GUAM
(territory of the US)
GEOGRAPHY
Total area: 541 km2; land area: 541 km2
Comparative area: slightly more than three times the size of
Washington, DC
Land boundaries: none
Coastline: 125.5 km
Maritime claims:
Contiguous zone: 12 nm;
Continental shelf: 200 m (depth);
Exclusive economic zone: 200 nm;
Territorial sea: 12 nm
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 5,955 km
west-southwest of Honolulu about three-quarters of the way between Hawaii
and the Philippines
PEOPLE
Population: 144,928 (July 1991), growth rate 2.8% (1991)
Birth rate: 26 births/1,000 population (1991)
Death rate: 4 deaths/1,000 population (1991)
Net migration rate: 5 migrants/1,000 population (1991)
Infant mortality rate: 12 deaths/1,000 live births (1991)
Life expectancy at birth: 70 years male, 75 years female (1991)
Total fertility rate: 3.0 children born/woman (1991)
Ethnic divisions: Chamorro 47%, Filipino 25%, Caucasian 10%,
Chinese, Japanese, Korean, and other 18%
Religion: Roman Catholic 98%, other 2%
Language: English and Chamorro, most residents bilingual; Japanese
also widely spoken
Literacy: 96% (male 96%, female 96%) age 15 and over can
read and write (1980)
Labor force: 54,000; government 42%, private 58% (1988)
Organized labor: 13% of labor force
GOVERNMENT
Long-form name: Territory of Guam
Type: organized, unincorporated territory of the US
Capital: Agana
Administrative divisions: none (territory of the US)
Independence: none (territory of the US)
Constitution: Organic Act of 1 August 1950
Legal system: NA
National holiday: Guam Discovery Day (first Monday in March),
6 March 1989
Executive branch: President of the US, governor,
lieutenant governor, Cabinet
Legislative branch: unicameral Legislature
Judicial branch: Superior Court of Guam (Federal District Court)
Leaders:
Chief of State--President George BUSH (since 20 January 1989);
Head of Government--Governor Joseph A. ADA (since NA November
1986); Lieutenant Governor Frank F. BLAS
Political parties and leaders:
Democratic Party (controls the legislature);
Republican Party (party of the Governor)
Suffrage: universal at age 18; US citizens, but do not vote in US
presidential elections
Elections:
Governor--last held on 6 November 1990 (next to be held
November 1994);
Legislature--last held on 6 November 1990 (next to be held
November 1992);
results--percent of vote by party NA;
seats--(21 total) Democratic 11, Republican 10;
US House of Representatives--last held 6 November
1990 (next to be held November 1992);
Guam elects one nonvoting delegate;
results--percent of vote by party NA;
seats--(1 total) Republican 1
Communists: none
Note: relations between Guam and the US are under the jurisdiction
of the Office of Territorial and International Affairs, US Department of
the Interior
Member of: ESCAP (associate), IOC, SPC
Diplomatic representation: none (territory of the US)
Flag: 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
ECONOMY
Overview: The economy is based 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 1990. The
small manufacturing sector includes textile and clothing, beverage, food,
and watch production. 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. In 1990 the unemployment rate was
about 2%, down from 10% in 1983.
GNP: $1.0 billion, per capita $7,000; real growth rate 18%
(1990 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 10% (1990)
Unemployment rate: 2% (1990 est.)
Budget: revenues $300 million; expenditures $290 million,
including capital expenditures of $25 million (1990 est.)
Exports: $39 million (f.o.b., 1983);
commodities--mostly transshipments of refined petroleum products,
construction materials, fish, food and beverage products;
partners--US 25%, other 75%
Imports: $611 million (c.i.f., 1983);
commodities--petroleum and petroleum products, food, manufactured
goods;
partners--US 77%, other 23%
External debt: $NA
Industrial production: growth rate NA%
Electricity: 500,000 kW capacity; 2,300 million kWh produced,
16,300 kWh per capita (1990)
Industries: US military, tourism, construction, transshipment,
concrete products, printing and publishing, food processing, textiles
Agriculture: relatively undeveloped with most food imported;
fruits, vegetables, eggs, pork, poultry, beef, copra
Economic aid: NA
Currency: US currency is used
Exchange rates: US currency is used
Fiscal year: 1 October-30 September
COMMUNICATIONS
Highways: 674 km all-weather roads
Ports: Apra Harbor
Airports: 5 total, 4 usable; 3 with permanent-surface runways;
none with runways over 3,659 m; 3 with runways 2,440-3,659 m;
none with runways 1,220-2,439 m
