Guam

§1. Guam Introduction

Background:
  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.

§2. Guam Geography

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: 549 km²
  land: 549 km²
  water: 0 km²

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

§3. Guam People

Population:
  171,019 (July 2006 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 29% (male 25,703/female 23,903)
  15-64 years: 64.3% (male 56,020/female 53,894)
  65 years and over: 6.7% (male 5,391/female 6,108) (2006 est.)

Median age:
  total: 28.6 years
  male: 28.3 years
  female: 28.8 years (2006 est.)

Population growth rate:
  1.43% (2006 est.)

Birth rate:
  18.79 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Death rate:
  4.48 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Net migration rate:
  0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.08 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.88 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.04 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 6.81 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 7.48 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 6.1 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 78.58 years
  male: 75.52 years
  female: 81.83 years (2006 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  2.58 children born/woman (2006 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.)

§4. Guam Government

Country name:
  conventional long form: Territory of Guam
  conventional short form: Guam
  local long 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:
  Hagatna (Agana)

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) and
    Lieutenant Governor Kaleo MOYLAN (since 6 January 2003)
  cabinet: heads of executive departments; appointed by the governor with the
    consent of the Guam legislature
  elections: under the US Consitution, 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; election last held 5 November
    2002 (next to be held November 2006)
  election results: Felix P. CAMACHO elected governor; percent of vote -
    Felix P. CAMACHO (Republican Party) 55.4%, Robert A. UNDERWOOD
    (Democratic Party) 44.6%

Legislative branch:
  unicameral Legislature (15 seats; members are elected by popular vote to
  serve two-year terms)
  elections: last held 2 November 2004 (next to be held November 2006)
  election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party -
    Democratic Party 6, Republican Party 9
  note: Guam elects one nonvoting delegate to the US House of
    Representatives; election last held 2 November 2004 (next to be held
    November 2006); 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:
  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 (controls the
  legislature) [leader Philip J. FLORES]

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

§5. Guam Economy

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):
  NA

GDP - real growth rate:
  NA%

GDP - per capita (PPP):
  $15,000 (2005 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
  agriculture: 0%
  industry: 15%
  services: 85% (2005 est.)

Labor force:
  60,000 (2000 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:
  private 74% (industry 10%, trade 24%, other services 40%), federal and
  territorial government 26% (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: $342.6 million
  expenditures: $306.9 million (2002 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:
  840.1 million kWh (2003)

Electricity - consumption:
  781.3 million kWh (2003)

Electricity - exports:
  0 kWh (2003)

Electricity - imports:
  0 kWh (2003)

Oil - production:
  0 bbl/day (2003 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  19,000 bbl/day (2003 est.)

Oil - exports:
  NA bbl/day

Oil - imports:
  NA bbl/day

Natural gas - production:
  0 m³ (2003 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
  0 m³ (2003 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 66.1%, South Korea 9.9%, Singapore 8.4% (2004)

Imports:
  $701 million f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Imports - commodities:
  petroleum and petroleum products, food, manufactured goods

Imports - partners:
  Singapore 39.5%, South Korea 20.8%, Japan 19%, Hong Kong 9%, Philippines
  4.3% (2004)

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)

Exchange rates:
  the US dollar is used

Fiscal year:
  1 October - 30 September

§6. Guam Communications

Telephones - main lines in use:
  84,134 (2001)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  32,600 (2001)

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)

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 3, FM 11, shortwave 2 (2006)

Television broadcast stations:
  3; 6 (Low Power TV) (2006)

Internet country code:
  .gu

Internet hosts:
  95 (2005)

Internet users:
  79,000 (2004)

§7. Guam Transportation

Airports:
  5 (2005)

Airports - with paved runways:
  total: 4
  over 3,047 m: 2
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
  914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2005)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
  total: 1
  under 914 m: 1 (2005)

Roadways:
  total: 977 km (2004)

Ports and terminals:
  Apra Harbor

§8. Guam Military

Military - note:
  defense is the responsibility of the US

§9. Guam Transnational Issues

Disputes - international:
  none


<Factbook 2006>
