American Samoa, located within the geographical region of Oceania, is one of only two possessions of the United States in the Southern Hemisphere, the other being Jarvis Island. Its total land area is 76.8 square miles (199 km2)—slightly larger than Washington, D.C.—consisting of five rugged, volcanic islands and two coral atolls. The five volcanic islands islands are: Tutuila, Aunu'u, Ofu, Olosega, Tau. The coral atolls are: Swains, and Rose Atoll. Of the seven islands, Rose Atoll is an uninhabited Marine National Monument.
Due to its positioning in the South Pacific Ocean, it is frequently hit by typhoons between December and March. Rose Atoll is the easternmost point of the territory. American Samoa is the southernmost part of the United States. American Samoa is home to the National Park of American Samoa.
|
||
Continent | Oceania | |
Subregion | Oceania | |
Geographic coordinates | 14°20′S 170°00′W / 14.333°S 170°W / -14.333; -170 | |
Area - Total - Water |
Ranked 212th 199 km² 0 km² |
|
Coastline | 116 km | |
Land boundaries | 0 km | |
Countries bordered | none | |
Maritime claims | 200 nmi (370.4 km) | |
Highest point | Lata Mountain, 964 m | |
Lowest point | Pacific Ocean, 0 m | |
Longest river | ||
Largest inland body of water | ||
Land Use - Arable land - Permanent |
||
Irrigated Land: | n/a | |
Climate: | tropical marine, little seasonal temperature variation | |
Terrain: | volcano, limited coastal plains, two coral atolls | |
Natural resources | pumice, pumicite | |
Natural hazards | typhoons from December to March | |
Environmental issues | limited fresh water |
Famous quotes containing the words geography of, geography and/or american:
“The California fever is not likely to take us off.... There is neither romance nor glory in digging for gold after the manner of the pictures in the geography of diamond washing in Brazil.”
—Rutherford Birchard Hayes (18221893)
“The California fever is not likely to take us off.... There is neither romance nor glory in digging for gold after the manner of the pictures in the geography of diamond washing in Brazil.”
—Rutherford Birchard Hayes (18221893)
“The ideal of the self-sufficient American family is a myth, dangerous because most families, especially affluent families, do in fact make use of a range of services to survive. Families needing one or another kind of help are not morally deficient; most families do need assistance at one time or another.”
—Joseph Featherstone (20th century)