and limited
coastal plains, two coral atolls (Rose Island, Swains Island)

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: Lata 966 m

Natural resources: pumice, pumicite

Land use:
arable land: 5%
permanent crops: 10%
permanent pastures: 0%
forests and woodland: 70%
other: 15% (1993 est.)

Irrigated land: NA sq km

Natural hazards: typhoons common from December to March

Environment--current issues: limited natural fresh water
resources; the water division of the government has spent
substantial funds in the past few years to improve water catchments
and pipelines

Environment--international agreements:
party to: NA
signed, but not ratified: NA

Geography--note: Pago Pago has one of the best natural deepwater
harbors in the South Pacific Ocean, sheltered by shape from rough
seas and protected by peripheral mountains from high winds;
strategic location in the South Pacific Ocean

People

Population: 63,786 (July 1999 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 39% (male 12,840; female 12,074)
15-64 years: 56% (male 17,933; female 18,035)
65 years and over: 5% (male 1,494; female 1,410) (1999 est.)

Population growth rate: 2.64% (1999 est.)

Birth rate: 26.53 births/1,000 population (1999 est.)

Death rate: 4.04 deaths/1,000 population (1999 est.)

Net migration rate: 3.92 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1999 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 1.06 male(s)/female
total population: 1.02 male(s)/female (1999 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 10.19 deaths/1,000 live births (1999 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 75.46 years
male: 71.23 years
female: 79.95 years (1999 est.)

Total fertility rate: 3.66 children born/woman (1999 est.)

Nationality:
noun: American Samoan(s)
adjective: American Samoan

Ethnic groups: Samoan (Polynesian) 89%, Caucasian 2%, Tongan 4%,
other 5%

Religions: Christian Congregationalist 50%, Roman Catholic 20%,
Protestant denominations and other 30%

Languages: Samoan (closely related to Hawaiian and other
Polynesian languages), English
note: most people are bilingual

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 97%
male: 98%
female: 97% (1980 est.)

Government

Country name:
conventional long form: Territory o