Interior’s Office of Insular Affairs continues support for statistical analysis and GDP data collection for the U.S. Territories

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of the Interior’s Office of Insular Affairs (OIA) has announced $1,846,121 in funding support through the Technical Assistance Program for the Bureau of Economic Analysis to collect gross domestic product (GDP) data for the U.S. Territories and to facilitate statistical data planning and improvements in Guam and American Samoa.

“The lack of parity in data collection continues to be an issue for the U.S. Territories as their governments strive to make the most informed decisions for their residents,” said Deputy Assistant Secretary Keone Nakoa. “To help address this systemic problem, these critical funds will support these communities as they work to develop more comprehensive data practices and capacity for analysis.”

The following programs were funded through OIA’s Technical Assistance Program in fiscal year 2021 to help support and strengthen data and statistical analysis in in the territories:

• American Samoa Department of Commerce - $300,000 to assist in the planning of a Statistical Enhancement Framework that supports a comprehensive approach for building the territory’s statistical system.
• Guam Bureau of Statistics and Plans - $759,902 for assistance in developing a Guam 2050 Sustainability Plan that works to provide a comprehensive approach for achieving a vibrant economy.
• U.S. Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) - $786,219 for an interagency agreement with BEA to produce and publish annual economic statistics, including Gross Domestic Product (GDP), for American Samoa, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, Guam, and the United States Virgin Islands (USVI). OIA has funded this program since 2011.

The Bureau of Economic Analysis issued the 2020 GDP for American Samoa on November 30, 2021, and the 2020 GDP for Guam on December 1, 2021. For all the latest GDP products on the U.S. territories collected by the Bureau of Economic Analysis, visit: https://www.bea.gov/data/by-place-states-territories.

For more about the Office of Insular Affairs, visit www.doi.gov/oia.

The Assistant Secretary of Insular and International Affairs and the Office of Insular Affairs (OIA) carry out the Secretary of the Interior’s responsibilities for the U.S. territories of American Samoa, Guam, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Additionally, OIA administers and oversees federal assistance under the Compacts of Free Association to the Federated States of Micronesia, the Republic of the Marshall Islands, and the Republic of Palau. OIA also administers a discretionary Technical Assistance Program for all the insular areas. Find information about OIA and its work on www.doi.gov/oia, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube.

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