Guam
Territory of Guam conventional short form: Guam
NAIndependence none (territory of the US)
Guam as the 2001 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 107 fields, one of 36 editions from 1990 to 2025.
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Introduction
1 fieldBackground
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
Oceania, island in the North Pacific Ocean, about three-quarters of the way from Hawaii to the Philippines
17 fieldsLocation
Oceania, island in the North Pacific Ocean, about three-quarters of the way from Hawaii to 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 coralline 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
Land use
arable land: 11% permanent crops: 11% permanent pastures: 15% forests and woodland: 18% other: 45% (1993 est.)
Natural hazards
frequent squalls during rainy season; relatively rare, but potentially very destructive typhoons (especially in August)
Environment - current issues
extirpation of native bird population by the rapid proliferation of the brown tree snake, an exotic species
Geography - note
largest and southernmost island in the Mariana Islands archipelago; strategic location in western North Pacific Ocean
People
18 fieldsPer 1,000 population(2001 est.)
Age structure
0-14 years: 35.07% (male 28,978; female 26,270) 15-64 years: 58.78% (male 48,704; female 43,902) 65 years and over: 6.15% (male 4,871; female 4,832) (2001 est.)
Sex ratio
at birth: 1.14 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.1 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.11 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 1.01 male(s)/female total population: 1.1 male(s)/female (2001 est.)
Life expectancy at birth
total population: 77.94 years male: 75.66 years female: 80.55 years (2001 est.)
Literacy
definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 99% male: 99% female: 99% (1990 est.)
Government
NA; President George W. BUSH of the US (since 20 January 2001)
19 fieldsPresidential electionpercent of vote
Legislature, 1 seatsone dot, one seat
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
Executive branch
- chief of state:
- President George W. BUSH of the US (since 20 January 2001);
- Vice President Richard B. CHENEY (since 20 January 2001) head of government: Governor Carl GUTIERREZ (since 8 November 1994) and Lieutenant Governor Madeleine BORDALLO (since 8 November 1994) cabinet: executive departments;
- heads appointed by the governor with the consent of the Guam legislature elections: US president and vice president elected on the same ticket for a four-year term;
- governor and lieutenant governor elected on the same ticket by popular vote for four-year terms;
- election last held 3 November 1998 (next to be held NA November 2002) election results: Carl GUTIERREZ reelected governor;
- percent of vote - Carl GUTIERREZ (Democrat) 53.2%, Joseph ADA (Republican) 46.8%
Legislative branch
- unicameral Legislature (15 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve two-year terms) elections: last held 7 November 2000 (next to be held NA November 2002) election results: percent of vote by party - NA%;
- seats by party - Republican Party 8, Democratic Party 7 note: Guam elects one delegate to the US House of Representatives;
- election last held 7 November 2000 (next to be held NA November 2002);
- results - Robert UNDERWOOD was reelected as delegate;
- percent of vote by party - NA%;
- seats by party - Democratic Party 1
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
Democratic Party (party of the Governor) [leader NA]; Republican Party (controls the legislature) [leader NA]
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
The economy depends on US military spending, tourism, and the export of fish and handicrafts.
32 fieldsElectricity
Economy - overview
The economy depends on US military spending, tourism, and the export of fish and handicrafts. Total US grants, wage payments, and procurement outlays amounted to $1 billion in 1998. Over the past 20 years, the tourist industry has grown rapidly, creating a construction boom for new hotels and the expansion of older ones.
More than 1 million tourists visit Guam each year. The industry has recently suffered setbacks because of the continuing Japanese slowdown; the Japanese normally make up almost 90% of the tourists. Most food and industrial goods are imported. Guam faces the problem of building up the civilian economic sector to offset the impact of military downsizing.
Labor force - by occupation
federal and territorial government 26%, private 74% (trade 24%, other services 40%, industry 10%) (2000 est.)
Budget
revenues: $605.3 million expenditures: $654.2 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (2000)
Industries
US military, tourism, construction, transshipment services, concrete products, printing and publishing, food processing, textiles
Exports - commodities
mostly transshipments of refined petroleum products; construction materials, fish, food and beverage products
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
Communications
10 fieldsTelephone 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: 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)
Transportation
8 fieldsHighways
total: 885 km paved: 675 km unpaved: 210 km note: there are also 685 km of roads classified non-public, including roads located on federal government installations
Airports - with paved runways
total: 4 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2000 est.)
Military
1 fieldTransnational Issues
1 fieldCite this entry
Central Intelligence Agency. “Guam.” The World Factbook 2001. Archived by The Factbook, thefactbook.org/guam/2001.