| |
| |
 |
|
|
 |
National Map
Of |
Guam |
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
National Flag
Of |
Guam |
|
|
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
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
National Emblem(Coat Of Arms)
Of |
Guam |
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
National Anthem
Of |
Guam |
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Categories National Symbol Of |
Guam |
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
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. |
|
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 sq km
land: 549 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 from January to June, rainy
season from 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: 9.09%
permanent crops: 16.36%
other: 74.55% (2001) |
|
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:
|
168,564
(July 2005 est.) |
|
Age structure:
|
0-14
years: 29.4% (male 25,645/female 23,887)
15-64 years: 64.1% (male 55,115/female 52,935)
65 years and over: 6.5% (male 5,157/female 5,825)
(2005 est.) |
|
Median age:
|
total:
28.38 years
male: 28.16 years
female: 28.61 years (2005 est.) |
|
Population growth rate:
|
1.46%
(2005 est.) |
|
Birth rate:
|
19.03
births/1,000 population (2005 est.) |
|
Death rate:
|
4.41
deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.) |
|
Net migration rate:
|
0
migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.) |
|
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: 0.88 male(s)/female
total population: 1.04 male(s)/female (2005 est.)
|
|
Infant mortality rate:
|
total:
6.94 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 7.61 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 6.24 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)
|
|
Life expectancy at birth:
|
total
population: 78.4 years
male: 75.34 years
female: 81.64 years (2005 est.) |
|
Total fertility rate:
|
2.6
children born/woman (2005 est.) |
|
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
|
NA |
|
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
|
NA |
|
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
|
NA |
|
Nationality:
|
noun:
Guamanian(s)
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 |
|
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 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. 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 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:
|
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:
|
Interpol
(subbureau), IOC, 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 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 (purchasing power parity):
|
$3.2
billion (2000 est.) |
|
GDP - real growth rate:
|
NA |
|
GDP - per capita:
|
purchasing power parity - $21,000 (2000 est.) |
|
GDP - composition by sector:
|
agriculture: 7%
industry: 15%
services: 78% (2002 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% (2000 est.) |
|
Unemployment rate:
|
15% (2000
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):
|
0% (1999
est.) |
|
Budget:
|
revenues: $340 million
expenditures: $445 million, including capital
expenditures of NA (2000 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:
|
835
million kWh (2002) |
|
Electricity - production by source:
|
fossil
fuel: 100%
hydro: 0%
nuclear: 0%
other: 0% (2001) |
|
Electricity - consumption:
|
776.6
million kWh (2002) |
|
Electricity - exports:
|
0 kWh
(2002) |
|
Electricity - imports:
|
0 kWh
(2002) |
|
Oil - production:
|
0 bbl/day
(2001 est.) |
|
Oil - consumption:
|
20,000
bbl/day (2001 est.) |
|
Oil - exports:
|
NA |
|
Oil - imports:
|
NA |
|
Exports:
|
$38
million f.o.b. (2002 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:
|
$462
million f.o.b. (2002 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) |
|
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:
|
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 4, FM
7, shortwave 2 (2003) |
|
Radios:
|
221,000
(1997) |
|
Television broadcast stations:
|
5 (1997)
|
|
Televisions:
|
106,000
(1997) |
|
Internet country code:
|
.gu |
|
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
|
20 (2000)
|
|
Internet users:
|
50,000
(2002) |
|
Highways:
|
total:
977 km
paved: 962 km
unpaved: 15 km (2004) |
|
Ports and harbors:
|
Apra
Harbor |
|
Airports:
|
5 (2004
est.) |
|
Airports - with paved runways:
|
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:
|
total:
1
under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.) |
|
Military - note:
|
defense
is the responsibility of the US |
|
Disputes - international:
|
none |
|
This page was last updated on
20 October, 2005 |
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
