Legislative branch:
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 7 November 2002
(next to be held 2 November 2004); Senate - last held 7 November
2000 (next to be held 2 November 2004)
note: American Samoa elects one nonvoting representative to the US
House of Representatives; election last held 7 November 2002 (next
to be held 2 November 2004); results - Eni F. H. FALEOMAVAEGA
(Democrat) reelected as delegate
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 - independents 18
Judicial branch:
High Court (chief justice and associate justices are appointed by
the US Secretary of the Interior)
Political parties and leaders:
Democratic Party [leader NA]; Republican Party [leader NA]
Political pressure groups and leaders:
NA
International organization participation:
Interpol (subbureau), IOC, UPU
Diplomatic representation in the US:
none (territory of the US)
Diplomatic representation from the US:
none (territory of the US)
Flag description:
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
Economy American Samoa
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 most 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 is a
promising developing sector.