American Samoa (2003) | Cocos (Keeling) Islands (2001) | |
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: 37.5% (male 13,557; female 12,818)
15-64 years: 57% (male 19,712; female 20,346) 65 years and over: 5.4% (male 2,081; female 1,746) (2003 est.) |
0-14 years:
NA% 15-64 years: NA% 65 years and over: NA% |
Agriculture - products | bananas, coconuts, vegetables, taro, breadfruit, yams, copra, pineapples, papayas; dairy products, livestock | vegetables, bananas, pawpaws, coconuts |
Airports | 3 (2002) | 1 (2000 est.) |
Airports - with paved runways | total: 2
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2002) |
total:
1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2000 est.) |
Airports - with unpaved runways | total: 1
under 914 m: 1 (2002) |
- |
Area | total: 199 sq km
land: 199 sq km water: 0 sq km note: includes Rose Island and Swains Island |
total:
14 sq km land: 14 sq km water: 0 sq km note: includes the two main islands of West Island and Home Island |
Area - comparative | slightly larger than Washington, DC | about 24 times the size of The Mall in 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. | The islands were discovered in 1609, but remained uninhabited until the 19th century. Annexed by the UK in 1857, they were transferred to the Australian Government in 1955. The population on the two inhabited islands is split between the mostly Europeans on West Island and the Malays on Home Island. |
Birth rate | 23.26 births/1,000 population (2003 est.) | NA births/1,000 population |
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 | West Island |
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 | pleasant, modified by the southeast trade winds for about nine months of the year; moderate rainfall |
Coastline | 116 km | 2.6 km |
Constitution | ratified 1966, in effect 1967 | Cocos (Keeling) Islands Act of 1955 |
Country name | conventional long form: Territory of American Samoa
conventional short form: American Samoa abbreviation: AS |
conventional long form:
Territory of Cocos (Keeling) Islands conventional short form: Cocos (Keeling) Islands |
Currency | US dollar (USD) | Australian dollar (AUD) |
Death rate | 4.38 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.) | NA deaths/1,000 population |
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 from Canberra by the Australian Department of the Environment, Sport, and Territories |
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 most 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. | Grown throughout the islands, coconuts are the sole cash crop. Copra and fresh coconuts are the major export earners. Small local gardens and fishing contribute to the food supply, but additional food and most other necessities must be imported from Australia. |
Electricity - consumption | 120.9 million kWh (2001) | NA kWh |
Electricity - exports | 0 kWh (2001) | - |
Electricity - imports | 0 kWh (2001) | - |
Electricity - production | 130 million kWh (2001) | NA kWh |
Electricity - production by source | fossil fuel: 100%
hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001) |
fossil fuel:
NA% hydro: NA% nuclear: NA% other: NA% |
Elevation extremes | lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: Lata 966 m |
lowest point:
Indian Ocean 0 m highest point: unnamed location 5 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 | fresh water resources are limited to rainwater accumulations in natural underground reservoirs |
Ethnic groups | Samoan (Polynesian) 89%, Caucasian 2%, Tongan 4%, other 5% | Europeans, Cocos Malays |
Exchange rates | the US dollar is used | Australian dollars per US dollar - 1.7995 (January 2001), 1.7173 (2000), 1.5497 (1999), 1.5888 (1998), 1.3439 (1997), 1.2773 (1996) |
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 Togiola TULAFONO (since 7 April 2003) following the death of Governor Tauese P. SUNIA on 26 March 2003; TULAFONO had been the Lieutenant Governor 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% note: Togiola TULAFONO became acting governor 26 March 2003 upon the death of Governor Tauese P. SUNIA |
chief of state:
Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by the Australian governor general head of government: Administrator (non-resident) William Leonard TAYLOR (since 4 February 1999) cabinet: NA elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; administrator appointed by the governor general of Australia and represents the monarch and Australia |
Exports | NA (2001) | $NA |
Exports - commodities | canned tuna 93% | copra |
Exports - partners | Indonesia 71.1%, Japan 7.7%, Samoa 7.7%, Australia 6.7% (2002) | Australia |
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 |
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 | 12 30 S, 96 50 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 | two coral atolls thickly covered with coconut palms and other vegetation |
Highways | total: 350 km
paved: 150 km unpaved: 200 km |
total:
15 km paved: NA km unpaved: NA km (2001) |
Household income or consumption by percentage share | lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA% |
lowest 10%:
NA% highest 10%: NA% |
Imports | NA (2001) | $NA |
Imports - commodities | materials for canneries 56%, food 8%, petroleum products 7%, machinery and parts 6% | foodstuffs |
Imports - partners | Australia 41%, New Zealand 23%, South Korea 18% (2002) | Australia |
Independence | none (territory of the US) | none (territory of Australia) |
Industrial production growth rate | NA% | NA% |
Industries | tuna canneries (largely supplied by foreign fishing vessels), handicrafts | copra products and tourism |
Infant mortality rate | total: 9.82 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 11.61 deaths/1,000 live births female: 7.93 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.) |
NA deaths/1,000 live births |
Inflation rate (consumer prices) | NA% | NA% |
International organization participation | ESCAP (associate), Interpol (subbureau), IOC, SPC | none |
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) | 1 (2000) | 2 (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; Magistrate's Court |
Labor force | 14,000 (1996) | NA |
Labor force - by occupation | government 33%, tuna canneries 34%, other 33% (1990) | the Cocos Islands Cooperative Society Ltd. employs construction workers, stevedores, and lighterage workers; tourism employs others |
Land boundaries | 0 km | 0 km |
Land use | arable land: 5%
permanent crops: 10% other: 85% (1998 est.) |
arable land:
0% permanent crops: 0% permanent pastures: 0% forests and woodland: 0% other: 100% (1993 est.) |
Languages | Samoan (closely related to Hawaiian and other Polynesian languages), English
note: most people are bilingual |
English, Malay |
Legal system | NA | based upon the laws of Australia and local laws |
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 2002 (next to be held NA November 2004); 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 - independents 18 note: American Samoa elects one nonvoting representative to the US House of Representatives; election last held 7 November 2002 (next to be held NA November 2004); results - Eni F. H. FALEOMAVAEGA (Democrat) reelected as delegate |
unicameral Cocos (Keeling) Islands Shire Council (NA seats) |
Life expectancy at birth | total population: 75.75 years
male: 71.35 years female: 80.41 years (2003 est.) |
total population:
NA years male: NA years female: NA years |
Literacy | definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 97% male: 98% female: 97% (1980 est.) |
- |
Location | Oceania, group of islands in the South Pacific Ocean, about half way between Hawaii and New Zealand | Southeastern Asia, group of islands in the Indian Ocean, south of Indonesia, about one-half of the way from Australia to Sri Lanka |
Map references | Oceania | Southeast Asia |
Maritime claims | exclusive economic zone: 200 NM
territorial sea: 12 NM |
exclusive fishing zone:
200 NM territorial sea: 3 NM |
Merchant marine | none (2002 est.) | 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) | NA |
Nationality | noun: American Samoan(s)
adjective: American Samoan |
noun:
Cocos Islander(s) adjective: Cocos Islander |
Natural hazards | typhoons common from December to March | cyclones may occur in the early months of the year |
Natural resources | pumice, pumicite | fish |
Net migration rate | 3.29 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.) | NA migrant(s)/1,000 population |
Political parties and leaders | Democratic Party [leader NA]; Republican Party [leader NA] | none |
Political pressure groups and leaders | NA | none |
Population | 70,260 (July 2003 est.) | 633 (July 2001 est.) |
Population below poverty line | NA% | NA% |
Population growth rate | 2.22% (2003 est.) | -0.21% (2001 est.) |
Ports and harbors | Aunu'u (new construction), Auasi, Faleosao, Ofu, Pago Pago, Ta'u | none; lagoon anchorage only |
Radio broadcast stations | AM 1, FM 1, shortwave 0 (1998) | AM 1, FM 0, shortwave 0 (1998) |
Radios | - | 300 (1992) |
Railways | 0 km | 0 km |
Religions | Christian Congregationalist 50%, Roman Catholic 20%, Protestant and other 30% | Sunni Muslim 57%, Christian 22%, other 21% (1981 est.) |
Sex ratio | at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 1.19 male(s)/female total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2003 est.) |
- |
Suffrage | 18 years of age; universal | NA |
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:
NA domestic: NA international: telephone, telex, and facsimile communications with Australia and elsewhere via satellite; 1 satellite earth station of NA type |
Telephones - main lines in use | 13,000 (1997) | NA (1999) |
Telephones - mobile cellular | 2,550 (1997) | 0 (1999) |
Television broadcast stations | 1 (1997) | 0 (1997) |
Terrain | five volcanic islands with rugged peaks and limited coastal plains, two coral atolls (Rose Island, Swains Island) | flat, low-lying coral atolls |
Total fertility rate | 3.3 children born/woman (2003 est.) | NA children born/woman |
Unemployment rate | 6% (2000) | - |
Waterways | none | none |