American Samoa cont.

Photo: offthebeatenpath.com

As time went on, more and more Samoan people became fascinated with American culture. As a result, many immigrated to the U.S. mainland. This is a big part of the reason why there has been such an influx of Samoan athletes in various sports over the years. Meanwhile, service in the military remains a popular career path in American Samoa.

Many areas of American Samoa still operate under a rough chieftain system. These chiefs control territories of various sizes. This has led to Samoa gaining a reputation for being a male-dominated culture.

 Uninhabited Territories

Bajo Nuevo Bank

Photo: treasurenet.com

The Bajo Nuevo Bank is an odd – yet fascinating – U.S. territory.

The Nuevo Bank is located in the Caribbean Sea and is only 16 miles in length. It is entirely uninhabited and contains few structures more notable than a beacon. Actually, that beacon is maintained by the Columbian Navy.

So why is this a U.S. territory? Well, Colombia and Jamaica argued for years regarding who has control over the area. Columbia stated they controlled the territory since 1886. However, that claim was challenged by some – including Jamaica – who stated that Columbia never officially recognized the territory.

As for the U.S., their claim dates back to the provisions of the Guano Islands Act. While most of the territories included in that act were renounced, the Nuevo Bank escaped due to an argument over the wording of the renouncement treaty. While the Bank is still technically a U.S. territory, it remains a disputed area in eyes of many.