1996 Edition

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

Location

13 28 N, 144 47 E -- Oceania, island in the North Pacific Ocean, about three-quarters of the way from Hawaii to the Philippines Flag ----

Area

comparative area

three times the size of Washington, DC

land area

541.3 sq km

total area

541.3 sq km

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

Coastline

125.5 km

Environment

current issues

NA

international agreements

NA

natural hazards

frequent squalls during rainy season; relatively rare, but potentially very destructive typhoons (especially in August)

Geographic coordinates

13 28 N, 144 47 E

Geographic note

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

International disputes

none

Irrigated land

NA sq km

Land boundaries

0 km

Land use

arable land

11%

forest and woodland

18%

meadows and pastures

15%

other

45%

permanent crops

11%

Location

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

Map references

Oceania

Maritime claims

exclusive economic zone

200 nm

territorial sea

12 nm

Natural resources

fishing (largely undeveloped), tourism (especially from Japan)

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

highest point

Mount Lamlam 406 m

lowest point

Pacific Ocean 0 m

Age structure

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

Birth rate

24.24 births/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Death rate

3.86 deaths/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Ethnic divisions

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

Infant mortality rate

15.17 deaths/1,000 live births (1996 est.)

Languages

English, Chamorro, Japanese

Life expectancy at birth

female

76.13 years (1996 est.)

male

72.42 years

total population

74.29 years

Literacy

age 15 and over can read and write (1990 est.)

female

99%

male

99%

total population

99%

Nationality

adjective

Guamanian

noun

Guamanian(s)

Net migration rate

3 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Population

156,974 (July 1996 est.)

Population growth rate

2.34% (1996 est.)

Religions

Roman Catholic 98%, other 2%

Sex ratio

all ages

NA male(s)/female

at birth

NA male(s)/female

under 15 years

NA male(s)/female 15-64 years: NA male(s)/female 65 years and over: NA male(s)/female

Total fertility rate

2.25 children born/woman (1996 est.)

Administrative divisions

none (territory of the US)

Capital

Agana

Constitution

Organic Act of 1 August 1950

Data code

GQ

Diplomatic representation in US

none (territory of the US)

Executive branch

cabinet

executive departments; heads appointed by the governor with the consent of the Guam legislature

chief of state

President (of the United States) 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) and Lieutenant Governor Madeleine BORDALLO (since 8 November 1994) were elected for a four-year term by popular vote; election last held 8 November 1994 (next to be held NA November 1998); results - Carl GUTIERREZ (Democrat) defeated Tommy TANAKA (Republican) with 54.6% of the vote

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

Independence

none (territory of the US)

International organization participation

ESCAP (associate), IOC, SPC

Judicial branch

Federal District Court, judge is appointed by the president; Territorial Superior Court, judges appointed for eight-year terms by the governor

Legal system

modeled on US; federal laws apply

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

Name of country

conventional long form

Territory of Guam

conventional short form

Guam

National holiday

Guam Discovery Day (first Monday in March) (1521); 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

Type of government

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

US diplomatic representation

none (territory of the US)

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

Agriculture

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

Budget

expenditures

$395 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1991)

revenues

$525 million

Currency

1 United States dollar (US$) = 100 cents

Economic aid

recipient

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

Economic 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.

Electricity

capacity

300,000 kW

consumption per capita

4,797 kWh (1993)

production

750 million kWh

Exchange rates

US currency is used

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%

External debt

$NA

Fiscal year

1 October - 30 September

GDP

purchasing power parity - $2 billion (1991 est.)

GDP composition by sector

agriculture

NA%

industry

NA%

services

NA%

GDP per capita

$14,000 (1991 est.)

GDP real growth rate

NA%

Imports

$493 million (c.i.f., 1984)

commodities

petroleum and petroleum products, food, manufactured goods

partners

US 23%, Japan 19%, other 58%

Industrial production growth rate

NA%

Industries

US military, tourism, construction, transshipment services, concrete products, printing and publishing, food processing, textiles

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

4% (1992 est.)

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)

Unemployment rate

2% (1992 est.)

Defense note

defense is the responsibility of the US

Radio broadcast stations

AM 3, FM 3, shortwave 0

Radios

NA

Telephone system

domestic

NA

international

satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean); submarine cables to US and Japan

Telephones

26,317 (1989 est.)

Television broadcast stations

3

Televisions

75,000 (1993 est.) Defense

Airports

total

4

with paved runways 2 438 to 3 047 m

1

with paved runways over 3 047 m

2

with paved runways under 914 m

1 (1995 est.)

Highways

paved

NA km

total

674 km (all-weather roads)

unpaved

NA km

Merchant marine

none

Ports

Apra Harbor

Railways

0 km