Guam

Territory of Guam

organized, unincorporated territory of the US with policy relations betweenIndependence none (territory of the US)

Guam as the 1993 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 69 fields, one of 36 editions from 1990 to 2025.

field in that editiontext changed from the edition beforenot in that editionthe open editionEach field below ends in its editions, 1990 to 2025. Point at a year above to follow it down.

CapitalAgana

Area541.3 km2

Locationin the North Pacific Ocean, 5,955 km west-southwest of Honolulu, about

Populationas each edition published it

145,935 people July 1993 est. · 141,039 in 1990

Population growth% a year

2.53% 1993 est. · 0.08% in 2025

Median ageyears

Not in this edition 25.2 yrs in 2003

Life expectancyyears at birth

74.29 years 1993 est. · 78 yrs in 2025

Fertility ratechildren per woman

2.44 children per woman 1993 est. · 3 in 1990

Infant mortalitydeaths per 1,000 live births

15.17 deaths per 1,000 live births 1993 est. · 12 in 1990

GDP per capitaeach edition's own dollars

$14,000 1991 est. · $35,600 in 2025

GDP real growth% a year

Not in this edition 1.3% in 2013

Geography

In the North Pacific Ocean, 5,955 km west-southwest of Honolulu, about | three-quarters of the way between Hawaii and the Philippines

14 fields

Area

541.3km2

land area: 541.3 km2comparative area: slightly more than three times the size of Washington, DC

Coastline

125.5km

land boundaries: 0 kmcontiguous zone: 24 nmcontinental shelf: 200 m or depth of exploitationexclusive economic zone: 200 nmterritorial sea: 12 nm

Location

in the North Pacific Ocean, 5,955 km west-southwest of Honolulu, about three-quarters of the way between Hawaii and the Philippines

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

People

14 fields

Population

145,935

(July 1993 est.)growth rate: 2.53% (1993 est.)

Per 1,000 population(1993 est.)

Birth

26.16Death

3.86Net migration

Male · female(1993 est.)

TotalMale · femaleLife expectancy years74.29

72.42 · 76.13

TotalMale · femaleLiteracy96%

96% · 96%

MaleFemaleLiteracy age 15 and over can read and write (1980)

Labor force

46,930

(1990)by occupation: federal and territorial government 40%, private 60% (trade 18%, services 15.6%, construction 13.8%, other 12.6%) (1990)

Infant mortality rate

15.17 deaths/1,000 live births (1993 est.)

Nationality

noun:: Guamanian(s)
adjective:: Guamanian

Ethnic divisions

Chamorro 47%, Filipino 25%, Caucasian 10%, Chinese, Japanese, Korean, and other 18%

Government

Organized, unincorporated territory of the US with policy relations between

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Names

conventional long form:: Territory of Guam
conventional short form:: Guam

organized, unincorporated territory of the US with policy relations between Guam and the US 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

modeled on US; federal laws apply

National holiday

Guam Discovery Day (first Monday in March); Liberation Day, 21 July

Political parties and leaders

Democratic Party (controls the legislature); Republican Party (party of the Governor)

Suffrage

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

Elections

Governor:: last held on 6 November 1990 (next to be held NA November 1994); results - Joseph F. ADA reelected
Legislature:: last held on 9 November 1992 (next to be held NA November 1994);
results - percent of vote by party NA;
seats - (21 total) Democratic 14, Republican 7
US House of Representatives:: last held 9 November 1992 (next to be held NA November 1994);
Guam elects one delegate;
results - Robert UNDERWOOD was elected as delegate;
seats - (1 total) Democrat 1

Executive branch

US president, governor, lieutenant governor, Cabinet

Legislative branch

unicameral Legislature

Judicial branch

Federal District Court, Territorial Superior Court

Leaders

Chief of State:: President William Jefferson CLINTON (since 20 January 1993); Vice President Albert GORE, Jr. (since 20 January 1993)
Head of Government:: Governor Joseph A. ADA (since November 1986); Lieutenant Governor Frank F. BLAS (since NA)

Member of

ESCAP (associate), IOC, SPC

Diplomatic representation in US

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

Economy

The economy depends mainly on US military spending and on revenues from | tourism.

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GDP per capita, PPP

$14,000

(1991 est.)

Inflation, consumer prices

(1992 est.)

Unemployment rate

(1992 est.)

Budget

Revenues

$525 millionExpenditures

$395 million

expenditures, including capital expenditures of $NA

Overview

The economy depends mainly 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 1992. 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.

National product

GNP - purchasing power equivalent - $2 billion (1991 est.)

National product real growth rate

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%

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