Guam

Broadband - fixed subscriptions

total: 3,000 (2020 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 2 (2020 est.)

Broadcast media

about a dozen TV channels, including digital channels; multi-channel cable TV services are available; roughly 20 radio stations

Internet country code

.gu

Internet users

total: 136,850 (2021 est.) percent of population: 80.5% (2021 est.)

Telecommunication systems

general assessment: Guam s telecommunications companies provide important services that allow other businesses on island to operate; Guam plays a larger, and growing role, in global telecommunications infrastructure, the submarine fiber optic cables that land on Guam benefit island residents and the local economy; in the Asia-Pacific region the demand for 4G, 5G, and broadband access is rapidly increasing; the 11 submarine cables that currently land on Guam, connecting the U.S. to the Asia-Pacific region, are some of the more than 400 cables that are the backbone of global telecommunications, providing nearly all of the world s internet and phone service; as of January 2024, one of the world's most dominant companies will be landing two new subsea cables on Guam; in May 2024 a global arm of a leading telecommunications and technology company, announced its plans to develop a regional network hub in Guam by establishing a new dedicated point-of-presence (PoP) in Piti at the carrier-neutral GNC iX data center; this PoP will serve growing connectivity demand in the region and will be a key connection point for new cable systems including the Echo cable and central Pacific Connect cable that are being constructed to provide additional low latency network reliability and redundancy throughout Asia and between Asia, Australia, and the U.S. (2021) domestic: fixed-line subscriptions 41 per 100 and 62 per 100 mobile-cellular subscriptions in 2004 (2021) international: country code - 1-671; major landing points for Atisa, HANTRU1, HK-G, JGA-N, JGA-S, PIPE-1, SEA-US, SxS, Tata TGN-Pacific, AJC, GOKI, AAG, AJC and Mariana-Guam Cable submarine cables between Asia, Australia, and the US (Guam is a transpacific communications hub for major carriers linking the US and Asia); satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean) (2019)

Telephones - fixed lines

total subscriptions: 70,000 (2021 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 41 (2021 est.)

Telephones - mobile cellular

total subscriptions: 98,000 (2009 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 62 (2009 est.)

Agricultural products

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

Average household expenditures

on food: 34.6% of household expenditures (2021 est.) on alcohol and tobacco: 1.3% of household expenditures (2021 est.)

Budget

revenues: $1.24 billion (2016 est.) expenditures: $1.299 billion (2016 est.)

Economic overview

small Pacific island US territorial economy; upper income, tourism-based economy; hard-hit by COVID-19 disruptions; relaunched many industries via vaccination tourism; domestic economy relies on multiple military bases; environmentally fragile economy

Exchange rates

the US dollar is used

Exports

$186 million (2021 est.) $371 million (2020 est.) $1.403 billion (2019 est.) note: GDP expenditure basis - exports of goods and services in current dollars

Exports - commodities

refined petroleum, scrap iron, scrap copper, trunks and cases, aircraft parts (2022) note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars

Exports - partners

Singapore 30%, Taiwan 20%, South Korea 14%, Philippines 12%, Hong Kong 8% (2022) note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports

GDP (official exchange rate)

$6.91 billion (2022 est.) note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate

GDP - composition, by end use

household consumption: 59.9% (2022 est.) government consumption: 55% (2016 est.) investment in fixed capital: 20.6% (2016 est.) exports of goods and services: 7.9% (2022 est.) imports of goods and services: -64% (2022 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection

Imports

$3.667 billion (2021 est.) $3.383 billion (2020 est.) $3.552 billion (2019 est.) note: GDP expenditure basis - imports of goods and services in current dollars

Imports - commodities

refined petroleum, cars, raw iron bars, electric generating sets, trunks and cases (2022) note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars

Imports - partners

South Korea 37%, Singapore 35%, Japan 12%, Taiwan 3%, Hong Kong 3% (2022) note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports

Industrial production growth rate

4.3% (2014 est.) note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency

Industries

national defense, tourism, construction, transshipment services, concrete products, printing and publishing, food processing, textiles

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

1% (2017 est.) 0% (2016 est.)

Labor force

80,000 (2023 est.) note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work

Public debt

22.1% of GDP (2016 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity)

$5.793 billion (2016 est.) $5.697 billion (2015 est.) $5.531 billion (2014 est.)

Real GDP growth rate

5.1% (2022 est.) 2.06% (2021 est.) -10.52% (2020 est.) note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency

Real GDP per capita

$35,600 (2016 est.) $35,200 (2015 est.) $34,400 (2014 est.)

Taxes and other revenues

21.4% (of GDP) (2016 est.)

Unemployment rate

5.42% (2023 est.) 5.53% (2022 est.) 6% (2021 est.) note: % of labor force seeking employment

Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24)

total: 12.9% (2023 est.) male: 12.6% (2023 est.) female: 13.2% (2023 est.) note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment

Carbon dioxide emissions

1.83 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.) from petroleum and other liquids: 1.83 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.)

Electricity

installed generating capacity: 525,000 kW (2022 est.) consumption: 1.662 billion kWh (2022 est.) transmission/distribution losses: 90.023 million kWh (2022 est.)

Electricity access

electrification - total population: 100% (2022 est.)

Electricity generation sources

fossil fuels: 94.9% of total installed capacity (2022 est.) solar: 5.1% of total installed capacity (2022 est.) wind: 0.1% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)

Energy consumption per capita

150.555 million Btu/person (2019 est.)

Petroleum

refined petroleum consumption: 12,000 bbl/day (2022 est.) crude oil estimated reserves: Data represented includes both Guam and Northern Mariana Islands

Climate

tropical marine; generally warm and humid, moderated by northeast trade winds; dry season (January to June), rainy season (July to December); little seasonal temperature variation

Environment - current issues

fresh water scarcity; reef damage; inadequate sewage treatment; extermination of native bird populations by the rapid proliferation of the brown tree snake, an exotic, invasive species

Land use

agricultural land: 33.4% (2018 est.) arable land: 1.9% (2018 est.) permanent crops: 16.7% (2018 est.) permanent pasture: 14.8% (2018 est.) forest: 47.9% (2018 est.) other: 18.7% (2018 est.)

Revenue from coal

0% of GDP (2018 est.)

Revenue from forest resources

0% of GDP (2018 est.)

Urbanization

urban population: 95.2% of total population (2022) rate of urbanization: 0.84% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

Waste and recycling

municipal solid waste generated annually: 141,500 tons (2012 est.) municipal solid waste recycled annually: 25,258 tons (2011 est.) percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 17.9% (2011 est.)

Area

total : 544 sq km land: 544 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 (January to June), rainy season (July to December); little seasonal temperature variation

Coastline

125.5 km

Elevation

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

Geographic coordinates

13 28 N, 144 47 E

Geography - note

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

Irrigated land

2 sq km (2012)

Land boundaries

total: 0 km

Land use

agricultural land: 33.4% (2018 est.) arable land: 1.9% (2018 est.) permanent crops: 16.7% (2018 est.) permanent pasture: 14.8% (2018 est.) forest: 47.9% (2018 est.) other: 18.7% (2018 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

territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Natural hazards

frequent squalls during rainy season; relatively rare but potentially destructive typhoons (June to December)

Natural resources

aquatic wildlife (supporting tourism), fishing (largely undeveloped)

Population distribution

no large cities exist on the island, though large villages (municipalities) attract much of the population; the largest of these is Dededo

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 hills in center, mountains in south

Administrative divisions

none (territory of the US)

Capital

name: Hagatna (Agana) geographic coordinates: 13 28 N, 144 44 E time difference: UTC+10 (15 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) etymology: the name is derived from the Chamoru word "haga," meaning "blood", and may refer to the bloodlines of the various families that established the original settlement

Citizenship

see United States

Constitution

history: effective 1 July 1950 (Guam Act of 1950 serves as a constitution) amendments: amended many times, last in 2015

Country name

conventional long form: none conventional short form: Guam local long form: none local short form: Guahan abbreviation: GU etymology: the native Chamorro name for the island "Guahan" (meaning "we have" or "ours") was changed to Guam in the 1898 Treaty of Paris, whereby Spain relinquished Guam, Cuba, Puerto Rico, and the Philippines to the US

Dependency status

unincorporated organized territory of the US with policy relations between Guam and the Federal Government under the jurisdiction of the Office of Insular Affairs, US Department of the Interior, Washington, DC

Diplomatic representation from the US

embassy: none (territory of the US)

Diplomatic representation in the US

none (territory of the US)

Executive branch

chief of state: President Joseph R. BIDEN Jr. (since 20 January 2021) head of government: Governor Lourdes LEON GUERRERO (since 7 January 2019) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the governor with the consent of the Legislature elections/appointments: president and vice president indirectly elected on the same ballot by an Electoral College of 'electors' chosen from each state to serve a 4-year term (eligible for a second term); under the US Constitution, residents of unincorporated territories, such as Guam, do not vote in elections for US president and vice president; however, they may vote in Democratic and Republican presidential primary elections; governor and lieutenant governor elected on the same ballot by absolute majority vote in 2 rounds if needed for a 4-year term (eligible for 2 consecutive terms); gubernatorial election last held on 8 November 2022 (next to be held in November 2026) election results: 2022: Lourdes LEON GUERRERO reelected governor; percent of vote - Lourdes LEON GUERRERO (Democratic Party) 55%, Felix CAMACHO (Republican Party) 44%; Josh TENORIO (Democratic Party) elected lieutenant governor 2018: Lourdes LEON GUERRERO elected governor; percent of vote - Lourdes LEON GUERRERO (Democratic Party) 50.7%, Ray TENORIO (Republican Party) 26.4%; Josh TENORIO (Democratic Party) elected lieutenant governor

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, a proa or outrigger canoe with sail, and a palm tree with the word GUAM superimposed in bold red letters; the proa is sailing in Agana Bay with the promontory of Puntan Dos Amantes, near the capital, in the background; the shape of the central emblem is that of a Chamorro sling stone, used as a weapon for defense or hunting; blue represents the sea and red the blood shed in the struggle against oppression note: the US flag is the national flag

Government type

unincorporated organized territory of the US with local self-government; republican form of territorial government with separate executive, legislative, and judicial branches

Independence

none (territory of the US)

International organization participation

AOSIS (observer), IOC, PIF (observer), SPC, UPU

Judicial branch

highest court(s): Supreme Court of Guam (consists of 3 justices); note - appeals beyond the Supreme Court of Guam are referred to the US Supreme Court judge selection and term of office: justices appointed by the governor and confirmed by the Guam legislature; justices appointed for life subject to retention election every 10 years subordinate courts: Superior Court of Guam - includes several divisions; US Federal District Court for the District of Guam (a US territorial court; appeals beyond this court are heard before the US Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit)

Legal system

common law modeled on US system; US federal laws apply

Legislative branch

description: unicameral Legislature of Guam or Liheslaturan Guahan (15 seats; members elected in a single countrywide constituency by simple majority vote to serve 2-year terms) elections: Guam Legislature - last held on 8 November 2022 (next to be held on 5 November 2024) delegate to the US House of Representatives - last held on 8 November 2022 (next to be held on 5 November 2024) election results: Guam Legislature - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - Democratic Party 9, Republican Party 6; composition - men 9, women 6, percent of women 40% Guam delegate to the US House of Representatives - Democratic Party 1 (man) note: Guam directly elects 1 member by simple majority vote to serve a 2-year term as delegate to the US House of Representatives; the delegate can vote when serving on a committee and when the House meets as the Committee of the Whole House, but not when legislation is submitted for a full floor House vote

National anthem

name: "Fanohge Chamoru" (Stand Ye Guamanians) lyrics/music: Ramon Manalisay SABLAN [English], Lagrimas UNTALAN [Chamoru]/Ramon Manalisay SABLAN note: adopted 1919; the local anthem is also known as "Guam Hymn"; as a territory of the United States, "The Star-Spangled Banner," which generally follows the playing of "Stand Ye Guamanians," is official (see United States)

National holiday

Discovery Day (or Magellan Day), first Monday in March (1521)

National symbol(s)

coconut tree; national colors: deep blue, red

Political parties

Democratic Party Republican Party

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal; note - Guamanians are US citizens but do not vote in US presidential elections

Background

Guam was settled by Austronesian people around 1500 B.C. These people became the indigenous Chamorro and were influenced by later migrations, including the Micronesians in the first millennium A.D., and island Southeast Asians around 900. Society was stratified, with higher classes living along the coast and lower classes living inland. Spanish explorer Ferdinand MAGELLAN was the first European to see Guam in 1521, and Spain claimed the island in 1565 because it served as a refueling stop for ships between Mexico and the Philippines. Spain formally colonized Guam in 1668. Spain s brutal repression of the Chamorro, along with new diseases and intermittent warfare, reduced the indigenous population from more than 100,000 to less than 5,000 by the 1700s. Spain tried to repopulate the island by forcing people from nearby islands to settle on Guam and preventing them from escaping. Guam became a hub for whalers and traders in the western Pacific in the early 1800s. During the 1898 Spanish-American War, the US Navy occupied Guam and set up a military administration. The US Navy opposed local control of government despite repeated petitions from the Chamorro. Japan invaded Guam in 1941 and instituted a repressive regime. During the US recapture of Guam in 1944, the island s two largest villages were destroyed. After World War II, political pressure from local Chamorro leaders led to Guam being established as an unincorporated organized US territory in 1950, with US citizenship granted to all Chamorro. In a referendum in 1982, more than 75% of voters chose closer relations with the US over independence, although no change in status was made because of disagreements on the future right of Chamorro self-determination. The US military holds about 29% of Guam s land and stations several thousand troops on the island. The installations are some of the most strategically important US bases in the Pacific; they also constitute the island s most important source of income and economic stability.

Military - note

defense is the responsibility of the US; the US military maintains over 6,000 personnel on Guam, including an air base, an air wing, and a naval installation command (2024)

Military and security forces

Guam Police Department (GPD); Guam (US) National Guard

Age structure

0-14 years: 26.4% (male 23,139/female 21,632) 15-64 years: 62.7% (male 55,591/female 50,741) 65 years and over: 10.9% (2024 est.) (male 8,615/female 9,814)

Birth rate

18.1 births/1,000 population (2024 est.)

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

NA

Contraceptive prevalence rate

NA

Current health expenditure

NA

Currently married women (ages 15-49)

37% (2023 est.)

Death rate

6.1 deaths/1,000 population (2024 est.)

Dependency ratios

total dependency ratio: 60.7 youth dependency ratio: 42.3 elderly dependency ratio: 18.4 potential support ratio: 5.4 (2021 est.)

Drinking water source

improved: urban: NA rural: NA total: 99.7% of population unimproved: urban: NA rural: NA total: 0.3% of population (2020 est.)

Education expenditures

NA

Ethnic groups

Native Hawaiian and other Pacific Islander 46.1% (Chamorro 32.8%, Chuukese 6.7%, Palauan 1.4%, Pohnpeian 1.4%, Yapese 1%, other Native Hawaiian and other Pacific Islander 2.8%), Asian 35.5% (Filipino 29.1%, Korean 2.2%, Japanese 1.4%, Chinese (except Taiwanese) 1.3%, other Asian 1.5%), White 6.8%, African descent or African-American 0.9%, Indigenous 0.1%, other 0.6%, mixed 10% (2020 est.)

Gross reproduction rate

1.32 (2024 est.)

Infant mortality rate

total: 10.9 deaths/1,000 live births (2024 est.) male: 11 deaths/1,000 live births female: 10.9 deaths/1,000 live births

Languages

English 43.3%, Filipino 24.9%, Chamorro 16%, other Pacific Island languages 9.4%, Asian languages 6.5% (2020 est.)

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 78 years (2024 est.) male: 75.6 years female: 80.5 years

Literacy

total population: NA male: NA female: NA

Major urban areas - population

147,000 HAGATNA (capital) (2018)

Median age

total: 30.3 years (2024 est.) male: 29.6 years female: 31.1 years

Nationality

noun: Guamanian(s) (US citizens) adjective: Guamanian

Net migration rate

-10.9 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2024 est.)

Population

total: 169,532 male: 87,345 female: 82,187 (2024 est.)

Population distribution

no large cities exist on the island, though large villages (municipalities) attract much of the population; the largest of these is Dededo

Population growth rate

0.11% (2024 est.)

Religions

Christian (predominantly Roman Catholic) 94.2%, folk religions 1.5%, Buddhist 1.1%, other 1.6%, unaffiliated 1.7% (2020 est.)

Sanitation facility access

improved: urban: 89.8% of population (2015 est.) rural: 89.8% of population (2015 est.) total: 89.8% of population (2015 est.) unimproved: urban: 10.2% of population (2015 est.) rural: 10.2% of population (2015 est.) total: 10.2% of population (2015 est.)

Sex ratio

at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female 0-14 years: 1.07 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.1 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.88 male(s)/female total population: 1.06 male(s)/female (2024 est.)

Total fertility rate

2.73 children born/woman (2024 est.)

Urbanization

urban population: 95.2% of total population (2022) rate of urbanization: 0.84% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

Airports

3 (2024)

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

N

Heliports

2 (2024)

Merchant marine

total: 3 (2023) by type: other 3

Ports

total ports: 1 (2024) large: 0 medium: 1 small: 0 very small: 0 ports with oil terminals: 1 key ports: Apra Harbor

Roadways

total: 1,045 km (2008)