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American Samoa is a US territory in the South Pacific, consisting of several islands with a strong indigenous culture. European settlers arrived in the 18th century, and the islands self-govern under a constitution. The government has three branches, and the population is split between three sectors. The official languages are English and Samoan, and the population is mostly Samoan.
American Samoa is a territory of the United States of America, located in the South Pacific Ocean. American Samoa consists of several islands, the largest and most populous of which is Tutulia. The Manu’a Islands, Rose Atoll and Swains Island are also part of the territory.
Many scientists believe that the islands now known as American Samoa were first inhabited around 1000 BC As part of the Polynesian island group, the indigenous culture of the islands is still strongly connected by family ties and the system of faamatai chiefs. European settlers first arrived in American Samoa in the 18th century. First contact was made by missionaries, who were quickly followed by Americans and Germans who claimed various parcels of land. In 1889 an ill-fated battle between German and American ships took place in the area, during which all ships were sunk by a typhoon. This resulted in an armistice due to a lack of warships to fight with.
Although western Samoa is an independent government entity, the 1899 Treaty of Berlin officially made eastern Samoa an American territory. Samoa has been used as a naval base, such as when the US Navy used Pago Pago Bay as a refueling station. The United States Congress attempted to incorporate American Samoa, but Samoan leaders resisted these attempts. Instead, the islands self-govern under a constitution.
The government of American Samoa is of the three-branch system, with executive, legislative, and judicial branches. The governor is the head of government. Traditional village politics also play a role in government. People born on the islands are American citizens, but they are not American citizens unless they go through the naturalization process. The capitals are Pago Pago and Fagatogo.
American Samoa consists of five volcanic islands and two coral atolls. Due to its geography, it is often hit by typhoons. The island’s workers are split fairly evenly between three sectors: the public sector, the tuna canneries, and the rest of the private sector. According to the 2000 census, the total population is 57,291. The official languages are English and Samoan, although most people in Samoa are bilingual. About 89% of Islanders are Samoan, 4% are Tongan, 2% are Caucasian, and 5% are of other ethnicities.
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