2007 Edition

Administrative divisions

none (territory of the US)

Age structure

0-14 years: 29% (male 25,703/female 23,903) 15-64 years: 64.3% (male 56,020/female 53,894) 65 years and over: 6.7% (male 5,391/female 6,108) (2006 est.)

Agriculture - products

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

Airports

5 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways

over 3,047 m

2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2006)

total

4

Airports - with unpaved runways

total

1

under 914 m

1 (2006)

Area

land

541.3 sq km

total

541.3 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. Geography Guam

Birth rate

18.79 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Budget

expenditures

$427.8 million (2002 est.)

revenues

$319.6 million

Capital

geographic coordinates

13 28 N, 144 45 E

name

Hagatna (Agana)

time difference

UTC+10 (15 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

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

Coastline

125.5 km

Constitution

Organic Act of Guam, 1 August 1950

Country name

conventional long form

Territory of Guam

conventional short form

Guam

local long form

Guahan

local short form

Guahan

Currency (code)

US dollar (USD)

Currency code

USD

Death rate

4.48 deaths/1,000 population (2006 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 This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

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 (2001 est.)

Economy - overview

The economy depends largely on US military spending and tourism. Total US grants, wage payments, and procurement outlays amounted to $1.3 billion in 2004. Over the past 30 years, the tourist industry has grown to become the largest income source following national defense. The Guam economy continues to experience expansion in both its tourism and military sectors.

Electricity - consumption

1.641 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - exports

0 kWh (2004)

Electricity - imports

0 kWh (2004)

Electricity - production

1.764 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - production by source

fossil fuel

100%

hydro

0%

nuclear

0%

other

0% (2001)

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, invasive species

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)

Exchange rates

the US dollar is used

Executive branch

cabinet

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

chief of state

President George W. BUSH of the US (since 20 January 2001); Vice President Richard B. CHENEY (since 20 January 2001)

election results

Felix P. CAMACHO reelected governor; Dr. Michael W. CRUZ elected lieutenant governor; percent of vote - NA

elections

under the US Consitution, residents of unincorporated territories, such as Guam, do not vote in elections for US president and vice president; governor and lieutenant governor elected on the same ticket by popular vote for four-year term (can serve two consecutive terms, then must wait a full term before running again); election last held 7 November 2006 (next to be held November 2010)

head of government

Governor Felix P. CAMACHO (since 6 January 2003) and Lieutenant Governor Dr. Michael W. CRUZ (since 1 January 2007)

Exports

$45 million f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Exports - commodities

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

Exports - partners

Japan 67.2%, Singapore 11.6%, UK 4.8% (2005)

Fiscal year

1 October - 30 September Communications Guam

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 Economy Guam

GDP - composition by sector

agriculture

NA

industry

NA

services

NA

GDP - per capita (PPP)

$15,000 (2005 est.)

GDP - real growth rate

NA%

GDP (official exchange rate)

$2.773 billion (2001)

GDP (purchasing power parity)

$2.5 billion (2005 est.)

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 People Guam

Government type

NA

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

highest 10%

NA%

lowest 10%

NA%

Imports

$701 million f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Imports - commodities

petroleum and petroleum products, food, manufactured goods

Imports - partners

Singapore 50%, South Korea 21.4%, Japan 14%, Hong Kong 4.6% (2005)

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

female

6.1 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

male

7.48 deaths/1,000 live births

total

6.81 deaths/1,000 live births

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

2.5% (2005 est.)

International organization participation

IOC, SPC, UPU

Internet country code

.gu

Internet hosts

76 (2006)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs)

20 (2000)

Internet users

79,000 (2004) Transportation Guam

Irrigated land

NA

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

62,050 (2002 est.)

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture

26%

industry

10%

services

64% (2004 est.)

Land boundaries

0 km

Land use

arable land

3.64%

other

78.18% (2005)

permanent crops

18.18%

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)

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 Party 8, Democratic Party 7

elections

last held 7 November 2006 (next to be held November 2008)

note

Guam elects one nonvoting delegate to the US House of Representatives; election last held 7 November 2006 (next to be held November 2008); results - Madeleine BORDALLO (Democratic Party) was reelected as delegate; percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - Democratic Party 1

Life expectancy at birth

female

81.83 years (2006 est.)

male

75.52 years

total population

78.58 years

Literacy

definition

age 15 and over can read and write

female

99% (1990 est.) Government Guam

male

99%

total population

99%

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

Median age

female

28.8 years (2006 est.)

male

28.3 years

total

28.6 years

Military - note

defense is the responsibility of the US Transnational Issues Guam

National holiday

Discovery Day, first Monday in March (1521)

Nationality

adjective

Guamanian

noun

Guamanian(s) (US citizens)

Natural gas - consumption

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - production

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Natural hazards

frequent squalls during rainy season; relatively rare, but potentially very destructive typhoons (June - December)

Natural resources

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

Net migration rate

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Oil - consumption

16,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - exports

NA bbl/day (2001)

Oil - imports

NA bbl/day (2001)

Oil - production

0 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Political parties and leaders

Democratic Party [leader Michael PHILLIPS]; Republican Party (controls the legislature) [leader Philip J. FLORES]

Political pressure groups and leaders

NA

Population

171,019 (July 2006 est.)

Population below poverty line

23% (2001 est.)

Population growth rate

1.43% (2006 est.)

Ports and terminals

Apra Harbor Military Guam

Radio broadcast stations

AM 3, FM 11, shortwave 2 (2006)

Radios

221,000 (1997)

Religions

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

Roadways

total

977 km (2004)

Sex ratio

at birth

1.06 male(s)/female

total population

1.04 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

under 15 years

1.08 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.88 male(s)/female

Suffrage

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

Telephone system

domestic

modern digital system, including cellular mobile service and local access to the Internet

general assessment

modern system, integrated with US facilities for direct dialing, including free use of 800 numbers

international

country code - 1-671; 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 (2001)

Telephones - mobile cellular

98,000 (2004)

Television broadcast stations

3; 6 (Low Power TV) (2006)

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 hills in center, mountains in south

Total fertility rate

2.58 children born/woman (2006 est.)

Unemployment rate

11.4% (2002 est.)