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World > Oceania > American Samoa
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American Samoa |
Introduction:
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.
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Official name: |
Territory of American Samoa |
Capital: |
name: Pago Pago geographic coordinates: 14 16 S, 170 42 W time difference: UTC-11 (6 hours behind Washington, DC during Standard Time) |
Government type: |
NA |
Population: |
57,663 (July 2007 est.) |
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) |
Official Currency: |
US Dollar (USD)
Current US Dollar Exchange Rates Historical US Dollar Exchange Rates Chart US Dollar Exchange Rates |
Currency code: |
USD |
Area: |
total: 199 sq km land: 199 sq km water: 0 sq km note: includes Rose Island and Swains Island |
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 |
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Map of American Samoa
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