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| Guam |

Introduction | Guam

Background: | Guam was ceded to the US by Spain in 1898. Captured by the Japanese in 1941, it was retaken by the US three years later. The military installation on the island is one of the most strategically important US bases in the Pacific.

Geography | Guam

Location: | Oceania, island in the North Pacific Ocean, about three-quarters of the way from Hawaii to the Philippines
Geographic coordinates: | 13 28 N, 144 47 E
Map references: | Oceania
Area: | total: 541.3 sq km land: 541.3 sq km water: 0 sq km
Area - comparative: | three times the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries: | 0 km
Coastline: | 125.5 km
Maritime claims: | territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Climate: | tropical marine; generally warm and humid, moderated by northeast trade winds; dry season (January to June), rainy season (July to December); little seasonal temperature variation
Terrain: | volcanic origin, surrounded by coral reefs; relatively flat coralline limestone plateau (source of most fresh water), with steep coastal cliffs and narrow coastal plains in north, low hills in center, mountains in south
Elevation extremes: | lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: Mount Lamlam 406 m
Natural resources: | aquatic wildlife (supporting tourism), fishing (largely undeveloped)
Land use: | arable land: 3.64% permanent crops: 18.18% other: 78.18% (2005)
Irrigated land: | NA
Natural hazards: | frequent squalls during rainy season; relatively rare, but potentially very destructive typhoons (June - December)
Environment - current issues: | extirpation of native bird population by the rapid proliferation of the brown tree snake, an exotic, invasive species
Geography - note: | largest and southernmost island in the Mariana Islands archipelago; strategic location in western North Pacific Ocean

People | Guam

Population: | 175,877 (July 2008 est.)
Age structure: | 0-14 years: 28.2% (male 25,644/female 23,910) 15-64 years: 64.8% (male 58,034/female 55,900) 65 years and over: 7% (male 5,801/female 6,588) (2008 est.)
Median age: | total: 28.9 years male: 28.7 years female: 29.2 years (2008 est.)
Population growth rate: | 1.373% (2008 est.)
Birth rate: | 18.37 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Death rate: | 4.65 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Net migration rate: | NA
Sex ratio: | at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.07 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.88 male(s)/female total population: 1.04 male(s)/female (2008 est.)
Infant mortality rate: | total: 6.55 deaths/1,000 live births male: 7.22 deaths/1,000 live births female: 5.84 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: | total population: 78.93 years male: 75.86 years female: 82.19 years (2008 est.)
Total fertility rate: | 2.55 children born/woman (2008 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: | NA
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: | NA
HIV/AIDS - deaths: | NA
Nationality: | noun: Guamanian(s) (US citizens) adjective: Guamanian
Ethnic groups: | Chamorro 37.1%, Filipino 26.3%, other Pacific islander 11.3%, white 6.9%, other Asian 6.3%, other ethnic origin or race 2.3%, mixed 9.8% (2000 census)
Religions: | Roman Catholic 85%, other 15% (1999 est.)
Languages: | English 38.3%, Chamorro 22.2%, Philippine languages 22.2%, other Pacific island languages 6.8%, Asian languages 7%, other languages 3.5% (2000 census)
Literacy: | definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 99% male: 99% female: 99% (1990 est.)

Government | Guam

Country name: | conventional long form: Territory of Guam conventional short form: Guam local long form: Guahan local short form: Guahan
Dependency status: | organized, unincorporated territory of the US with policy relations between Guam and the US under the jurisdiction of the Office of Insular Affairs, US Department of the Interior
Government type: | NA
Capital: | name: Hagatna (Agana) geographic coordinates: 13 28 N, 144 44 E time difference: UTC+10 (15 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Administrative divisions: | none (territory of the US)
Independence: | none (territory of the US)
National holiday: | Discovery Day, first Monday in March (1521)
Constitution: | Organic Act of Guam, 1 August 1950
Legal system: | modeled on US; US federal laws apply
Suffrage: | 18 years of age; universal; US citizens, but do not vote in US presidential elections
Executive branch: | chief of state: President George W. BUSH of the US (since 20 January 2001); Vice President Richard B. CHENEY (since 20 January 2001) head of government: Governor Felix P. CAMACHO (since 6 January 2003); Lieutenant Governor Dr. Michael W. CRUZ (since 1 January 2007) cabinet: heads of executive departments; appointed by the governor with the consent of the Guam legislature elections: under the US Constitution, residents of unincorporated territories, such as Guam, do not vote in elections for US president and vice president; however, they may vote in Democratic and Republican presidential primary elections; governor and lieutenant governor elected on the same ticket by popular vote for four-year term (can serve two consecutive terms, then must wait a full term before running again); election last held 7 November 2006 (next to be held in November 2010) election results: Felix P. CAMACHO reelected governor; Dr. Michael W. CRUZ elected lieutenant governor; percent of vote - NA
Legislative branch: | unicameral Legislature (15 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve two-year terms) elections: last held 7 November 2006 (next to be held in November 2008) election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - Republican Party 8, Democratic Party 7 note: Guam elects one nonvoting delegate to the US House of Representatives; election last held 7 November 2006 (next to be held in November 2008); results - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - Democratic Party 1
Judicial branch: | Federal District Court (judge is appointed by the president); Territorial Superior Court (judges appointed for eight-year terms by the governor)
Political parties and leaders: | Democratic Party [leader Michael PHILLIPS]; Republican Party [Philip J. FLORES] (controls the legislature)
Political pressure groups and leaders: | NA
International organization participation: | IOC, SPC, UPU
Diplomatic representation in the US: | none (territory of the US)
Diplomatic representation from the US: | none (territory of the US)
Flag description: | territorial flag is dark blue with a narrow red border on all four sides; centered is a red-bordered, pointed, vertical ellipse containing a beach scene, outrigger canoe with sail, and a palm tree with the word GUAM superimposed in bold red letters; US flag is the national flag

Economy | Guam

Economy - overview: | The economy depends largely on US military spending and tourism. Total US grants, wage payments, and procurement outlays amounted to $1.3 billion in 2004. Over the past 30 years, the tourist industry has grown to become the largest income source following national defense. The Guam economy continues to experience expansion in both its tourism and military sectors.
GDP (purchasing power parity): | $2.5 billion (2005 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate): | $2.773 billion (2001)
GDP - real growth rate: | NA%
GDP - per capita (PPP): | $15,000 (2005 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: | agriculture: NA% industry: NA% services: NA%
Labor force: | 62,050 (2002 est.)
Labor force - by occupation: | agriculture: 26% industry: 10% services: 64% (2004 est.)
Unemployment rate: | 11.4% (2002 est.)
Population below poverty line: | 23% (2001 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share: | lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%
Inflation rate (consumer prices): | 2.5% (2005 est.)
Budget: | revenues: $319.6 million expenditures: $427.8 million (2002 est.)
Agriculture - products: | fruits, copra, vegetables; eggs, pork, poultry, beef
Industries: | US military, tourism, construction, transshipment services, concrete products, printing and publishing, food processing, textiles
Industrial production growth rate: | NA%
Electricity - production: | 1.793 billion kWh (2005)
Electricity - production by source: | fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)
Electricity - consumption: | 1.667 billion kWh (2005)
Electricity - exports: | 0 kWh (2005)
Electricity - imports: | 0 kWh (2005)
Oil - production: | 0 bbl/day (2005 est.)
Oil - consumption: | 13,530 bbl/day (2005 est.)
Oil - exports: | 0 bbl/day (2004)
Oil - imports: | 12,130 bbl/day (2004)
Oil - proved reserves: | 0 bbl (1 January 2006 est.)
Natural gas - production: | 0 cu m (2005 est.)
Natural gas - consumption: | 0 cu m (2005 est.)
Natural gas - exports: | 0 cu m (2005 est.)
Natural gas - imports: | 0 cu m (2005)
Natural gas - proved reserves: | 0 cu m (1 January 2006 est.)
Exports: | $45 million f.o.b. (2004 est.)
Exports - commodities: | transshipments of refined petroleum products, construction materials, fish, food and beverage products
Exports - partners: | Japan 67.2%, Singapore 11.6%, UK 4.8% (2006)
Imports: | $701 million f.o.b. (2004 est.)
Imports - commodities: | petroleum and petroleum products, food, manufactured goods
Imports - partners: | Singapore 50%, South Korea 21.4%, Japan 14%, Hong Kong 4.6% (2006)
Economic aid - recipient: | Guam receives large transfer payments from the US Federal Treasury into which Guamanians pay no income or excise taxes; under the provisions of a special law of Congress, the Guam Treasury, rather than the US Treasury, receives federal income taxes paid by military and civilian Federal employees stationed in Guam (2001 est.)
Debt - external: | $NA
Currency (code): | US dollar (USD)
Currency code: | USD
Exchange rates: | the US dollar is used
Fiscal year: | 1 October - 30 September

Communications | Guam

Telephones - main lines in use: | 80,000 (2001)
Telephones - mobile cellular: | 98,000 (2004)
Telephone system: | general assessment: modern system, integrated with US facilities for direct dialing, including free use of 800 numbers domestic: modern digital system, including cellular mobile service and local access to the Internet international: country code - 1-671; major landing point for submarine cables between Asia and the US (Guam is a trans-Pacific communications hub for major carriers linking the US and Asia); satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)
Radio broadcast stations: | AM 3, FM 11, shortwave 2 (2005)
Radios: | 221,000 (1997)
Television broadcast stations: | 3 (2006)
Televisions: | 106,000 (1997)
Internet country code: | .gu
Internet hosts: | 36 (2007)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs): | 20 (2000)
Internet users: | 65,000 (2005)

Transportation | Guam

Airports: | 5 (2007)
Airports - with paved runways: | total: 4 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2007)
Airports - with unpaved runways: | total: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2007)
Roadways: | total: 977 km (2004)
Ports and terminals: | Apra Harbor

Military | Guam

Military - note: | defense is the responsibility of the US

Transnational Issues | Guam

Disputes - international: | none

This page was last updated on 19 June, 2008