Statistical information Guam 1992
Guam in the World
Guam - Introduction 1992
top of pageBackground: 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.
Guam - Geography 1992
top of pageLocation
Geographic coordinates
Map reference
Area
Total: 541.3 km²
Land: 541.3 km²
Comparative:
slightly more than three times the size of Washington,
DC
DC
Land boundaries: none
Coastline: 125.5 km
Maritime claims
Contiguous zone: 12 nm
Continental shelf: 200 m (depth)
Exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Territorial sea: 12 nm
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
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
Elevation
Natural resources: fishing (largely undeveloped), tourism (especially from Japan)
Land use
Land use: arable land: 11%; permanent crops: 11%; meadows and pastures 15%; forest and woodland 18%; other 45%
Irrigated land
Major rivers
Major watersheds area km²
Total water withdrawal
Total renewable water resources
Natural hazards
Geography
Guam - People 1992
top of pagePopulation: 142,271 (July 1992), growth rate 2.6% (1992)
Nationality:
noun - Guamanian(s); adjective - Guamanian; note -
Guamanians are US citizens
Guamanians are US citizens
Ethnic groups:
Chamorro 47%, Filipino 25%, Caucasian 10%, Chinese,
Japanese, Korean, and other 18%
Japanese, Korean, and other 18%
Languages: English and Chamorro, most residents bilingual; Japanese also widely spoken
Religions: Roman Catholic 98%, other 2%
Demographic profile
Age structure
Age structure
Dependency ratios
Median age
Population growth rate
Birth rate: 27 births/1000 population (1992)
Death rate: 4 deaths/1000 population (1992)
Net migration rate: 3 migrants/1000 population (1992)
Population distribution
Urbanization
Major urban areas
Environment
Current issues: frequent squalls during rainy season; subject to relatively rare, but potentially very destructive typhoons (especially in August)
Current issues note:
largest and southernmost island in the Mariana Islands archipelago; strategic location in western North Pacific Ocean 5,955 km west-southwest of
Honolulu about three-quarters of the way between Hawaii and the Philippines
Honolulu about three-quarters of the way between Hawaii and the Philippines
Air pollutants
Sex ratio
Mothers mean age at first birth
Maternal mortality ratio
Infant mortality rate: 15 deaths/1000 live births (1992)
Life expectancy at birth: 72 years male, 76 years female (1992)
Total fertility rate: 2.5 children born/woman (1992)
Contraceptive prevalence rate
Drinking water source
Current health expenditure
Physicians density
Hospital bed density
Sanitation facility access
Hiv/Aids
Major infectious diseases
Obesity adult prevalence rate
Alcohol consumption
Tobacco use
Children under the age of 5 years underweight
Education expenditures
Literacy: 96% (male 96%, female 96%) age 15 and over can read and write (1980)
School life expectancy primary to tertiary education
Youth unemployment
Guam - Government 1992
top of pageCountry name
Conventional long form: Territory of Guam
Government type:
organized, unincorporated territory of the US; policy relations between Guam and the US are under the jurisdiction of the Office of
Territorial and International Affairs, US Department of the Interior
Territorial and International Affairs, US Department of the Interior
Capital: Agana
Administrative divisions: none (territory of the US)
Dependent areas
Independence: none (territory of the US)
National holiday:
Guam Discovery Day (first Monday in March), Liberation
Day (July 21), US Government holidays
Day (July 21), US Government holidays
Constitution: Organic Act of 1 August 1950
Legal system: NA
International law organization participation
Citizenship
Suffrage: universal at age 18; US citizens, but do not vote in US presidential elections
Governor: last held on 6 November 1990 (next to be held November 1994); results - Joseph F. ADA reelected
Legislature:
last held on 6 November 1990 (next to be held November 1992); a byelection was held in April 1991 to replace a deceased legislator, results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (21 total) Democratic 11,
Republican 10
Republican 10
US House of Representatives: last held 6 November 1990 (next to be held 3 November 1992); Guam elects one nonvoting delegate; results - Ben BLAZ was elected as the nonacting delegate; seats - (1 total) Republican 1
Executive branch:
President of the US, governor, lieutenant governor,
Cabinet
Cabinet
Legislative branch: unicameral Legislature
Judicial branch:
Federal District Court of Guam, Territorial Superior
Court of Guam
Court of Guam
Political parties and leaders
International organization participation: ESCAP (associate), IOC, SPC
Diplomatic representation: none (territory of the US)
Diplomatic representation
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 flagNational symbols
National anthem
National heritage
Guam - Economy 1992
top of pageEconomy overview:
The economy is based 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 1990. The small manufacturing sector includes textiles and clothing, beverage, food, and watch production. 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. In 1991 the unemployment rate was about 4.1%.
Visitors numbered about 900,000 in 1990. The small manufacturing sector includes textiles and clothing, beverage, food, and watch production. 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. In 1991 the unemployment rate was about 4.1%.
GNP: purchasing power equivalent - $2.0 billion, per capita $14,000; real growth rate NA% (1991 est.)
Real gdp purchasing power parity
Real gdp growth rate
Real gdp per capita
Gross national saving
Gdp composition by sector of origin
Gdp composition by end use
Gdp composition by sector of origin
Agriculture products: relatively undeveloped with most food imported; fruits, vegetables, eggs, pork, poultry, beef, copra
Industries: US military, tourism, construction, transshipment services, concrete products, printing and publishing, food processing, textiles
Industrial production growth rate: growth rate NA%
Labor force: 46,930; federal and territorial government 40%, private 60% (trade 18%, services 15.6%, construction 13.8%, other 12.6%) (1990)
Organized labor: 13% of labor force
Labor force
Unemployment rate: 4.1% (1991 est.)
Youth unemployment
Population below poverty line
Gini index
Household income or consumption by percentage share
Distribution of family income gini index
Budget: revenues $525 million; expenditures $395 million, including capital expenditures of $NA.
Taxes and other revenues
Public debt
Revenue
Fiscal year: 1 October - 30 September
Inflation rate consumer prices
Central bank discount rate
Commercial bank prime lending rate
Stock of narrow money
Stock of broad money
Stock of domestic credit
Market value of publicly traded shares
Current account balance
Exports: $34 million (f.o.b., 1984)
Commodoties: mostly transshipments of refined petroleum products, construction materials, fish, food and beverage products
Partners: US 25%, Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands 63%, other 12%
Imports: $493 million (c.i.f., 1984)
Commodoties: petroleum and petroleum products, food, manufactured goods
Partners: US 23%, Japan 19%, other 58%
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold
Debt external
Stock of direct foreign investment at home
Stock of direct foreign investment abroad
Exchange rates: US currency is used
Guam - Energy 1992
top of pageElectricity
Production: 500,000 kW capacity; 2,300 million kWh produced, 16,300 kWh per capita (1990)
Coal
Petroleum
Crude oil
Refined petroleum
Natural gas
Carbon dioxide emissions
Energy consumption per capita
Guam - Communication 1992
top of pageTelephones
Telephone system
Broadcast media
Internet
Broadband fixed subscriptions
Guam - Military 1992
top of pageMilitary expenditures
Military and security forces
Military service age and obligation
Space program
Terrorist groups
Guam - Transportation 1992
top of pageNational air transport system
Civil aircraft registration country code prefix
Airports:
5 total, 4 usable; 3 with permanent-surface runways; none with runways over 3,659 m; 3
with runways 2,440-3,659 m; none
with runways 1,220-2,439 m
with runways 2,440-3,659 m; none
with runways 1,220-2,439 m
Heliports
Pipelines
Railways
Roadways
Waterways
Merchant marine
Ports and terminals
Guam - Transnational issues 1992
top of pageDisputes international
Refugees and internally displaced persons
Illicit drugs