Map of Guam | Geography | People | Government | Economy | Energy | Communication
Military | Transportation | Transnational Issues | Year: Guide1989199019911992199319941995199619971998199920002001200220032004200520062007200820092010201120122013201420152016201720182019202020212022202320242025 | More stats

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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.


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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 reference: Oceania

Area
Total: 541.3 km²
Land: 541.3 km²
Water: 0 km²
Comparative: three times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 125.5 km

Maritime claims
Exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Territorial sea: 12 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-rising hills in center, mountains in south

Elevation
Extremes lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
Extremes highest point: Mount Lamlam 406 m

Natural resources: fishing (largely undeveloped), tourism (especially from Japan)

Land use
Arable land: 11%
Permanent crops: 11%
Permanent pastures: 15%
Forests and woodland: 18%
Other: 45% (1993 est.)

Irrigated land: NA km²

Major rivers

Major watersheds area km²

Total water withdrawal

Total renewable water resources

Natural hazards: frequent squalls during rainy season; relatively rare, but potentially very destructive typhoons (especially in August)

Geography
Note: largest and southernmost island in the Mariana Islands archipelago; strategic location in western North Pacific Ocean


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Population: 151,716 (July 1999 est.)
Growth rate: 1.67% (1999 est.)
Below poverty line: NA%

Nationality
Noun: Guamanian(s)
Adjective: Guamanian

Ethnic groups: Chamorro 47%, Filipino 25%, white 10%, Chinese, Japanese, Korean, and other 18%

Languages: English, Chamorro, Japanese

Religions: Roman Catholic 98%, other 2%

Demographic profile

Age structure
0-14 years: 35% (male 27,301; female 25,106)
15-64 years: 60% (male 47,691; female 42,714)
65 years and over: 5% (male 4,486; female 4,418) (1999 est.)

Dependency ratios

Median age

Population growth rate: 1.67% (1999 est.)

Birth rate: 26.52 births/1000 population (1999 est.)

Death rate: 4.35 deaths/1000 population (1999 est.)

Net migration rate: -5.45 migrant(s)/1000 population (1999 est.)

Population distribution

Urbanization

Major urban areas

Environment
Current issues: extirpation of native bird population by the rapid proliferation of the brown tree snake, an exotic species
International agreements party to: NA
International agreements signed but not ratified: NA

Air pollutants

Sex ratio
At birth: 1.11 male(s)/female
Under 15 years: 1.09 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.12 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 1.02 male(s)/female
Total population: 1.1 male(s)/female (1999 est.)

Mothers mean age at first birth

Maternal mortality ratio

Infant mortality rate: 7.81 deaths/1000 live births (1999 est.)

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 77.78 years
Male: 74.6 years
Female: 81.31 years (1999 est.)

Total fertility rate: 3.92 children born/woman (1999 est.)

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
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

Youth unemployment


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Country name
Conventional long form: Territory of Guam
Conventional short form: Guam

Government type: NA

Capital: Hagatna (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) (1521; Liberation Day, 21 July (1944)

Constitution: Organic Act of 1 August 1950

Legal system: modeled on US; US federal laws apply

International law organization participation

Citizenship

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal; US citizens, but do not vote in US presidential elections

Executive branch
Chief of state: President William Jefferson CLINTON of the US (since 20 January 1993); Vice President Albert GORE, Jr. (since 20 January 1993)
Head of government: Governor Carl GUTIERREZ (since 8 November 1994) and Lieutenant Governor Madeleine BORDALLO (since 8 November 1994)
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 terms; election last held 3 November 1998 (next to be held NA November 2002)
Election results: Carl GUTIERREZ reelected governor; percent of vote_Carl GUTIERREZ (Democrat) 53.2%, Joseph ADA (Republican) 46.8%

Legislative branch: unicameral Legislature (15 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve two-year terms)
Elections: last held 3 November 1998 (next to be held NA November 2000)
Election results: percent of vote by party_NA; seats by party_Republican 12, Democratic 3
Note: Guam elects one delegate to the US House of Representatives; election last held 3 November 1998 (next to be held NA November 2000); results_Robert UNDERWOOD was reelected as delegate; percent of vote by party_NA; seats by party_Democratic 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

International organization participation: ESCAP (associate), Interpol (subbureau), IOC, SPC

Diplomatic representation
In the us: none (territory of the US)
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

National symbols

National anthem

National heritage


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Economy overview: The economy depends mainly on US military spending and on tourist revenue. 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 suffered a setback in 1998 because of the continuing Japanese recession; 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.

Real gdp purchasing power parity

Real gdp growth rate: NA%

Real gdp per capita: purchasing power parity: $19,000 (1996 est.)

Gross national saving

Gdp composition by end use

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Agriculture: NA%
Industry: NA%
Services: NA%

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%

Labor force: 65,660 (1995)
Note: federal and territorial government 31%; private 69%
By occupation trade: 21%
By occupation services: 33%
By occupation construction: 12%
By occupation other: 3% (1995)

Unemployment rate: 2% (1992 est.)

Youth unemployment

Population below poverty line: NA%

Gini index

Household income or consumption by percentage share

Distribution of family income gini index

Budget
Revenues: $524.3 million
Expenditures: $361.4 million, including capital expenditures of $N/A (1995)

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: $86.1 million (f.o.b., 1992)
Commodities: mostly transshipments of refined petroleum products, construction materials, fish, food and beverage products
Partners: US 25%

Imports: $202.4 million (c.i.f., 1992)
Commodities: petroleum and petroleum products, food, manufactured goods
Partners: US 23%, Japan 19%, other 58%

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

Debt external: $NA

Stock of direct foreign investment at home

Stock of direct foreign investment abroad

Exchange rates: US currency is used


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Electricity
Production: 800 million kWh (1996)
Production by source fossil fuel: 100%
Production by source hydro: 0%
Production by source nuclear: 0%
Production by source other: 0% (1996)
Consumption: 800 million kWh (1996)
Exports: 0 kWh (1996)
Imports: 0 kWh (1996)

Coal

Petroleum

Crude oil

Refined petroleum

Natural gas

Carbon dioxide emissions

Energy consumption per capita


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Telephones: 74,317 (March 1997)

Telephone system
Domestic: NA
International: satellite earth stations_2 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean); submarine cables to US and Japan

Broadcast media

Internet

Broadband fixed subscriptions


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Military expenditures

Military and security forces

Military service age and obligation

Space program

Terrorist groups


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National air transport system

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

Airports: 5 (1998 est.)
With paved runways total: 4
With paved runways over 3047 m: 2
With paved runways 2438 to 3047 m: 1
With paved runways 914 to 1523 m: 1 (1998 est.)
With unpaved runways total: 1
With unpaved runways under 914 m: 1 (1998 est.)

Heliports

Pipelines

Railways: 0 km

Roadways

Waterways

Merchant marine: none

Ports and terminals


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Disputes international: none

Refugees and internally displaced persons

Illicit drugs