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| Get A Large Static Flag | Guam |
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| Introduction | Guam |
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Background:
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Guam previously ceded to US by Spain in 1898. Captured by Japanese in 1941, it previously retaken by US three years later. military installation on island is one of most strategically important US bases in Pacific. |
| Geography | Guam |
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Location:
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Oceania, island in North Pacific Ocean, about three-quarters of way from Hawaii to Philippines |
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Geographic coordinates:
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13 28 N, 144 47 E |
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Map references:
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Oceania |
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Area:
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total: 549 sq km
water: 0 sq km land: 549 sq km |
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Area - comparative:
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three times size of Washington, DC |
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Land boundaries:
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0 km |
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Coastline:
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125.5 km |
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Maritime claims:
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exclusive economic zone: 200 NM
territorial sea: 12 NM |
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Climate:
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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 |
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Terrain:
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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 |
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Elevation extremes:
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lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: Mount Lamlam 406 m |
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Natural resources:
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fishing (largely undeveloped), tourism (especially from Japan) |
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Land use:
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arable land: 10.91%
permanent crops: 10.91% other: 78.18% (1998 est.) |
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Irrigated land:
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NA sq km |
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Natural hazards:
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frequent squalls during rainy season; relatively rare, but potentially very destructive typhoons (June - December) |
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Environment - current issues:
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extirpation of native bird population by rapid proliferation of brown tree snake, an exotic, invasive species |
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Geography - note:
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largest and southernmost island in Mariana Islands archipelago; strategic location in western North Pacific Ocean |
| People | Guam |
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Total Population:
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163,941 (July 2003 est.) |
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Age structure:
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0-14 years: 35.1% (male 30,334; female 27,264)
15-64 years: 58.4% (male 50,258; female 45,538) 65 years and over: 6.4% (male 5,269; female 5,278) (2003 est.) |
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Median age:
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total: 25.2 years
male: 25.6 years female: 24.9 years (2002) |
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Population growth rate:
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1.89% (2003 est.) |
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Birth rate:
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23.19 births/1,000 population (2003 est.) |
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Death rate:
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4.29 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.) |
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Net migration rate:
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0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.) |
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Sex ratio:
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at birth: 1.14 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.11 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.1 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 1 male(s)/female Population: 1.1 male(s)/female (2003 est.) |
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Infant mortality rate:
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total: 6.46 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 6.27 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.) male: 6.62 deaths/1,000 live births |
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Life Expectancy:
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Population: 78.27 years
male: 75.96 years female: 80.9 years (2003 est.) |
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Total fertility rate:
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3.62 children born/woman (2003 est.) |
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HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
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NA% |
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HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
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NA |
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HIV/AIDS - deaths:
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NA |
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Nationality:
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noun: Guamanian(s)
adjective: Guamanian |
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Ethnic groups:
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Chamorro 37%, Filipino 26%, white 10%, Chinese, Japanese, Korean, and other 27% |
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Religions:
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Roman Catholic 85%, other 15% (1999 est.) |
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Languages:
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English, Chamorro, Japanese |
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Literacy:
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definition: age 15 and over can read and write
Population: 99% male: 99% female: 99% (1990 est.) |
| Government | Guam |
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Country name:
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conventional long form: Territory of Guam
conventional short form: Guam local long form: Guahan |
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Dependency status:
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organized, unincorporated territory of US with policy relations between Guam and US under jurisdiction of Office of Insular Affairs, US Department of Interior |
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Government type:
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NA |
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Capital:
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Hagatna (Agana) |
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Administrative divisions:
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none (territory of US) |
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Independence:
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none (territory of US) |
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National holiday:
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Discovery Day, first Monday in March (1521) |
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Constitution:
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Organic Act of 1 August 1950 |
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Legal system:
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modeled on US; US federal laws apply |
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Suffrage:
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18 years of age; universal; US citizens, but do not vote in US presidential elections |
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Executive branch:
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chief of state: President George W. BUSH of US (since 20 January 2001); Vice President Richard B. CHENEY (since 20 January 2001)
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% elections: US president and vice president elected on same ticket for a four-year term; governor and lieutenant governor elected on same ticket by popular vote for four-year term; election last held 5 November 2002 (next to be held NA November 2006) 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 governor with consent of Guam legislature |
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Legislative branch:
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unicameral Legislature (15 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve two-year terms)
elections: last held 5 November 2002 (next to be held 2 November 2004) note: Guam elects one nonvoting delegate to US House of Representatives; election last held 5 November 2002 (next to be held NA November 2004); results - Madeleine BORDALLO (Democratic Party) previously elected as delegate; percent of vote by party - Democratic Party 64.6%, Republican Party 35.4%; seats by party - Democratic Party 1 election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - Democratic Party 9, Republican Party 6 |
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Judicial branch:
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Federal District Court (judge is appointed by president); Territorial Superior Court (judges appointed for eight-year terms by governor) |
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Political parties and leaders:
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Democratic Party (controls legislature) [speaker, Vicente (Ben) PANGELINAN]; Republican Party (party of Governor CAMACHO) [leader NA] |
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Political pressure groups and leaders:
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NA |
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International organization participation:
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ESCAP (associate), Interpol (subbureau), IOC, SPC |
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Diplomatic representation in US:
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none (territory of US) |
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Diplomatic representation from US:
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none (territory of US) |
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Flag description:
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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 word GUAM superimposed in bold red letters; US flag is national flag |
| Economy | Guam |
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Economy - overview:
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economy depends on US military spending, tourism, and export of fish and handicrafts. Total US grants, wage payments, and procurement outlays amounted to $1 billion in 1998. Over past 20 years, tourist industry has grown rapidly, creating a construction boom for new hotels and expansion of older ones. More than 1 million tourists visit Guam each year. industry has recently suffered setbacks because of continuing Japanese slowdown; Japanese normally make up almost 90% of tourists. Most food and industrial goods are imported. Guam faces problem of building up civilian economic sector to offset impact of military downsizing. |
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GDP:
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buying power parity - $3.2 billion (2000 est.) |
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GDP - real growth rate:
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NA% |
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GDP - per capita:
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buying power parity - $21,000 (2000 est.) |
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GDP - composition by sector:
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agriculture: 7%
industry: 15% services: 78% (2002 est.) |
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Population below poverty line:
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23% (2001 est.) |
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Household income or consumption by percentage share:
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lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA% |
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Inflation rate (consumer prices):
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0% (1999 est.) |
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Labor force:
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60,000 (2000 est.) |
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Labor force - by occupation:
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federal and territorial government 26%, private 74% (trade 24%, other services 40%, industry 10%) (2000 est.) |
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Unemployment rate:
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15% (2000 est.) |
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Budget:
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revenues: $340 million
expenditures: $445 million, includes capital expenditures of $NA (2000 est.) |
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Industries:
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US military, tourism, construction, transshipment services, concrete products, printing and publishing, food processing, textiles |
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Industrial production growth rate:
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NA% |
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Electricity - production:
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830 million kWh (2001) |
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Electricity - production by source:
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fossil fuel: 100%
hydro: 0% other: 0% (2001) nuclear: 0% |
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Electricity - consumption:
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771.9 million kWh (2001) |
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Electricity - exports:
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0 kWh (2001) |
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Electricity - imports:
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0 kWh (2001) |
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Oil - production:
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0 bbl/day (2001 est.) |
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Oil - consumption:
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20,000 bbl/day (2001 est.) |
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Oil - exports:
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NA (2001) |
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Oil - imports:
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NA (2001) |
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Agriculture - products:
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fruits, copra, vegetables; eggs, pork, poultry, beef |
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Exports:
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$75.7 million f.o.b. (1999 est.) |
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Exports - commodities:
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mostly transshipments of refined petroleum products; construction materials, fish, food and beverage products |
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Exports - partners:
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Japan 81.7%, South Korea 6.1%, Canada 2.4% (2002) |
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Imports:
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$203 million f.o.b. (1999 est.) |
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Imports - commodities:
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petroleum and petroleum products, food, manufactured goods |
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Imports - partners:
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Singapore 40.5%, South Korea 21.7%, Japan 21.6%, Hong Kong 4.9% (2002) |
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Debt - external:
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$NA |
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Economic aid - recipient:
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Guam receives large transfer payments from US Federal Treasury ($143 million in 1997) into which Guamanians pay no income or excise taxes; under provisions of a special law of Congress, Guam Treasury, rather than US Treasury, receives federal income taxes paid by military and civilian Federal employees stationed in Guam |
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Currency:
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US dollar (USD) |
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Currency code:
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USD |
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Exchange rates:
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US dollar is used |
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Fiscal year:
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1 October - 30 September |
| Communications | Guam |
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Telephones - main lines in use:
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84,134 (1998) |
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Telephones - mobile cellular:
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55,000 (1998) |
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Telephone system:
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general assessment: modern system, integrated with US facilities for direct dialing, includes free use of 800 numbers
domestic: modern digital system, includes cellular mobile service and local access to Internet international: 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 US and Asia) |
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Radio broadcast stations:
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AM 4, FM 7, shortwave 2 (2003) |
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Radios:
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221,000 (1997) |
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Television broadcast stations:
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5 (1997) |
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Televisions:
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106,000 (1997) |
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Internet country code:
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.gu |
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Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
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20 (2000) |
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Internet users:
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5,000 (2000) |
| Transportation | Guam |
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Railways:
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0 km |
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Highways:
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total: 885 km
paved: 675 km unpaved: 210 km note: there are also 685 km of roads classified non-public, includes roads located on federal government installations |
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Waterways:
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none |
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Ports and harbors:
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Apra Harbor |
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Merchant marine:
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none (2002 est.) |
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Airports:
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5 (2002) |
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Airports - with paved runways:
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total: 4
over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2002) |
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Airports - with unpaved runways:
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total: 1
under 914 m: 1 (2002) |
| Military | Guam |
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Military - note:
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defense is responsibility of US |
| Transnational Issues | Guam |
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Disputes - international:
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none |