Background: Guam was settled by Austronesian people around 1500 B.C. These people became the indigenous Chamorro and were influenced by later migrations, including the Micronesians in the first millennium A.D., and island Southeast Asians around 900. Society was stratified, with higher classes living along the coast and lower classes living inland. Spanish explorer Ferdinand MAGELLAN was the first European to see Guam in 1521, and Spain claimed the island in 1565 because it served as a refueling stop for ships between Mexico and the Philippines. Spain formally colonized Guam in 1668. Spain’s brutal repression of the Chamorro, along with new diseases and intermittent warfare, reduced the indigenous population from more than 100,000 to less than 5,000 by the 1700s. Spain tried to repopulate the island by forcing people from nearby islands to settle on Guam and preventing them from escaping. Guam became a hub for whalers and traders in the western Pacific in the early 1800s. During the 1898 Spanish-American War, the US Navy occupied Guam and set up a military administration. The US Navy opposed local control of government despite repeated petitions from the Chamorro. Japan invaded Guam in 1941 and instituted a repressive regime. During the US recapture of Guam in 1944, the island’s two largest villages were destroyed. After World War II, political pressure from local Chamorro leaders led to Guam being established as an unincorporated organized US territory in 1950, with US citizenship granted to all Chamorro. In a referendum in 1982, more than 75% of voters chose closer relations with the US over independence, although no change in status was made because of disagreements on the future right of Chamorro self-determination. The US military holds about 29% of Guam’s land and stations several thousand troops on the island. The installations are some of the most strategically important US bases in the Pacific; they also constitute the island’s most important source of income and economic stability.

Area
Total: 544 km²
Land: 544 km²
Water: 0 km²
Comparative: three times the size of Washington, D.C.

Land boundaries
Total: 0 km

Coastline: 125.5 km

Maritime claims
Territorial sea: 12 nm
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
Highest point: Mount Lamlam 406 m
Lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m

Land use
Agricultural land: 29.6% (2023 est.)
Arable land: 1.9% (2023 est.)
Permanent crops: 13% (2023 est.)
Permanent pasture: 14.8% (2023 est.)
Forest: 52.4% (2023 est.)
Other: 18% (2023 est.)

Irrigated land: 2 km² (2012)

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 and the largest island in Micronesia; strategic location in western North Pacific Ocean

Population
Total: 169,532 (2024 est.)
Male: 87,345
Female: 82,187
Distribution: no large cities exist on the island; large villages (municipalities) attract much of the population; the largest of these is Dededo
Growth rate: 0.11% (2024 est.)

Languages: English 43.3%, Filipino 24.9%, Chamorro 16%, other Pacific Island languages 9.4%, Asian languages 6.5% (2020 est.)

Religions: Christian (predominantly Roman Catholic) 94.2%, folk religions 1.5%, Buddhist 1.1%, other 1.6%, unaffiliated 1.7% (2020 est.)

Age structure
0-14 years: 26.4% (male 23,139/female 21,632)
15-64 years: 62.7% (male 55,591/female 50,741)
65 years and over: 10.9% (2024 est.) (male 8,615/female 9,814)

Dependency ratios
Total dependency ratio: 59.4 (2024 est.)
Youth dependency ratio: 42.1 (2024 est.)
Elderly dependency ratio: 17.3 (2024 est.)
Potential support ratio: 5.8 (2024 est.)

Median age
Total: 30.3 years (2024 est.)
Male: 29.6 years
Female: 31.1 years

Population growth rate: 0.11% (2024 est.)

Birth rate: 18.1 births/1,000 population (2024 est.)

Death rate: 6.1 deaths/1,000 population (2024 est.)

Population distribution: no large cities exist on the island; large villages (municipalities) attract much of the population; the largest of these is Dededo

Urbanization
Urban population: 95.2% of total population (2022)
Rate of urbanization: 0.84% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

Major urban areas
Population: 147,000 HAGATNA (capital) (2018)

Sex ratio
At birth: 1.07 male(s)/female
0-14 years: 1.07 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.1 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.88 male(s)/female
Total population: 1.06 male(s)/female (2024 est.)

Infant mortality rate
Total: 10.9 deaths/1,000 live births (2024 est.)
Male: 11 deaths/1,000 live births
Female: 10.9 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 78 years (2024 est.)
Male: 75.6 years
Female: 80.5 years

Total fertility rate: 2.73 children born/woman (2024 est.)

Drinking water source
Total: 0.3% of population (2022 est.)

Sanitation facility access
Total: 0.8% of population (2022 est.)

Youth unemployment
Rate (ages 15-24): 5.6% (2024 est.); 5.4% (2023 est.); 5.5% (2022 est.)
Rate (ages 15-24) note: % of labor force seeking employment

Capital
Name: Hagatna (Agana)
Geographic coordinates: 13 28 N, 144 44 E
Time difference: UTC+10 (15 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
Etymology: the name Hagatna is derived from the Chamorro word haga, meaning 'life's blood' and referring to the town's role as the center of government for the island

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

Executive branch
Chief of state: President Donald J. TRUMP (since 20 January 2025)
Head of government: Governor Lourdes LEON GUERRERO (since 7 January 2019)
Cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the governor with the consent of the Legislature
Election/appointment process: president and vice president indirectly elected on the same ballot by an Electoral College of electors chosen from each state to serve a 4-year term (eligible for a second term); under the US Constitution, residents of unincorporated territories, such as Guam, do not vote in elections for US president and vice president, but they can vote in Democratic and Republican presidential primary elections; governor and lieutenant governor elected on the same ballot by absolute majority vote in 2 rounds, if needed, for a 4-year term (eligible for 2 consecutive terms)
Most recent election date: gubernatorial: 8 November 2022
2022: Lourdes LEON GUERRERO reelected governor; percent of vote - Lourdes LEON GUERRERO (Democratic Party) 55%, Felix CAMACHO (Republican Party) 44%; Josh TENORIO (Democratic Party) elected lieutenant governor
2018: Lourdes LEON GUERRERO elected governor; percent of vote - Lourdes LEON GUERRERO (Democratic Party) 50.7%, Ray TENORIO (Republican Party) 26.4%; Josh TENORIO (Democratic Party) elected lieutenant governor
Expected date of next election: gubernatorial: 3 November 2026

Legislative branch
Legislature name: Legislature of Guam (Liheslaturan Guahan)
Legislative structure: unicameral
Number of seats: 15 (directly elected)
Electoral system: plurality/majority
Scope of elections: full renewal
Term in office: 2 years
Most recent election date: 11/8/2022
Parties elected and seats per party: Democratic Party (9); Republican Party (6)
Percentage of women in chamber: 40%
Expected date of next election: November 2024
Note: Guam directly elects 1 member by simple majority vote to serve a 2-year term as delegate to the US House of Representatives; the delegate can vote when serving on a committee and when the House meets as the Committee of the Whole House, but not when legislation is submitted for a “full floor” House vote

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 (outrigger canoe with sail), and a palm tree; the word GUAM in red is centered in the ellipse; the proa is sailing in Agana Bay with the promontory of Puntan Dos Amantes in the background

National anthem
Title: 'The Star-Spangled Banner'
Lyrics/music: Francis Scott KEY/John Stafford SMITH
History: official anthem, as a US territory; played before 'Stand, Ye Guamanians'

Real gdp growth rate: 5.1% (2022 est.); 2.1% (2021 est.); -10.5% (2020 est.)
Note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency

Real gdp per capita: 5.1% (2022 est.); 2.1% (2021 est.); -10.5% (2020 est.)
Note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency

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

Labor force: 77,700 (2024 est.)
Note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work

Unemployment rate: 5.6% (2024 est.); 5.4% (2023 est.); 5.5% (2022 est.)
Note: % of labor force seeking employment

Youth unemployment
Rate (ages 15-24): 5.6% (2024 est.); 5.4% (2023 est.); 5.5% (2022 est.)
Rate (ages 15-24) note: % of labor force seeking employment

Budget
Revenues: $1.24 billion (2016 est.)
Expenditures: $1.299 billion (2016 est.)

Exports: $545 million (2022 est.); $193 million (2021 est.); $379 million (2020 est.)
Note: GDP expenditure basis - exports of goods and services in current dollars
Commodities: scrap iron, scrap copper, trunks and cases (2023)
Commodities note: top export commodities based on value in dollars over $500,000

Imports: $4.421 billion (2022 est.); $3.662 billion (2021 est.); $3.388 billion (2020 est.)
Note: GDP expenditure basis - imports of goods and services in current dollars
Commodities: refined petroleum, cars, trunks and cases, gas turbines, flavored water (2023)
Commodities note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars

Electricity
Installed generating capacity: 525,000 kW (2023 est.)
Consumption: 1.715 billion kWh (2023 est.)
Transmission/distribution losses: 90.023 million kWh (2023 est.)
Access electrification - total population: 100% (2022 est.)
Generation sources fossil fuels: 92.1% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
Generation sources solar: 7.8% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
Generation sources wind: 0.1% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

Petroleum
Refined petroleum consumption: 11,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)

Carbon dioxide emissions: 1.819 million metric tonnes of CO&sub2; (2023 est.)
From petroleum and other liquids: 1.819 million metric tonnes of CO&sub2; (2023 est.)

Energy consumption per capita: 150.555 million Btu/person (2019 est.)

Telephones
Fixed lines total subscriptions: 70,000 (2021 est.)
Fixed lines subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 43 (2022 est.)
Mobile cellular total subscriptions: 98,000 (2009 est.)
Mobile cellular subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 62 (2009 est.)

Internet
Users percent of population: 81% (2017 est.)

Broadband fixed subscriptions
Total: 3,000 (2022 est.)
Subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 2 (2022 est.)

Airports: 3 (2025)

Heliports: 2 (2025)

Merchant marine
Total: 3 (2023)
By type: other 3