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Guam Map - copyright CCCarto This Guam map is made with U.S. census 2005 tiger data.
Guam Facts
source - CIA facts book
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 of Guam
Guam Island Location: Oceania,
island in the North Pacific Ocean, about three-quarters of the way from
Hawaii to the Philippines
Guam Geographic coordinates: 13 28
N, 144 47 E
Guam Oceania Area: total: 541.3 sq
km land: 541.3 sq km water: 0 sq km
Guam Coastline: 125.5 km
Guam Maritime claims: territorial
sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Guam 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
Guam 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
Guam Elevation extremes: lowest
point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: Mount Lamlam 406 m
Guam Natural resources: fishing
(largely undeveloped), tourism (especially from Japan)
Land use: arable land: 3.64%
permanent crops: 18.18% other: 78.18% (2005)
Guam Natural hazards: frequent
squalls during rainy season; relatively rare, but potentially very
destructive typhoons (June - December)
Guam Environment - current issues:
extirpation of native bird population by the rapid proliferation of the
brown tree snakec, invasive species
Guam Geography - note: largest and
southernmost island in the Mariana Islands archipelago; strategic
location in western North Pacific Ocean
People of Guam
Guam Population: 171,019 (July 2006
est.)
Guam 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.)
Guam Median age: total: 28.6 years
male: 28.3 years female: 28.8 years (2006 est.)
Guam Population growth rate: 1.43%
(2006 est.)
Guam Birth rate: 18.79 births/1,000
population (2006 est.)
Guam Death rate: 4.48 deaths/1,000
population (2006 est.)
Guam Net migration rate: 0
migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Guam 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)
Guam Religions: Roman Catholic 85%,
other 15% (1999 est.)
Guam 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)
Guam Literacy: definition: age 15
and over can read and write total population: 99% male: 99% female: 99%
(1990 est.)
Government of Guam
Guam Country name: conventional
long form: Territory of Guam conventional short form: Guam local long
form: Guahan local short form: Guahan
Guam 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
Guam Capital: name: Hagatna (Agana)
geographic coordinates: 13 28 N, 144 45 E time difference: UTC+10 (15
hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Guam Administrative divisions: none
(territory of the US)
Guam Independence: none (territory
of the US)
Guam National holiday: Discovery
Day, first Monday in March (1521)
Guam Constitution: Organic Act of
Guam, 1 August 1950
Guam Legal system: modeled on US;
US federal laws apply
Guam Suffrage: 18 years of age;
universal; US citizens, but do not vote in US presidential elections
Guam election results: Felix P.
CAMACHO reelected governor; Dr. Michael W. CRUZ elected lieutenant
governor; percent of vote - NA
Legislative branch: unicameral
Legislature (15 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve
two-year terms) elections: last held 7 November 2006 (next to be held
November 2008) election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats
by party - Republican Party 8, Democratic Party 7 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
Guam Judicial branch: Federal
District Court (judge is appointed by the president); Territorial
Superior Court (judges appointed for eight-year terms by the governor)
Political parties and leaders: Guam
Democratic Party [leader Michael PHILLIPS]; Republican Party (controls
the legislature) [leader Philip J. FLORES]
Guam International organization
participation: IOC, SPC, UPU
Guam Diplomatic representation in
the US: none (territory of the US)
Guam Diplomatic representation from
the US: none (territory of the US)
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 of Guam
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.
Guam GDP (purchasing power parity):
$2.5 billion (2005 est.)
Guam GDP (official exchange rate):
$2.773 billion
Guam GDP - per capita (PPP):
$15,000 (2005 est.)
Guam Labor force: 62,050 (2002
est.)
Guam Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 26% industry: 10% services: 64% (2004 est.)
Guam Unemployment rate: 11.4% (2002
est.)
Guam Population below poverty line:
23% (2001 est.)
Budget: revenues: $319.6 million
expenditures: $427.8 million (2002 est.)
Guam Agriculture - products:
fruits, copra, vegetables; eggs, pork, poultry, beef
Guam Industries: US military,
tourism, construction, transshipment services, concrete products,
printing and publishing, food processing, textiles
Guam Electricity - production:
840.1 million kWh (2003)
Guam Electricity - consumption:
781.3 million kWh (2003)
Guam Exports - commodities: mostly
transshipments of refined petroleum products; construction materials,
fish, food and beverage products
Guam Exports - partners: Japan
67.2%, Singapore 11.6%, UK 4.8% (2005)
Guam Imports: $701 million f.o.b.
(2004 est.)
Guam Imports - commodities:
petroleum and petroleum products, food, manufactured goods
Guam Imports - partners: Singapore
50%, South Korea 21.4%, Japan 14%, Hong Kong 4.6% (2005) Debt -
external:
Guam 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.)
Guam Currency (code): US dollar
(USD)
Communications in Guam
Guam Telephones - main lines in
use: 84,134 (2001)
Guam Telephones - mobile cellular:
98,000 (2004)
Guam 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: 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)
Guam Radio broadcast stations: AM
3, FM 11, shortwave 2 (2006)
Guam Television broadcast stations:
3; 6 (Low Power TV) (2006)
Guam Internet country code: .gu
Guam Internet hosts: 76 (2006)
Guam Internet users: 79,000 (2004)
Transportation of Guam
Guam Airports: 5 (2006)
Guam Airports - with paved runways:
total: 4 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2006)
Guam Airports - with unpaved
runways: total: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2006)
Guam Roadways: total: 977 km (2004)
Guam Ports and terminals: Apra
Harbor
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