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  Guam
(territory of the US)
 
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 Introduction
 Geography
 People
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 Economy
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This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005


Map of Guam



Legend: DefinitionDefinition Field ListingField Listing Rank OrderRank Order
   Introduction    Guam Top of Page
Background:
Definition Field Listing
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 Top of Page
Location:
Definition Field Listing
Oceania, island in the North Pacific Ocean, about three-quarters of the way from Hawaii to the Philippines
Geographic coordinates:
Definition Field Listing
13 28 N, 144 47 E
Map references:
Definition Field Listing
Oceania
Area:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
total: 549 sq km
land: 549 sq km
water: 0 sq km
Area - comparative:
Definition Field Listing
three times the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries:
Definition Field Listing
0 km
Coastline:
Definition Field Listing
125.5 km
Maritime claims:
Definition Field Listing
territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Climate:
Definition Field Listing
tropical marine; generally warm and humid, moderated by northeast trade winds; dry season from January to June, rainy season from July to December; little seasonal temperature variation
Terrain:
Definition Field Listing
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:
Definition Field Listing
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: Mount Lamlam 406 m
Natural resources:
Definition Field Listing
fishing (largely undeveloped), tourism (especially from Japan)
Land use:
Definition Field Listing
arable land: 9.09%
permanent crops: 16.36%
other: 74.55% (2001)
Irrigated land:
Definition Field Listing
NA
Natural hazards:
Definition Field Listing
frequent squalls during rainy season; relatively rare, but potentially very destructive typhoons (June - December)
Environment - current issues:
Definition Field Listing
extirpation of native bird population by the rapid proliferation of the brown tree snake, an exotic, invasive species
Geography - note:
Definition Field Listing
largest and southernmost island in the Mariana Islands archipelago; strategic location in western North Pacific Ocean
   People    Guam Top of Page
Population:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
168,564 (July 2005 est.)
Age structure:
Definition Field Listing
0-14 years: 29.4% (male 25,645/female 23,887)
15-64 years: 64.1% (male 55,115/female 52,935)
65 years and over: 6.5% (male 5,157/female 5,825) (2005 est.)
Median age:
Definition Field Listing
total: 28.38 years
male: 28.16 years
female: 28.61 years (2005 est.)
Population growth rate:
Definition Field Listing
1.46% (2005 est.)
Birth rate:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
19.03 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Death rate:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
4.41 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Net migration rate:
Definition Field Listing
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Sex ratio:
Definition Field Listing
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 (2005 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
total: 6.94 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 7.61 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 6.24 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
total population: 78.4 years
male: 75.34 years
female: 81.64 years (2005 est.)
Total fertility rate:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
2.6 children born/woman (2005 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
NA
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
NA
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
NA
Nationality:
Definition Field Listing
noun: Guamanian(s)
adjective: Guamanian
Ethnic groups:
Definition Field Listing
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:
Definition Field Listing
Roman Catholic 85%, other 15% (1999 est.)
Languages:
Definition Field Listing
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 Field Listing
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 99%
male: 99%
female: 99% (1990 est.)
   Government    Guam Top of Page
Country name:
Definition Field Listing
conventional long form: Territory of Guam
conventional short form: Guam
local long form: Guahan
Dependency status:
Definition Field Listing
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:
Definition Field Listing
NA
Capital:
Definition Field Listing
Hagatna (Agana)
Administrative divisions:
Definition Field Listing
none (territory of the US)
Independence:
Definition Field Listing
none (territory of the US)
National holiday:
Definition Field Listing
Discovery Day, first Monday in March (1521)
Constitution:
Definition Field Listing
Organic Act of 1 August 1950
Legal system:
Definition Field Listing
modeled on US; US federal laws apply
Suffrage:
Definition Field Listing
18 years of age; universal; US citizens, but do not vote in US presidential elections
Executive branch:
Definition Field Listing
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. P. CAMACHO (since 6 January 2003) and Lieutenant Governor Kaleo MOYLAN (since 6 January 2003)
cabinet: executive departments; heads appointed by the governor with the consent of the Guam legislature
elections: US president and vice president elected on the same ticket for a four-year term; governor and lieutenant governor elected on the same ticket by popular vote for four-year term; election last held 5 November 2002 (next to be held November 2006)
election results: Felix P. P. CAMACHO elected governor; percent of vote - Felix P. P. CAMACHO (Republican Party) 55.4%, Robert A. UNDERWOOD (Democratic Party) 44.6%
Legislative branch:
Definition Field Listing
unicameral Legislature (15 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve two-year terms)
elections: last held 2 November 2004 (next to be held November 2006)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - Democratic Party 6, Republican Party 9
note: Guam elects one nonvoting delegate to the US House of Representatives; election last held 2 November 2004 (next to be held November 2006); results - Madeleine BORDALLO (Democratic Party) was elected as delegate; percent of vote by party - Democratic Party 64.6%, Republican Party 35.4%; seats by party - Democratic Party 1
Judicial branch:
Definition Field Listing
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:
Definition Field Listing
Democratic Party [leader Michael PHILLIPS]; Republican Party (controls the legislature) [leader Philip J. FLORES]
Political pressure groups and leaders:
Definition Field Listing
NA
International organization participation:
Definition Field Listing
Interpol (subbureau), IOC, UPU
Diplomatic representation in the US:
Definition Field Listing
none (territory of the US)
Diplomatic representation from the US:
Definition Field Listing
none (territory of the US)
Flag description:
Definition Field Listing
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 Top of Page
Economy - overview:
Definition Field Listing
The economy depends on US military spending, tourism, and the export of fish and handicrafts. Total US grants, wage payments, and procurement outlays amounted to $1 billion in 1998. Over the past 20 years, the tourist industry has grown rapidly, creating a construction boom for new hotels and the expansion of older ones. More than 1 million tourists visit Guam each year. The industry had recently suffered setbacks because of the continuing Japanese slowdown; the Japanese normally make up almost 90% of the tourists. Most food and industrial goods are imported. Guam faces the problem of building up the civilian economic sector to offset the impact of military downsizing.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
$3.2 billion (2000 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
NA
GDP - per capita:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
purchasing power parity - $21,000 (2000 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
Definition Field Listing
agriculture: 7%
industry: 15%
services: 78% (2002 est.)
Labor force:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
60,000 (2000 est.)
Labor force - by occupation:
Definition Field Listing
private 74% (industry 10%, trade 24%, other services 40%), federal and territorial government 26% (2000 est.)
Unemployment rate:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
15% (2000 est.)
Population below poverty line:
Definition Field Listing
23% (2001 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
Definition Field Listing
lowest 10%: NA
highest 10%: NA
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
0% (1999 est.)
Budget:
Definition Field Listing
revenues: $340 million
expenditures: $445 million, including capital expenditures of NA (2000 est.)
Agriculture - products:
Definition Field Listing
fruits, copra, vegetables; eggs, pork, poultry, beef
Industries:
Definition Field Listing
US military, tourism, construction, transshipment services, concrete products, printing and publishing, food processing, textiles
Industrial production growth rate:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
NA
Electricity - production:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
835 million kWh (2002)
Electricity - consumption:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
776.6 million kWh (2002)
Electricity - exports:
Definition Field Listing
0 kWh (2002)
Electricity - imports:
Definition Field Listing
0 kWh (2002)
Oil - production:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
0 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - consumption:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
20,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - exports:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
NA
Oil - imports:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
NA
Exports:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
$38 million f.o.b. (2002 est.)
Exports - commodities:
Definition Field Listing
mostly transshipments of refined petroleum products; construction materials, fish, food and beverage products
Exports - partners:
Definition Field Listing
Japan 66.1%, South Korea 9.9%, Singapore 8.4% (2004)
Imports:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
$462 million f.o.b. (2002 est.)
Imports - commodities:
Definition Field Listing
petroleum and petroleum products, food, manufactured goods
Imports - partners:
Definition Field Listing
Singapore 39.5%, South Korea 20.8%, Japan 19%, Hong Kong 9%, Philippines 4.3% (2004)
Debt - external:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
NA
Economic aid - recipient:
Definition Field Listing
Guam receives large transfer payments from the US Federal Treasury ($143 million in 1997) 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.)
Currency (code):
Definition Field Listing
US dollar (USD)
Exchange rates:
Definition Field Listing
the US dollar is used
Fiscal year:
Definition Field Listing
1 October - 30 September
   Communications    Guam Top of Page
Telephones - main lines in use:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
84,134 (2001)
Telephones - mobile cellular:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
32,600 (2001)
Telephone system:
Definition Field Listing
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; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean); submarine cables to US and Japan (Guam is a trans-Pacific communications hub for MCI, Sprint, AT&T, IT&E, and GTE, linking the US and Asia)
Radio broadcast stations:
Definition Field Listing
AM 4, FM 7, shortwave 2 (2003)
Television broadcast stations:
Definition Field Listing
5 (1997)
Internet country code:
Definition Field Listing
.gu
Internet users:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
50,000 (2002)
   Transportation    Guam Top of Page
Highways:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
total: 977 km
paved: 962 km
unpaved: 15 km (2004)
Ports and harbors:
Definition Field Listing
Apra Harbor
Airports:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
5 (2004 est.)
Airports - with paved runways:
Definition Field Listing
total: 4
over 3,047 m: 2
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2004 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
Definition Field Listing
total: 1
under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.)
   Military    Guam Top of Page
Military - note:
Definition Field Listing
defense is the responsibility of the US
   Transnational Issues    Guam Top of Page
Disputes - international:
Definition Field Listing
none

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005


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