known as the shy ground dove or friendly ground dove, is a species of bird in the family Columbidae. It is found in American Samoa, Fiji, Samoa, Tonga and Wallis and Futuna Islands. Its natural ...
. The local government banned all pigeon hunting in 1992. The many-colored fruit dove is one of the rarest birds that nest on Tutuila. Studies in the 1980s estimated their population size at Tutuila to be only around 80 birds.
Amalau Valley Amalau is the name of a valley and a bay within the National Park of American Samoa. Amalau Valley is located between Vatia and Afono, and it is an isolated valley with various wildlife such as large numbers of native bird species and flying fox m ...
has been described as the best place in American Samoa to observe the many-colored fruit dove.Watling, Dick and Dieter R. Rinke (2001). ''A Guide to the Birds of Fiji and Western Polynesia, Including American Samoa, Niue, Samoa, Tokelau, Tonga, Tuvalu and Wallis & Futuna''. Environmental Consultants. p. 246. . The offshore islet of
Pola Island Pola Island (Samoan: ''Motu o Pola'') is an island just offshore from the village of Vatia on Tutuila Island in American Samoa. It is also known as Cockscomb.Goldin, Meryl Rose (2002). ''Field Guide to the Samoan Archipelago: Fish, Wildlife, an ...
near
Vatia The gens Servilia was a patrician family at ancient Rome. The gens was celebrated during the early ages of the Republic, and the names of few gentes appear more frequently at this period in the consular Fasti. It continued to produce men of inf ...
is a nesting site for many seabird species and an excellent area to observe seabirds. The Pola region of Vatia and
Rose Atoll Rose Atoll, sometimes called Rose Island or Motu O Manu ("Bird Island") by people of the nearby Manu'a Islands, is an oceanic atoll within the U.S. territory of American Samoa. An uninhabited wildlife refuge, it is the southernmost point belo ...
are the only places in American Samoa where there are breeding colonies of
red-footed boobies The red-footed booby (''Sula sula'') is a large seabird of the booby family, Sulidae. Adults always have red feet, but the colour of the plumage varies. They are powerful and agile fliers, but they are clumsy in takeoffs and landings. They are f ...
.Faiʻivae, Alex Godinet (2018). ''Ole Manuō o Tala Tuʻu Ma Fisaga o Tala Ave''. Amerika Samoa Humanities Council. p. 59. . Birds that depend on freshwater habitat include the Pacific reef heron and Pacific black duck, the Samoan Islands' only species of duck. The largest wetland areas are the pala lagoons in Nuʻuuli and Leone as well as Pala Lake on Aunuʻu Island.


See also

*
Index of American Samoa-related articles Index (or its plural form indices) may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Fictional entities * Index (''A Certain Magical Index''), a character in the light novel series ''A Certain Magical Index'' * The Index, an item on a Halo megastru ...
* List of lakes in American Samoa *
List of National Natural Landmarks in American Samoa This is a list of National Natural Landmarks (NNL) in American Samoa. All locations are on communally owned lands. {{DEFAULTSORT:National Natural Landmarks in American Samoa * American Samoa American Samoa ( sm, Amerika Sāmoa, ; also ...
*
List of people from American Samoa This is a list of notable people from American Samoa. Arts and crafts * Mary Jewett Pritchard was a master siapo (tapa cloth) maker and teacher. * Sven Ortquist was a master wood carver. * Reggie Meredith-Fitiao is an expert in siapo and professor ...
* National Register of Historic Places listings in American Samoa *
Outline of American Samoa The following outline is provided as an overview of and topical guide to American Samoa: American Samoa – unincorporated territory located in the South Pacific Ocean southeast of the Independent State of Samoa. The main (largest and mo ...
* Polynesia


Notes


References


Further reading

* Ellison, Joseph (1938). ''Opening and Penetration of Foreign Influence in Samoa to 1880''. Corvallis: Oregon State College. * Sunia, Fofo (1988). ''The Story of the Legislature of American Samoa''. Pago Pago: American Samoa Legislature. * Meti, Lauofo (2002). ''Samoa: The Making of the Constitution''. Apia: Government of Samoa.


External links


AmericanSamoa.gov
– official government website
Samoan Bios
* *
NOAA's National Weather Service – American Samoa


Country data


American Samoa
'' The World Factbook''. Central Intelligence Agency.
American Samoa
national profile from the Association of Religion Data Archives. {{coord, 14.3, S, 170.7, W, region:AS_type:isle, display=title Geography of Polynesia Island countries English-speaking countries and territories Insular areas of the United States States and territories established in 1899 Small Island Developing States 1899 establishments in Oceania Archipelagoes of the United States