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. The two tuna canneries accounted for 13.1% of employment in 2013. In late September 2009, an earthquake and the resulting tsunami devastated American Samoa and nearby Samoa, disrupting transportation and power generation, and resulting in about 200 deaths. The US Federal Emergency Management Agency oversaw a relief program of nearly $25 million. 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 is a promising developing sector. In 2015, a new fish processing company completed refurbishing the processing facilities left behind by one of the two canneries that closed in 2009 and opened a new cannery. With two operating canneries once again, fish processing and exports will rise in 2015 and beyond.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$711 million (2013 est.)
$718 million (2012 est.)
$647 million (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 207
[see also: GDP country ranks ]
GDP (official exchange rate):
$748.6 million (2005)
[see also: GDP (official exchange rate) country ranks ]
GDP - real growth rate:
-2.4% (2013 est.)
-2.7% (2012 est.)
0.6% (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 209
[see also: GDP - real growth rate country ranks ]
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$13,000 (2013 est.)
$13,100 (2012 est.)
$11,700 (2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 119
[see also: GDP - per capita country ranks ]
GDP - composition, by end use:
household consumption: 54.6%
[see also: GDP - composition, by end use - household consumption country ranks ]
government consumption: 52.8%
[see also: GDP - composition, by end use - government consumption country ranks ]
investment if fixed capital: 2.7%
investment in inventories: 2.3%
[see also: GDP - composition, by end use - investment in inventories country ranks ]
exports of goods and services: 54.4%
[see also: GDP - composition, by end use - exports of goods and services country ranks ]
imports of goods and services: -66.8% (2012)
[see also: GDP - composition, by end use - imports of goods and services country ranks ]
GDP - composition, by sector of origin:
agriculture: 27.4%
[see also: GDP - composition, by sector of origin - agriculture country ranks ]
industry: 12.4%
[see also: GDP - composition, by sector of origin - industry country ranks ]
services: 60.2% (2012)
[see also: GDP - composition, by sector of origin - services country ranks ]
Agriculture - products:
bananas, coconuts, vegetables, taro, breadfruit, yams, copra, pineapples, papayas; dairy products, livestock
Industries:
tuna canneries (largely supplied by foreign fishing vessels), handicrafts
Industrial production growth rate:
NA%
[see also: Industrial production growth rate country ranks ]
Labor force:
16,090 (2013)
country comparison to the world: 215
[see also: Labor force country ranks ]
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: NA
[see also: Labor force - by occupation - agriculture country ranks ]
industry: 13.1%
[see also: Labor force - by occupation - industry country ranks ]
services: 86.9% (2013)
[see also: Labor force - by occupation - services country ranks ]
Unemployment rate:
29.8% (2005)
country comparison to the world: 185
[see also: Unemployment rate country ranks ]
Population below poverty line:
NA%
[see also: Population below poverty line country ranks ]
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: NA%
[see also: Household income or consumption by percentage share - lowest 10% country ranks ]
highest 10%: NA%
[see also: Household income or consumption by percentage share - highest 10% country ranks ]
Budget:
revenues: $241.2 million
[see also: Budget revenues country ranks ]
expenditures: $243.7 million (2013 est.)
[see also: Budget expenditures country ranks ]
Taxes and other revenues:
32.2% of GDP (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 78
[see also: Taxes and other revenues country ranks ]
Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-):
-0.3% of GDP (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 35
[see also: Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-) country ranks ]
Fiscal year:
1 October - 30 September
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
2.1% (2013)
3.5% (2012)
country comparison to the world: 115
[see also: Inflation rate (consumer prices) country ranks ]
Exports:
$459 million (2013 est.)
$489 million (2012)
country comparison to the world: 175
[see also: Exports country ranks ]
Exports - commodities:
canned tuna 93%
Exports - partners:
US 100%
Imports:
$564 million (2013 est.)
$508 million (2012)
country comparison to the world: 191
[see also: Imports country ranks ]
Imports - commodities:
raw materials for canneries, food, petroleum products, machinery and parts
Debt - external:
$NA
[see also: Debt - external country ranks ]
Exchange rates:
the US dollar is used