Situated in the South Pacific Ocean, southeast of Samoa, American Samoa is a territory of the United States. The island group includes the islands of Aunuu, Ofu, Olosega, Tau, and Tutuila, as well as two coral atolls known as Swains Island and Rose Atoll, the latter uninhabited. Swains Island was annexed in 1925. Except for the two coral atolls, the islands were formed by volcanic activity. Tutuila, the largest island, rises steeply above deep inlets. Pago Pago Harbor is a particularly deep inlet that divides the island nearly in two. The second largest island area in American Samoa is composed of Tau, Olosega, and Ofu islands, which are about sixty miles east of Tutuila. The climate in America Samoa is tropical, and the islands get ample rainfall. Watersheds carry more rainwater in the highlands than near the sea. The water filters into the porous rock, so coastal well provide much of the water supply to the people of American Samoa. The islands are not rich in wildlife, other than birds and insects, although there are bats, lizards, rats, snakes, and pigs.
Samoa and American Samoa are believed to have been settled around 1000 BC by Polynesians who probably arrived in outrigger canoes. According to tradition, the first inhabitants came from Tonga. Interactions between the early Samoans, Tongans, and Fijians are thought to have continued. As might be expected in an island group, the Samoans were boatbuilders and skilled navigators. Samoan life was based on maritime life, including fishing, although basic agriculture was also in use, as they grew harvested bananas, breadfruits, coconuts, sugarcane, taro, and yams.
Europeans first came to the islands in 1722. John London, representing the London Missionary Society, converted the ruler of all of Samoa to Christianity in 1830, and the rest of the islands followed suit. A foreign settlement was made around Apia Harbour in the 1850s. Initially welcoming the Europeans for the benefits of the technology they brought, Samoans began to resist as settlers from Great Britain, Germany, and the United States began lobbying their respective governments to annex the islands. In 1878, the United States signed a treaty to establish a naval station at Pago Pago Harbour, which is now part of American Samoa. The following year, Great Britain and Germany signed similar agreements, and they were about to go to war in 1889 when a typhoon sank six of their battleships. In 1889, they signed the Berlin Act, which provided for the neutrality of the islands, but in 1899 the United States annexed eastern Samoa, after which Germany annexed the western islands, both without consultation with the Samoan people. After a period under the rule of New Zealand, Western Samoa gained its independence in 1962, later changing its name to Samoa.
Eastern Samoa remains a territory of the United States, known as American Samoa. The government of American Samoa is defined under US law as an unincorporated territory of the United States. However, the US Secretary of the Interior gave American Samoa the authority to draft its own constitution in 1967. Since 1976, American Samoans have elected a governor and lieutenant governor for four-year terms. Prior to that time, a governor was appointed by the United States.
The people of American Samoa are US nationals, but not citizens. They have the right to enter, to travel, and to reside in the United States. Since the mid-1900s, so many American Samoans have immigrated to the US mainland that there are now more American Samoans abroad than there are on the islands. The people of American Samoa are strongly influenced by American culture, including its television programs, music, and food. About ninety percent of the population of the islands are ethnic Samoans, with small minorities of Tongan and Filipino people. The Samoans are Polynesian people, ethnically related to natives of Hawaii, French Polynesia, New Zealand, and Tonga. Most Samoans speak the Samoan language as well as English. Christianity is the religion of nearly all Samoans, the major denominations being Congregational, Roman Catholic, Mormon, and Methodist, although the Jehovah's Witnesses are making inroads as well.
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The site offers a profile and introduction to American Samoa. Topics include a history of the islands, an overview of its geography, culture, and demographics. The politics and governmental structure of American Samoa are featured, and military bases on the islands are discussed, including a history of their construction and use, as well as other facts. Flights to American Samoa may be researched online.
http://amsamoa.net/
American Samoa Bar Association
The ASBA is the licensing body and official bar association for attorneys practicing law in American Samoa, its services and functions including public education, legislative review, promotion of the judiciary, and advocating for the rule of law, as well as offering legal scholarships for students who show exemplary academics and a desire to become a lawyer. Scholarship information, court information, and access to various documents are posted, along with various legal resources.
http://www.asbar.org/
American Samoa Department of Commerce
The American Samoa DOC is made up of six divisions, each with its own mission and goals. These are its administrative division, economic development, planning and grants, research and statistics, resource management, and its state small business credit initiative, each of which is highlighted here, with office locations, hours and contacts. A business directory, a map of the islands, and an economic plan are put forth.
http://doc.as.gov/
American Samoa Department of Education
The American Samoa DOE is comprised of twenty-two early childhood centers, twenty-three elementary schools, and six high schools, serving students in grades K-12, as well as early childhood and special education programs. A map shows the location of school facilities on the islands, and a directory of the administrative staff are published to the site, along with employment opportunities, schedules, and announcements.
https://www.asdoe.net/
American Samoa Environmental Protection Agency
The American Samoa EPA is a government agency created as a regulatory body to ensure clean air, safe drinking water, and a clean environment. Its purpose is detailed here, along with information about land use permits, beach advisories, violation reports, water supply permit applications, and sample requests. Its divisions, regulations, and other information are posted, with a gallery of photographs.
http://epa.as.gov/
The official governmental portal for the United States Territory of American Samoa features an overview of the governmental and administrative structure of the islands, including a directory of ASG agencies, its legislative and judicial branches, and the Office of Samoan Affairs. Links to information about resident services are set forth, along with a guide to visitors that includes a history of American Samoa, travel tips, and health information.
http://americansamoa.gov/
Created as a community project, the site seeks to offer useful information to people considering a visit to American Samoa, offering an opportunity for local tourism stakeholders to participate. The site serves as a guide to Pago Pago in particular, but also American Samoa, including hotels, restaurants, art galleries, and natural attractions, as well as transportation options, a map of the islands, and a calendar of events.
https://www.americansamoatourism.com/
National Park of American Samoa
Headquartered in Pago Pago, the national park is distributed between three of the islands of American Samoa, including Tutuila, Ofu, and Tau, with a large portion of its holdings situated north of the territorial capital. Established in 1988, the only portion of the park that is accessible by car is that on Tutuila Island. A description of the park is provided by the Park Service, including directions, transportation options, accessibility data, and hours.
https://www.nps.gov/npsa/
Legal information and services in American Samoa are listed here, including resources for online legal advice and answers to legal questions, law firms and attorneys, legal documents, divorce consulting, business law consulting, criminal law, consumer protection information, and listings for top lawyers, some of which are highlighted, while others may be found through a search field. Free legal advice may be obtained by asking a legal question.
http://www.as.pathlegal.com/
Maintained by South Seas Broadcasting, the site is a guide to businesses on the islands of American Samoa. Listed businesses are categorized by the type of business, and include locations, hours of operation, telephone numbers, and website addresses when applicable. Listings in the directory are available to relevant businesses without charge, and advertising opportunities are available, along with a community calendar.
http://www.samoabusinessdirectory.com/
The news outlet for American Samoa and the surrounding regions offers limited reports on local and regional news, sports reporting, and world news from the Associated Press, as well as editorials, opinion columns, and other features. Full access in PDF format requires a subscription. Other features include its advertising policies, slideshows, videos, classified advertising, and archives of the publication.
http://www.samoanews.com/
