Total area:
541.3 km2
Land area:
541.3 km2
Comparative area:
slightly more than three times the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries:
none
Coastline:
125.5 km
Maritime claims:
Contiguous zone:
12 nm
Continental shelf:
200 m (depth)
Exclusive economic zone:
200 nm
Territorial sea:
12 nm
Disputes:
none
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
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
Natural resources:
fishing (largely undeveloped), tourism (especially from Japan)
Land use:
arable land 11%; permanent crops 11%; meadows and pastures 15%; forest and
woodland 18%; other 45%
Environment:
frequent squalls during rainy season; subject to relatively rare, but
potentially very destructive typhoons (especially in August)
Note:
largest and southernmost island in the Mariana Islands archipelago;
strategic location in western North Pacific Ocean 5,955 km west-southwest of
Honolulu about three-quarters of the way between Hawaii and the Philippines
:Guam People
Population:
142,271 (July 1992), growth rate 2.6% (1992)
Birth rate:
27 births/1,000 population (1992)
Death rate:
4 deaths/1,000 population (1992)
Net migration rate:
3 migrants/1,000 population (1992)
Infant mortality rate:
15 deaths/1,000 live births (1992)
Life expectancy at birth:
72 years male, 76 years female (1992)
Total fertility rate:
2.5 children born/woman (1992)
Nationality:
noun - Guamanian(s); adjective - Guamanian; note - Guamanians are US
citizens
Ethnic divisions:
Chamorro 47%, Filipino 25%, Caucasian 10%, Chinese, Japanese, Korean, and
other 18%
Religions:
Roman Catholic 98%, other 2%
Languages:
English and Chamorro, most residents bilingual; Japanese also widely spoken
Literacy:
96% (male 96%, female 96%) age 15 and over can read and write (1980)
Labor force:
46,930; federal and territorial government 40%, private 60% (trade 18%,
services 15.6%, construction 13.8%, other 12.6%) (1990)
Organized labor:
13% of labor force
:Guam Government
Long-form name:
Territory of Guam
Type:
organized, unincorporated territory of the US; policy relations between Guam
and the US are under the jurisdiction of the Office of Territorial and
International Affairs, US Department of the Interior
Capital:
Agana
Administrative divisions:
none (territory of the US)
Independence:
none (territory of the US)
Constitution:
Organic Act of 1 August 1950
Legal system:
NA
National holiday:
Guam Discovery Day (first Monday in March), Liberation Day (July 21), US
Government holidays
Executive branch:
President of the US, governor, lieutenant governor, Cabinet
Legislative branch:
unicameral Legislature
Judicial branch:
Federal District Court of Guam, Territorial Superior Court of Guam
Leaders:
Chief of State:
President George BUSH (since 20 January 1989)
Head of Government:
Governor Joseph A. ADA (since November 1986); Lieutenant Governor Frank F.
BLAS
Political parties and leaders:
Democratic Party (controls the legislature); Republican Party (party of the
Governor)
Suffrage:
universal at age 18; US citizens, but do not vote in US presidential
elections
Elections:
Governor:
last held on 6 November 1990 (next to be held November 1994); results -
Joseph F. ADA reelected
Legislature:
last held on 6 November 1990 (next to be held November 1992); a byelection
was held in April 1991 to replace a deceased legislator, results - percent
of vote by party NA; seats - (21 total) Democratic 11, Republican 10
US House of Representatives:
last held 6 November 1990 (next to be held 3 November 1992); Guam elects one
nonvoting delegate; results - Ben BLAZ was elected as the nonacting
delegate; seats - (1 total) Republican 1
Member of:
ESCAP (associate), IOC, SPC
Diplomatic representation:
none (territory of the US)
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
:Guam Economy
Overview:
The economy is based 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 1990. The small manufacturing sector includes
textiles and clothing, beverage, food, and watch production. 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. In
1991 the unemployment rate was about 4.1%.
GNP:
purchasing power equivalent - $2.0 billion, per capita $14,000; real growth
rate NA% (1991 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
12.6% (1991)
Unemployment rate:
4.1% (1991 est.)
Budget:
revenues $525 million; expenditures $395 million, including capital
expenditures of $NA.
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%
Imports:
$493 million (c.i.f., 1984)
commodities:
petroleum and petroleum products, food, manufactured goods
partners:
US 23%, Japan 19%, other 58%
External debt:
$NA
Industrial production:
growth rate NA%
Electricity:
500,000 kW capacity; 2,300 million kWh produced, 16,300 kWh per capita
(1990)
Industries:
US military, tourism, construction, transshipment services, concrete
products, printing and publishing, food processing, textiles
Agriculture:
relatively undeveloped with most food imported; fruits, vegetables, eggs,
pork, poultry, beef, copra
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
Currency:
US currency is used
Exchange rates:
US currency is used
Fiscal year:
1 October - 30 September
:Guam Communications
Highways:
674 km all-weather roads
Ports:
Apra Harbor
Airports:
5 total, 4 usable; 3 with permanent-surface runways; none with runways over
3,659 m; 3 with runways 2,440-3,659 m; none with runways 1,220-2,439 m
Telecommunications:
26,317 telephones (1989); broadcast stations - 3 AM, 3 FM, 3 TV; 2 Pacific
Ocean INTELSAT ground stations
:Guam Defense Forces