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  Guam  
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  Introduction
  Geography
  People
  Government
  Economy
  Communications
  Transportation
  Military
  Transnational Issues

In general, information available as of 1 January, 2004
was used in the preparation of The World Factbook.


This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005


Map of Guam

Legend: DefinitionDefinition Field ListingField Listing Rank OrderRank Order
   Introduction    Guam
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
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 sq km
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
Population:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
166,090 (July 2004 est.)
Age structure:
Definition Field Listing
0-14 years: 29.8% (male 25,577; female 23,850)
15-64 years: 64% (male 54,220; female 52,026)
65 years and over: 6.3% (male 4,912; female 5,505) (2004 est.)
Median age:
Definition Field Listing
total: 28.2 years
male: 28 years
female: 28.4 years (2004 est.)
Population growth rate:
Definition Field Listing
1.5% (2004 est.)
Birth rate:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
19.31 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Death rate:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
4.35 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Net migration rate:
Definition Field Listing
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 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: 0.89 male(s)/female
total population: 1.04 male(s)/female (2004 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
total: 7.15 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 7.8 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 6.46 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
total population: 78.12 years
male: 75.08 years
female: 81.34 years (2004 est.)
Total fertility rate:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
2.61 children born/woman (2004 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%, Filipino 26%, white 10%, Chinese, Japanese, Korean, and other 27%
Religions:
Definition Field Listing
Roman Catholic 85%, other 15% (1999 est.)
Languages:
Definition Field Listing
English, Chamorro, Japanese
Literacy:
Definition Field Listing
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 99%
male: 99%
female: 99% (1990 est.)
   Government    Guam
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 NA 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 5 November 2002 (next to be held 2 November 2004)
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 5 November 2002 (next to be held 2 November 2004); 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 (controls the legislature) [speaker, Vicente (Ben) PANGELINAN]; Republican Party (party of Governor CAMACHO) [leader NA]
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
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:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
purchasing power parity - $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.)
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.)
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.)
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
830 million kWh (2001)
Electricity - consumption:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
771.9 million kWh (2001)
Electricity - exports:
Definition Field Listing
0 kWh (2001)
Electricity - imports:
Definition Field Listing
0 kWh (2001)
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 (2001)
Oil - imports:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
NA (2001)
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 70.1%, South Korea 17.9%, Singapore 6% (2003)
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 35.8%, Japan 22.2%, South Korea 17.5%, Hong Kong 11.4% (2003)
Debt - external:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
NA (2003 est.)
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:
Definition Field Listing
US dollar (USD)
Currency code:
Definition Field Listing
USD
Exchange rates:
Definition Field Listing
the US dollar is used
Fiscal year:
Definition Field Listing
1 October - 30 September
   Communications    Guam
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
Highways:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
total: 885 km
paved: 675 km
unpaved: 210 km
note: there are also 685 km of roads classified non-public, including roads located on federal government installations
Ports and harbors:
Definition Field Listing
Apra Harbor
Merchant marine:
Definition Field Listing
none
Airports:
Definition Field Listing
5 (2003 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
Military - note:
Definition Field Listing
defense is the responsibility of the US
   Transnational Issues    Guam
Disputes - international:
Definition Field Listing
none

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005


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