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.

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

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

Population: 160,595 (July 1997 est.)
Growth rate: 2.5% (1997 est.)

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%

Age structure
0-14 years: NA
15-64 years: NA
65 years and over: NA

Population growth rate: 2.5% (1997 est.)

Birth rate: 23.35 births/1000 population (1997 est.)

Death rate: 3.86 deaths/1000 population (1997 est.)

Net migration rate: 3 migrant(s)/1000 population (1997 est.)

Environment
Current issues: NA

Sex ratio
At birth: NA male(s)/female
Under 15 years: NA male(s)/female
15-64 years: NA male(s)/female
65 years and over: NA male(s)/female
Total population: NA male(s)/female

Infant mortality rate: 15.17 deaths/1000 live births (1997 est.)

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 74.29 years
Male: 72.42 years
Female: 76.13 years (1997 est.)

Total fertility rate: 2.16 children born/woman (1997 est.)

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

Government type: NA

Capital: Agana

Administrative divisions: none (territory of the US)

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; 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 of the US William Jefferson CLINTON (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: governor and lieutenant governor elected on the same ticket by popular vote and serve four-year terms; election last held 8 November 1994 (next to be held NA November 1998)
Election results: Carl GUTIERREZ elected governor of Guam; percent of vote - Carl GUTIERREZ (Democrat) 54.6%, Tommy TANAKA (Republican) NA%

Legislative branch: unicameral Legislature (21 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve two-year terms)
Elections: last held 5 November 1996 (next to be held NA November 1998)
Election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - Republican 11, Democratic 10
Note: Guam elects one delegate to the US House of Representatives; elections last held 5 November 1996 (next to be held NA November 1998); results - Robert UNDERWOOD was reelected as delegate; percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - Democrat 1

Judicial branch: Federal District Court, judge is appointed by the president; Territorial Superior Court, judges appointed for eight-year terms by the governor

International organization participation: ESCAP (associate), 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

Economy overview: The economy depends mainly on US military spending and on revenue generated by the tourism industry. 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 one million tourists visit Guam each year. Most food and industrial goods are imported, with about 75% from the US. Guam faces the problem of building up the civilian economic sector to offset the impact of military downsizing.

Real gdp growth rate: NA%

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

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
Total: 46,930 (1990)
Note: federal and territorial government 40%, private 60%
By occupation trade: 18%
By occupation services: 15.6%
By occupation construction: 13.8%
By occupation other: 12.6% (1990)

Unemployment rate: 2% (1992 est.)

Budget
Revenues: $525 million
Expenditures: $395 million, including capital expenditures of $N/A (1991)

Fiscal year: 1 October - 30 September

Exports
Total value: $34 million (f.o.b., 1984)
Commodities: mostly transshipments of refined petroleum products, construction materials, fish, food and beverage products
Partners: US 25%, former Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands 63%, other 12%

Imports
Total value: $493 million (c.i.f., 1984)
Commodities: petroleum and petroleum products, food, manufactured goods
Partners: US 23%, Japan 19%, other 58%

Debt external: $NA

Exchange rates: US currency is used

Electricity
Capacity: 302,000 kW (1993)
Production: 750 million kWh (1994)
Consumption per capita: 4,566 kWh (1995 est.)

Telephones: 74,317 (March 1997)

Telephone system
Domestic: NA
International: satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean); submarine cables to US and Japan

Airports: 4
With paved runways total: 4
With paved runways over 3047 m: 2
With paved runways 2438 to 3047 m: 1
With paved runways under 914 m: 1 (1996 est.)

Railways: 0 km

Merchant marine: none

Disputes international: none