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Territory's mid-year 2020 population estimate at a slight decrease

American Samoa Dept. of Commerce logo
reporters@samoanews.com

Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — American Samoa’s 2020 mid-year population is estimated at over 57,000 — a slight decrease compared to last year’s estimate — and the male population is higher than the female population, according to the latest data released yesterday by the Statistics Division of the ASG Commerce Department.

Samoa News reported in August of last year, based on DOC data, that the territory’s mid-year 2019 population was estimated at 58,500 — a recorded loss of 1,100 to the resident population due to high outmigration, increased mortality, and declining fertility.

According to DOC in data released yesterday, the territory’s 2020 mid-year population is estimated at 57,637. It also states that a constant decline in fertility through the decade and net outbound movement of residents continues to add to the population decline.

The population estimate is derived from the Balancing Equation Method by adding the natural growth — births minus deaths — and net migration of residents and immigrants to the base population ever year, says DOC.

“Recent trends of the local population declined due to fewer births and higher mortality,” DOC explained, noting that the number of births dropped again to less than 900 versus an increase in deaths of over 300 resulting in an average natural growth of about 600.

Furthermore, fertility continued to drop throughout the last ten-years while more and more residents are moving off-island.

The mid-2019 population estimate had slightly more females, at 29,746, than males at 28,753.  But for the mid-2020 population estimate, there are slightly more males — at 29,136 — than females at 28,501.

The age group of 25-64 years old has the highest number at 26,241; followed by 6-13 years old with 9,976; and topping off the top three is the age group of 14-18 with 6,464.

The age group with the smallest estimated population is infants — less than one-year old at 950, while the age group of 65 and over totals 3,640.

Data released in August 2011 by the US Census Bureau says American Samoa’s population was 55,519 following the 2010 Census. This notes a decline of 3.1% or 1,772 people between 2000 and 2010.

The national census covering the entire US and its territories is carried out every 10 years, with the next one in 2020 currently underway overseen by the DOC in collaboration with the US Census Bureau.