Guam

Territory of the U.S.

 
Geography                 Economy                 Defense Forces
 

People                    Transportation          Government



Communications            History      	          Travel

GEOGRAPHY

Location

Oceania, island in the North Pacific Ocean, about three-quarters of the way from Hawaii to the Philippines

Area

Total area: 541.3 sq km
Land area: 541.3 sq km
Comparative area: slightly more than three times the size of Washington, DC

Land Boundaries

0 km

Coastline

125.5 km

Maritime Claims

Exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Territorial sea: 12 nm

International Disputes

None

Climate

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

Volcanic origin, surrounded by coral reefs; relatively flat coraline limestone plateau (source of most fresh water) with steep coastal cliffs and narrow coastal plains in north, low-rising hills in center, mountains in south
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: 11%
Permanent crops: 11%
Meadows and pastures: 15%
Forest and woodland: 18%
Other: 45%

Irrigated Land

Environment

Current issues: NA
Natural hazards: frequent squalls during rainy season; relatively rare, but potentially very destructive typhoons (especially in August)
International agreements: NA

Note: Largest and southernmost island in the Mariana Islands archipelago; strategic location in western North Pacific Ocean

PEOPLE

Population

156,974 (July 1996 est.)
153,307 (July 1995 est.)

Age Structure

0-14 Years

15-64 Years

65 Years and Over

Population Growth Rate

2.34% (1996 est.)
2.42% (1995 est.)

Birth Rate

24.24 births/1,000 population (1996 est.)
25.01 births/1,000 population (1995 est.)

Death Rate

3.86 deaths/1,000 population (1996 est.)
3.86 deaths/1,000 population (1995 est.)

Net Migration Rate

3 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1996 est.)
3 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1995 est.)

Infant Mortality Rate

15.17 deaths/1,000 live births (1996 est.)
15.17 deaths/1,000 live births (1995 est.)

Life Expectancy at Birth

Total population: 74.29 years
Male: 72.42 years
Female: 76.13 years (1996 est.)

Total Fertility Rate

2.25 children born/woman (1996 est.)
2.32 children born/woman (1995 est.)

Nationality

Noun: Guamanian(s)
Adjective: Guamanian

Ethnic Divisions

Chamorro 47%
Filipino 25%
Caucasian 10%
Chinese, Japanese, Korean, and other 18%

Religions

Roman Catholic 98%
Other 2%

Languages

English, Chamorro, Japanese

Literacy

Age 15 and over that can read and write (1990)

Total population: 99%
Male: 99%
Female: 99%

Labor Force

46,930 (1990)

By occupation:

Federal and territorial government 40%
Private 60% (trade 18%
Services 15.6%
Construction 13.8%
Other 12.6%) (1990)

GOVERNMENT

Names

Conventional long form: Territory of Guam
Conventional short form: Guam

Digraph

Type

Organized, unincorporated territory of the U.S. with policy relations between Guam and the U.S. under the jurisdiction of the Office of Territorial and International Affairs, U.S. Department of the Interior

Capital

Agana

Administrative Divisions

None (territory of the U.S.)

Independence

None (territory of the U.S.)

National Holiday

Guam Discovery Day (first Monday in March) (1521); Liberation Day, 21 July

Constitution

Organic Act of 1 August 1950

Legal System

Modeled on U.S.; federal laws apply

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal; U.S. citizens, but do not vote in U.S. presidential elections

Executive Branch

Chief of state: President William Jefferson CLINTON (since 20 January 1993); Vice President Albert GORE, Jr. (since 20 January 1993)
Head of government: Governor Carl GUTIERREZ (since 8 November 1994) and Lieutenant Governor Madeleine BORDALLO (since 8 November 1994) were elected for a four-year term by popular vote; election last held 8 November 1994 (next to be held NA November 1998); results - Carl GUTIERREZ (Democrat) defeated Tommy TANAKA (Republican) with 54.6% of the vote
Cabinet: executive departments; heads appointed by the governor with the consent of the Guam legislature

Legislative Branch

Unicameral

Legislature

Elections last held 8 November 1994 (next to be held NA November 1996); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (21 total) Democrats 14, Republican 7

U.S. House of Representatives

Elections last held 8 November 1994 (next to be held NA November 1996); Guam elects one delegate; results - Robert UNDERWOOD was reelected as delegate; seats - (1 total) Democrat 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 (controls the legislature); Republican Party (party of the Governor)

Member of

ESCAP (associate), INTERPOL (subbureau), IOC, SPC

Flag

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; U.S. flag is the national flag

ECONOMY

Overview

The economy depends mainly on US military spending and on revenues from tourism. Over the past 20 years, the tourist industry has grown rapidly, creating a construction boom for new hotels and the expansion of older ones. Visitors numbered about 900,000 in 1992. The slowdown in Japanese economic growth has been reflected in less vigorous growth in the tourism sector. About 60% of the labor force works for the private sector and the rest for government. Most food and industrial goods are imported, with about 75% from the US. Guam faces the problem of building up the civilian economic sector to offset the impact of military downsizing.

National Product

GDP - purchasing power parity - $2 billion (1991 est.)

National Product Real Growth Rate

National Product Per Capita

$14,000 (1991 est.)

Inflation Rate (consumer Prices)

4% (1992 est.)

Unemployment Rate

2% (1992 est.)

Budget

Revenues: $525 million
Expenditures: $395 million, including capital expenditures of NA (1991)

Exports

$34 million (f.o.b., 1984)

Commodities:

Mostly transshipments of refined petroleum products
Construction materials
Fish
Food and beverage products

Partners:

U.S. 25%
Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands 63%
Other 12%

Imports

$493 million (c.i.f., 1984)

Commodities:

Petroleum and petroleum products
Food
Manufactured goods

Partners:

U.S. 23%
Japan 19%
Other 58%

External Debt

Industrial Production

Growth rate NA

Electricity

Capacity: 300,000 kW
Production: 750 million kWh
Consumption per capita: 4,797 kWh (1993)

Industries

U.S. military
Tourism
Construction
Transshipment services
Concrete products
Printing and publishing
Food processing
Textiles

Agriculture

Relatively undeveloped with most food imported; fruits, vegetables, eggs, pork, poultry, beef, copra

Economic Aid

Although Guam receives no foreign aid, it does receive large transfer payments from the general revenues of the U.S. Federal Treasury into which Guamanians pay no income or excise taxes; under the provisions of a special law of Congress, the Guamanian Treasury, rather than the U.S. Treasury, receives federal income taxes paid by military and civilian Federal employees stationed in Guam

Currency

1 United States dollar (US$) = 100 cents

Exchange Rates

U.S. currency is used

Fiscal Year

1 October - 30 September

TRANSPORTATION

Railroads

0 km

Highways

Total: 674 km (all-weather roads)
Paved: NA
Unpaved: NA

Ports

Apra Harbor

Merchant Marine

None

Airports

Total: 5
With paved runways over 3,047 m: 2
With paved runways 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
With paved runways 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
With paved runways under 914 m: 1

COMMUNICATIONS

Telephone System

26,317 telephones (1989)

Local: NA
Intercity: NA
International: 2 INTELSAT (Pacific Ocean) earth stations

Radio

Broadcast stations: AM 3, FM 3, shortwave 0
Radios: NA

Television

Broadcast stations: 3
Televisions: 75,000 (1993 est.)

DEFENSE FORCES

Note: Defense is the responsibility of the U.S.

History
World Atlas

Last modified: 3 december 1997

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