American Samoa: United States territory in the Pacific Ocean

American Samoa /səˈmoʊə/ (listen) (locally /ˈsɑːmoʊə/; Samoan: Amerika Sāmoa, ; also Amelika Sāmoa or Sāmoa Amelika) is a territory of the United States.

It is part of the Samoan Islands in the southern Pacific Ocean.

American Samoa
Amerika Sāmoa
Unincorporated and unorganized territory
Official seal of American Samoa
Seal
Motto: 
"Sāmoa, Muamua Le Atua" (Samoan) (English: "Samoa, Let God Be First")
Anthem: "Amerika Samoa"
Location of American Samoa
Location of American Samoa (circled in red)
Sovereign stateUnited States
Partition of SamoaDecember 2, 1899
Ratification ActFebruary 20, 1929
CapitalPago Pago
Government seatFagatogo
Largest villageTāfuna
Official languages
Ethnic groups
88.9% Samoan
2.9% Tongan
2.7% Multiracial
2.2% Filipino
2.2% other
1.2% White
Religion
98.3% Christian
1.7% other
Demonym(s)American (official)
American Samoan (colloquial)
GovernmentDevolved presidential constitutional dependency
• Governor
Lemanu Peleti Mauga (D)
Salo Ale (D)
LegislatureFono
Senate
House of Representatives
Area
• Total
77 sq mi (200 km2)
Highest elevation
3,170 ft (970 m)
Population
• 2020 estimate
55,212 (208th)
• 2010 census
55,519
• Density
670.8/sq mi (259.0/km2)
GDP (PPP)2016 estimate
• Total
$658 million
• Per capita
$11,200
CurrencyUnited States dollar (US$) (USD)
Time zoneUTC−11:00 (SST)
Date formatmm/dd/yyyy
Driving sideright
Calling code+1-684
USPS abbreviation
AS
ISO 3166 code
Internet TLD.as

In 1899, Germany and the U.S. divided the Samoan group of islands. The U.S. got the smaller group of islands on the east side. These islands had a good harbor near the capital city, Pago Pago. The western islands were run by Germany and then by New Zealand and are now the independent country Samoa.

Officially, American Samoa is an "unorganized" territory. This means that the U.S. Congress has not passed an Organic Act. But the people who live in American Samoa rule themselves. Their constitution became effective on July 1, 1967.

The capital of American Samoa is Pago Pago, but the seat of government is Fagatogo.

Citizenship

People who are born in American Samoa are called U.S. nationals, not U.S. citizens. This means they have some of the same rights as citizens but not all of them. Unlike people who are not Americans at all, American Samoans can go to any other part of the United States they want and live there for as long as they want. But they are not allowed to vote, to be on juries in court, to run for office, or to hold any job that the employee has to be a citizen to hold. For contrast, someone born in Puerto Rico or Guam is a citizen, so if they move to a state, they are allowed to vote in that state and in all federal elections.

Some American Samoans like that they are not American citizens and others do not. Some American Samoans say that being nationals and not citizens makes it easier for them to keep the fa'a Samoa, the Samoan way of life. In 2019, three American Samoans living in Utah sued the U.S. government to say they are citizens. The judge agreed with them. The judge said that the Fourteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution says that anyone born in any part of the United States is a citizen, and that should mean American Samoans too. But the next day, he said they should not register to vote until after an appeal judge has seen the case.

In 2016, the United States Supreme Court decided they did not want to look at a case about whether American Samoans are citizens.

References

Notes

Other websites

American Samoa: United States territory in the Pacific Ocean  Media related to American Samoa at Wiki Commons American Samoa: United States territory in the Pacific Ocean  American Samoa travel guide from Wikivoyage

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