Afono (Samoan: Āfono) is a village on the northeast coast of Tutuila Island, American Samoa. One of the island's more populous villages, it is located on the edge of Afono Bay, at the eastern edge of the National Park of American Samoa. It is connected by Highway 6 to Vatia, which lies along the coast to the northwest, and to Aua, on the edge of Pago Pago Harbor to the south via a winding stretch of highway which crosses the spine of the island.
Afono | |
|---|---|
Village | |
| Afonotele | |
 | |
  Afono | |
| Coordinates: 14°15′51″S 170°39′3″W / 14.26417°S 170.65083°W | |
| Country |  United States |
| Territory |  American Samoa |
| County | Sua[1] |
| Area | |
| • Total | 1 sq mi (3 km2) |
| Elevation | 85 ft (26 m) |
| Population (2020) | |
| • Total | 327 |
| • Density | 280/sq mi (110/km2) |
Afono has been inhabited for at least 1000 years.[2]
Geography
editAfono is a village on the north shore of Tutuila Island in American Samoa, located by Afono Bay. Afono is situated over Afono Pass, which sits in-between Rainmaker Mountain and the Maugaloa Ridge. The village is home to traditional thatched huts.[3] It is reached by following Highway 6 northbound from the village of Aua. The road from Aua includes several steep switchbacks up to Rainmaker Pass, and continues equally steeply down to the village of Afono.[4] The village borders the Tutuila-section of National Park of American Samoa.
Afono spreads out across the backside of Rainmaker Mountain. Afono Bay is home to a pebbly beach but it is almost non-existent except at low tide.[5]
National Park
editAccess to the Tutuila unit of the National Park of American Samoa is primarily through a paved road which runs along the perimeter of the upper end of Pago Pago Harbor. Lateral roads lead to Fagasā Pass and the park's western end and to Afono Pass at its eastern end. The latter lateral road also leads to the villages of Afono and Vatia. Road signs marking entrance points to the National Park unit have been placed along the Afono/Vatia road near Matape Hill/Craggy Point, near the park boundary in the vicinity of Afono Pass, and above the village's western side.[6]: 21, 31 A National Park Service visitor center has been proposed in Afono.
The stands of endemic broadleaf forest located between Fagasā and Afono provide habitat for large numbers of native bird species. The best and biggest known roost on Tutuila Island for the Sheath-tailed bat is located in the Anapeʻape Cove near Afono. Two decades ago 10,000 sheath-tailed bats were occupying the caves.[6]: 129, 131
Lands within the Tutuila unit presently under cultivation for substance agriculture are confined to areas above Afono and Vatia villages.[6]: 145
Demographics
edit| Population growth[7] | |
|---|---|
| 2020 | 327 |
| 2010 | 524 |
| 2000 | 530 |
| 1990 | 434 |
| 1980 | 284 |
| 1970 | 278 |
| 1960 | 184 |
| 1950 | 169 |
| 1940 | 138 |
| 1930 | 96 |
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ Krämer, Augustin (2000). The Samoa Islands. University of Hawaii Press. Page 424. ISBN 9780824822194.
- ^ Rieth, Tim & Addison, D.J. (2008). "How Dark Are They? The Samoan Dark Ages, ~1500-1000 BP." In D.J. Addison & C. Sand (Eds.), Recent Advances in the Archaeology of the Fiji/West Polynesia Region, 2008 (page 92). University of Otago Studies in Prehistoric Anthropology No. 21.
- ^ "Tradewinds Hotel – Pago Pago, American Samoa". Archived from the original on 2018-05-01. Retrieved 2017-10-26.
- ^ Swaney, Deanna (1990). Samoa, Western & American Samoa. Lonely Planet Publications. Page 146. ISBN 9780864420787.
- ^ Clayville, Melinda (2021). Explore American Samoa: The Complete Guide to Tutuila, Aunuʻu, and Manuʻa Islands. Page 53. ISBN 9798556052970.
- ^ a b c National Park Service (1997). "National Park of American Samoa, General Management Plan (GP), Islands of Tutulla, Taʻu, and Ofu: Environmental Impact Statement" (PDF).
- ^ "American Samoa Statistical Yearbook 2016" (PDF). American Samoa Department of Commerce. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2019-02-14. Retrieved 2019-07-25.
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