Background: Spain ceded Guam to the US 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

Area
Rank: 195
Land: 544 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

Climate: tropical marine; generally warm and humid moderated by northeast trade winds; dry season (January to June) rainy season (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 highest point: Mount Lamlam 406 m

Natural resources: aquatic wildlife (supporting tourism) fishing (largely undeveloped)

Land use
Permanent crops: 16.67%
Other: 81.48% (2011)

Irrigated land: 2 km² (2011)

Natural hazards: frequent squalls during rainy season; relatively rare but potentially destructive typhoons (June to December)

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

Population: 160,378 (July 2013 est.)
Rank: 188
Growth rate: 0.34% (2013 est.)
Growth rate rank: 166
Below poverty line: 23% (2001 est.)

Nationality
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)

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)

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

Age structure
15-24 years: 16.9% (male 13,961/female 13,156)
25-54 years: 39.5% (male 32,312/female 30,962)
55-64 years: 9.1% (male 7,325/female 7,273)
65 years and over: 8.2% (male 5,950/female 7,153) (2013 est.)

Dependency ratios
Youth dependency ratio: 39.9 %
Elderly dependency ratio: 12.3 %
Potential support ratio: 8.1 (2013)

Median age
Male: 29.2 years
Female: 30.2 years (2013 est.)

Population growth rate: 0.34% (2013 est.)
Rank: 166

Birth rate: 17.23 births/1000 population (2013 est.)
Rank: 109

Death rate: 4.95 deaths/1000 population (2013 est.)
Rank: 187

Net migration rate: -8.89 migrant(s)/1000 population (2013 est.)
Rank: 208

Urbanization
Rate of urbanization: 1.2% annual rate of change (2010-15 est.)

Major urban areas
Population: HAGATNA (capital) 153,000 (2009)

Environment
Current issues: extirpation of native bird population by the rapid proliferation of the brown tree snake an exotic invasive species

Sex ratio
0-14 years: 1.07 male(s)/female
15-24 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
25-54 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
55-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.84 male(s)/female
Total population: 1.03 male(s)/female (2013 est.)

Infant mortality rate
Rank: 176
Male: 6.02 deaths/1000 live births
Female: 5.18 deaths/1000 live births (2013 est.)

Life expectancy at birth
Rank: 50
Male: 75.62 years
Female: 81.89 years (2013 est.)

Total fertility rate: 2.41 children born/woman (2013 est.)
Rank: 84

Contraceptive prevalence rate: 66.6%

Drinking water source:

Sanitation facility access:

Hivaids
Adult prevalence rate: NA
People living with hivaids: NA
Deaths: NA

Education expenditures: NA

Literacy
Total population: 99%
Male: 99%
Female: 99% (1990 est.)

Country name
Conventional short form: Guam
Local long form: Guahan
Local short form: Guahan

Government type: NA

Capital
Geographic coordinates: 13 28 N 144 44 E
Time difference: UTC+10 (15 hours ahead of Washington DC during Standard Time)

Administrative divisions: none (territory of the US)

Independence: none (territory of the US)

National holiday: Discovery Day first Monday in March (1521)

Constitution: effective 1 July 1950; amended many times last in 2012 (2013)

Legal system: common law modeled on US system; US federal laws apply

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal; note - Guamanians are US citizens but do not vote in US presidential elections

Executive branch
Head of government: Governor Eddie CALVO (since 3 January 2011); Lieutenant Governor Ray TENORIO (since 3 January 2011)
Cabinet: heads of executive departments; appointed by the governor with the consent of the Guam legislature
Elections: under the US Constitution residents of unincorporated territories such as Guam do not vote in elections for US president and vice president; however they may vote in Democratic and Republican presidential primary elections; governor and lieutenant governor elected on the same ticket by popular vote for a four-year term (can serve two consecutive terms then must wait a full term before running again); election last held on 2 November 2010 (next to be held in November 2014)
Election results: Eddie CALVO elected governor with 50.6% percent of vote against 49.4% for Carl GUTIERREZ; Ray TENORIO elected lieutenant governor

Legislative branch: unicameral Legislature (15 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve two-year terms)
Elections: last held on 6 November 2012 (next to be held in November 2014)
Election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - Democratic Party 9 Republican Party 6

Judicial branch: note - appeals beyond the Supreme Court of Guam are heard by the US Supreme Court
Judge selection and term of office: justices appointed by the governor and confirmed by the Guam legislature; justices appointed for life subject to retention election every 10 years
Subordinate courts: Superior Court of Guam - includes several divisions; US Federal District Court for the District of Guam (a US territorial court; appeals beyond this court are heard before the US Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit)

Political parties and leaders:

International organization participation: IOC PIF (observer) SPC UPU

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 a proa or outrigger canoe with sail and a palm tree with the word GUAM superimposed in bold red letters; the proa is sailing in Agana Bay with the promontory of Punta Dos Amantes near the capital in the background; blue represents the sea and red the blood shed in the struggle against oppression

National symbols: coconut tree

National anthem
Lyrics and music: Ramon Manalisay SABLAN [English] Lagrimas UNTALAN [Chamoru]/Ramon Manalisay SABLAN

Economy overview: The economy depends largely on US national defense spending tourism other services. Total US grants wages and salaries and procurement outlays amounted to approximately $1.6 billion in 2010. Over the past 30 years tourism has grown to become the largest income source following national defense.

Real gdp purchasing power parity: $4.6 billion (2010 est.)
Rank: 172

Real gdp growth rate: 1.3% (2002-10 average est.)
Rank: 154

Real gdp per capita: $28,700 (2010 est.)
Rank: 53

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

Agriculture products: fruits copra vegetables; eggs pork poultry beef

Industries: national defense tourism construction transshipment services concrete products printing and publishing food processing textiles

Industrial production growth rate: NA%

Labor force: 69,390
Rank: 185
By occupation industry: NA%
By occupation services: NA% (2004 est.)

Unemployment rate: 8.2% (2010 est.)
Rank: 96

Population below poverty line: 23% (2001 est.)

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

Budget
Expenditures: $1.082 billion (FY10/11 est.)
Surplus or deficit: -3% of GDP (FY10/11 est.)
Surplus or deficit rank: 120

Taxes and other revenues: 20.5% of GDP (FY10/11 est.)
Rank: 163

Fiscal year: 1 October - 30 September

Inflation rate consumer prices: 4% (2011 est.)
Rank: 126

Exports: $44 million (2011 est.)
Rank: 198
Commodities: transshipments of refined petroleum products construction materials fish food and beverage products

Imports: $901 million (2011 est.)
Rank: 178
Commodities: petroleum and petroleum products food manufactured goods

Debt external: $N/A

Exchange rates: the US dollar is used

Electricity
Production: 1.734 billion kWh (2011 est.)
Production rank: 139
Consumption: 1.635 billion kWh (2010 est.)
Consumption rank: 144
Exports: 0 kWh (2012 est.)
Exports rank: 204
Imports: 0 kWh (2012 est.)
Imports rank: 195
Installed generating capacity: 552,000 kW (2010 est.)
Installed generating capacity rank: 135
Generation sources fossil fuels: 100% of total installed capacity (2010 est.)
Generation sources fossil fuels rank: 16
Generation sources nuclear: 0% of total installed capacity (2010 est.)
Generation sources nuclear rank: 97
Generation sources hydroelectricity: 0% of total installed capacity (2010 est.)
Generation sources hydroelectricity rank: 173
Generation sources other renewable sources: 0% of total installed capacity (2010 est.)
Generation sources other renewable sources rank: 180

Petroleum
Petroleum total petroleum production: 0 bbl/day (2012 est.)
Petroleum total petroleum production rank: 176
Crude oil exports: 0 bbl/day (2010 est.)
Crude oil exports rank: 122
Crude oil imports: 0 bbl/day (2010 est.)
Crude oil imports rank: 194
Crude oil proven reserves: 0 bbl (1 January 2013 es)
Crude oil proven reserves rank: 138

Refined petroleum
Products production: 0 bbl/day (2010 est.)
Products production rank: 183
Products consumption: 14,490 bbl/day (2011 est.)
Products consumption rank: 145
Products exports: 0 bbl/day (2010 est.)
Products exports rank: 180
Products imports: 6,579 bbl/day (2010 est.)
Products imports rank: 138

Natural gas
Production: 0 m³ (2011 est.)
Production rank: 138
Consumption: 0 m³ (2010 est.)
Consumption rank: 150
Exports: 0 m³ (2011 est.)
Exports rank: 110
Imports: 0 m³ (2011 est.)
Imports rank: 200
Proven reserves: 0 m³ (1 January 2013 es)
Proven reserves rank: 145

Carbon dioxide emissions
From consumption of energy: 1.103 million Mt (2011 est.)
From consumption of energy rank: 164

Telephones
Main lines in use: 67,000 (2012)
Main lines in use rank: 157
Mobile cellular: 98,000 (2004)
Mobile cellular rank: 193

Telephone system
Domestic: digital system including mobile-cellular service and local access to the Internet
International: country code - 1-671; major landing point for submarine cables between Asia and the US (Guam is a transpacific communications hub for major carriers linking the US and Asia); satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean) (2011)

Broadcast media: about a dozen TV channels including digital channels; multi-channel cable TV services are available; roughly 20 radio stations (2009)

Internet
Country code: .gu
Hosts: 23 (2012)
Hosts rank: 219
Users: 90,000 (2009)
Users rank: 163

Airports: 5 (2013)
Rank: 182
With paved runways over 3047 m: 2
With paved runways 2438 to 3047 m: 1
With paved runways 914 to 1523 m: 1 (2013)
With unpaved runways: 1 (2013)

Roadways
Rank: 185

Disputes international: none