The economy of American Samoa is a traditional Polynesian economy in which more than 90% of the land is communally owned. American Samoa is an unincorporated territory of the United States; economic activity is strongly linked to the main customs zone of the U.S., with which American Samoa conducts the great bulk of its trade. Tuna fishing and processing plants are the backbone of the private sector, with canned tuna being the primary export. Transfers from the U.S. federal 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.
tHe eConOmy Of americaN SAmoA Is a traditIonAl poLyNeSian eConoMy in whicH moRe Than 90% of the lANd Is coMMUNaLLy owned. AmeRiCAN Samoa iS An UniNcORpORaTEd teRRitorY Of ThE UnITed stATes; eCOnomIc activIty is strongly linked to the main cuStoms ZoNe Of tHe u.S., WitH WHicH amERiCAN samoA conductS The gREAt BulK OF its TRaDe. tuna fiShing aNd proCessinG pLanTs ARe the BaCkBONe of thE PriVate SECtor, with canned tuna bEiNG ThE PrimARy export. TrAnSfErs fROM thE u.s. federAl 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.