American Samoa, a tropical island paradise in the heart of Polynesia, has succeeded in keeping the traditional values of old Samoa. It is made up of seven islands, including Ta’u, Olosega and Ofu, known as the Manu’a group, which are volcanic in origin and dominated by high peaks.

Climate
American Samoa has a tropical maritime climate moderated by the SE trade winds. The rainy season is from November to April and the dry season is from May to October with little seasonal temperature variation.

Religions

Mostly Christians with more than half the islanders members of the Congregational Church while 19% of the population are Roman Catholic.

Languages

The official languages are Samoan and English with the majority of the population bilingual. The Samoan language is closely related to Hawaiian and other Polynesian languages.

Currency

The official currency is the US Dollar divided into 100 Cents.

History & Political Status

American SamoaAmerican Samoa became a U.S. territory by deed of cession, starting in 1900. The matai (local chiefs) of Tutuila, the largest island in American Samoa, ceded the island to the United States in 1900. Manu’a followed in 1904. Swain Island joined the territory in 1925 by an act of the Congress. Authority over American Samoa was initially placed with the U.S. Navy which oversaw the territory until 1951.

Authority was transferred to the Department of the Interior (DOI) in 1956 where it resides.

Even without an organic act or other explicit Congressional directive on governance, the people of American Samoa adopted their own constitution in 1967 and first constitutional elections were in 1977. Unlike citizens of other U.S. territories who are U.S. citizens, American Samoans are U.S. nationals. However, neither citizens nor nationals of U.S. territories vote in Federal elections and pay Federal taxes. American Samoa came under Federal minimum wage rules in 2007 and controls its own immigration and border matters.

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