The economy of American Samoa is dominated by grants from the U.S. Department of Interior.
The tuna canning and fishing industries provide the majority of the GDP, although tourism is a promising developing sector.
Economic activity is strongly linked to the US with which American Samoa conducts most of its commerce, although American Samoa does not treat the US as an external trade partner.
Funding from the US government adds 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.
Hurricanes are relatively infrequent and although they sometimes cause substantial damage, the total number of deaths from hurricanes in the past 50 years is estimated to be less than 5.
 Therefore, hurricanes are simply an inconvenience and certainly not the economic development curtailing events portrayed in many writings.

More than 90% of the land is communally owned.
Tuna fishing and tuna processing plants are the backbone of the private sector, with canned tuna the primary export.
Urban development has taken roots in Pago Pago Harbor where fisheries and its allied industries of canneries have been established.
The largest Tuna processing plant in the world, known as StarKist, is located in Atu'u, across the bay from Fagatogo.
In the harbor there is a workshop of the Marine Railways, which takes care of the maintenance and repair of fishing ships.
The economy of American Samoa is dominated by grants from the U.S. Department of Interior. The tuna canning and fishing industries provide the majority of the GDP, although tourism is a promising developing sector. Economic activity is strongly linked to the US with which American Samoa conducts most of its commerce, although American Samoa does not treat the US as an external trade partner. Funding from the US government adds 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. Hurricanes are relatively infrequent and although they sometimes cause substantial damage, the total number of deaths from hurricanes in the past 50 years is estimated to be less than 5.  Therefore, hurricanes are simply an inconvenience and certainly not the economic development curtailing events portrayed in many writings.
More than 90% of the land is communally owned. Tuna fishing and tuna processing plants are the backbone of the private sector, with canned tuna the primary export. Urban development has taken roots in Pago Pago Harbor where fisheries and its allied industries of canneries have been established. The largest Tuna processing plant in the world, known as StarKist, is located in Atu'u, across the bay from Fagatogo. In the harbor there is a workshop of the Marine Railways, which takes care of the maintenance and repair of fishing ships.
Tutuila