{{Infobox Country
|native_name = ''Amerika Sāmoa/Sāmoa Amelika''
|conventional_long_name = American Samoa
|common_name = American Samoa
|image_flag = Flag of American Samoa.svg|125px
|image_coat = American samoa coa.png|80px
|image_map = LocationAmericanSamoa.png
|national_motto = ''"Samoa, Muamua Le Atua"''{{spaces|2}}<small>([[Samoan]])<br/>"Samoa, Let God Be First"
|national_anthem = [[The Star-Spangled Banner]], [[Amerika Samoa]]
|official_languages = [[English language|English]], [[Samoan language|Samoan]]
|capital = [[Pago Pago]]; [[Fagatogo]] (seat of government)
|largest_city =
|government_type =
|leader_title1 = Governor
|leader_name1 = [[Togiola Tulafono]]
|area_rank = 212th
|area_magnitude = 1 E8
|area_km2 = 199
|area_sq_mi = 76.83
|percent_water = 0
|population_estimate = 57,663
|population_estimate_rank = 204th
|population_estimate_year = 2007
|population_census = 57,291
|population_census_year = 2000
|population_density_km2 = 353
|population_density_sq_mi = 914
|population_density_rank = 33rd
|GDP_PPP =
|GDP_PPP_rank =
|GDP_PPP_year =
|GDP_PPP_per_capita =
|GDP_PPP_per_capita_rank =
|sovereignty_type = [[United States]] [[unincorporated territory]]
|established_event1 = Treaty of Berlin
|established_date1 = 1899
|established_event2 = Deed of Cession of Tutuila
|established_date2 = <br/>1900
|established_event3 = Deed of Cession of Manuʻa
|established_date3 = <br/>1904
|HDI =
|HDI_rank =
|HDI_year =
|HDI_category =
|currency = [[United States dollar]]
|currency_code = USD
|country_code =
|time_zone =
|utc_offset = -11
|time_zone_DST = ''not observed''
|utc_offset_DST =
|cctld = [[.as]]
|calling_code = 1 684
|footnote1 = [[Spanish language|Spanish]] also spoken.
}}
[[Image:Aq-map.png|thumb|260px|right|Map of American Samoa]]
'''American Samoa''' ({{lang-sm|Amerika Sāmoa}} or {{lang|sm|''Sāmoa Amelika''}}) is an unincorporated territory of the United States located in the [[South Pacific Ocean]], southeast of the sovereign state of [[Samoa]]. The main (largest and most populous) island is [[Tutuila]], with the [[Manua|Manu{{okina}}a]] Islands, [[Rose Atoll]], and [[Swains Island]] also included in the territory. American Samoa is part of the Samoan Islands chain, located west of the [[Cook Islands]], north of [[Tonga]], and some 300 [[mile]]s (500 km) south of [[Tokelau]]. To the west are the islands of the [[Wallis and Futuna]] group. The [[United States Census Bureau|2000 census]] showed a total population of 57,291.<ref>http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/2001/cb01cn175.html</ref> The total land area is 200.22 km² (77.305 sq mi).
==History==
===Pre-Western Contact===
{{main|History of Samoa|History of American Samoa}}
Although many historians debate it, many believed that the Samoan Islands were originally inhabited as early as 1000 BC.{{Fact|date=June 2007}} Samoa was not reached by European explorers until the eighteenth century.
[[Image:AmSamoa Ofu 160.JPG|thumb|left|300px]]
The pre-Western history of Eastern Samoa (now American Samoa) is inextricably bound with the history of Western Samoa (now independent Samoa). The [[Manu'a]] Islands of American Samoa has one of the oldest histories of Polynesia, in connection with the [[Tui Manua]] title, connected with the histories of the archipelagos of [[Fiji]], Tonga, the Cook Islands, Tokelau and elsewhere in the Pacific, where Manu'a once had influence. During the Tongan occupation of Samoa, Manu'a was the only island group that remained independent. The islands of Tutuila and [[Aunu'u]] were politically connected to 'Upolu island in what is now independent Samoa. It can be said that all the Samoa islands are politically connected today through the [[faamatai]] chiefly system and through family connections that are as strong as ever. This system of the faamatai and the customs of [[faasamoa]] originated with two of the most famous early chiefs of Samoa, who were both women and related, [[Nafanua]] and [[Salamasina]].
===Imperialization===
Early Western contact included a battle in the eighteenth century between French explorers and islanders in Tutuila, for which the Samoans were blamed in the West, giving them a reputation for ferocity. Early nineteenth century Rarotongan missionaries to the Samoa islands were followed by a group of Western missionaries led by [[John Williams (missionary)|John Williams]] of the [[Congregational church|Congregationalist]] London Missionary Society in the 1830s, officially bringing Christianity to Samoa. Less than a hundred years later, the [[Samoan Congregationalist Church]] became the first independent indigenous church of the South Pacific.
In March of 1889, a [[Germany|German]] naval force invaded a village in Samoa, and by doing so destroyed some American property. Three American warships then entered the Samoan harbor and were prepared to fire on the three German warships found there. Before guns were fired, a typhoon sank both the American and German ships. A compulsory [[armistice]] was called because of the lack of warships.
===As a U.S. Territory===
International rivalries in the latter half of the nineteenth century were settled by the 1899 [[Treaty of Berlin, 1899|Treaty of Berlin]] in which Germany and the U.S. divided the Samoan [[archipelago]]. The U.S. formally occupied its portion—a smaller group of eastern islands with the noted harbor of [[Pago Pago, American Samoa|Pago Pago]]—the following year. The western islands are now the independent state of Samoa.
After the U.S. took possession of Samoa, the [[United States Navy|U.S. Navy]] built a [[coaling station]] on Pago Pago Bay for its Pacific Squadron and appointed a local Secretary. The navy secured a Deed of Cession of Tutuila in 1900 and a Deed of Cession of {{Unicode|Manuʻa}} in 1904. The last sovereign of {{Unicode|Manuʻa}}, the {{Unicode|[[Tui Manua Elisala|Tui Manuʻa Elisala]]}}, was forced to sign a Deed of Cession of {{Unicode|Manuʻa}} following a series of US Naval trials, known as the "Trial of the Ipu", in Pago Pago, {{Unicode|Taʻu}}, and aboard a Pacific Squadron gunboat.
After World War I, during the time of the [[Mau movement]] in [[Western Samoa]] (then a New Zealand protectorate), there was a corresponding American Samoa Mau movement, led by Samuel Sailele Ripley, who was from Leone village and was a WWI war veteran. After meetings in America, he was prevented from disembarking from the ship that brought him home to American Samoa and was not allowed to return. The American Samoa Mau movement having been suppressed by the US Navy, in 1930 the US Congress sent a committee to investigate the status of American Samoa, led by Americans who had had a part in the overthrow of the Hawaiian Kingdom.
In 1938, famous aviator [[Ed Musick]] and his crew died on the [[Pan American World Airways]] S-42 [[Samoan Clipper]] over Pago Pago, on a survey flight to [[Auckland, New Zealand]]. Sometime after take-off the aircraft experienced trouble and Musick turned it back toward Pago Pago. As the crew began dumping fuel in preparation for an emergency landing a spark in the fuel pump caused an explosion that tore the aircraft apart in mid-air.
During World War II, U.S. Marines in Samoa outnumbered the local population, having a huge cultural influence. Young Samoan men from the age of 14 and above were combat trained by US military personnel. As in WWI, Samoans served in WWII as combatants, medical personnel, code personnel, ship repairs, etc.
After the war, Organic Act 4500, a U.S. [[United States Department of the Interior|Department of Interior]]-sponsored attempt to incorporate Samoa, was defeated in Congress, primarily through the efforts of Samoan chiefs, led by [[Tuiasosopo Mariota]]. These chiefs' efforts led to the creation of a local legislature, the [[American Samoa Fono]] which meets in the village of Fagatogo, the territory's ''[[de facto]]'' and ''[[de jure]]'' capital. (See the Capital City section below for more information on Fagatogo.)
In time, the Navy-appointed governor was replaced by a locally elected one. Although technically considered "unorganized" in that the [[Congress of the United States|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 territorial government officials.
==Politics==
<!--Please add new information into relevant articles of the series-->
{{main|Politics of American Samoa}}
[[Image:Tulafono.jpg|thumb|left|150px|Governor Togiola Tulafono]]
Politics of American Samoa takes place in a framework of a [[presidential]] [[representative democracy|representative democratic]] [[Dependent territory|dependency]], whereby the [[List of American Samoa Governors|Governor]] is the [[head of government]], and of a [[wiktionary:pluriform|pluriform]] [[multi-party system]]. American Samoa is an unincorporated and [[unorganized territory]] of the United States, administered by the [[Office of Insular Affairs]], [[U.S. Department of the Interior]]. Its constitution was ratified 1966 and came into effect 1967. [[Executive power]] is exercised by the government. [[Legislative power]] is vested in the two chambers of the legislature. The American political parties (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 "fa'amatai" and the "fa'asamoa", which continues in American Samoa and in independent Samoa, and which interacts across these current boundaries. The Fa'asamoa is the language and customs, and the Fa'amatai the protocols of the "fono" (council) and the chiefly system. The Fa'amatai 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 "matai" (chiefs) are elected by consensus within the fono of the extended family and village(s) concerned. The matai and the fono (which is itself made of matai) decide on distribution of family exchanges and tenancy of communal lands. The majority of lands in American Samoa and independent Samoa are communal. 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.
{{seealso|Elections in American Samoa}}
===Nationality===
Persons born in American Samoa are American [[United States nationality law#Nationals who are not citizens|nationals]], but not United States [[citizen]]s. Such status is only conferred on people born in the districts of American Samoa and [[Swains Island]], but not to people born in ''unorganized'' atolls. [Note: [[Swains Island]] is claimed by supporters of independence for [[Tokelau]] as part of that country.]
Samoans are entitled to elect one [[Delegate (United States Congress)|non-voting delegate]] to the United States House of Representatives. Their delegate since 1989 has been [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democrat]] [[Eni Fa'aua'a Hunkin Faleomavaega, Jr.]] They also receive delegates to the [[Democratic National Convention|Democratic]] and [[Republican National Convention|Republican]] National Conventions.
==Administrative divisions==
{{main|Administrative divisions of American Samoa}}
American Samoa is administratively divided into three [[district]]s and two "unorganized" atolls. The districts and unorganized atolls are subdivided into 74 villages. [[Pago Pago]] is the capital of American Samoa.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/aq.html |title=American Samoa |accessdate=2007-02-23 |work=The World Factbook |publisher =[[Central Intelligence Agency|CIA]] }}</ref> It is one of the largest villages and is located on the eastern side of Tutuila island in Ma'oputasi County district #9. Some have mistakenly cited [[Fagatogo]] as the capital due to the fact that is listed in the [[Constitution of American Samoa]] as the official [[seat of government]].[http://www.asbar.org/asconst.htm].
==Geography==
[[Image:AmSamoa Ofu 442.jpg|thumb|right|300px]]
{{main|Geography of American Samoa}}
American Samoa is located within the geographical region of [[Oceania]]. With a total land area of 199 km² (123.7 square miles), it is slightly larger than the [[District of Columbia]]. Consisting of five, rugged volcanic islands and two [[coral atoll]]s, it is frequently hit by typhoons between December and March, due to its positioning in the South Pacific Ocean. In addition, Rose Atoll, located in American Samoa, is the southernmost point in the territory of the United States.
==Official Protest to neighboring [[Samoa]]==
In 1997 a protest was issued against [[Samoa]], formerly named Western Samoa, for changing its official name to the shorter form. The official view in American Samoa is that such a form detracts from the [[Samoan]] identity of American Samoa, and public officials and documents from American Samoa still refer to [[Samoa]] as Western Samoa.
==Territorial claim by [[Tokelau]] nationalists==
[[Swains Island]] is claimed by supporters of independence for [[Tokelau]] as part of that country. Swains Islanders and Tokelauans enjoy linguistic and cultural affinities. Tokelauans refer to Swains as Olohega. In 2006 and 2007, unsuccessful, [[United Nations]]-sponsored referenda on independence for [[Tokelau]], currently administered by [[New Zealand]], revived a dormant source of tension. The [[United States|American]] and [[New Zealand]] governments are not concerned to pursue any change of territorial status over the [[Swains Island]] issue. However, the existence of a clause in a draft independence treaty espoused by [[United Nations]]-driven Tokelauan nationalists is a matter which will be a potential source of diplomatic tension. In one direction or another, the way out of this impasse may depend on the extent that the [[United States]] government shows a willingness or otherwise to support the [[United Nations]]' decolonization efforts at the expense of the current territorial integrity of American Samoa.
==Economy==
{{main|Economy of American Samoa}}
Employment on the island falls into three relatively equally-sized categories of approximately 5,000 workers each: the public sector, the two [[tuna]] [[Cannery|canneries]], and the rest of the private sector. There are only a few federal employees in American Samoa and no active military personnel (there is an [[Army Reserve]] unit, however); the overwhelming majority of public sector employees work for the American Samoa Government. The two tuna canneries ([[StarKist Tuna|StarKist]] and [[Samoa Packing]]) export several hundred million dollars worth of canned tuna to the United States. In early 2007 the Samoan economy was highlighted in the [[U.S. Congress]] as it was not mentioned in the [[minimum wage]] bill, at the request of the Samoan delegate to the [[United States House of Representatives]], [[Eni Faleomavaega]].
The [[Fair Labor Standards Act]] has, since inception, contained special provisions for American Samoa, citing its limited economy.<ref name=flsa205>[http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/html/uscode29/usc_sec_29_00000205----000-.html FLSA section 205, "Special industry committees for American Samoa"]</ref> Since the American set based on the recommendations of a Special Industry Committee meeting bi-annually.<ref>[http://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/ws/index.php?pid=10563 Statement by the President Upon Signing the American Samoa Labor Standards Amendments of 1956]</ref> Originally, the Act contained provisions for other territories, which were phased out as those territories developed more diverse economies.<ref name=faleo>[http://www.house.gov/apps/list/press/as00_faleomavaega/minimumwage2007.html Faleomavaega Comments On Minimum Wage Bill Now Before Congress]</ref>
==Demographics==
{{main|Demographics of American Samoa}}
American Samoa is small enough to have just one [[ZIP code]], 96799. The island contains 23 [[primary school]]s and six [[secondary school]]s, all of which are operated by the [[American Samoa Department of Education]].<ref>http://www.doe.as/</ref> [[American Samoa Community College]], founded in 1970, provides post-secondary education on the islands.
{{sect-stub}}
==Culture==
{{main|Culture of Samoa}}
The culture in American Samoa is almost basically the same as in Western Samoa (Upolu). The U.S. military and agricultural occupation distinguishes the civilization of American Samoa from the sovereign Samoa.<ref>http://www.nps.gov/archive/npsa/what2pack.htm</ref>
{{sect-stub}}
=== Sports ===
{{see also|Sports in American Samoa}}
About 30 ethnic Samoans, many from American Samoa, currently play in the [[National Football League]]. A 2002 article from ESPN<ref>http://espn.go.com/gen/s/2002/0527/1387626.html </ref> estimated that a Samoan male (either an American Samoan, or a Samoan living in the 50 United States) is 40 times more likely to play in the NFL than a non-Samoan American.
A number have also ventured into professional wrestling (see especially [[Anoa'i family]]).
The [[bloodsport]] of [[dog fighting]] is [[legal]] in American Samoa.<ref>[http://files.hsus.org/web-files/PDF/dogfighting_statelaws.pdf HSUS]</ref>
[[American Samoa national soccer team|American Samoa's national soccer team]] is considered one of the newest teams in the world. It also has the distinction of suffering the worst loss in international soccer history: they lost to [[Australia]] 31-0 in a [[FIFA World Cup]] qualifying match on [[April 11]] [[2001]].
==See also==
* [[National Park of American Samoa]]
* [[Transportation in American Samoa]]
* [[Communications in American Samoa]]
* [[List of governors of American Samoa]]
* [[Scouting in American Samoa]]
* [[American Samoa Territorial Police]]
{{wikiatlas|American Samoa}}
==References==
{{reflist}}
==External links==
{{sisterlinks|American Samoa}}
'''Government'''
*[http://americansamoa.gov/ American Samoa Government] official site provides information on the territorial government including officials and recent legislation.
* [http://www.asbar.org/Newcode/rcas.htm Revised Constitution of American Samoa] full text
* [http://www.un.org/Depts/dpi/decolonization/docs.htm United Nations Decolonization Papers] online United Nations Decolonization Documents including current and past Working Papers on American Samoa
*[http://www.rulers.org/rula1.html#american_samoa Rulers.org - American Samoa] list of rulers
'''Overviews'''
* {{CIA_World_Factbook_link|aq|American Samoa}}
*[http://www.historyofnations.net/oceania/americansamoa.html History of American Samoa] essay covering ancient to more modern times.
*[http://dmoz.org/Regional/Oceania/American_Samoa Open Directory Project - ''American Samoa''] directory category
*[http://www.loc.gov/rr/international/asian/americansamoa/americansamoa.html Library of Congress Portals of the World - ''American Samoa''] links to resources
* [http://www.nebraskapress.unl.edu/product/Sovereignty-Matters,672997.aspx "The Passive Resistance of Samoans to US and Other Colonialisms"], article in "Sovereignty Matters" anthology covering the faamatai, faasamoa and US colonialism in American Samoa
'''Other'''
* [http://www.choohoo.com/ ChooHoo!] online community for Samoans. Features include forums, chat, blogs, etc.
*[http://www.janeresture.com/amsam/index.htm Jane's American Samoa] extensive images
* [http://www.mapsouthpacific.com/american_samoa/index.html Map of American Samoa] basic political map
*[http://www.pausenberger.com/american_samoa.html Photographs of American Samoa]
*[http://www.pacific-pictures.com/american_samoa/index.html American Samoa Travel Photos]
{{American Samoa}}
{{Countries and territories of Oceania}}
{{Polynesia}}
{{Austronesian-speaking}}
{{United States}}
{{coor title d|14.3|S|170.7|W|region:AS_type:isle}}
[[Category:American Samoa| ]]
[[Category:Divided regions|Samoa, American]]
[[Category:Insular areas of the United States]]
[[Category:English-speaking countries and territories]]
[[ar:ساموا الأمريكية]]
[[frp:Samoa amèriquênes]]
[[az:Amerikan Samoası]]
[[zh-min-nan:Bí-kok Samoa]]
[[bs:Američka Samoa]]
[[br:Samoa Amerikan]]
[[bg:Американска Самоа]]
[[ca:Samoa Nord-americana]]
[[cs:Americká Samoa]]
[[da:Amerikansk Samoa]]
[[de:Amerikanisch-Samoa]]
[[dv:އެމެރިކަން ސަމޯއާ]]
[[et:Ameerika Samoa]]
[[el:Αμερικανική Σαμόα]]
[[es:Samoa Americana]]
[[eo:Usona Samoo]]
[[eu:Amerikar Samoa]]
[[fr:Samoa américaines]]
[[gd:Samoa Aimearaganach]]
[[gl:Samoa Americana]]
[[ko:아메리칸사모아]]
[[hr:Američka Samoa]]
[[io:Usana Samoa]]
[[bpy:আমেরিকান সামোয়া]]
[[id:Samoa Amerika]]
[[is:Bandaríska Samóa]]
[[it:Samoa Americane]]
[[he:סמואה האמריקנית]]
[[pam:American Samoa]]
[[kk:Американ Самоасы]]
[[kw:Samoa Amerikan]]
[[sw:Samoa ya Marekani]]
[[la:Samoa Americana]]
[[lv:Amerikāņu Samoa]]
[[lij:Samoa Americæn]]
[[lt:Amerikos Samoa]]
[[hu:Amerikai Szamoa]]
[[mk:Американска Самоа]]
[[mr:अमेरिकन सामोआ]]
[[ms:Samoa Amerika]]
[[nl:Amerikaans-Samoa]]
[[ja:アメリカ領サモア]]
[[no:Amerikansk Samoa]]
[[nn:Amerikansk Samoa]]
[[pl:Samoa Amerykańskie]]
[[pt:Samoa Americana]]
[[ro:Samoa americană]]
[[qu:Amirika Samwa]]
[[ru:Американское Самоа]]
[[se:Amerihká Samoa]]
[[sm:Amerika Sāmoa]]
[[simple:American Samoa]]
[[sk:Americká Samoa]]
[[sl:Ameriška Samoa]]
[[sr:Америчка Самоа]]
[[sh:Američka Samoa]]
[[fi:Amerikan Samoa]]
[[sv:Amerikanska Samoa]]
[[th:อเมริกันซามัว]]
[[vi:Samoa thuộc Mỹ]]
[[tr:Amerikan Samoası]]
[[uk:Східне Самоа]]
[[zh:美屬薩摩亞]]