Guam

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

74,317 (March 1997)

Television broadcast stations

3

Televisions

75,000 (1993 est.)

Agriculture - products

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

Budget

revenues : $525 million expenditures: $395 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1991)

Currency

1 United States dollar (US$) = 100 cents

Debt - external

$NA

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

Economy - overview

The economy depends mainly on US military spending and on revenue generated by the tourism industry. 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 one million tourists visit Guam each year. 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

302,000 kW (1993)

Electricity - consumption per capita

4,566 kWh (1995 est.)

Electricity - production

750 million kWh (1994)

Exchange rates

US currency is used

Exports

total value : $34 million (f.o.b., 1984) commodities: mostly transshipments of refined petroleum products, construction materials, fish, food and beverage products partners: US 25%, former Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands 63%, other 12%

Fiscal year

1 October - 30 September

GDP

purchasing power parity - $3 billion (1996 est.)

GDP - composition by sector

agriculture: NA% industry: NA% services : NA%

GDP - per capita

purchasing power parity - $19,000 (1996 est.)

GDP - real growth rate

NA%

Imports

total value: $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 price index

4% (1992 est.)

Labor force

total : 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.)

Area

total: 541.3 sq km land: 541.3 sq km water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative

three times the size of Washington, DC

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

Elevation extremes

lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: Mount Lamlam 406 m

Environment - current issues

NA

Environment - international agreements

party to: NA signed, but not ratified: NA

Geographic coordinates

13 28 N, 144 47 E

Geography - note

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

Irrigated land

NA sq km

Land boundaries

0 km

Land use

arable land: 11% permanent crops: 11% permanent pastures : 15% forests and woodland: 18% other: 45% (1993 est.)

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 hazards

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

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

Administrative divisions

none (territory of the US)

Constitution

Organic Act of 1 August 1950

Country name

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

Data code

GQ

Dependency status

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

Diplomatic representation from the US

none (territory of the US)

Diplomatic representation in the US

none (territory of the US)

Executive branch

chief of state: President of the US 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) cabinet: executive departments; heads appointed by the governor with the consent of the Guam legislature elections : governor and lieutenant governor elected on the same ticket by popular vote and serve four-year terms; election last held 8 November 1994 (next to be held NA November 1998) election results: Carl GUTIERREZ elected governor of Guam; percent of vote - Carl GUTIERREZ (Democrat) 54.6%, Tommy TANAKA (Republican) 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

Government type

NA

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 (21 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve two-year terms) elections: last held 5 November 1996 (next to be held NA November 1998) election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - Republican 11, Democratic 10 note: Guam elects one delegate to the US House of Representatives; elections last held 5 November 1996 (next to be held NA November 1998); results - Robert UNDERWOOD was reelected as delegate; percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - Democrat 1

National capital

Agana

National holiday

Guam Discovery Day (first Monday in March) (1521); Liberation Day, 21 July (1944)

Political parties and leaders

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

Suffrage

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

Military - note

defense is the responsibility of the US

Age structure

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

Birth rate

23.35 births/1,000 population (1997 est.)

Death rate

3.86 deaths/1,000 population (1997 est.)

Ethnic groups

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

Infant mortality rate

15.17 deaths/1,000 live births (1997 est.)

Languages

English, Chamorro, Japanese

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 74.29 years male: 72.42 years female: 76.13 years (1997 est.)

Literacy

definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population : 99% male: 99% female: 99% (1990 est.)

Nationality

noun: Guamanian(s) adjective: Guamanian

Net migration rate

3 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1997 est.)

Population

160,595 (July 1997 est.)

Population growth rate

2.5% (1997 est.)

Religions

Roman Catholic 98%, other 2%

Sex ratio

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 population: NA male(s)/female

Total fertility rate

2.16 children born/woman (1997 est.)

Disputes - international

none GUATEMALA

Airports

4

Airports - with paved runways

total : 4 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 under 914 m: 1 (1996 est.)

Highways

total: 674 km (all-weather roads) paved : NA km unpaved: NA km

Merchant marine

none

Ports and harbors

Apra Harbor

Railways

0 km