Compare American Samoa (2008) - British Indian Ocean Territory (2008)

Compare American Samoa (2008) z British Indian Ocean Territory (2008)

	American Samoa (2008)	British Indian Ocean Territory (2008)

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	-
Age structure	0-14 years: 33.6% (male 10,049/female 9,345) 15-64 years: 63.5% (male 19,041/female 17,556) 65 years and over: 2.9% (male 606/female 1,066) (2007 est.)	-
Agriculture - products	bananas, coconuts, vegetables, taro, breadfruit, yams, copra, pineapples, papayas; dairy products, livestock	-
Airports	3 (2007)	1 (2007)
Airports - with paved runways	total: 3 over 3,047 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2007)	total: 1 over 3,047 m: 1 (2007)
Airports - with unpaved runways	total: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2006)	-
Area	total: 199 sq km land: 199 sq km water: 0 sq km note: includes Rose Island and Swains Island	total: 54,400 sq km land: 60 sq km; Diego Garcia 44 sq km water: 54,340 sq km note: includes the entire Chagos Archipelago of 55 islands
Area - comparative	slightly larger than Washington, DC	land area is about 0.3 times 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.	Established as a territory of the UK in 1965, a number of the British Indian Ocean Territory (BIOT) islands were transferred to the Seychelles when it attained independence in 1976. Subsequently, BIOT has consisted only of the six main island groups comprising the Chagos Archipelago. The largest and most southerly of the islands, Diego Garcia, contains a joint UK-US naval support facility. All of the remaining islands are uninhabited. Former agricultural workers, earlier residents in the islands, were relocated primarily to Mauritius but also to the Seychelles, between 1967 and 1973. In 2000, a British High Court ruling invalidated the local immigration order that had excluded them from the archipelago, but upheld the special military status of Diego Garcia.
Birth rate	21.83 births/1,000 population (2007 est.)	-
Budget	revenues: $121 million (37% in local revenue and 63% in US grants) expenditures: $127 million (FY96/97)	-
Capital	name: Pago Pago geographic coordinates: 14 16 S, 170 42 W time difference: UTC-11 (6 hours behind Washington, DC during Standard Time)	-
Climate	tropical marine, moderated by southeast trade winds; annual rainfall averages about 3 m; rainy season (November to April), dry season (May to October); little seasonal temperature variation	tropical marine; hot, humid, moderated by trade winds
Coastline	116 km	698 km
Constitution	ratified 2 June 1966, effective 1 July 1967	-
Country name	conventional long form: Territory of American Samoa conventional short form: American Samoa abbreviation: AS	conventional long form: British Indian Ocean Territory conventional short form: none abbreviation: BIOT
Death rate	3.24 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.)	-
Debt - external	$NA	-
Dependency status	unincorporated and unorganized territory of the US; administered by the Office of Insular Affairs, US Department of the Interior	overseas territory of the UK; administered by a commissioner, resident in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in London
Diplomatic representation from the US	none (territory of the US)	none (overseas territory of the UK)
Diplomatic representation in the US	none (territory of the US)	none (overseas territory of the UK)
Disputes - international	Tokelau included American Samoa's Swains Island (Olohega) in its 2006 draft constitution	Mauritius and Seychelles claim the Chagos Archipelago including Diego Garcia; in 2001, the former inhabitants of the Chagos Archipelago, evicted in 1967 and 1973 and now residing chiefly in Mauritius, were granted UK citizenship and the right to repatriation; in May 2006, the High Court of London reversed U.K. Government's 2004 orders of council that banned habitation on the islands; a small group of Chagossians visited Diego Garcia in April 2006; repatriation is complicated by the exclusive US military lease of Diego Garcia that restricts access to the largest viable island in the chain
Economic aid - recipient	important financial support from the US, more than $40 million in 1994	-
Economy - overview	American Samoa has 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 commerce. 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 is a promising developing sector.	All economic activity is concentrated on the largest island of Diego Garcia, where a joint UK-US military facility is located. Construction projects and various services needed to support the military installation are performed by military and contract employees from the UK, Mauritius, the Philippines, and the US. There are no industrial or agricultural activities on the islands. When the native Ilois return, they plan to reestablish sugarcane production and fishing. The territory makes money by selling fishing licenses and postage stamps.
Electricity - consumption	167.4 million kWh (2005)	NA kWh
Electricity - exports	0 kWh (2005)	-
Electricity - imports	0 kWh (2005)	-
Electricity - production	180 million kWh (2005)	NA kWh; note - electricity supplied by the US military
Elevation extremes	lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: Lata Mountain 964 m	lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m highest point: unnamed location on Diego Garcia 15 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	native Pacific islander 92.9%, Asian 2.9%, white 1.2%, mixed 2.8%, other 0.2% (2000 census)	-
Exchange rates	the US dollar is used	-
Executive branch	chief of state: President George W. BUSH of the US (since 20 January 2001); Vice President Richard B. CHENEY (since 20 January 2001) head of government: Governor Togiola TULAFONO (since 7 April 2003) cabinet: Cabinet made up of 12 department directors elections: under the US Constitution, residents of unincorporated territories, such as American Samoa, do not vote in elections for US president and vice president; governor and lieutenant governor elected on the same ticket by popular vote for four-year terms (eligible for a second term); election last held 2 and 16 November 2004 (next to be held in November 2008) election results: Togiola TULAFONO elected governor; percent of vote - Togiola TULAFONO 55.7%, Afoa Moega LUTU 44.3%	chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952) head of government: Commissioner Leigh TURNER (since July 2006); Administrator Tony HUMPHRIES (since February 2005); note - both reside in the UK and are represented by the officer commanding British Forces on Diego Garcia cabinet: NA elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; commissioner and administrator appointed by the monarch
Exports	0 bbl/day (2004)	-
Exports - commodities	canned tuna 93% (2004 est.)	-
Exports - partners	Indonesia 28.2%, India 22.3%, Australia 15.3%, Japan 11.2%, NZ 7.1% (2006)	-
Fiscal year	1 October - 30 September	-
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	white with six blue wavy horizontal stripes; the flag of the UK is in the upper hoist-side quadrant; the striped section bears a palm tree and yellow crown centered on the outer half of the flag
GDP - composition by sector	agriculture: NA% industry: NA% services: NA%	-
GDP - real growth rate	3% (2003)	-
Geographic coordinates	14 20 S, 170 00 W	6 00 S, 71 30 E; note - Diego Garcia 7 20 S, 72 25 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	archipelago of 55 islands; Diego Garcia, largest and southernmost island, occupies strategic location in central Indian Ocean; island is site of joint US-UK military facility
Household income or consumption by percentage share	lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%	-
Imports	3,807 bbl/day (2004)	-
Imports - commodities	materials for canneries 56%, food 8%, petroleum products 7%, machinery and parts 6% (2004 est.)	-
Imports - partners	Australia 66%, Samoa 13.8%, NZ 10.8% (2006)	-
Independence	none (territory of the US)	-
Industrial production growth rate	NA%	-
Industries	tuna canneries (largely supplied by foreign fishing vessels), handicrafts	-
Infant mortality rate	total: 8.88 deaths/1,000 live births male: 9.47 deaths/1,000 live births female: 8.26 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.)	-
Inflation rate (consumer prices)	NA%	-
International organization participation	Interpol (subbureau), IOC, SPC, UPU	-
Irrigated land	NA	0 sq km
Judicial branch	High Court (chief justice and associate justices are appointed by the US Secretary of the Interior)	-
Labor force	17,630 (2005)	-
Labor force - by occupation	agriculture: 34% industry: 33% services: 33% (1990)	-
Land boundaries	0 km	0 km
Land use	arable land: 10% permanent crops: 15% other: 75% (2005)	arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (2005)
Languages	Samoan 90.6% (closely related to Hawaiian and other Polynesian languages), English 2.9%, Tongan 2.4%, other Pacific islander 2.1%, other 2% note: most people are bilingual (2000 census)	-
Legal system	NA	the laws of the UK, where applicable, apply
Legislative branch	bicameral Fono or Legislative Assembly consists of the House of Representatives (21 seats; 20 members are elected by popular vote and 1 is an appointed, nonvoting delegate from Swains Island; to serve two-year terms) and the Senate (18 seats; members are elected from local chiefs to serve four-year terms) elections: House of Representatives - last held 7 November 2006 (next to be held in November 2008); Senate - last held 2 November 2004 (next to be held in November 2008) 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 on 7 November 2006 (next to be held in November 2008); results - Eni F. H. FALEOMAVAEGA reelected as delegate	-
Life expectancy at birth	total population: 76.25 years male: 72.69 years female: 80.02 years (2007 est.)	-
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	archipelago in the Indian Ocean, south of India, about one-half the way from Africa to Indonesia
Map references	Oceania	Political Map of the World
Maritime claims	territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm	territorial sea: 3 nm exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm
Military - note	defense is the responsibility of the US	defense is the responsibility of the UK; the US lease on Diego Garcia expires in 2016
National holiday	Flag Day, 17 April (1900)	-
Nationality	noun: American Samoan(s) (US nationals) adjective: American Samoan	-
Natural hazards	typhoons common from December to March	NA
Natural resources	pumice, pumicite	coconuts, fish, sugarcane
Net migration rate	-21.21 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2007 est.)	-
Political parties and leaders	Democratic Party [Oreta M. TOGAFAU]; Republican Party [Tautai A. F. FAALEVAO]	-
Political pressure groups and leaders	NA	-
Population	57,663 (July 2007 est.)	no indigenous inhabitants note: approximately 1,200 former agricultural workers resident in the Chagos Archipelago, often referred to as Chagossians or Ilois, were relocated to Mauritius and the Seychelles in the 1960s and 1970s; in November 2000 they were granted the right of return by a British High Court ruling, though no timetable has been set; in November 2004, there were approximately 4,000 UK and US military personnel and civilian contractors living on the island of Diego Garcia
Population below poverty line	NA%	-
Population growth rate	-0.262% (2007 est.)	-
Radio broadcast stations	AM 2, FM 3, shortwave 0 (2005)	AM 1, FM 2, shortwave 0 (1998)
Religions	Christian Congregationalist 50%, Roman Catholic 20%, Protestant and other 30%	-
Sex ratio	at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.075 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.085 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.568 male(s)/female total population: 1.062 male(s)/female (2007 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: country code - 1-684; satellite earth station - 1 (Intelsat-Pacific Ocean)	general assessment: separate facilities for military and public needs are available domestic: all commercial telephone services are available, including connection to the Internet international: country code (Diego Garcia) - 246; international telephone service is carried by satellite (2000)
Telephones - main lines in use	10,400 (2004)	NA
Telephones - mobile cellular	2,200 (2004)	-
Television broadcast stations	1 (2006)	1 (1997)
Terrain	five volcanic islands with rugged peaks and limited coastal plains, two coral atolls (Rose Island, Swains Island)	flat and low (most areas do not exceed two meters in elevation)
Total fertility rate	3.07 children born/woman (2007 est.)	-
Unemployment rate	29.8% (2005)	-

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