2000 Edition

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.

Area

land

541.3 sq km

total

541.3 sq km

water

0 sq km

Area - comparative

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

Elevation extremes

highest point

Mount Lamlam 406 m

lowest point

Pacific Ocean 0 m

Environment - current issues

extirpation of native bird population by the rapid proliferation of the brown tree snake, an exotic species

Geographic coordinates

13 28 N, 144 47 E

Geography - note

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

Irrigated land

NA sq km

Land boundaries

0 km

Land use

arable land

11%

forests and woodland

18%

other

45% (1993 est.)

permanent crops

11%

permanent pastures

15%

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 hazards

frequent squalls during rainy season; relatively rare, but potentially very destructive typhoons (especially in August)

Natural resources

fishing (largely undeveloped), tourism (especially from Japan)

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

Age structure

0-14 years: 34.9% (male 28,233; female 25,727) 15-64 years: 59.09% (male 48,126; female 43,238) 65 years and over: 6.01% (male 4,680; female 4,619) (2000 est.)

Birth rate

26.19 births/1,000 population (2000 est.)

Death rate

4.16 deaths/1,000 population (2000 est.)

Ethnic groups

Chamorro 47%, Filipino 25%, white 10%, Chinese, Japanese, Korean, and other 18%

Infant mortality rate

6.83 deaths/1,000 live births (2000 est.)

Languages

English, Chamorro, Japanese

Life expectancy at birth

female

80.37 years (2000 est.)

male

75.51 years

total population

77.78 years

Literacy

definition

age 15 and over can read and write

female

99% (1990 est.)

male

99%

total population

99%

Nationality

adjective

Guamanian

noun

Guamanian(s)

Net migration rate

-5.35 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2000 est.)

Population

154,623 (July 2000 est.)

Population growth rate

1.67% (2000 est.)

Religions

Roman Catholic 85%, other 15% (1999 est.)

Sex ratio

at birth

1.14 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.1 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.11 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 1.01 male(s)/female

total population

1.1 male(s)/female (2000 est.)

Total fertility rate

3.96 children born/woman (2000 est.)

Administrative divisions

none (territory of the US)

Capital

Hagatna (Agana)

Constitution

Organic Act of 1 August 1950

Country name

conventional long form

Territory of Guam

conventional short form

Guam

Data code

GQ

Dependency status

organized, unincorporated territory of the US with policy relations between Guam and the US under the jurisdiction of the Office of Insular Affairs, US Department of the Interior

Diplomatic representation from the US

none (territory of the US)

Diplomatic representation in the US

none (territory of the US)

Executive branch

cabinet

executive departments; heads appointed by the governor with the consent of the Guam legislature

chief of state

President William Jefferson CLINTON of the US (since 20 January 1993); Vice President Albert GORE, Jr. (since 20 January 1993)

election results

Carl GUTIERREZ reelected governor; percent of vote - Carl GUTIERREZ (Democrat) 53.2%, Joseph ADA (Republican) 46.8%

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)

head of government

Governor Carl GUTIERREZ (since 8 November 1994) and Lieutenant Governor Madeleine BORDALLO (since 8 November 1994)

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

Government type

NA

Independence

none (territory of the US)

International organization participation

ESCAP (associate), Interpol (subbureau), IOC, SPC

Judicial branch

Federal District Court (judge is appointed by the president); Territorial Superior Court (judges appointed for eight-year terms by the governor)

Legal system

modeled on US; US federal laws apply

Legislative branch

unicameral Legislature (15 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve two-year terms)

election results

percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - Republican 12, Democratic 3

elections

last held 3 November 1998 (next to be held NA November 2000)

note

Guam elects one delegate to the US House of Representatives; election last held 3 November 1998 (next to be held NA November 2000); results - Robert UNDERWOOD was reelected as delegate; percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - Democratic 1

National holiday

Guam Discovery Day (first Monday in March) (1521); Liberation Day, 21 July (1944)

Political parties and leaders

Democratic Party (party of the Governor) ; Republican Party (controls the legislature)

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal; US citizens, but do not vote in US presidential elections

Agriculture - products

fruits, copra, vegetables; eggs, pork, poultry, beef

Budget

expenditures

$361.4 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1995)

revenues

$524.3 million

Currency

1 United States dollar (US$) = 100 cents

Debt - external

$NA

Economic aid - recipient

$NA; note - 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 Guam Treasury, rather than the US Treasury, receives federal income taxes paid by military and civilian Federal employees stationed in Guam

Economy - overview

The economy depends mainly on US military spending and on tourist revenue. 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 suffered a setback in 1998 because of the continuing Japanese recession; 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.

Electricity - consumption

744 million kWh (1998)

Electricity - exports

0 kWh (1998)

Electricity - imports

0 kWh (1998)

Electricity - production

800 million kWh (1998)

Electricity - production by source

fossil fuel

100%

hydro

0%

nuclear

0%

other

0% (1998)

Exchange rates

US currency is used

Exports

$86.1 million (f.o.b., 1992)

Exports - commodities

mostly transshipments of refined petroleum products, construction materials, fish, food and beverage products

Exports - partners

US 25%

Fiscal year

1 October - 30 September

GDP

purchasing power parity - $3 billion (1996 est.)

GDP - composition by sector

agriculture

NA%

industry

NA%

services

NA%

GDP - per capita

purchasing power parity - $19,000 (1996 est.)

GDP - real growth rate

NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share

lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%

Imports

$202.4 million (c.i.f., 1992)

Imports - commodities

petroleum and petroleum products, food, manufactured goods

Imports - 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.)

Labor force

65,660 (1995)

Labor force - by occupation

federal and territorial government 31%, private 69% (trade 21%, services 33%, construction 12%, other 3%) (1995)

Population below poverty line

NA%

Unemployment rate

2% (1992 est.)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs)

5 (1999)

Radio broadcast stations

AM 4, FM 7, shortwave 0 (1998)

Radios

221,000 (1997)

Telephone system

domestic

NA

international

satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean); submarine cables to US and Japan

Telephones - main lines in use

82,669 (1997)

Telephones - mobile cellular

55,000 (1998)

Television broadcast stations

5 (1997)

Televisions

106,000 (1997)

Airports

5 (1999 est.)

Airports - with paved runways

total

4 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (1999 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways

total

1 under 914 m: 1 (1999 est.)

Highways

note

there is another 685 km of roads classified non-public, including roads located on federal government installations

paved

675 km

total

885 km

unpaved

210 km

Merchant marine

none (1999 est.)

Ports and harbors

Apra Harbor

Railways

0 km

Military - note

defense is the responsibility of the US

Disputes - international

none

GUATEMALA