Invasive alien species in the Austral-Pacific Region : National Reports & Directory of Resources

Abstract

American Samoa is a group of oceanic islands, which lie about 3,680 km southwest of Hawaiíi and about 2,560 km from the northern tip of New Zealand. It is situated along 14 degrees latitude south of the equator. Its immediate neighbor is Samoa (formerly known as Western Samoa), an independent state 128 km to the west. The total land area of American Samoa is about 200 square kilometers, which is shared by five main islands, namely Tutuila, Tau, Ofu, Olosega, and Aunuu. The climate is tropical humid, with an annual rainfall ranging from 3,175 mm at sea level to more than 7,000 mm on the highest mountain, Lata on Tau island.