The state of coral reef ecosystems of American Samoa : 2005 & 2008

Abstract

American Samoa is a U.S. Territory located approximately 4,200 km south of Hawai'i. It is the southernmost of all U.S. possessions and the only U.S. jurisdiction in the South Pacific. American Samoa comprises seven islands (five volcanic islands and two coral atolls) with a combined land area of approximately 200 km2 . The five volcanic islands, Tutuila, Aunu'u, Ofu, Olosega, and Ta'u, are the major inhabited islands of American Samoa. Tutuila, the largest island, is also the center of government and business. Ofu, Olosega, and Ta'u, collectively referred to as the Manu'a Islands, are 107 km east of Tutuila. Two outer islands, Rose Atoll and Swains Island, are approximately 259 km and 327 km from Tutuila, respectively. Rose Atoll is uninhabited and is managed as a National Wildlife Refuge (NWR) by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), while Swains Island is inhabited by a subsistence population of approximately 10 people.