anch:
bicameral Fono or Legislative Assembly consists of the House of
Representatives (21 seats; 20 members 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 to serve four-year terms)
elections: House of Representatives - last held 4 November 2008
(next to be held in November 2010); Senate - last held 4 November
2008 (next to be held in November 2012)
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
note: American Samoa elects one nonvoting representative to the US
House of Representatives; election last held on 4 November 2008
(next to be held in November 2010); results - Eni F. H. FALEOMAVAEGA
reelected as delegate
Judicial branch:
High Court (chief justice and associate justices are appointed by
the US Secretary of the Interior)
Political parties and leaders:
Democratic Party [Oreta M. TOGAFAU]; Republican Party [Tautai A. F.
FAALEVAO]
Political pressure groups and leaders:
Population Pressure LAS (addresses the growing population pressures)
International organization participation:
Interpol (subbureau), IOC, SPC, 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 fly
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 war club known as a "Fa'alaufa'i"
(upper; left talon), and a coconut fiber fly whisk known as a "Fue"
(lower; right talon); the combination of symbols broadly mimics that
seen on the US Great Seal and reflects the relationship between the
United States and American Samoa
Economy
American Samoa
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.
Transfers from the US Government add substantially to American
Samoa's economic well
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