Key facts on the Independent State of Samoa and the U.S. territory of American Samoa:
American Samoa:
_ Located about 2,300 miles southwest of Hawaii and 1,600 miles northeast of New Zealand.
_ Largest island is Tutuila, home to 95 percent of the territory's 65,000 population.
_ A U.S. territory since 1900.
_ Used as a training and staging area for the U.S. Marine Corps during World War II. Controlled by the U.S. Navy until 1951.
_ Territory is administered by the U.S. Department of Interior. Those born in the territory are U.S. nationals, not citizens.
_ Local government is organized like the U.S. government, with a Senate, a House of Representatives and an elected governor. Represented in Congress by a nonvoting delegate to the U.S. House of Representatives.
_ American Samoa doesn't vote in elections for U.S. president and vice president, but residents can vote in Democratic and Republican presidential primary elections.
_ Tuna canneries account for nearly 60 percent of all economic activity.
Independent State of Samoa:
_ A German protectorate from 1900 until World War I.
_ Administered by New Zealand until 1962, when it gained independence and formed a parliamentary democracy.
_ Changed its name from Western Samoa to Independent State of Samoa in 1997.
_ Population is about 179,000.
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Sources: American Samoa Historic Preservation Office, American Samoa Government Official Web site, American Samoa Tourism, CIA World Factbook.
Source: AP News
