American Samoa
Head of State: US President.
Head of Government: Governor A. P. Lutali
Capital: Pago Pago (Tutuila)
Official languages: Samoan, English
Currency: US dollar = 100c
Area: 196 sq km (five islands); Tutuila 135 sq km
Population: 57 366 (July 1995 est); main town, Pago Pago (5000 in 1987, on Tutuila which has 35 000).
Time: --1100 hours GMT.
Adult literacy: 97 pe cent (1995).
GDP per capita: $2600 (1991).
Foreign debt: $52m (1987; US Pacific Islands).
Map: Gemini News Service
Political system: American Samoa is a flag territory of the US, administered by the US Department of the Interior and is represented by a non-voting delegate to the US House of Representatives. Local executive power rests with an elected governor. The legislature has an upper Senate with 18 senators elected according to Samoan custom from local chiefs or matai (family heads); 20 representatives chosen by popular vote, plus one non-voting member in the lower House of Representatives.
Political parties: None officially, but the major factions are closely identified with either the US Democratic or Republican parties.
Press:
- Samoa Journal Advertiser: Semi-weekly; 2500, English and Samoan language; Publisher: Rowena King. PO Box 3986; Pago Pago. Tel: (684) 633 2399; Fax: (684) 633 1439.
Samoa News: Daily; circulation 3000; English and Samoan language; American-owned, Samoa News Inc.; Publisher/editor: Lewis Wolman. PO Box 909, Pago Pago. Tel: (684) 633 5599; Fax: (684) 633 4864.
Email: editor@samoanews.com
Radio:
- Radio Samoa WVUW-AM: Broadcasts in English/Samoan. PO Box 4894, Pago Pago 96799. Tel: (684) 688 7511.
- KSBS FM: Broadcasts in English/Samoan.
Television:
Samoan news media in the United States:
- Radio Samoa-USA
- Samoa International Newspaper Circulation about 20,000.
- TV-SAMOAAll published and broadcast by Samoa International, a subsidiary of Samoa International Media. PO Box 27857, Honolulu, Hawaii 96827. Tel: (808) 637 3530; Fax: (808) 637 9112.
Copyright © 1996-98 David Robie and Asia-Pacific Network.
File updated: 9 August 1998.
http://www.asiapac.org.fj/cafepacific/resources/profiles/amsamoa.html
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