American Samoa (2001) | Christmas Island (2004) | |
Administrative divisions | none (territory of the US); there are no first-order administrative divisions as defined by the US Government, but there are three districts and two islands* at the second order; Eastern, Manu'a, Rose Island*, Swains Island*, Western | none (territory of Australia) |
Age structure | 0-14 years:
38.44% (male 13,278; female 12,512) 15-64 years: 56.57% (male 18,784; female 19,163) 65 years and over: 4.99% (male 1,779; female 1,568) (2001 est.) |
0-14 years: NA
15-64 years: NA 65 years and over: NA (2004 est.) |
Agriculture - products | bananas, coconuts, vegetables, taro, breadfruit, yams, copra, pineapples, papayas; dairy products, livestock | NA |
Airports | 4 (2000 est.) | 1 (2003 est.) |
Airports - with paved runways | total:
2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2000 est.) |
total: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2004 est.) |
Airports - with unpaved runways | total:
2 under 914 m: 2 (2000 est.) |
- |
Area | total:
199 sq km land: 199 sq km water: 0 sq km note: includes Rose Island and Swains Island |
total: 135 sq km
land: 135 sq km water: 0 sq km |
Area - comparative | slightly larger than Washington, DC | about three-quarters the size of Washington, DC |
Background | Settled as early as 1000 B. C., Samoa was "discovered" by European explorers in the 18th century. International rivalries in the latter half of the 19th century were settled by an 1899 treaty in which Germany and the US divided the Samoan archipelago. The US formally occupied its portion - a smaller group of eastern islands with the excellent harbor of Pago Pago - the following year. | Named in 1643 for the day of its discovery, the island was annexed and settlement was begun by the UK in 1888. Phosphate mining began in the 1890s. The UK transferred sovereignty to Australia in 1958. Almost two-thirds of the island has been declared a national park. |
Birth rate | 24.88 births/1,000 population (2001 est.) | NA births/1,000 population (2004 est.) |
Budget | revenues:
$121 million (37% in local revenue and 63% in US grants) expenditures: $127 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (FY96/97) |
revenues: NA
expenditures: NA, including capital expenditures of NA |
Capital | Pago Pago | The Settlement |
Climate | tropical marine, moderated by southeast trade winds; annual rainfall averages about 3 m; rainy season from November to April, dry season from May to October; little seasonal temperature variation | tropical with a wet and dry season; heat and humidity moderated by trade winds; wet season December to April |
Coastline | 116 km | 80 km |
Constitution | ratified 1966, in effect 1967 | NA |
Country name | conventional long form:
Territory of American Samoa conventional short form: American Samoa abbreviation: AS |
conventional long form: Territory of Christmas Island
conventional short form: Christmas Island |
Currency | US dollar (USD) | Australian dollar (AUD) |
Death rate | 4.31 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.) | NA deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.) |
Debt - external | $NA | NA |
Dependency status | unincorporated and unorganized territory of the US; administered by the Office of Insular Affairs, US Department of the Interior | territory of Australia; administered by the Australian Department of Transport and Regional Services |
Diplomatic representation from the US | none (territory of the US) | none (territory of Australia) |
Diplomatic representation in the US | none (territory of the US) | none (territory of Australia) |
Disputes - international | none | none |
Economic aid - recipient | important financial support from the US, more than $40 million in 1994 | NA |
Economy - overview | This is a traditional Polynesian economy in which more than 90% of the land is communally owned. Economic activity is strongly linked to the US, with which American Samoa conducts the great bulk of its foreign trade. Tuna fishing and tuna processing plants are the backbone of the private sector, with canned tuna the primary export. Transfers from the US Government add substantially to American Samoa's economic well-being. Attempts by the government to develop a larger and broader economy are restrained by Samoa's remote location, its limited transportation, and its devastating hurricanes. Tourism, a developing sector, has been held back by the recurring financial difficulties in East Asia. | Phosphate mining had been the only significant economic activity, but in December 1987 the Australian Government closed the mine. In 1991, the mine was reopened. With the support of the government, a $34 million casino opened in 1993. The casino closed in 1998. The Australian Government in 2001 agreed to support the creation of a commercial space-launching site on the island, projected to begin operations in mid-2004 |
Electricity - consumption | 120.9 million kWh (1999) | NA kWh |
Electricity - exports | 0 kWh (1999) | - |
Electricity - imports | 0 kWh (1999) | - |
Electricity - production | 130 million kWh (1999) | NA kWh |
Electricity - production by source | fossil fuel:
100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (1999) |
- |
Elevation extremes | lowest point:
Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: Lata 966 m |
lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
highest point: Murray Hill 361 m |
Environment - current issues | limited natural fresh water resources; the water division of the government has spent substantial funds in the past few years to improve water catchments and pipelines | NA |
Ethnic groups | Samoan (Polynesian) 89%, Caucasian 2%, Tongan 4%, other 5% | Chinese 70%, European 20%, Malay 10%
note: no indigenous population (2001) |
Exchange rates | the US dollar is used | Australian dollars per US dollar - 1.5419 (2003), 1.9354 (2002), 1.9320 (2001), 1.7173(2000), 1.5497 (1999) |
Executive branch | chief of state:
President George W. BUSH of the US (since 20 January 2001) and Vice President Richard B. CHENEY (since 20 January 2001) head of government: Governor Tauese P. SUNIA (since 3 January 1997) and Lieutenant Governor Togiola TULAFONO (since 3 January 1997) cabinet: NA elections: US president and vice president elected on the same ticket for four-year terms; governor and lieutenant governor elected on the same ticket by popular vote for four-year terms; election last held 7 November 2000 (next to be held NA November 2004) election results: Tauese P. SUNIA reelected governor; percent of vote - Tauese P. SUNIA (Democrat) 50.7%, Lealaifuaneva Peter REID (independent) 47.8% |
chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by the Australian governor general
head of government: Administrator Evan WILLIAMS (since 1 November 2003) elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; administrator appointed by the governor general of Australia and represents the monarch and Australia |
Exports | $500 million (1998) | NA |
Exports - commodities | canned tuna 93% | phosphate |
Exports - partners | US 99.6% | Australia, NZ |
Fiscal year | 1 October - 30 September | 1 July - 30 June |
Flag description | blue, with a white triangle edged in red that is based on the outer side and extends to the hoist side; a brown and white American bald eagle flying toward the hoist side is carrying two traditional Samoan symbols of authority, a staff and a war club | the flag of Australia is used; note - in early 1986, the Christmas Island Assembly held a design competition for an island flag, however, the winning design has never been formally adopted as the official flag of the territory |
GDP | purchasing power parity - $500 million (2000 est.) | purchasing power parity - NA |
GDP - composition by sector | agriculture:
NA% industry: NA% services: NA% |
agriculture: NA
industry: NA services: NA |
GDP - per capita | purchasing power parity - $8,000 (2000 est.) | purchasing power parity - NA |
GDP - real growth rate | NA% | NA |
Geographic coordinates | 14 20 S, 170 00 W | 10 30 S, 105 40 E |
Geography - note | Pago Pago has one of the best natural deepwater harbors in the South Pacific Ocean, sheltered by shape from rough seas and protected by peripheral mountains from high winds; strategic location in the South Pacific Ocean | located along major sea lanes of Indian Ocean |
Highways | total:
350 km paved: 150 km unpaved: 200 km |
total: 240 km
paved: 30 km unpaved: 210 km (2000) |
Household income or consumption by percentage share | lowest 10%:
NA% highest 10%: NA% |
lowest 10%: NA
highest 10%: NA |
Imports | $471 million (1996) | NA |
Imports - commodities | materials for canneries 56%, food 8%, petroleum products 7%, machinery and parts 6% | consumer goods |
Imports - partners | US 62%, Japan 9%, NZ 7%, Australia 11%, Fiji 4%, other 7% | principally Australia |
Independence | none (territory of the US) | none (territory of Australia) |
Industrial production growth rate | NA% | NA |
Industries | tuna canneries (largely dependent on foreign fishing vessels), handicrafts | tourism, phosphate extraction (near depletion) |
Infant mortality rate | 10.36 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.) | total: NA
male: NA female: NA (2004 est.) |
Inflation rate (consumer prices) | NA% | NA |
International organization participation | ESCAP (associate), Interpol (subbureau), IOC, SPC | none |
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) | 1 (2000) | - |
Irrigated land | NA sq km | NA sq km |
Judicial branch | High Court (chief justice and associate justices are appointed by the US Secretary of the Interior) | Supreme Court; District Court; Magistrate's Court |
Labor force | 14,000 (1996) | NA |
Labor force - by occupation | government 33%, tuna canneries 34%, other 33% (1990) | NA |
Land boundaries | 0 km | 0 km |
Land use | arable land:
5% permanent crops: 10% permanent pastures: 0% forests and woodland: 70% other: 15% (1993 est.) |
arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0% other: 100% note: mainly tropical rainforest; 63% of the island is a national park (2001) |
Languages | Samoan (closely related to Hawaiian and other Polynesian languages), English
note: most people are bilingual |
English (official), Chinese, Malay |
Legal system | NA | under the authority of the governor general of Australia and Australian law |
Legislative branch | bicameral Fono or Legislative Assembly consists of the House of Representatives (21 seats - 20 of which are elected by popular vote and 1 is an appointed, nonvoting delegate from Swains Island; members serve two-year terms) and the Senate (18 seats; members are elected from local chiefs and serve four-year terms)
elections: House of Representatives - last held 7 November 2000 (next to be held NA November 2002); Senate - last held 7 November 2000 (next to be held NA November 2004) election results: House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - NA; Senate - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - NA; note - only independents elected note: American Samoa elects one delegate to the US House of Representatives; election last held 7 November 2000 (next to be held NA November 2002); results - Eni F. H. FALEOMAVAEGA (Democrat) reelected as delegate for a sixth term |
unicameral Christmas Island Shire Council (9 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)
elections: held every two years with half the members standing for election; last held 3 May 2003 (next to be held NA 2005) election results: percent of vote - NA; seats - independents 9 |
Life expectancy at birth | total population:
75.32 years male: 70.89 years female: 80.02 years (2001 est.) |
total population: NA years
male: NA years female: NA years (2004 est.) |
Literacy | definition:
age 15 and over can read and write total population: 97% male: 98% female: 97% (1980 est.) |
NA |
Location | Oceania, group of islands in the South Pacific Ocean, about one-half of the way from Hawaii to New Zealand | Southeastern Asia, island in the Indian Ocean, south of Indonesia |
Map references | Oceania | Southeast Asia |
Maritime claims | exclusive economic zone:
200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM |
territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 12 nm exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm |
Merchant marine | none (2000 est.) | - |
Military - note | defense is the responsibility of the US | defense is the responsibility of Australia |
National holiday | Flag Day, 17 April (1900) | Australia Day, 26 January (1788) |
Nationality | noun:
American Samoan(s) adjective: American Samoan |
noun: Christmas Islander(s)
adjective: Christmas Island |
Natural hazards | typhoons common from December to March | the narrow fringing reef surrounding the island can be a maritime hazard |
Natural resources | pumice, pumicite | phosphate, beaches |
Net migration rate | 3.58 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 est.) | NA migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.) |
People - note | - | The Australian Bureau of Statistics reports a population of 1508 as of the 2001 Census |
Political parties and leaders | Democratic Party [leader NA]; Republican Party [leader NA] | none |
Political pressure groups and leaders | NA | none |
Population | 67,084 (July 2001 est.) | 396 (July 2004 est.) |
Population below poverty line | NA% | NA |
Population growth rate | 2.42% (2001 est.) | -9% (2004 est.) |
Ports and harbors | Aunu'u (new construction), Auasi, Faleosao, Ofu, Pago Pago, Ta'u | Flying Fish Cove |
Radio broadcast stations | AM 1, FM 1, shortwave 0 (1998) | AM 1, FM 1, shortwave 0 (2004) |
Radios | 57,000 (1997) | - |
Railways | 0 km | - |
Religions | Christian Congregationalist 50%, Roman Catholic 20%, Protestant and other 30% | Buddhist 36%, Muslim 25%, Christian 18%, other 21% (1997) |
Sex ratio | at birth:
1.06 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 1.13 male(s)/female total population: 1.02 male(s)/female (2001 est.) |
NA (2004 est.) |
Suffrage | 18 years of age; universal | - |
Telephone system | general assessment:
NA domestic: good telex, telegraph, facsimile and cellular telephone services; domestic satellite system with 1 Comsat earth station international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean) |
general assessment: service provided by the Australian network
domestic: only analog mobile telephone service is available international: country code - 61-891; satellite earth stations - one Intelsat earth station provides telephone and telex service (2000) |
Telephones - main lines in use | 13,000 (1997) | NA |
Telephones - mobile cellular | 2,550 (1997) | NA |
Television broadcast stations | 1 (1997) | NA |
Terrain | five volcanic islands with rugged peaks and limited coastal plains, two coral atolls (Rose Island, Swains Island) | steep cliffs along coast rise abruptly to central plateau |
Total fertility rate | 3.5 children born/woman (2001 est.) | NA children born/woman (2004 est.) |
Unemployment rate | 16% (1993) | NA |
Waterways | none | - |