Page last updated on February 08, 2019

Economy - overview:
American Samoa s 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 processing are the backbone of the private sector with processed fish products as the primary exports. The fish processing business accounted for 15.5% of employment in 2015.

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 has some potential as a source of income and jobs.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
$658 million (2016 est.)
$674.9 million (2015 est.)
$666.9 million (2014 est.)
note: data are in 2016 US dollars
country comparison to the world: 209
[see also: GDP country ranks ]

GDP (official exchange rate):
$658 million (2016 est.) (2016 est.)
[see also: GDP (official exchange rate) country ranks ]

GDP - real growth rate:
-2.5% (2016 est.)
1.2% (2015 est.)
1% (2014 est.)
country comparison to the world: 208
[see also: GDP - real growth rate country ranks ]

GDP - per capita (PPP):
$11,200 (2016 est.)
$11,300 (2015 est.)
$11,200 (2014 est.)
country comparison to the world: 134
[see also: GDP - per capita country ranks ]

GDP - composition, by end use:
household consumption: 66.4% (2016 est.)
[see also: GDP - composition, by end use - household consumption country ranks ]
government consumption: 49.7% (2016 est.)
[see also: GDP - composition, by end use - government consumption country ranks ]
investment in fixed capital: 7.3% (2016 est.)
[see also: GDP - composition, by end use - investment in fixed capital country ranks ]
investment in inventories: 5.1% (2016 est.)
[see also: GDP - composition, by end use - investment in inventories country ranks ]
exports of goods and services: 65% (2016 est.)
[see also: GDP - composition, by end use - exports of goods and services country ranks ]
imports of goods and services: -93.5% (2016 est.)
[see also: GDP - composition, by end use - imports of goods and services country ranks ]

GDP - composition, by sector of origin:
agriculture: 27.4% (2012)
[see also: GDP - composition, by sector of origin - agriculture country ranks ]
industry: 12.4% (2012)
[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:
17,850 (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 213
[see also: Labor force country ranks ]

Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: NA
[see also: Labor force - by occupation - agriculture country ranks ]
industry: 15.5%
[see also: Labor force - by occupation - industry country ranks ]
services: 46.4% (2015 est.)
[see also: Labor force - by occupation - services country ranks ]

Unemployment rate:
29.8% (2005)
country comparison to the world: 206
[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: 249 million (2016 est.)
[see also: Budget - revenues country ranks ]
expenditures: 262.5 million (2016 est.)
[see also: Budget - expenditures country ranks ]

Taxes and other revenues:
37.8% (of GDP) (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 53
[see also: Taxes and other revenues country ranks ]

Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-):
-2.1% (of GDP) (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 107
[see also: Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-) country ranks ]

Public debt:
12.2% of GDP (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 197
[see also: Public debt country ranks ]

Fiscal year:
1 October - 30 September

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
-0.5% (2015 est.)
1.4% (2014 est.)
country comparison to the world: 5
[see also: Inflation rate (consumer prices) country ranks ]

Exports:
$428 million (2016 est.)
$427 million (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 179
[see also: Exports country ranks ]

Exports - partners:
Australia 25%, Ghana 19%, Indonesia 15.6%, Burma 10.4%, Portugal 5.1% (2017)

Exports - commodities:
canned tuna 93%

Imports:
$615 million (2016 est.)
$657 million (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 193
[see also: Imports country ranks ]

Imports - commodities:
raw materials for canneries, food, petroleum products, machinery and parts

Imports - partners:
Fiji 10.7%, Singapore 10.4%, NZ 10.4%, South Korea 9.3%, Samoa 8.2%, Kenya 6.4%, Australia 5.2% (2017)

Debt - external:
NA
[see also: Debt - external country ranks ]

Exchange rates:

the US dollar is used