City Australia and Oceania
Pago Pago
Pago Pago is a harbor town on Tutuila. Tutuila is a green island in the Pacific Ocean!
Pago Pago is the main town of American Samoa, on the island of Tutuila in the South Pacific. It lies by Pago Pago Harbor, between steep green mountains. The 2020 census counted 3,000 people in the village of Pago Pago.
Pago Pago, the administrative center of American Samoa on Tutuila (Store norske leksikon), had 3,000 inhabitants at the census of 1 April 2020 (City Population, village of Pago Pago). It lies on Pago Pago Harbor below volcanic peaks; tuna canning and tourism are important industries.
Photo: Iseulaolemoana, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Discover Pago Pago
Pago Pago is a town on an island called Tutuila.
It sits around a long harbor, with tall green mountains all around.
Pago Pago is a harbor town on Tutuila, the largest island of American Samoa, says Store norske leksikon, Norway's big encyclopedia. It is the islands' administrative center.
The 2020 census counted 3,000 people in the village of Pago Pago. Larousse calls it the main settlement of the islands.
Store norske leksikon ('Pago Pago'): the administrative center of American Samoa, on Tutuila; a port town of about 3,650 inhabitants (2010); tourism and tuna canning important industries; an international airport. Store norske leksikon ('Amerikansk Samoa'): six islands of 218 km², the eastern part of the Samoa Islands; most people Polynesian; Tutuila (109 km²) the largest. Larousse: a town on the island of Tutuila, the main locality of the American Samoa archipelago; 64,495 inhabitants (2011 estimate; probably the whole territory). City Population (U.S. Census Bureau), village of Pago Pago: 3,075 (1980), 3,518 (1990), 4,278 (2000), 3,656 (2010), 3,000 (1 April 2020).
- Island
- Tutuila, the largest island of American Samoa, 109 km² (Store norske leksikon)
- People in the village of Pago Pago (census 2020)
- 3,000
- Role
- the administrative center of American Samoa (Store norske leksikon)
- Harbor
- Pago Pago Harbor, a bay about 2.7 km east of the town's point (Wikidata)
A harbor between the mountains
Look at the long blue harbor and the green mountains!
Boats float in the water, and little buildings line the shore.
Iseulaolemoana took this photo of Pago Pago Harbor, on the island of Tutuila, from high above on 24 September 2016. The long harbor curves between steep, green mountains, with small boats on the water, ships at docks and buildings along the shore.
Store norske leksikon says Tutuila rises to 653 meters at Matafao; on Wikidata, Matafao Peak is about 2.3 kilometers south of the town's point. The National Park of American Samoa is about 3 kilometers northeast.
Commons: File:Pagopago amerika sāmoa.jpg, own work by Iseulaolemoana (CC BY-SA 4.0), dated 24 September 2016; the photographer's own description is in Samoan (Pago Pago, the largest town of American Samoa, on the island of Tutuila) and his categories are 'Pago Pago' and 'Pago Pago Harbor'; the English 'Aerial view of Pago Pago Harbor' description was added by another Commons user in April 2025. Wikidata, from the town point (Q51678): Pago Park Soccer Stadium (Q16585333) 0.85 km N; Utulei Beach Park (Q21847505) 2.16 km ESE; Matafao Peak (Q21847219), 653 m, 2.26 km S (first of its two points); Pago Pago Harbor (Q7124387), a bay, 2.67 km E; National Park of American Samoa (Q843075), inception 1988, 2.99 km NE.
- In the photo
- Pago Pago Harbor on Tutuila from high above, 24 September 2016 (Iseulaolemoana)
- Matafao Peak
- 653 m, the highest point of Tutuila (Store norske leksikon); about 2.3 km south of the town's point (Wikidata)
- National Park of American Samoa
- about 3 km northeast of the town's point (Wikidata)
A harbor village
People have counted the people of Pago Pago many times.
In 2020, the count found 3,000 people.
The census counted 3,075 people in the village of Pago Pago in 1980. The number rose to 4,278 in 2000, then fell to 3,656 in 2010 and 3,000 in 2020.
Most of the people of American Samoa are Polynesian, says Store norske leksikon. On Wikidata, the National Park of American Samoa dates from 1988.
City Population (U.S. census): village of Pago Pago 3,075 (1980), 3,518 (1990), 4,278 (2000), 3,656 (2010), 3,000 (2020); neighboring Fagatogo 1,944 (1980) to 1,445 (2020); Tafuna 1,086 (1980) to 7,988 (2020). Store norske leksikon: most inhabitants Polynesian. Wikidata: National Park of American Samoa, inception 1988. No opened source gives a founding date for Pago Pago.
- Pago Pago's people, 1980
- 3,075 (City Population, from the census)
- Pago Pago's people, 2000
- 4,278 (City Population, from the census)
- National park
- the National Park of American Samoa dates from 1988 (Wikidata)
Boats, a harbor and an airport
Ships come into the long harbor.
Airplanes fly to an airport on the same island.
Store norske leksikon calls Pago Pago a port town and says it has an international airport.
The harbor reaches deep into the island. On Wikidata, Pago Pago Harbor is about 2.7 kilometers east of the town's point, and Utulei Beach Park about 2.2 kilometers east-southeast.
Store norske leksikon: a port town with an international airport. Wikidata from the town point: Pago Pago Harbor (Q7124387) 2.67 km E; Utulei Beach Park (Q21847505) 2.16 km ESE; Pago Park Soccer Stadium (Q16585333) 0.85 km N. Commons photo (2016): ships at docks at the lower left and lower middle, small boats in the harbor.
- Port
- a port town (Store norske leksikon)
- Airport
- an international airport (Store norske leksikon)
- Utulei Beach Park
- on the harbor shore, about 2.2 km east-southeast of the town's point (Wikidata)
Hot and very rainy
It rains a lot on Tutuila, and the mountains are very green.
In the photo, clouds hang over the mountain tops.
Store norske leksikon says American Samoa has a tropical climate with a great deal of rain. Tutuila is built of volcanic rock, and its steep slopes are green from top to bottom in the photo.
In the photo, taken in September 2016, gray clouds hang over the highest peaks.
Store norske leksikon ('Amerikansk Samoa'): the islands have a tropical climate with large amounts of precipitation; Tutuila, Aunu'u and the Manu'a group are built of volcanic rock; Tutuila reaches 653 m at Matafao.
- Climate
- tropical, with a great deal of rain (Store norske leksikon)
- Rocks
- Tutuila is built of volcanic rock (Store norske leksikon)
- In the photo
- clouds hang over the mountain tops (24 September 2016)
Tuna, fishing and visitors
Lots of tuna fish are packed into cans in Pago Pago!
Visitors come here too!
Store norske leksikon says tourism and tuna canning are important industries in Pago Pago. Across American Samoa, people fish and work in the fish industry, and they grow coconuts and tropical fruit.
On Wikidata, the Pago Park Soccer Stadium is about 0.9 kilometers north of the town's point.
Store norske leksikon ('Pago Pago'): tourism and tuna canning are important industries. ('Amerikansk Samoa'): the economy rests on fishing and the fish industry, among it tuna canning, and on growing coconuts and various tropical fruits; there is some tourism. Wikidata: Pago Park Soccer Stadium (Q16585333) 0.85 km N.
- Industries
- tourism and tuna canning (Store norske leksikon)
- Farming
- coconuts and tropical fruit (Store norske leksikon)
- Pago Park Soccer Stadium
- about 0.9 km north of the town's point (Wikidata)
Pago Pago on the map
Find the big Pacific Ocean on the globe, south of the equator. The Samoa Islands are there, and Pago Pago is on Tutuila.
Pago Pago lies at about 14.28° south and 170.70° west, on the island of Tutuila in the South Pacific.
Store norske leksikon says American Samoa forms the eastern part of the Samoa Islands: six islands with 218 square kilometers of land. On Wikidata, Matafao Peak is about 2.3 kilometers south of the town's point.
Pago Pago lies at about 14.28° S, 170.70° W (Wikidata point of Pago Pago, Q51678; the sheet point is 0.72 km WNW of it). Store norske leksikon: the eastern part of the Samoa Islands, six islands of 218 km²; Tutuila 109 km². Wikidata from the town point: Matafao Peak 2.26 km S; Pago Pago Harbor 2.67 km E; National Park of American Samoa 2.99 km NE.
- Latitude
- about 14.28° south
- Longitude
- about 170.70° west
- Islands
- the eastern part of the Samoa Islands (Store norske leksikon)
Amazing facts
-
Pago Pago Harbor reaches deep into the island, between the mountains!
On Wikidata, Pago Pago Harbor's point is about 2.7 kilometers east of the town's point, and the photo shows it curving between steep mountains.
Wikidata: Pago Pago Harbor (Q7124387), a bay, 2.67 km E of the town point. Commons (2016): the harbor on Tutuila from high above.
-
Tuna fish are put into cans in Pago Pago!
Store norske leksikon says tuna canning is one of Pago Pago's important industries, along with tourism.
Store norske leksikon: tourism and tuna canning are important industries in Pago Pago.
-
Tutuila was made by volcanoes!
Store norske leksikon says Tutuila, Aunu'u and the Manu'a islands are built of volcanic rock, while Rose Island and Swains Island are small coral atolls.
Store norske leksikon: Tutuila, Aunu'u and the Manu'a group volcanic; Rose Island and Swains Island small coral atolls.
Words to know
- harbor
- a sheltered stretch of water where ships and boats can stay safely
- volcanic rock
- rock made when hot lava cooled down
- atoll
- a ring-shaped coral island around a lagoon
- canning
- packing food into sealed cans so it keeps for a long time
- national park
- a large area protected for nature and visitors
- census
- an official count of all the people living in a place
Discovery challenge
-
Pago Pago is on which island?
On which island of American Samoa is Pago Pago?
Pago Pago lies on which 109 km² island?
- Tutuila
- Hawaii
- Tasmania
Show the answer
Tutuila
Tutuila!
Tutuila.
Tutuila.
-
Which fish is put into cans in Pago Pago?
Canning which fish is an important industry in Pago Pago?
Store norske leksikon names the canning of which fish as an important industry?
- Tuna
- Salmon
- Goldfish
Show the answer
Tuna
Tuna!
Tuna.
Tuna.
-
What made the island of Tutuila?
What kind of rock is Tutuila built of?
Which rock type builds Tutuila, Aunu'u and the Manu'a group?
- Volcanic rock
- Chalk
- Ice
Show the answer
Volcanic rock
Volcanoes made it!
Volcanic rock.
Volcanic rock.
-
How many people did the 2020 count find in Pago Pago?
How many people did the 2020 census count in the village of Pago Pago?
What was the village of Pago Pago's population at the census of 1 April 2020?
- 3,000
- 300
- 300,000
Show the answer
3,000
3,000!
3,000 people.
3,000 (City Population, from the U.S. census).
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For parents & teachers
What children will learn
- Locate Pago Pago on Tutuila in the Samoa Islands.
- Explain why a deep, sheltered harbor is useful for a town.
- Describe how volcanic islands and coral atolls differ.
- Compare census counts over forty years.
Recommended ages: 3 to 17 · About 15 minutes
Talk about it
- Why might towns grow around sheltered harbors?
- Why might a rainy, steep island be so green?
- How might tuna caught at sea end up on a store shelf far away?
Try at home or in class
- Harbor model: shape a long harbor from clay with hills on both sides and float a paper boat in it.
- Census chart: draw bars for Pago Pago's census counts from 1980 to 2020.
- Can label: look at a tuna can at home and find where it was packed.
Key vocabulary: harbor, volcanic rock, atoll, canning, national park, census
Where these facts come from
- Wikidata , Wikimedia Foundation (CC0 1.0)
- Natural Earth vector data , Natural Earth (NACIS) (Public domain)
- Pago Pago , Store norske leksikon
- Amerikansk Samoa , Store norske leksikon
- Pago Pago , Larousse encyclopédie
- American Samoa: Districts & Major Villages , City Population (Thomas Brinkhoff), from the U.S. Census Bureau
- File:Pagopago amerika sāmoa.jpg (Iseulaolemoana) , Wikimedia Commons
- Wikimedia Commons , Wikimedia Foundation (Per file (public domain, CC0, CC BY or CC BY-SA); see each media record)
Checked, not yet human-reviewed. Last updated November 1, 2026. Spotted a mistake? Tell us.