2001 Edition
CIA World Factbook 2001 (Project Gutenberg)
Introduction
Administrative divisions
none (territory of the US)
Age structure
0-14 years: 35.07% (male 28,978; female 26,270) 15-64 years: 58.78% (male 48,704; female 43,902) 65 years and over: 6.15% (male 4,871; female 4,832) (2001 est.)
Agriculture - products
fruits, copra, vegetables; eggs, pork, poultry, beef
Airports
5 (2000 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 (2000 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways
total: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2000 est.) Guam Military
Area
total: 549 sq km land: 549 sq km water: 0 sq km
Area - comparative
three times the size of Washington, DC
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. Guam Geography
Birth rate
25.07 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)
Budget
revenues: $605.3 million expenditures: $654.2 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (2000)
Capital
Hagatna (Agana)
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
Constitution
Organic Act of 1 August 1950
Country name
conventional long form: Territory of Guam conventional short form: Guam
Currency
US dollar (USD)
Currency code
USD
Death rate
4.2 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.)
Debt - external
$NA
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)
Disputes - international
none
Economic aid - recipient
Guam receives large transfer payments from the US Federal Treasury ($143 million in 1997) 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 on US military spending, tourism, and the export of fish and handicrafts. Total US grants, wage payments, and procurement outlays amounted to $1 billion in 1998. 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 has recently suffered setbacks because of the continuing Japanese slowdown; 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 (1999)
Electricity - exports
0 kWh (1999)
Electricity - imports
0 kWh (1999)
Electricity - production
800 million kWh (1999)
Electricity - production by source
fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (1999)
Elevation extremes
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: Mount Lamlam 406 m
Environment - current issues
extirpation of native bird population by the rapid proliferation of the brown tree snake, an exotic species
Ethnic groups
Chamorro 47%, Filipino 25%, white 10%, Chinese, Japanese, Korean, and other 18%
Exchange rates
the US dollar is used
Executive branch
chief of state: President George W. BUSH of the US (since 20 January 2001); Vice President Richard B. CHENEY (since 20 January 2001) 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: 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) election results: Carl GUTIERREZ reelected governor; percent of vote - Carl GUTIERREZ (Democrat) 53.2%, Joseph ADA (Republican) 46.8%
Exports
$75.7 million (f.o.b., 1999)
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 Guam Communications
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 Guam Economy
GDP
purchasing power parity - $3.2 billion (2000 est.)
GDP - composition by sector
agriculture: NA% industry: 15% (1993) services: NA%
GDP - per capita
purchasing power parity - $21,000 (2000 est.)
GDP - real growth rate
NA%
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 Guam People
Government type
NA
Highways
total: 885 km paved: 675 km unpaved: 210 km note: there are also 685 km of roads classified non-public, including roads located on federal government installations
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate
NA%
HIV/AIDS - deaths
NA
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS
NA
Household income or consumption by percentage share
lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%
Imports
$203 million (f.o.b., 1999 est.)
Imports - commodities
petroleum and petroleum products, food, manufactured goods
Imports - partners
US 23%, Japan 19%
Independence
none (territory of the US)
Industrial production growth rate
NA%
Industries
US military, tourism, construction, transshipment services, concrete products, printing and publishing, food processing, textiles
Infant mortality rate
6.71 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices)
0% (1999 est.)
International organization participation
ESCAP (associate), Interpol (subbureau), IOC, SPC
Internet country code
.gu
Internet Service Providers (ISPs)
20 (2000)
Internet users
5,000 (2000) Guam Transportation
Irrigated land
NA sq km
Judicial branch
Federal District Court (judge is appointed by the president); Territorial Superior Court (judges appointed for eight-year terms by the governor)
Labor force
60,000 (2000 est.)
Labor force - by occupation
federal and territorial government 26%, private 74% (trade 24%, other services 40%, industry 10%) (2000 est.)
Land boundaries
0 km
Land use
arable land: 11% permanent crops: 11% permanent pastures: 15% forests and woodland: 18% other: 45% (1993 est.)
Languages
English, Chamorro, Japanese
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) elections: last held 7 November 2000 (next to be held NA November 2002) election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - Republican Party 8, Democratic Party 7 note: Guam elects one delegate to the US House of Representatives; election last held 7 November 2000 (next to be held NA November 2002); results - Robert UNDERWOOD was reelected as delegate; percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - Democratic Party 1
Life expectancy at birth
total population: 77.94 years male: 75.66 years female: 80.55 years (2001 est.)
Literacy
definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 99% male: 99% female: 99% (1990 est.) Guam Government
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
Merchant marine
none (2000 est.)
Military - note
defense is the responsibility of the US Guam Transnational Issues
National holiday
Discovery Day, first Monday in March (1521)
Nationality
noun: Guamanian(s) adjective: Guamanian
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)
Net migration rate
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 est.)
Political parties and leaders
Democratic Party (party of the Governor) [leader NA]; Republican Party (controls the legislature) [leader NA]
Political pressure groups and leaders
NA
Population
157,557 (July 2001 est.)
Population below poverty line
NA%
Population growth rate
2.09% (2001 est.)
Ports and harbors
Apra Harbor
Radio broadcast stations
AM 4, FM 7, shortwave 0 (1998)
Radios
221,000 (1997)
Railways
0 km
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 (2001 est.)
Suffrage
18 years of age; universal; US citizens, but do not vote in US presidential elections
Telephone system
general assessment: modern system, integrated with US facilities for direct dialing, including free use of 800 numbers domestic: modern digital system, including cellular mobile service and local access to the Internet international: satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean); submarine cables to US and Japan (Guam is a trans-Pacific communications hub for MCI, Sprint, AT&T, IT&E, and GTE, linking the US and Asia)
Telephones - main lines in use
84,134 (1998)
Telephones - mobile cellular
55,000 (1998)
Television broadcast stations
5 (1997)
Televisions
106,000 (1997)
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
Total fertility rate
3.85 children born/woman (2001 est.)
Unemployment rate
15% (2000 est.)
Waterways
none