re. There is also the traditional village politics of the Samoa Islands, the "fa'amatai" and the "fa'asamoa", which continues in American Samoa and in independent Samoa, and which interacts across these current boundaries. The Fa'asamoa is the language and customs, and the Fa'amatai the protocols of the "fono" (council) and the chiefly system. The Fa'amatai and the Fono take place at all levels of the Samoan body politic, from the family, to the village, to the region, to national matters. The "matai" (chiefs) are elected by consensus within the fono of the extended family and village(s) concerned. The matai and the fono (which is itself made of matai) decide on distribution of family exchanges and tenancy of communal lands. The majority of lands in American Samoa and independent Samoa are communal. A matai can represent a small family group or a great extended family that reaches across islands, and to both American Samoa and independent Samoa. See also: Elections in American Samoa [edit] Nationality Persons born in American Samoa are American nationals, but not United States citizens. Such status is only conferred on people born in the districts of American Samoa and Swains Island, but not to people born in unorganized atolls. [Note: Swains Island is claimed by supporters of independence for Tokelau as part of that country.] Samoans are entitled to elect one non-voting delegate to the United States House of Representatives. Their delegate since 1989 has been Democrat Eni Fa'aua'a Hunkin Faleomavaega, Jr. They also receive delegates to the Democratic and Republican National Conventions. [edit] Administrative divisions Main article: Administrative divisions of American Samoa American Samoa is administratively divided into three districts and two "unorganized" atolls. The districts and unorganized atolls are subdivided into 74 villages. Pago Pago is the capital of American Samoa.[6] It is one of the largest villages and is located on the eastern side of Tutuila island in Ma'oputasi County district #9. Some have mistakenly cited Fagatogo as the capital due to the fact that is listed in the Constitution of American Samoa as the official seat of government.[7][8][9] [edit] Geography A view of one of American Samoa's beaches. Main article: Geography of American Samoa American Samoa is located within the geographical region of Oceania. With a total land area of 199 km² (76.83 square miles), it is slightly larger than the District of Columbia. Consisting of five, rugged volcanic islands and two coral atolls, it is frequently hit by typhoons between December and March, due to its positioning in the South Pacific Ocean. In addition, Rose Atoll, located in American Samoa, is the southernmost point in the territory of the United States. [edit] Official protest to neighboring Samoa In 1997 a protest was issued against Samoa, formerly named Western Samoa, for changing its official name to the shorter form. The official view in American Samoa is that such a form detracts from the Samoan identity of American Samoa, and public officials and documents from American Samoa still refer to Samoa as Western Samoa. [edit] Territorial claim by Tokelau nationalists Swains Island is claimed by supporters of independence for Tokelau as part of that country. Swains Islanders and Tokelauans enjoy linguistic and cultural affinities. Tokelauans refer to Swains as Olohega. In 2006 and 2007, unsuccessful, United Nations-sponsored referenda on independence for Tokelau, currently administered by New Zealand, revived a dormant source of tension. The American and New Zealand governments are not concerned to pursue any change of territorial status over the Swains Island issue. However, the existence of a clause in a draft independence treaty espoused by United Nations-driven Tokelauan nationalists is a matter which will be a potential source of diplomatic tension. In one direction or another, the way out of this impasse may depend on the extent that the United States government shows a willingness or otherwise to support the United Nations' decolonization efforts at the expense of the current territorial integrity of American Samoa. [edit] Economy Main article: Economy of American Samoa Employment on the island falls into three relatively equally-sized categories of approximately 5,000 workers each: the public sector, the two tuna canneries, and the rest of the private sector. There are only a few federal employees in American Samoa and no active military personnel except members of the U.S. Coast Guard. (there is an Army Reserve unit, however); the overwhelming majority of public sector employees work for the American Samoa Government. The two tuna canneries (StarKist and Samoa Packing) export several hundred million dollars worth of canned tuna to the United States. In early 2007 the Samoan economy was highlighted in the U.S. Congress as it was not mentioned in the minimum wage bill, at the request of the Samoan delegate to the United States House of Representatives, Eni Faleomavaega. The Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 has, since inception, contained special provisions for American Samoa, citing its limited economy.[10] Since the American set based on the recommendations of a Special Industry Committee meeting bi-annually.[11] Originally, the Act contained provisions for other territories, which were phased out as those territories developed more diverse economies.[12] In 2007, the Fair Minimum Wage Act of 2007 was passed, increasing minimum wage in American Samoa by $0.50 per hour in 2007 and another $0.50 per hour each year thereafter until the minimum wage in American Samoa equals that of the fifty states.[13] [edit] Demographics Main article: Demographics of American Samoa American Samoa is small enough to have just one ZIP code, 96799. The island contains 23 primary schools and six secondary schools, all of which are operated by the American Samoa Department of Education.[14] American Samoa Community College, founded in 1970, provides post-secondary education on the islands.  This section requires expansion. [edit] Culture Main article: Culture of Samoa The culture in American Samoa is almost the same as in Western Samoa (Upolu). The U.S. military and agricultural occupation distinguishes the civilization of American Samoa from the sovereign Samoa.[15]  This section requires expansion. [edit] Sports See also: Sports in American Samoa About 30 ethnic Samoans, many from American Samoa, currently play in the National Football League. A 2002 article from ESPN[16] estimated that a Samoan male (either an American Samoan, or a Samoan living in the 50 United States) is 40 times more likely to play in the NFL than a non-Samoan American. A number have also ventured into professional wrestling (see especially Anoa'i family). American Samoa's national soccer team is considered one of the newest teams in the world. It also has the distinction of suffering the worst loss in international soccer history: they lost to Australia 31 - 0 in a FIFA World Cup qualifying match on April 11, 2001. [edit] See also List of wettest known tropical cyclones in American Samoa National Park of American Samoa Transportation in American Samoa Communications in American Samoa List of governors of American Samoa Scouting in American Samoa American Samoa Territorial Police [edit] References ^ American Samoa Dept. of Commerce. ^ Census Bureau News ^ American Samoa. Encyclopædia Britannica. Retrieved on February 5, 2008. ^ Sovereignty Matters article ^ Sovereignty Matters article ^ American Samoa. The World Factbook. CIA. Retrieved on 2007-02-23. ^ Revised Constitution of American Samoa. ^ Districts of American Samoa, statoids.com, <http://www.statoids.com/uas.html>. Retrieved on 2008-04-26  ^ Explanation of Listings: Country overview, statoids.com, <http://www.statoids.com/info.html#cov>. Retrieved on 2008-04-26  (See the discussion, "What is the capital of X?") ^ FLSA section 205, "Special industry committees for American Samoa" ^ Statement by the President Upon Signing the American Samoa Labor Standards Amendments of 1956 ^ Faleomavaega Comments On Minimum Wage Bill Now Before Congress ^ Fair Minimum Wage Act of 2007. 29 USC 201. United States Government Printing Office. 2007-05-25. Retrieved 2008-04-12. ^ Welcome to ASDOE Website ^ National Park of American Samoa - climate ^ ESPN.com: GEN - The Dominican Republic of the NFL [edit] Bibliography Ellison, Joseph (1938). Opening and Penetration of Foreign Influence in Samoa to 1880. Corvallis: Oregon State College. Meti, Lauofo (2002). Samoa: The Making of the Constitution. Apia: Government of Samoa. [edit] External links Find more about American Samoa on Wikipedia's sister projects: Dictionary definitions Textbooks Quotations Source texts Images and media News stories Learning resources Government of American Samoa American Samoa at the Open Directory Project American Samoa travel guide from Wikitravel Wikimedia Atlas of American Samoa [edit] Country Data American Samoa entry at The World Factbook v • d • e Territory of American Samoa Pago Pago (capital), Fagatogo (seat of government) Topics Geography | Economy | Demographics | Communications | Transportation Government Politics | Former Governors | Elections | Current Governor Villages Fagatogo | Fagamalo Leone | Nu'uuli | Tafuna | Utulei | Vatia Islands Tutuila | Aunu'u | Ta'u | Ofu-Olosega | Rose Atoll | Swains Island v • d • e Countries and territories of Oceania  Australasia Australia · Christmas Island · Cocos (Keeling) Islands · New Zealand1 · Norfolk Island   Melanesia East Timor2 · Fiji · Maluku Islands (Indonesia)2 · New Caledonia · Papua New Guinea3 · Solomon Islands · Vanuatu  Micronesia Federated States of Micronesia · Guam · Kiribati · Marshall Islands · Nauru · Northern Mariana Islands · Palau   Polynesia American Samoa · Cook Islands · French Polynesia · Niue · Pitcairn · Samoa · Tokelau · Tonga · Tuvalu · Wallis and Futuna 1Often included in Polynesia. 2Often included in Southeast Asia. 3Often included in Australasia. v • d • e Polynesia Polynesian triangle Austral Islands · Cook Islands · Easter Island · Gambier Islands · Hawaiian Islands · Loyalty Islands · Marquesas · New Zealand · Pitcairn Islands · Sala y Gómez · Samoan Islands · Society Islands · Tokelau · Tonga · Tuamotus · Tuvalu · Wallis and Futuna Islands Polynesian outliers and peripheral cultures Anuta · Emae · Futuna · Kapingamarangi · Mele · Nuguria · Nukumanu · Nukuoro · Ontong Java · Ouvéa · Pileni · Rennell · Rotuma · Sikaiana · Takuu · Tikopia v • d • e Austronesian-speaking countries and territories Formosan Taiwan Malayo-Polynesian American Samoa • Brunei • Burma • Cambodia • Christmas Island • Cocos (Keeling) Islands • Cook Islands • Easter Island • East Timor • Fiji • French Polynesia • Guam • Hainan • Hawaii • Indonesia • Kiribati • Madagascar • Malaysia • Marshall Islands • FS Micronesia • Nauru • New Caledonia • New Zealand • Niue • Northern Mariana Islands • Orchid Island • Palau • Papua New Guinea • Patani • Philippines • Samoa • Singapore • Solomon Islands • Suriname • Tokelau • Tonga • Tuvalu • Vanuatu • Vietnam • Wallis and Futuna v • d • e Political divisions of the United States States Alabama · Alaska · Arizona · Arkansas · California · Colorado · Connecticut · Delaware · Florida · Georgia · Hawaii · Idaho · Illinois · Indiana · Iowa · Kansas · Kentucky · Louisiana · Maine · Maryland · Massachusetts · Michigan · Minnesota · Mississippi · Missouri · Montana · Nebraska · Nevada · New Hampshire · New Jersey · New Mexico · New York · North Carolina · North Dakota · Ohio · Oklahoma · Oregon · Pennsylvania · Rhode Island · South Carolina · South Dakota · Tennessee · Texas · Utah · Vermont · Virginia · Washington · West Virginia · Wisconsin · Wyoming Federal district Washington, D.C. (District of Columbia) Insular areas American Samoa · Guam · Northern Mariana Islands · Puerto Rico · U.S. Virgin Islands Outlying islands Bajo Nuevo Bank · Baker Island · Howland Island · Jarvis Island · Johnston Atoll · Kingman Reef · Midway Atoll · Navassa Island · Palmyra Atoll · Serranilla Bank · Wake Island Coordinates: 14.3° S 170.7° W Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Samoa" Categories: American Samoa | Divided regions | Insular areas of the United States | English-speaking countries and territoriesHidden category: Articles with sections needing expansion Views Article Discussion Edit this page History Personal tools Log in / create account if (window.isMSIE55) fixalpha(); Navigation Main Page Contents Featured content Current events Random article Interaction About Wikipedia Community portal Recent changes Contact Wikipedia Donate to Wikipedia Help Search   Toolbox What links here Related changes Upload file Special pages Printable version Permanent linkCite this page Languages ??????? 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