AMERICAN SAMOA - Teritori o Amerika Sāmoa

American Samoa (Samoan: Amerika Sāmoa; also Amelika Sāmoa or Sāmoa Amelika) is an unincorporated territory of the United States located in the South Pacific Ocean, southeast of (the independent nation of) Samoa. Its location is centered on 14.2710° S, 170.1322° W. It is east of the International Date Line, while Samoa is west of the Line. American Samoa consists of five main islands and two coral atolls. The largest and most populous island is Tutuila, with the Manuʻa Islands, Rose Atoll, and Swains Island also included in the territory. All islands except for Swains Island are part of the Samoan Islands, located west of the Cook Islands, north of Tonga, and some 300 miles (500 km) south of Tokelau. To the west are the islands of the Wallis and Futuna group. As of 2020 the population of American Samoa is approximately 55,212 people. Most American Samoans are bilingual and can speak English and Samoan fluently.

The total land area is 199 square kilometers (76.8 sq mi), slightly more than Washington, D.C. American Samoa is the southernmost territory of the United States and one of two U.S. territories south of the Equator, along with the uninhabited Jarvis Island. Tuna products are the main exports, and the main trading partner is the United States. American Samoa has been a member of the Pacific Community since 1983. American Samoa is noted for having the highest rate of military enlistment of any U.S. state or territory. As of September 9, 2014, the local U.S. Army recruiting station in Pago Pago was ranked first in production out of the 885 Army recruiting stations and centers under the United States Army Recruiting Command.

On September 29, 2009, at 17:48:11 UTC, an 8.1 magnitude earthquake struck 120 miles (190 km) off the coast of American Samoa, followed by smaller aftershocks. It was the largest earthquake of 2009. The quake occurred on the outer rise of the Kermadec-Tonga Subduction Zone. This is part of the Pacific Ring of Fire, where tectonic plates in the Earth's lithosphere meet and earthquakes and volcanic activity are common. The quake struck 11.2 miles (18.0 km) below the ocean floor and generated an onsetting tsunami that killed more than 170 people in the Samoa Islands and Tonga. Four waves with heights from 15 feet (4.6 m) to 20 feet (6.1 m) high were reported to have reached up to one mile (1.6 km) inland on the island of Tutuila. The Defense Logistics Agency worked with the Federal Emergency Management Agency to provide 16' × 16' humanitarian tents to the devastated areas of American Samoa. 

Unique among U.S. territories, American Samoa has its own immigration law, separate from the laws that apply in other parts of the United States. While U.S. nationals can freely move to American Samoa, the American Samoan government, via the Immigration Board of American Samoa, controls the migration of aliens to the islands. Special application forms exist for migration to American Samoa based on family or employment sponsorship.

The U.S. Embassy in Samoa notes that: "In July 1997 the Constitution was amended to change the country's name from Western Samoa to Samoa. Samoa had been known simply as Samoa in the United Nations since joining the organization in 1976. The neighboring U.S. territory of American Samoa protested the move, feeling that the change diminished its own Samoan identity. American Samoans still use the terms Western Samoa and Western Samoans.

Notable terrestrial species include the Pacific boa and the Flying Megabat, which has a three-foot wingspread. Two snake species can be found in American Samoa: The Australoasian blindsnake is found on Tutuila, while the Pacific boa occurs on Ta'ū. The islands are home to five species of geckos: Pacific slender-toed gecko, Oceanic gecko, Mourning gecko, Stump-toed gecko, and House gecko. Turtles include the threatened Green sea turtle and the endangered Hawksbill sea turtle. Hawksbill sea turtles tend to nest on Tutuila beaches, while the Green sea turtle is most common on Rose Atoll. Tutuila has the highest number of nesting turtles, consisting of around fifty nesting females per year.American Samoa is home to one species of amphibian: the Cane toad. Biologists estimate that there are over two million toads on Tutuila.

915 nearshore fish species have been recorded in American Samoa, compared to only 460 nearshore fish species in Hawai'i. With over 950 species of native fish and 250 coral species, American Samoa has the greatest marine biodiversity in the United States. Megabats are the only native mammal in American Samoa. The islands are home to two species of fruit bats: Pacific Flying Fox and Samoa flying fox. The Sheath-tailed bat is another species found here, which is a smaller insect-eating bat. In 1992, the American Samoa Government banned the hunting of fruit bats to help their populations recover. The Samoa flying fox is only found in Fiji and the Samoan Islands. Sixteen of the Samoan Islands’ 34 bird species are found nowhere else on Earth. This includes the critically endangered Tooth-billed pigeon. Four species of birds are only found in the Manu'a Islands and not on Tutuila. These include American Samoa's only parrot, the Blue-crowned Lory. Other special birds to Manu’a are the Lesser shrikebill and the Friendly ground-dove. The Spotless crake has only been observed on Ta'ū Island.

Getting envelopes from American Samoa is not very rare , but I failed three times by sending my envelops for postmarking. I believe they lost in transit, this is the fourth time I tried, finally got back my envelopes with postmarks from Pago Pago.  All the letters from American Samoa transit through Honolulu sorting center, that is why there is an extra machine postmark of Honolulu can be seen on the top of the envelope. The covers posted on September 20, 2017 and I received  on October 14, 2017.