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Appendices

Australia-Oceania :: Guam

(territory of the US)

page last updated on November 10, 2011

(CONTAINS DESCRIPTION)

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Introduction ::Guam

Background:

Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order.

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: 544 sq km

land: 544 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:

2 sq km (2008)

Natural hazards:

frequent squalls during rainy season; relatively rare but potentially 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 and Society ::Guam

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)

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)

Religions:

Roman Catholic 85%, other 15% (1999 est.)

Population:

183,286 (July 2011 est.)

Age structure:

0-14 years: 27% (male 25,577/female 23,836)

15-64 years: 65.5% (male 61,237/female 58,891)

65 years and over: 7.5% (male 6,287/female 7,458) (2011 est.)

Median age:

total: 29.4 years

male: 29 years

female: 29.8 years (2011 est.)

Population growth rate:

1.314% (2011 est.)

Birth rate:

17.85 births/1,000 population (2011 est.)

Death rate:

4.71 deaths/1,000 population (July 2011 est.)

Net migration rate:

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2011 est.)

Urbanization:

urban population: 93% of total population (2010)

rate of urbanization: 1.2% annual rate of change (2010-15 est.)

Major cities - population:

HAGATNA (capital) 153,000 (2009)

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: 0.85 male(s)/female

total population: 1.03 male(s)/female (2011 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 5.83 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 6.24 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 5.38 deaths/1,000 live births (2011 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 78.34 years

male: 75.3 years

female: 81.57 years (2011 est.)

Total fertility rate:

2.48 children born/woman (2011 est.)

Drinking water source:

improved:

urban: 100% of population

rural: 100% of population

total: 100% of population (2008)

Sanitation facility access:

improved:

urban: 99% of population

rural: 98% of population

total: 99% of population

unimproved:

urban: 1% of population

rural: 2% of population

total: 1% of population (2008)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

Education expenditures:

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 99%

male: 99%

female: 99% (1990 est.)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):

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:

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:

common law modeled on US system; 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 Barack H. OBAMA (since 20 January 2009); Vice President Joseph R. BIDEN (since 20 January 2009)

head of government: Governor Eddie CALVO (since 3 January 2011); Lieutenant Governor Ray TENORIO (since 3 January 2011)

cabinet: heads of executive departments; appointed by the governor with the consent of the Guam legislature

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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 a four-year term (can serve two consecutive terms, then must wait a full term before running again); election last held on 2 November 2010 (next to be held in November 2014)

election results: Eddie CALVO elected governor with 50.6% percent of vote against 49.4% for Carl GUTIERREZ; Ray TENORIO elected lieutenant governor

Legislative branch:

unicameral Legislature (15 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve two-year terms)

elections: last held on 2 November 2010 (next to be held in November 2012)

election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - Democratic Party 9, Republican Party 6

note: Guam elects one nonvoting delegate to the US House of Representatives; election last held on 2 November 2010 (next to be held in November 2012); results - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - Democratic Party 1

Judicial branch:

Federal District Court (judge is appointed by the president); Supreme Court of Guam (hears appeals from Superior Court - judges appointed by governor); Territorial Superior Court (judges appointed for eight-year terms by the governor)

Political parties and leaders:

Democratic Party [Michael PHILLIPS]; Republican Party [Philip J. FLORES] (controls the legislature)

Political pressure groups and leaders:

Guam Federation of Teachers' Union; Guam Waterworks Authority Workers

other: activists; indigenous groups

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, a proa or outrigger canoe with sail, and a palm tree with the word GUAM superimposed in bold red letters; the proa is sailing in Agana Bay with the promontory of Punta Dos Amantes, near the capital, in the background; blue represents the sea and red the blood shed in the struggle against oppression

note: the US flag is the national flag

National symbol(s):

coconut tree

National anthem:

name: "Fanohge Chamoru" (Stand Ye Guamanians)

lyrics/music: Ramon Manalisay SABLAN [English], Lagrimas UNTALAN [Chamoru]/Ramon Manalisay SABLAN

note: adopted 1919; the local anthem is also known as "Guam Hymn"; as a territory of the United States, "The Star-Spangled Banner," which generally follows the playing of "Stand Ye Guamanians," is official (see United States)

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:

82,950 (2007 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%

Budget:

revenues: $319.6 million

expenditures: $427.8 million (2002 est.)

Taxes and other revenues:

11.5% of GDP (2002 est.)

Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-):

-3.9% of GDP (2002 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

2.5% (2005 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:

1.764 billion kWh (2008 est.)

Electricity - consumption:

1.641 billion kWh (2008 est.)

Electricity - exports:

0 kWh (2009 est.)

Electricity - imports:

0 kWh (2009 est.)

Oil - production:

0 bbl/day (2010 est.)

Oil - consumption:

9,000 bbl/day (2010 est.)

Oil - exports:

0 bbl/day (2009 est.)

Oil - imports:

12,710 bbl/day (2009 est.)

Oil - proved reserves:

0 bbl (1 January 2011 est.)

Natural gas - production:

0 cu m (2009 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:

0 cu m (2009 est.)

Natural gas - exports:

0 cu m (2009 est.)

Natural gas - imports:

0 cu m (2009 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:

0 cu m (1 January 2011 est.)

Exports:

$45 million (2004 est.)

Exports - commodities:

transshipments of refined petroleum products, construction materials, fish, food and beverage products

Imports:

$701 million (2004 est.)

Imports - commodities:

petroleum and petroleum products, food, manufactured goods

Debt - external:

$NA

Exchange rates:

the US dollar is used

Communications ::Guam

Telephones - main lines in use:

65,500 (2010)

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: digital system, including mobile-cellular 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)

Broadcast media:

about a dozen TV broadcast channels, including digital channels; multi-channel cable TV services are available; roughly 20 radio stations broadcasting (2009)

Internet country code:

.gu

Internet hosts:

24 (2010)

Internet users:

90,000 (2009)