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, a developing sector, has been held back by the recurring financial difficulties in East Asia.

GDP purchasing power parity - $500 million (2000 est.)

GDP - real growth rate NA%

GDP - per capita purchasing power parity - $8,000 (2000 est.)

GDP - composition by sector
agriculture: NA%
industry: NA%
services: NA%

Population below poverty line NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share
lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices) NA%

Labor force 14,000 (1996)

Labor force - by occupation government 33%, tuna canneries 34%, other 33% (1990)

Unemployment rate 6% (2000)

Budget
revenues: $121 million (37% in local revenue and 63% in US grants)
expenditures: $127 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (FY96/97)

Industries tuna canneries (largely supplied by foreign fishing vessels), handicrafts

Industrial production growth rate NA%

Electricity - production 130 million kWh (2000)

Electricity - production by source
fossil fuel: 100%
hydro: 0%
other: 0% (2000)
nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption 120.9 million kWh (2000)

Electricity - exports 0 kWh (2000)

Electricity - imports 0 kWh (2000)

Agriculture - products bananas, coconuts, vegetables, taro, breadfruit, yams, copra, pineapples, papayas; dairy products, livestock

Exports $345 million (1999)

Exports - commodities canned tuna 93%

Exports - partners US 99.6%

Imports $452 million (1999)

Imports - commodities materials for canneries 56%, food 8%, petroleum products 7%, machinery and parts 6%

Imports - partners US 62%, Australia 11%, Japan 9%, NZ 7%, Fiji 4%, other 7%

Debt - external $NA

Economic aid - recipient important financial support from the US, more than $40 million in 1994

Currency US dollar (USD)

Currency code USD

Exchange rates the US dollar is used

Fiscal year 1 October - 30 September

NOTE: The information regarding American Samoa on this page is re-published from the 2002 World Fact Book of the United States Central Intelligence Agency. No claims are made regarding the accuracy of American Samoa Economy 2002 information contained here. All suggestions for corrections of any errors about American Samoa Economy 2002 should be addressed to the CIA.