Relationship dossier
American Samoa
United States
Relationship assessment
American Samoa is a self-governing U.S. territory under federal authority.
American Samoa toward United States
Not assessedUnited States toward American Samoa
+20The United States governs American Samoa as an unincorporated territory, while the territory maintains local self-government. Federal law provides American Samoans U.S. nationality at birth, but not citizenship by birth.
Overall relationship
Not assessedHow to read these scores
Scores are rough judgments, not objective measurements or current verification. Directional scores describe government policy and conduct, not public opinion. The overall score is an independent estimate, never an average.
- −100
- Extreme sustained hostility
- −50
- Substantially adversarial
- 0
- Mixed or neutral, supported by knowledge
- +50
- Substantially cooperative
- +100
- Exceptionally close sustained partnership
“Not assessed” means there is no recorded score. Pair existence makes no claim about diplomatic recognition or established relations.
Relationship context
Overview
American Samoa is a U.S. territory with local self-government, not a sovereign state conducting an independent foreign policy. The United States retains authority over its territorial status and administers federal responsibilities there. American Samoans are U.S. nationals at birth, rather than U.S. citizens by birth.
Major uncertainties
- The scope of federal authority and the practical division of responsibilities between federal and territorial governments are complex.
- The effects of changes in federal policy on American Samoa are not assessed here.