1995 Edition
CIA World Factbook 1995 (Project Gutenberg)
Geography
Area
total area: 541.3 sq km land area: 541.3 sq km comparative area: slightly more than three times the size of Washington, DC
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
Coastline
125.5 km
Environment
current issues: NA natural hazards: frequent squalls during rainy season; relatively rare, but potentially very destructive typhoons (especially in August) international agreements: NA
International disputes
none
Irrigated land
NA sq km
Land boundaries
0 km
Land use
arable land: 11% permanent crops: 11% meadows and pastures: 15% forest and woodland: 18% other: 45%
Location
Oceania, island in the North Pacific Ocean, about three-quarters of the way from Hawaii to the Philippines
Map references
Oceania
Maritime claims
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 12 nm
Natural resources
fishing (largely undeveloped), tourism (especially from Japan)
Note
largest and southernmost island in the Mariana Islands archipelago; strategic location in western North Pacific Ocean
Terrain
volcanic origin, surrounded by coral reefs; relatively flat coraline 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
People and Society
Age structure
0-14 years: NA 15-64 years: NA 65 years and over: NA
Birth rate
25.01 births/1,000 population (1995 est.)
Death rate
3.86 deaths/1,000 population (1995 est.)
Ethnic divisions
Chamorro 47%, Filipino 25%, Caucasian 10%, Chinese, Japanese, Korean, and other 18%
Infant mortality rate
15.17 deaths/1,000 live births (1995 est.)
Labor force
46,930 (1990) by occupation: federal and territorial government 40%, private 60% (trade 18%, services 15.6%, construction 13.8%, other 12.6%) (1990)
Languages
English, Chamorro, Japanese
Life expectancy at birth
total population: 74.29 years male: 72.42 years female: 76.13 years (1995 est.)
Literacy
age 15 and over can read and write (1990) total population: 99% male: 99% female: 99%
Nationality
noun: Guamanian(s) adjective: Guamanian
Net migration rate
3 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1995 est.)
Population
153,307 (July 1995 est.)
Population growth rate
2.42% (1995 est.)
Religions
Roman Catholic 98%, other 2%
Total fertility rate
2.32 children born/woman (1995 est.)
Government
Administrative divisions
none (territory of the US)
Capital
Agana
Constitution
Organic Act of 1 August 1950
Digraph
GQ
Diplomatic representation in US
none (territory of the US)
Executive branch
chief of state: President 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); Lieutenant Governor Madeleine BORDALLO (since 8 November 1994); election last held 8 November 1994 (next to be held NA November 1998); results - Carl GUTIERREZ (Democrat) was elected Governor and Madeleine BORDALLO (Democrat) was elected Lieutenant Governor cabinet: executive departments; heads appointed by the governor with the consent of the Guam legislature
Flag
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
Independence
none (territory of the US)
Judicial branch
Federal District Court, Territorial Superior Court
Legal system
modeled on US; federal laws apply
Legislative branch
unicameral
Legislature
elections last held 8 November 1994 (next to be held NA November 1996); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (21 total) Democrats 14, Republican 7
Member of
ESCAP (associate), INTERPOL (subbureau), IOC, SPC
Names
conventional long form: Territory of Guam conventional short form: Guam
National holiday
Guam Discovery Day (first Monday in March) (1521); Liberation Day, 21 July
Political parties and leaders
Democratic Party (controls the legislature); Republican Party (party of the Governor)
Suffrage
18 years of age; universal; US citizens, but do not vote in US presidential elections
Type
organized, unincorporated territory of the US with policy relations between Guam and the US under the jurisdiction of the Office of Territorial and International Affairs, US Department of the Interior
US diplomatic representation
none (territory of the US)
US House of Representatives
elections last held 8 November 1994 (next to be held NA November 1996); Guam elects one delegate; results - Robert UNDERWOOD was reelected as delegate; seats - (1 total) Democrat 1
Economy
Agriculture
relatively undeveloped with most food imported; fruits, vegetables, eggs, pork, poultry, beef, copra
Budget
revenues: $525 million expenditures: $395 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1991)
Currency
1 United States dollar (US$) = 100 cents
Economic aid
although Guam receives no foreign aid, it does receive large transfer payments from the general revenues of the US Federal Treasury into which Guamanians pay no income or excise taxes; under the provisions of a special law of Congress, the Guamanian Treasury, rather than the US Treasury, receives federal income taxes paid by military and civilian Federal employees stationed in Guam
Electricity
capacity: 300,000 kW production: 750 million kWh consumption per capita: 4,797 kWh (1993)
Exchange rates
US currency is used
Exports
$34 million (f.o.b., 1984) commodities: mostly transshipments of refined petroleum products, construction materials, fish, food and beverage products partners: US 25%, Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands 63%, other 12%
External debt
$NA
Fiscal year
1 October - 30 September
Imports
$493 million (c.i.f., 1984) commodities: petroleum and petroleum products, food, manufactured goods partners: US 23%, Japan 19%, other 58%
Industrial production
growth rate NA%
Industries
US military, tourism, construction, transshipment services, concrete products, printing and publishing, food processing, textiles
Inflation rate (consumer prices)
4% (1992 est.)
National product
GDP - purchasing power parity - $2 billion (1991 est.)
National product per capita
$14,000 (1991 est.)
National product real growth rate
NA%
Overview
The economy depends mainly on US military spending and on revenues from tourism. Over the past 20 years the tourist industry has grown rapidly, creating a construction boom for new hotels and the expansion of older ones. Visitors numbered about 900,000 in 1992. The slowdown in Japanese economic growth has been reflected in less vigorous growth in the tourism sector. About 60% of the labor force works for the private sector and the rest for government. 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.
Unemployment rate
2% (1992 est.)
Communications
Radio
broadcast stations: AM 3, FM 3, shortwave 0 radios: NA
Telephone system
26,317 telephones (1989) local: NA intercity: NA international: 2 INTELSAT (Pacific Ocean) earth stations
Television
broadcast stations: 3 televisions: NA
Transportation
Airports
total: 5 with paved runways over 3,047 m: 2 with paved runways 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 with paved runways 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 with paved runways under 914 m: 1
Highways
total: 674 km (all-weather roads) paved: NA unpaved: NA
Merchant marine
none
Ports
Apra Harbor
Railroads
0 km
Military and Security
Note
defense is the responsibility of the US ________________________________________________________________________ GUATEMALA