Guam

Internet Service Providers (ISPs)

20 (2000)

Internet country code

.gu

Internet users

5,000 (2000)

Radio broadcast stations

AM 4, FM 7, shortwave 0 (1998)

Radios

221,000 (1997)

Telephone 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)

Telephones - main lines in use

84,134 (1998)

Telephones - mobile cellular

55,000 (1998)

Television broadcast stations

5 (1997)

Televisions

106,000 (1997)

Agriculture - products

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

Budget

revenues: $605.3 million expenditures: $654.2 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (2000)

Currency

US dollar (USD)

Currency code

USD

Debt - external

$NA

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

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.

Electricity - consumption

744 million kWh (1999)

Electricity - exports

0 kWh (1999)

Electricity - imports

0 kWh (1999)

Electricity - production

800 million kWh (1999)

Electricity - production by source

fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (1999)

Exchange rates

the US dollar is used

Exports

$75.7 million (f.o.b., 1999)

Exports - commodities

mostly transshipments of refined petroleum products; construction materials, fish, food and beverage products

Exports - partners

US 25%

Fiscal year

1 October - 30 September

GDP

purchasing power parity - $3.2 billion (2000 est.)

GDP - composition by sector

agriculture: NA% industry: 15% (1993) services: NA%

GDP - per capita

purchasing power parity - $21,000 (2000 est.)

GDP - real growth rate

NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share

lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%

Imports

$203 million (f.o.b., 1999 est.)

Imports - commodities

petroleum and petroleum products, food, manufactured goods

Imports - partners

US 23%, Japan 19%

Industrial production growth rate

NA%

Industries

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

0% (1999 est.)

Labor force

60,000 (2000 est.)

Labor force - by occupation

federal and territorial government 26%, private 74% (trade 24%, other services 40%, industry 10%) (2000 est.)

Population below poverty line

NA%

Unemployment rate

15% (2000 est.)

Area

total: 549 sq km land: 549 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

extirpation of native bird population by the rapid proliferation of the brown tree snake, an exotic species

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)

Capital

Hagatna (Agana)

Constitution

Organic Act of 1 August 1950

Country name

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

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

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 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%

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), Interpol (subbureau), 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; US federal laws apply

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

National holiday

Discovery Day, first Monday in March (1521)

Political parties and leaders

Democratic Party (party of the Governor) [leader NA]; Republican Party (controls the legislature) [leader NA]

Political pressure groups and leaders

NA

Suffrage

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

Background

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.

Military - note

defense is the responsibility of the US

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.)

Birth rate

25.07 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Death rate

4.2 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Ethnic groups

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

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

NA%

HIV/AIDS - deaths

NA

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

NA

Infant mortality rate

6.71 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.)

Languages

English, Chamorro, Japanese

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.)

Nationality

noun: Guamanian(s) adjective: Guamanian

Net migration rate

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Population

157,557 (July 2001 est.)

Population growth rate

2.09% (2001 est.)

Religions

Roman Catholic 85%, other 15% (1999 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.)

Total fertility rate

3.85 children born/woman (2001 est.)

Disputes - international

none

Airports

5 (2000 est.)

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.)

Airports - with unpaved runways

total: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2000 est.)

Highways

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

Merchant marine

none (2000 est.)

Ports and harbors

Apra Harbor

Railways

0 km

Waterways

none