Guam

Territory of Guam

organized, unincorporated territory of the US with policyIndependence none (territory of the US)

Guam as the 1995 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 76 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 sq km

LocationOceania, island in the North Pacific Ocean, about

Populationas each edition published it

153,307 people July 1995 est. · 141,039 in 1990

Population growth% a year

2.42% 1995 est. · 2.53% in 1993

Median ageyears

Not in this edition 25.2 yrs in 2003

Life expectancyyears at birth

74.29 years 1995 est. · 74.29 yrs in 1993

Fertility ratechildren per woman

2.32 children per woman 1995 est. · 3 in 1990

Infant mortalitydeaths per 1,000 live births

15.17 deaths per 1,000 live births 1995 est. · 12 in 1990

GDP per capitaeach edition's own dollars

$14,000 1991 est. · $14,000 in 1993

GDP real growth% a year

Not in this edition 1.3% in 2013

Geography

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

14 fields

Area

541.3sq km

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

Coastline

125.5km

land boundaries: 0 kmexclusive economic zone: 200 nmterritorial sea: 12 nm

Location

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 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

current issues:: NA
natural hazards:: frequent squalls during rainy season; relatively rare, but potentially very destructive typhoons (especially in August)
international agreements:: NA

Note

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

People

15 fields

Population

153,307

(July 1995 est.)growth rate: 2.42% (1995 est.)

Per 1,000 population(1995 est.)

Birth

25.01Death

3.86Net migration

Male · female(1995 est.)

TotalMale · femaleLife expectancy years74.29

72.42 · 76.13

TotalMale · femaleLiteracy99%

99% · 99%

MaleFemaleLiteracy age 15 and over can read and write (1990)

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)

Age structure

0-14 years:: NA
15-64 years:: NA
65 years and over:: NA

Infant mortality rate

15.17 deaths/1,000 live births (1995 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; President William Jefferson CLINTON (since 20 January 1993); Governor Carl GUTIERREZ (since 8 November 1994)

20 fields

Legislature, 21 seatsone dot, one seat

Democrats 14Republican 7

Legislature, 1 seatsone dot, one seat

Democrat 1

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)

National holiday

Guam Discovery Day (first Monday in March) (1521); Liberation Day, 21 July

Constitution

Organic Act of 1 August 1950

Legal system

modeled on US; federal laws apply

Suffrage

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

Executive branch

chief of state:: President William Jefferson CLINTON (since 20 January 1993); Vice President Albert GORE, Jr. (since 20 January 1993)
head of government:: Governor Carl GUTIERREZ (since 8 November 1994);
Lieutenant Governor Madeleine BORDALLO (since 8 November 1994);
election last held 8 November 1994 (next to be held NA November 1998);
results - Carl GUTIERREZ (Democrat) was elected Governor and Madeleine BORDALLO (Democrat) was elected Lieutenant Governor
cabinet:: executive departments; heads appointed by the governor with the consent of the Guam legislature

Legislative branch

unicameral

Legislature

elections last held 8 November 1994 (next to be held NA November 1996);
results - percent of vote by party NA;
seats - (21 total) Democrats 14, Republican 7

US House of Representatives

elections last held 8 November 1994 (next to be held NA November 1996);
Guam elects one delegate;
results - Robert UNDERWOOD was reelected as delegate;
seats - (1 total) Democrat 1

Judicial branch

Federal District Court, Territorial Superior Court

Political parties and leaders

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

Member of

ESCAP (associate), INTERPOL (subbureau), IOC, SPC

Diplomatic representation in US

none (territory of the US)

US 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

Economy

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

18 fields

GDP per capita, PPP

$14,000

(1991 est.)

Inflation, consumer prices

(1992 est.)

Unemployment rate

(1992 est.)

Budget

Revenues

$525 millionExpenditures

$395 million (1991)

expenditures including capital expenditures of $NA

Installed generating capacity, 300,000 kW

Electricity production

750 millionElectricity consumption per capita

4,797 (1993)

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. The slowdown in Japanese economic growth has been reflected in less vigorous growth in the tourism sector.

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. Guam faces the problem of building up the civilian economic sector to offset the impact of military downsizing.

National product

GDP - purchasing power parity - $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