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.
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
fishing (largely undeveloped), tourism (especially from Japan)
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
Population
173,456 (July 2007 est.)
Age structure
0-14 years
28.6% (male 25,686/female 23,938)
15-64 years
64.5% (male 57,023/female 54,872)
65 years and over
6.9% (male 5,592/female 6,345) (2007 est.)
Median age
total
28.8 years
male
28.5 years
female
29 years (2007 est.)
Population growth rate
1.4% (2007 est.)
Birth rate
18.56 births/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Death rate
4.56 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Net migration rate
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Sex ratio
at birth
1.06 male(s)/female
under 15 years
1.073 male(s)/female
15-64 years
1.039 male(s)/female
65 years and over
0.881 male(s)/female
total population
1.037 male(s)/female (2007 est.)
Infant mortality rate
total
6.68 deaths/1,000 live births
male
7.35 deaths/1,000 live births
female
5.97 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.)
Life expectancy at birth
total population
78.76 years
male
75.69 years
female
82.01 years (2007 est.)
Total fertility rate
2.57 children born/woman (2007 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.)
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 45 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; 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 - 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
Industries
US military, tourism, construction, transshipment services, concrete products, printing and publishing, food processing, textiles
Industrial production growth rate
NA%
Electricity - production
1.764 billion kWh (2004)
Electricity - production by source
fossil fuel
100%
hydro
0%
nuclear
0%
other
0% (2001)
Electricity - consumption
1.641 billion kWh (2004)
Electricity - exports
0 kWh (2004)
Electricity - imports
0 kWh (2004)
Oil - production
0 bbl/day (2004 est.)
Oil - consumption
16,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)
Oil - exports
NA bbl/day
Oil - imports
NA bbl/day
Natural gas - production
0 cu m (2004 est.)
Natural gas - consumption
0 cu m (2004 est.)
Exports
$45 million f.o.b. (2004 est.)
Exports - commodities
mostly 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)
Debt - external
$NA
Economic aid - recipient
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)
US dollar (USD)
Currency code
USD
Exchange rates
the US dollar is used
Fiscal year
1 October - 30 September
Telephones - main lines in use
84,134 (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; 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)
