Itūʻau County
Itūʻau County is a county in the Eastern District in American Samoa.[1][2][3] The official name is Itūʻau ma Nofo, however, it is commonly known as just Itūʻau. It is divided into northern and southern parts by the highest part of the Tutuila's central mountain range. It is peculiar in that it had no county chief. In Nuʻuuli in the south, power was divided between village high chief Savusa and the Four Chiefly Houses of the Soliai, Tago, Levu, and Alega. In Fagasā in the north, leadership was shared by the Tupuola and the Alo. The physical division of the county by mountains combined with the lack of a high chief made the county a battleground (itu'au) in ancient times.[4]
It is a small county which only consisted of two villages: Nuʻuuli and Fagasā. These villages lie across from each other, Nuʻuuli on the south shoreline of Tutuila Island and Fagasā on the north side. They are connected by an inland road which runs west of Pago Pago Bay across the mountain ridge.[5]
Etymology
The name of the county, Itūʻau, is derived from the Samoan language and translates into English as “Army"[6] or “side of the warriors”.[7]
Three of the villages are in a section known as Nofoa, which translates to "Abiding Place".[8]
Demographics
| Year | Pop. | ±% |
|---|---|---|
| 1912 | 507 | — |
| 1920 | 573 | +13.0% |
| 1930 | 750 | +30.9% |
| 1940 | 1,012 | +34.9% |
| 1950 | 1,796 | +77.5% |
| 1960 | 1,887 | +5.1% |
| 1970 | 2,884 | +52.8% |
| 1980 | 3,543 | +22.9% |
| 1990 | 3,655 | +3.2% |
| 2000 | 4,312 | +18.0% |
| 2010 | 4,676 | +8.4% |
| 2020 | 3,431 | −26.6% |
| U.S. Decennial Census[9] | ||
Itu'au County was first recorded beginning with the 1912 special census. Regular decennial censuses were taken beginning in 1920.[10]
Villages
The county is officially known as Itu'au ma Nofoa (Itu'au and Nofoa), where Itu'au includes Nuʻuuli, Faganeanea, and Matu'u. Nofoa is made up of Fagasā, Fagatele, and Fagale'a.[11]
References
- ^ "CPH-T-8. Population, Housing Units, Land Area, and Density for U.S. Island Areas: 2010" (PDF). United States Census. Retrieved 4 February 2019.
- ^ 1987 Census of Agriculture: Geographic area series, Parts 55-56. Bureau of the Census. 1991. p. 4.
- ^ "5.0102 Division of districts into counties". www.asbar.org.
- ^ Gray, John Alexander Clinton (1980). Amerika Samoa. Arno Press. Page 123. ISBN 9780405130380.
- ^ Krämer, Augustin (2000). The Samoa Islands. University of Hawaii Press. Page 441. ISBN 9780824822194.
- ^ Churchill, W. (1913). "Geographical Nomenclature of American Samoa". Bulletin of the American Geographical Society, 45(3), page 191. Retrieved on December 6, 2024, from https://doi.org/10.2307/199273.
- ^ Krämer, Augustin (1994). The Samoa Islands: Constitution, pedigrees and traditions. University of Hawaiʻi Press. Page 441. ISBN 9780824816339.
- ^ Churchill, W. (1913). "Geographical Nomenclature of American Samoa". Bulletin of the American Geographical Society, 45(3), page 192. Retrieved on December 6, 2024, from https://doi.org/10.2307/199273.
- ^ "U.S. Decennial Census". Census.gov. Archived from the original on April 12, 2013. Retrieved June 6, 2013.
- ^ "1920 Census: Outlying Possessions" (PDF). US Census Bureau. p. 1231. Retrieved 5 July 2022.
- ^ Krämer, Augustin (2000). The Samoa Islands. University of Hawaii Press. Page 424. ISBN 9780824822194.
14°19′7″S 170°43′25″W / 14.31861°S 170.72361°W