Geographically American Samoa is part of the Samoan Islands Archipelago and constitutes the Eastern half of the island group. Made up of volcanic islands and a few atolls, American Samoa also contains what is considered one of the safest deep draft harbors in the South Pacific. Pago Pago Harbor was a much coveted safe harbor and coaling station during the 19th century as trans-Pacific shipping often needed a safe harbor from frequent tropical storms, resupply, and later on fuel.

American Samoa was admitted into the United States with the signing of the Deeds of Cession (Tutuila Island 1900 and Manu'a Islands 1904), and became a Naval Administered possession until the territory was transferred to the Department of Interior. Since the late 1970s American Samoa has elected their own governor, although a local legislature had been in existence since the late 1960s.