The estimates of gross domestic product for American Samoa, just released by the Bureau of Economic Analysis, show that real GDP—GDP adjusted to remove price changes—decreased 2.5 percent in 2016 after increasing 1.2 percent in 2015
For comparison, real GDP for the United States (excluding the territories) increased 1.5 percent in 2016 after increasing 2.9 percent in 2015.
The decline in the American Samoa economy reflected decreases in spending on construction and equipment; several investment projects in both the government sector and private sector had ended or entered their final stages during 2015.
Government spending decreased, reflecting a decline in investment spending by the territorial government.
Territorial government spending had been elevated in 2015 due to the telecommunication authority’s work to improve broadband capacity through the Broadband Linking American Samoa Territory Project (BLAST) and the power utility’s work to rebuild the Satala Plant.
Business spending on construction and equipment continued to decrease, following major investments made by the tuna canning industry in previous years.
The estimates of GDP by industry for American Samoa show that both the private sector and government sector expanded in 2015, due to growth in manufacturing industries and in the territorial government.
The growth in manufacturing reflected higher output of the canning industry following the opening of a tuna processing plant, Samoa Tuna Processors. The plant closed in December of last year.
The growth in the government sector reflected an increase in territorial government compensation.
The compensation by industry estimates, which are measured in current dollars, show trends in compensation for major industries.
Total compensation increased in 2015, reflecting growth in manufacturing and in the territorial government.
An agreement between the Office of insular Affairs and BEA will extend and improve the estimates of GDP for American Samoa.
A statement from the bureau said the information provided by the American Samoa Government will continue to be critical to the successful production of these estimates.
