conventional long form: Territory of American Samoa
conventional short form: American Samoa
abbreviation: AS

AQ

unincorporated and unorganized territory of the US;
administered by the Office of Insular Affairs, US Department of the
Interior

NA

Pago Pago

none (territory of the US); there are no
first-order administrative divisions as defined by the US Government,
but there are three districts and two islands* at the second order;
Eastern, Manu'a, Rose Island*, Swains Island*, Western

none (territory of the US)

Territorial Flag Day, 17 April (1900)

ratified 1966, in effect 1967

NA

18 years of age; universal

chief of state: President William Jefferson CLINTON of the US (since
20 January 1993) and Vice President Albert GORE, Jr. (since 20 January
1993)
head of government: Governor Tauese P. SUNIA (since 3 January 1997)
and Lieutenant Governor Togiola TULAFONO (since 3 January 1997)
cabinet: NA
elections: US president and vice president elected on the same ticket
for four-year terms; governor and lieutenant governor elected on the
same ticket by popular vote for four-year terms; election last held 3
November 1996 (next to be held 7 November 2000)
election results: Tauese P. SUNIA elected governor; percent of vote -
Tauese P. SUNIA (Democrat) 51%, Peter REID (independent) 49%

bicameral Fono or Legislative Assembly consists of
the House of Representatives (21 seats - 20 of which are elected by
popular vote and 1 is an appointed, nonvoting delegate from Swains
Island; members serve two-year terms) and the Senate (18 seats;
members are elected from local chiefs and serve four-year terms)
elections: House of Representatives - last held NA November 1998 (next
to be held NA November 2000); Senate - last held 3 November 1996 (next
to be held 7 November 2000)
election results: House of Representatives - percent of vote by party
- NA; seats by party - NA; Senate - percent of vote by party - NA;
seats by party - NA
note: American Samoa elects one delegate to the US House of
Representatives; election last held 3 November 1998 (next to be held 7
November 2000); results - Eni R. F. H. FALEOMAVAEGA (Democrat)
reelected as delegate for a sixth term

High Court (chief justice and associate justices are
appointed by the US Secretary of the Interior)

Democratic Party ;
Republican Party

ESCAP (associate), Interpol
(subbureau), IOC, SPC

none (territory of the US)

none (territory of the US)

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