Islam in American Samoa

American Samoa
Amerika Sāmoa
Unincorporated and unorganized U.S. territory
Flag of American Samoa
Flag
Official seal of American Samoa
Seal
Religious population of American Samoa
Islam 1.3%
Christianity 96.9%
- Protestant 41.7%
- Catholic 27.3%
- Pentecostal 5.3%
- Other Christian 22.6%
Non-religious 0.9%
Source: [1]
American Samoa map

American Samoa is an unincorporated territory of the United States, located South East of Samoa and consisting of seven main islands.[2] American Samoa is a predominantly Christian nation, identifying as a region founded by God, however, has become more religiously diverse since the mid-20th century.[3] The religion of Islam was first brought to American Samoa in the mid-1980s by Muslim expatriate workers from government programs.[4] The region received their first native convert in 1985, although Muslim adherents still remain a minority in American Samoan society today.[4] While the population is small, the spread of Islam has been a significant part of the Island’s history.

Claiming that as result of increased terrorist activities globally in the early 2000s, specifically the Bali bombing, the government imposed a strict ban on residents of 23 nations from entering their territory without explicit permission from the island’s attorney general’s office.[5] Most of the countries banned were either located in the Middle East and identified as Muslim nations, or were home to a large number of Muslim adherents.[2] The ban has received opposition from human rights groups along with those on the list as well as neighboring islands, mainly over issues of religious freedom.[5]

The religion still influences life in American Samoa, with the establishment of public education and health groups as well as a range of community activities by native converts and Muslim organizations with the aim of teaching the natives about Islam.[6]

  1. ^ Association of Religion Data Archives (2020). "American Samoa".
  2. ^ a b Stanley, David (2004). South Pacific. Moon Handbooks.
  3. ^ Bouma, G; Ling, R; Pratt, D (2010). "Samoa". Religious Diversity in Southeast Asia and the Pacific. Springer Netherlands. doi:10.1007/978-90-481-3389-5_23.
  4. ^ a b Terdiman, Moshe (2011). "History of Islam in Samoa".
  5. ^ a b Sydney Morning Herald (2002). "American Samoa bans nations from 23 countries".
  6. ^ Cite error: The named reference Syd morning herald was invoked but never defined (see the help page).