Tafuna

Tafuna – the city in American Samoa, on the island of Tutuila; 12 100 inhabitants (2006). The largest city of the country. South of the airport is Pago Pago.

The economy

The economy of the islands is based on fishing and processing of fish, particularly tuna and canned fish are a major export article. It is important to agriculture, although crops occupy only 15% of the area of the islands, of which 1 / 3 accounted for plantations, and the remainder is mostly owned by tribal [...]

Sports

About 30 ethnic Samoans, many from American Samoa, currently play in the National Football League. A 2002 article from ESPN 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. Pittsburgh Steelers safety [...]

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 [...]

Colonization

Early Western contact included a battle in the eighteenth century between French explorers and islanders in Tutuila, for which the Samoans were blamed in the West, giving them a reputation for ferocity. Early nineteenth century Rarotongan missionaries to the Samoa islands were followed by a group of Western missionaries led by John Williams of the [...]

When to Go

The best time to enjoy American Samoa – and especially the island’s capital – is during the dry season (May-October). The risk of tropical cyclones (hurricanes) is reduced at this time and, not surprisingly, it is also when most of the major festivals are held. This is considered to be the region’s high season, though [...]

American Samoa

American Samoa (Samoan: Amerika Sāmoa or Sāmoa Amelika) is an unincorporated territory of the United States located in the South Pacific Ocean, southeast of the sovereign state of Samoa. The main (largest and most populous) island is Tutuila, with the Manuʻa Islands, Rose Atoll, and Swains Island also included in the territory. American Samoa is [...]

Pago Pago

Pago Pago is the capital town of American Samoa. It is actually a village that is often mistaken to be a city (as in a capital or port city) of this south Pacific territory of the United States of America. Its 1990 population was 10,640. The village is located on Pago Pago Harbor, in the [...]