American Samoa
PolynesiaTerritory
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About
American Samoa is a self-governing, unincorporated and unorganized territory of the United States located in the south Pacific Ocean, within the Polynesia subregion of Oceania. Centered on 14.3°S 170.7°W, it is 40 miles (64 km) southeast of the island country of Samoa, east of the International Date Line and the French territory of Wallis and Futuna, west of the Cook Islands, north of Tonga, and some 310 miles (500 km) south of Tokelau. American Samoa is the southernmost territory of the United States, situated 2,200 miles (3,500 km) southwest of the U.S. state of Hawaii, and one of two U.S. territories south of the Equator, along with the uninhabited Jarvis Island.
Read more on Wikipedia →The Flag
History
The flag of American Samoa consists of a red-edged white triangle pointing towards the hoist charged with a bald eagle clutching a war club and fly-whisk, with dark blue upper and lower triangles. It was adopted in April 1960 to replace the "Stars and Stripes" as the official flag of the territory. The colors used epitomize the traditional colors of the United States and Samoa.
Design & symbolism
The flag consists of a large white triangle, pointed towards the hoist, bordered in red and charged with an eagle, all on a blue field. The U.S. national bird holds a yellow uatogi (a war club) in its claws. The colors and symbols of the flag carry cultural, political, and regional meanings. The red, white and blue represent the colors traditionally utilized by both the United States and Samoa. The bald eagle represents the U.S. and features on the flag, although it does not live in American Samoa. It clutches two Samoan symbols, alluding to the United States' guardianship over American Samoa, as well as evoking the Great Seal of the United States. The symbols are a uatogi (a war club, epitomizing the government's power) and a fue (a fly-whisk, representing the wisdom of traditional Samoan leaders).
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