Alao is a
village
A village is a human settlement or community, larger than a hamlet but smaller than a town with a population typically ranging from a few hundred to a few thousand. Although villages are often located in rural areas, the term urban v ...
on the narrow east coast of
Tutuila Island
Tutuila is the largest and most populous island of American Samoa and is part of the archipelago of the Samoan Islands. It is the third largest island in the Samoan Islands chain of the Pacific Ocean, Central Pacific. It is located roughly north ...
,
American Samoa
American Samoa is an Territories of the United States, unincorporated and unorganized territory of the United States located in the Polynesia region of the Pacific Ocean, South Pacific Ocean. Centered on , it is southeast of the island count ...
. It is located close to the island's easternmost point, just to the north of
Aunu'u Island. Alao is home to white sand beaches, and is one of the oldest settlements in all of American Samoa. It is located in
Vaifanua County, American Samoa
Vaifanua County is a Administrative divisions of American Samoa, county in the Eastern District, American Samoa, Eastern District in American Samoa.
Vaifanua and Sua County, Sua counties are both ruled by the Le’iato family, one branch of which ...
.
The village gained international attention in 2005 when the village council moved to ban Asian-owned businesses within village boundaries. Its ranking chief, Sogimaletavai Leo, told reporters that the village wanted to protect small Samoan-owned businesses. He also explained that it has been an increased number of Asian-owned stores popping up in neighboring villages on the island's east end.
Olomoana Hill behind Alao is one of very few places in Tutuila where
trachyte
Trachyte () is an extrusive igneous rock composed mostly of alkali feldspar. It is usually light-colored and aphanite, aphanitic (fine-grained), with minor amounts of mafic minerals, and is formed by the rapid cooling of lava (or shallow intrus ...
occurs.
A chapel of
the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) is located in town.
History
In the late 19th century, the village of Alao became the first foothold for the LDS Church on Tutuila Island.
Demographics
Geography
Alao is situated near the southeastern tip of
Tutuila Island
Tutuila is the largest and most populous island of American Samoa and is part of the archipelago of the Samoan Islands. It is the third largest island in the Samoan Islands chain of the Pacific Ocean, Central Pacific. It is located roughly north ...
, where the hamlet of
Utumea is located. There is a white sand beach that stretches the whole length of the village of Alao.
Notable people
*
Jack Thompson, entrepreneur.
[Sutter, Frederic Koehler (1989). ''The Samoans: A Global Family''. ]University of Hawai'i Press
A university () is an institution of tertiary education and research which awards academic degrees in several academic disciplines. ''University'' is derived from the Latin phrase , which roughly means "community of teachers and scholars". Univ ...
. Page 191.
References
External links
{{AmericanSamoa-geo-stub
Villages in American Samoa