Guam

Oceania, island in the North Pacific Ocean, about three-quarters of the way from Hawaii to the Philippines

13.28° N, 144.47° E

total: 544 sq km

land: 544 sq km

water: 0 sq km

three times the size of Washington, DC

0 km

125.5 km

territorial sea: 12 nm

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

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

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

mean elevation:

elevation extremes:

lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m

highest point: Mount Lamlam 406 m

aquatic wildlife (supporting tourism), fishing (largely undeveloped)

agricultural land: 33.4%

arable land 1.9%; permanent crops 16.7%; permanent pasture 14.8%

forest: 47.9%

other: 18.7% (2011 est.)

2 sq km (2012)

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

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

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

noun: Guamanian(s) (US citizens)

adjective: Guamanian

Chamorro 37.3%, Filipino 26.3%, white 7.1%, Chuukese 7%, Korean 2.2%, other Pacific Islander 2%, other Asian 2%, Chinese 1.6%, Palauan 1.6%, Japanese 1.5%, Pohnpeian 1.4%, mixed 9.4%, other 0.6% (2010 est.)

English 43.6%, Filipino 21.2%, Chamorro 17.8%, other Pacific island languages 10%, Asian languages 6.3%, other 1.1% (2010 est.)

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

161,785 (July 2015 est.)

0-14 years: 25.47% (male 21,189/female 20,017)

15-24 years: 17% (male 14,267/female 13,241)

25-54 years: 39.23% (male 32,315/female 31,159)

55-64 years: 9.4% (male 7,655/female 7,560)

65 years and over: 8.89% (male 6,552/female 7,830) (2015 est.)

total dependency ratio: 52%

youth dependency ratio: 38.7%

elderly dependency ratio: 13.3%

potential support ratio: 7.5% (2015 est.)

total: 30.1 years

male: 29.6 years

female: 30.7 years (2015 est.)

0.54% (2015 est.)

16.82 births/1,000 population (2015 est.)

5.12 deaths/1,000 population (2015 est.)

-6.34 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2015 est.)

urban population: 94.5% of total population (2015)

rate of urbanization: 1.36% annual rate of change (2010-15 est.)

HAGATNA (capital) 143,000 (2014)

at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female

0-14 years: 1.06 male(s)/female

15-24 years: 1.08 male(s)/female

25-54 years: 1.04 male(s)/female

55-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.84 male(s)/female

total population: 1.03 male(s)/female (2015 est.)

total: 5.41 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 5.81 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 4.99 deaths/1,000 live births (2015 est.)

total population: 78.98 years

male: 75.94 years

female: 82.21 years (2015 est.)

2.34 children born/woman (2015 est.)

improved:

urban: 99.5% of population

rural: 99.5% of population

total: 99.5% of population

unimproved:

urban: 0.5% of population

rural: 0.5% of population

total: 0.5% of population (2015 est.)

improved:

urban: 89.8% of population

rural: 89.8% of population

total: 89.8% of population

unimproved:

urban: 10.2% of population

rural: 10.2% of population

total: 10.2% of population (2015 est.)

NA

NA

NA

total: 29.4%

male: 29.7%

female: 28.9% (2011 est.)

conventional long form: Territory of Guam

conventional short form: Guam

local long form: Guahan

local short form: Guahan

NA

name: Hagatna (Agana)

geographic coordinates: 13.28° N, 144.44° E

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

none (territory of the US)

none (territory of the US)

Discovery Day (or Magellan Day), first Monday in March (1521)

effective 1 July 1950 (Guam Act of 1950 serves as a constitution); amended many times, last in 2015 (2015)

common law modeled on US system; US federal laws apply

see United States

18 years of age; universal; note - Guamanians are US citizens but do not vote in US presidential elections

chief of state: President Barack H. OBAMA (since 20 January 2009); Vice President Joseph R. BIDEN (since 20 January 2009)

head of government: Governor Eddie CALVO (since 3 January 2011); Lieutenant Governor Ray TENORIO (since 3 January 2011)

cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the governor with the consent of the Legislature

elections/appointments: president and vice president indirectly elected on the same ballot by an Electoral College of 'electors' chosen from each state to serve a 4-year term (eligible for a second term); under the US Constitution, residents of unincorporated territories, such as Guam, do not vote in elections for US president and vice president; however, they may vote in Democratic and Republican presidential primary elections; governor and lieutenant governor elected on the same ballot by absolute majority vote in 2 rounds if needed for a 4-year term (eligible for 2 consecutive terms); election last held on 4 November 2014 (next to be held in November 2018)

election results: Eddie CALVO reelected governor; percent of vote - Eddie CALVO (Republican Party) 64%, Carl GUTIERREZ (Democratic Party) 36%; Ray TENORIO elected lieutenant governor

description: unicameral Legislature of Guam or Liheslaturan Guahan (15 seats; members elected in a single countrywide constituency by simple majority vote to serve 2-year terms)

elections: last held on 4 November 2014 (next to be held on 8 November 2016)

election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - Democratic Party 9, Republican Party 6

note: Guam directly elects 1 member by simple majority vote to serve a 2-year term as a delegate to the US House of Representatives; the delegate can vote when serving on a committee and when the House meets as the Committee of the Whole House, but not when legislation is submitted for a “full floor” House vote; election of delegate last held on 6 November 2012 (next to be held on 8 November 2014)

highest court(s): Supreme Court of Guam (consists of 3 justices); note - appeals beyond the Supreme Court of Guam are heard by the US Supreme Court

judge selection and term of office: justices appointed by the governor and confirmed by the Guam legislature; justices appointed for life subject to retention election every 10 years

subordinate courts: Superior Court of Guam - includes several divisions; US Federal District Court for the District of Guam (a US territorial court; appeals beyond this court are heard before the US Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit)

Democratic Party [Carlo BRANCH]

Republican Party [Mike BENITO]

Guam Commission on Decolonization

Guam Federation of Teachers' Union

Guam Waterworks Authority Workers

We Are Guahan

AOSIS (observer), IOC, PIF (observer), SPC, UPU

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, a proa or outrigger canoe with sail, and a palm tree with the word GUAM superimposed in bold red letters; the proa is sailing in Agana Bay with the promontory of Punta Dos Amantes, near the capital, in the background; the shape of the central emblem is that of a Chamorro sling stone, used as a weapon for defense or hunting; blue represents the sea and red the blood shed in the struggle against oppression

note: the US flag is the national flag

coconut tree; national colors: deep blue, red

name: "Fanohge Chamoru" (Stand Ye Guamanians)

lyrics/music: Ramon Manalisay SABLAN [English], Lagrimas UNTALAN [Chamoru]/Ramon Manalisay SABLAN

note: adopted 1919; the local anthem is also known as "Guam Hymn"; as a territory of the United States, "The Star-Spangled Banner," which generally follows the playing of "Stand Ye Guamanians," is official (see United States)

US national defense spending is the main driver of Guam’s economy, followed by tourism and other services. Total federal spending (defense and non-defense) amounted to $1.973 billion in 2014, or 40.4% of GDP. Service exports, mainly spending by foreign tourists while on Guam, amounted to $651 million in 2013, or 13.3% of GDP. In 2013, Guam’s economy grew 0.6%. Despite slow growth, Guam’s economy has been stable over the last decade. National defense spending cushions the island’s economy against fluctuations in tourism, its other major income source. Guam serves as a forward US base for the Western Pacific and is home to thousands of American military personnel. Federal grants amounted to $373.3 million in 2013, or 32.6% of Guam’s total revenues for fiscal year.

$4.882 billion (2013 est.)

$4.756 billion (2012 est.)

$4.562 billion (2011 est.)

$4.6 billion (2010 est.)

0.6% (2013 est.)

1.8% (2012)

-0.3% (2011)

$30,500 (2013 est.)

$29,800 (2012 est.)

$28,600 (2011 est.)

household consumption: 63.7%

government consumption: 64.9%

investment in fixed assets: 5.8%

exports of goods and services: 17%

imports of goods and services: 17% (2013)

agriculture: NA%

industry: NA%

services: NA%

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

national defense, tourism, construction, transshipment services, concrete products, printing and publishing, food processing, textiles

NA%

70,490

note: this number is for the civilian labor force only (2013 est.)

agriculture: 0.3%

industry: 21.6%

services: 78.1% (2013)

8.4% (2013 est.)

8.2% (2010 est.)

23% (2001 est.)

lowest 10%: NA%

highest 10%: NA%

revenues: $1.147 billion

expenditures: $1.188 billion (2013 est.)

24.9% of GDP (2013 est.)

-0.9% of GDP (2013 est.)

32.1% of GDP (2013)

35.8% of GDP (2012)

1 October - 30 September

1.8% (2014 est.)

4% (2011 est.)

$828 million (2013 est.)

$795 million (2012)

transshipments of refined petroleum products, construction materials, fish, foodstuffs and beverages

$2.501 billion (2013 est.)

$2.438 billion (2012)

petroleum and petroleum products, food, manufactured goods

the US dollar is used

1.566 billion kWh (2013 est.)

1.566 billion kWh (2012 est.)

0 kWh (2013 est.)

0 kWh (2013 est.)

552,000 kW (2012 est.)

100% of total installed capacity (2012 est.)

0% of total installed capacity (2012 est.)

0% of total installed capacity (2012 est.)

0% of total installed capacity (2012 est.)

0 bbl/day (2014 est.)

0 bbl/day (2012 est.)

0 bbl/day (2012 est.)

0 bbl (1 January 2015 est.)

0 bbl/day (2012 est.)

12,510 bbl/day (2014 est.)

0 bbl/day (2012 est.)

15,620 bbl/day (2012 est.)

0 cu m (2014 est.)

0 cu m (2014 est.)

0 cu m (2014 est.)

0 cu m (2014 est.)

0 cu m (1 January 2014 est.)

1.775 million Mt (2012 est.)

total subscriptions: 67,400

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 42 (2014 est.)

total: 98,000

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 62 (2004)

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

domestic: digital system, including mobile-cellular service and local access to the Internet

international: country code - 1-671; major landing point for submarine cables between Asia and the US (Guam is a transpacific communications hub for major carriers linking the US and Asia); satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean) (2011)

about a dozen TV channels, including digital channels; multi-channel cable TV services are available; roughly 20 radio stations (2009)

AM 3, FM 11, shortwave 2 (2005)

3 (2006)

.gu

23 (2012)

total: 107,800

percent of population: 67.0% (2014 est.)

5 (2013)

total: 4

over 3,047 m: 2

2,438 to 3,047 m: 1

914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2013)

total: 1

under 914 m: 1 (2013)

total: 1,045 km (2008)

major seaport(s): Apra Harbor

none