| National Park of American Samoa | |
History & Geology:
American Samoa, the only United States territory south of the equator, is made up of five rugged volcanic islands and two coral atolls, with a total land area of 76 square miles. The chain of islands is located 2,300 miles southwest of Hawaii and more than 4,100 miles southwest of San Francisco. Sydney, Australia is about 2,700 miles further to the southwest, while Auckland, New Zealand is about 1,600 miles southwest.
The seven islands are dispersed over 150 miles of water. Tutuila, the main island, is the center of government and business. Tutuila has a land area of 56 square miles, with an estimated 95 percent of the 56,000 total population living there. The remaining 20 square miles include the islands of Ofu, Olsoega, and Ta'u of the Manu'a group located 60 miles east of Tutuila; Aunu, a small island 1/4 mile off the eastern shore of Tutuila; Rose Atoll, a wildlife refuge 60 miles east of Manu'a; and Swain's Island, 200 miles north of Tutuila. Most of the islands are mountainous, heavily wooded, and surrounded by coral reefs.
The nation of Samoa lies 60 miles west of Tutuila. The two main islands -- 'Upolu and Savai'i -- comprise a much larger land area than American Samoa. Between these two large islands are the small islands of Manono and Apolima.
The Samoa Islands are part of Polynesia, a triangular area of the Pacific bounded by Hawaii, New Zealand, and Easter Island. The Samoa Islands have been populated for 3,000 years, but known to the Western world for little more than two centuries. So important is Samoa to Polynesian culture that some believe this was where all Polynesian people originated.
The National Park of American Samoa was authorized in 1988 by Congress to preserve and protect the tropical rainforest ecosystem, flying fox fruit bat habitat, the coral reefs, and the 3,000 year-old Samoan culture and archeological resources. In 1988, the National Park Service began negotiations for land on three islands - with nine Chiefs in village councils. The negotiations resulted in the 10,520 acre national park being located on the islands, Ofu, Ta'u, and Tutuila, with about 420 acres mostly under water.
History of the Islands
A brief history of American Samoa from the Office of Tourism.
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National
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