Forgotten World (228): American Samoa
Settled as early as 1000 B.C., Samoa in the South Pacific was “discovered” by European explorers in the 18th century. International rivalries in the latter half of the 19th century were settled by an 1899 treaty in which Germany and the United States divided the Samoan archipelago. The USA formally occupied its portion – a smaller group of eastern islands with the excellent harbor of Pago Pago – the following year.
American Samoa has a population of around 65, 000. People born there are American nationals but are not American citizens unless one of their parents is a U.S. citizen. However, American Samoans are entitled to free and unrestricted entry into the United States. As U.S. nationals, American Samoans may not vote in U.S. presidential elections but they are entitled to elect one non-voting delegate to the United States House of Representatives.