Economy Overview
American Samoa has 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 commerce. Tuna fishing and tuna processing plants are the backbone of the private sector, with canned tuna the primary export. The two tuna canneries account for 80% of employment. In late September 2009, an earthquake and the resulting tsunami devastated American Samoa and nearby Samoa, disrupting transportation and power generation, and resulting in about 200 deaths. The US Federal Emergency Management Agency is overseeing a relief program of nearly $25 million. 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.
Agriculture Products
bananas, coconuts, vegetables, taro, breadfruit, yams, copra, pineapples, papayas; dairy products, livestock
Industries
tuna canneries (largely supplied by foreign fishing vessels), handicrafts
Industrial Production Growth Rate
NA%
Labor Force
17,630 (2005)country comparison to the world: 210
Electricity production
185 million kWh (2007 est.)country comparison to the world: 178
Electricity Consumption
172.1 million kWh (2007 est.)country comparison to the world: 180
Electricity Exports
0 kWh (2008 est.)
Electricity Imports
0 kWh (2008 est.)
Unemployment Rate
29.8% (2005)country comparison to the world: 176
Population Below Poverty Line
NA%
Household Income or Consumption by Percentage Share
Lowest 10%: NA%
Highest 10%: NA%
Commercial Bank Prime Lending Rate
Market Value of Publicly Traded Shares
Reserves of Foreign Exchange and Gold
Stock of Direct Foreign Investment at Home
Stock of Direct Foreign Investment Abroad
Exchange Rates
the US dollar is used
