Map of Guam | Geography | People | Government | Economy | Energy | Communication
Military | Transportation | Transnational Issues | Year: Guide19891990199119921993199419951996199719981999200020012002200320042005200620072008200920102011201220132014201520162017201820192020202120222023 | 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: 549 km²
Land: 549 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: 157,557 (July 2001 est.)
Growth rate: 2.09% (2001 est.)
Below poverty line: NA%

Nationality
Noun: Guamanian
Adjective: Guamanian

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

Languages: English Chamorro Japanese

Religions: Roman Catholic 85% other 15% (1999 est.)

Demographic profile

Age structure
0-14 years: 35.07% (male 28,978; female 26,270)
15-64 years: 58.78% (male 48,704; female 43,902)
65 years and over: 6.15% (male 4,871; female 4,832) (2001 est.)

Dependency ratios

Median age

Population growth rate: 2.09% (2001 est.)

Birth rate: 25.07 births/1000 population (2001 est.)

Death rate: 4.2 deaths/1000 population (2001 est.)

Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1000 population (2001 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

Air pollutants

Sex ratio
At birth: 1.14 male/female
Under 15 years: 1.1 male/female
15-64 years: 1.11 male/female
65 years and over: 1.01 male/female
Total population: 1.1 male/female (2001 est.)

Mothers mean age at first birth

Maternal mortality ratio

Infant mortality rate: 6.71 deaths/1000 live births (2001 est.)

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 77.94 years
Male: 75.66 years
Female: 80.55 years (2001 est.)

Total fertility rate: 3.85 children born/woman (2001 est.)

Contraceptive prevalence rate

Drinking water source

Current health expenditure

Physicians density

Hospital bed density

Sanitation facility access

Hiv/Aids
Adult prevalence rate: NA%
People living with hivaids: NA
Deaths: NA

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: Discovery Day first Monday in March (1521)

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 George W. BUSH of the US (since 20 January 2001); Vice President Richard B. CHENEY (since 20 January 2001)
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
Elections: last held 7 November 2000 (next to be held NA November 2002)
Election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - Republican Party 8, Democratic Party 7
Note: Guam elects one delegate to the US House of Representatives; election last held 7 November 2000 (next to be held NA November 2002); results - Robert UNDERWOOD was reelected as delegate; percent of vote by party - NA%; 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 (party of the Governor) [leader NA]; Republican Party (controls the legislature) [leader NA]

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 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 has 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.

Real gdp purchasing power parity

Real gdp growth rate: NA%

Real gdp per capita ppp

Gross national saving

Gdp composition by end use

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Agriculture: NA%
Industry: 15% (1993)
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: 60,000 (2000 est.)
By occupation federal and territorial government: 26%
By occupation private: 74%
By occupation (trade: 24%
By occupation other services: 40%
By occupation industry: 10%) (2000 est.)

Unemployment rate: 15% (2000 est.)

Youth unemployment

Population below poverty line: NA%

Gini index

Household income or consumption by percentage share
Lowest 10: NA%
Highest 10: NA%

Distribution of family income gini index

Budget
Revenues: $605.3 million
Expenditures: $654.2 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (2000)

Public debt

Taxes and other revenues

Revenue

Fiscal year: 1 October - 30 September

Current account balance

Inflation rate consumer prices: 0% (1999 est.)

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: $75.7 million (f.o.b. 1999)
Commodities: mostly transshipments of refined petroleum products; construction materials fish food and beverage products
Partners: US 25%

Imports: $203 million (f.o.b. 1999 est.)
Commodities: petroleum and petroleum products food manufactured goods
Partners: US 23% Japan 19%

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

Debt external: $NA

Stock of direct foreign investment at home

Stock of direct foreign investment abroad

Exchange rates: the US dollar is used


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Electricity access

Electricity production: 800 million kWh (1999)
By source fossil fuel: 100%
By source hydro: 0%
By source nuclear: 0%
By source other: 0% (1999)

Electricity consumption: 744 million kWh (1999)

Electricity exports: 0 kWh (1999)

Electricity imports: 0 kWh (1999)

Electricity installed generating capacity

Electricity transmission distribution losses

Electricity generation sources

Petroleum

Refined petroleum

Natural gas

Carbon dioxide emissions

Energy consumption per capita


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Telephones fixed lines

Telephones mobile cellular: 55,000 (1998)

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: 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)

Broadcast media

Internet country code: .gu

Internet users: 5,000 (2000)

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 (2000 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 (2000 est.)
With unpaved runways total: 1
With unpaved runways under 914 m: 1 (2000 est.)

Airports with paved runways
Total: 4
Over 3047 m: 2
2438 to 3047 m: 1
914 to 1523 m: 1 (2000 est.)

Airports with unpaved runways
Total: 1
Under 914 m: 1 (2000 est.)

Heliports

Pipelines

Railways: 0 km

Roadways

Waterways: none

Merchant marine: none (2000 est.)

Ports and terminals


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Disputes international

Refugees and internally displaced persons

Illicit drugs