
American Samoa Economy
American Samoa Economy: A summary of information about American Samoa Economy, from government research data as well as independent research and other sources.
American Samoa: Economy
Economy - overview
This is a traditional Polynesian economy in which more than 90% of the land is communally owned. Economic activity is strongly linked to the US, with which American Samoa conducts the great bulk of its foreign trade. Tuna fishing and tuna processing plants are the backbone of the private sector, with canned tuna the primary export. Transfers from the US Government add substantially to American Samoa's economic well-being. Attempts by the government to develop a larger and broader economy are restrained by Samoa's remote location, its limited transportation, and its devastating hurricanes. Tourism, a developing sector, may be held back by the current financial difficulties in East Asia.
GDP
purchasing power parity - $150 million (1995 est.)
GDP - real growth rate
NA%
GDP - per capita
purchasing power parity - $2,600 (1995 est.)
GDP - composition by sector
agriculture: NA% industry: NA% services: NA%
Population below poverty line
NA%
Household income or consumption by percentage share
lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%
Inflation rate (consumer prices)
NA%
Labor force
13,949 (1996)
Labor force - by occupation
government 33%, tuna canneries 34%, other 33% (1990)
Unemployment rate
12% (1991)
Budget
revenues: $121 million (37% in local revenue and 63% in US grants) expenditures: $127 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (FY96/97)
Industries
tuna canneries (largely dependent on foreign fishing vessels), handicrafts
Industrial production growth rate
NA%
Electricity - production
125 million kWh (1998)
Electricity - production by source
fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (1998)
Electricity - consumption
116 million kWh (1998)
Electricity - exports
0 kWh (1998)
Electricity - imports
0 kWh (1998)
Agriculture - products
bananas, coconuts, vegetables, taro, breadfruit, yams, copra, pineapples, papayas; dairy products, livestock
Exports
$313 million (1996)
Exports - commodities
canned tuna 93%
Exports - partners
US 99.6%
Imports
$471 million (1996)
Imports - commodities
materials for canneries 56%, food 8%, petroleum products 7%, machinery and parts 6%
Imports - partners
US 62%, Japan 9%, NZ 7%, Australia 11%, Fiji 4%, other 7%
Debt - external
$NA
Economic aid - recipient
$NA; note - important financial support from the US
Currency
1 US dollar (US$) = 100 cents
Exchange rates
US currency is used
Fiscal year
1 October - 30 September