Page last updated on January 31, 2014
Spain ceded Guam to the US 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.
Oceania, island in the North Pacific Ocean, about three-quarters of the way from Hawaii to the Philippines
total: 544 sq km
country comparison to the world: 195
land: 544 sq km
water: 0 sq km
three times the size of Washington, DC
territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
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
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
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: Mount Lamlam 406 m
aquatic wildlife (supporting tourism), fishing (largely undeveloped)
arable land: 1.85%
permanent crops: 16.67%
other: 81.48% (2011)
frequent squalls during rainy season; relatively rare but potentially destructive typhoons (June to December)
extirpation of native bird population by the rapid proliferation of the brown tree snake, an exotic, invasive species
largest and southernmost island in the Mariana Islands archipelago; strategic location in western North Pacific Ocean
noun: Guamanian(s) (US citizens)
adjective: Guamanian
Chamorro 37.1%, Filipino 26.3%, other Pacific islander 11.3%, white 6.9%, other Asian 6.3%, other ethnic origin or race 2.3%, mixed 9.8% (2000 census)
English 38.3%, Chamorro 22.2%, Philippine languages 22.2%, other Pacific island languages 6.8%, Asian languages 7%, other languages 3.5% (2000 census)
Roman Catholic 85%, other 15% (1999 est.)
160,378 (July 2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 188
0-14 years: 26.4% (male 21,806/female 20,480)
15-24 years: 16.9% (male 13,961/female 13,156)
25-54 years: 39.5% (male 32,312/female 30,962)
55-64 years: 9.1% (male 7,325/female 7,273)
65 years and over: 8.2% (male 5,950/female 7,153) (2013 est.)
total dependency ratio: 52.3 %
youth dependency ratio: 39.9 %
elderly dependency ratio: 12.3 %
potential support ratio: 8.1 (2013)
total: 29.7 years
male: 29.2 years
female: 30.2 years (2013 est.)
0.34% (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 166
17.23 births/1,000 population (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 109
4.95 deaths/1,000 population (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 187
-8.89 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 208
urban population: 93% of total population (2010)
rate of urbanization: 1.2% annual rate of change (2010-15 est.)
HAGATNA (capital) 153,000 (2009)
at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
0-14 years: 1.07 male(s)/female
15-24 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
25-54 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
55-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.84 male(s)/female
total population: 1.03 male(s)/female (2013 est.)
total: 5.61 deaths/1,000 live births
country comparison to the world: 176
male: 6.02 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 5.18 deaths/1,000 live births (2013 est.)
total population: 78.66 years
country comparison to the world: 50
male: 75.62 years
female: 81.89 years (2013 est.)
2.41 children born/woman (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 84
66.6%
note: percent of women aged 18-44 (2002)
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 99%
male: 99%
female: 99% (1990 est.)
total: 29.4%
country comparison to the world: 27
male: 29.7%
female: 28.9% (2011)
conventional long form: Territory of Guam
conventional short form: Guam
local long form: Guahan
local short form: Guahan
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
name: Hagatna (Agana)
geographic coordinates: 13 28 N, 144 44 E
time difference: UTC+10 (15 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
none (territory of the US)
none (territory of the US)
Discovery Day, first Monday in March (1521)
effective 1 July 1950; amended many times, last in 2012 (2013)
common law modeled on US system; US federal laws apply
18 years of age; universal; note - Guamanians are US citizens but do not vote in US presidential elections
chief of state: President Barack H. OBAMA (since 20 January 2009); Vice President Joseph R. BIDEN (since 20 January 2009)
head of government: Governor Eddie CALVO (since 3 January 2011); Lieutenant Governor Ray TENORIO (since 3 January 2011)
cabinet: heads of executive departments; appointed by the governor with the consent of the Guam legislature
elections: 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 ticket by popular vote for a four-year term (can serve two consecutive terms, then must wait a full term before running again); election last held on 2 November 2010 (next to be held in November 2014)
election results: Eddie CALVO elected governor with 50.6% percent of vote against 49.4% for Carl GUTIERREZ; Ray TENORIO elected lieutenant governor
unicameral Legislature (15 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve two-year terms)
elections: last held on 6 November 2012 (next to be held in November 2014)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - Democratic Party 9, Republican Party 6
note: Guam elects one nonvoting delegate to the US House of Representatives; election last held on 6 November 2012 (next to be held in November 2014); results - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - Democratic Party 1
highest court(s): Supreme Court of Guam (consists of 3 justices)
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)
Democratic Party [Carlo BRANCH]
Guam Commission on Decolonization
IOC, PIF (observer), SPC, UPU
none (territory of the US)
none (territory of the US)
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 Punta Dos Amantes, near the capital, in the background; blue represents the sea and red the blood shed in the struggle against oppression
note: the US flag is the national flag
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)
The economy depends largely on US national defense spending, tourism, other services. Total US grants, wages and salaries, and procurement outlays amounted to approximately $1.6 billion in 2010. Over the past 30 years, tourism has grown to become the largest income source following national defense.
$4.6 billion (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 172
1.3% (2002-10 average est.)
country comparison to the world: 154
$28,700 (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 53
agriculture: NA%
industry: NA%
services: NA%
fruits, copra, vegetables; eggs, pork, poultry, beef
national defense, tourism, construction, transshipment services, concrete products, printing and publishing, food processing, textiles
69,390
country comparison to the world: 185
note: this number is for the civilian labor force only (2010 est.)
agriculture: 0.3%
industry: NA%
services: NA% (2004 est.)
8.2% (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 96
lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA%
revenues: $942.6 million
expenditures: $1.082 billion (FY10/11 est.)
20.5% of GDP (FY10/11 est.)
country comparison to the world: 163
-3% of GDP (FY10/11 est.)
country comparison to the world: 120
4% (2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 126
$44 million (2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 198
transshipments of refined petroleum products, construction materials, fish, food and beverage products
$901 million (2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 178
petroleum and petroleum products, food, manufactured goods
1.734 billion kWh (2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 139
1.635 billion kWh (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 144
0 kWh (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 204
0 kWh (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 195
552,000 kW (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 135
100% of total installed capacity (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 16
0% of total installed capacity (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 97
0% of total installed capacity (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 173
0% of total installed capacity (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 180
0 bbl/day (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 176
0 bbl/day (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 122
0 bbl/day (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 194
0 bbl (1 January 2013 es)
country comparison to the world: 138
0 bbl/day (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 183
14,490 bbl/day (2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 145
0 bbl/day (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 180
6,579 bbl/day (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 138
0 cu m (2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 138
0 cu m (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 150
0 cu m (2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 110
0 cu m (2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 200
0 cu m (1 January 2013 es)
country comparison to the world: 145
1.103 million Mt (2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 164
67,000 (2012)
country comparison to the world: 157
98,000 (2004)
country comparison to the world: 193
general assessment: modern system, integrated with US facilities for direct dialing, including free use of 800 numbers
domestic: digital system, including mobile-cellular service and local access to the Internet
international: country code - 1-671; major landing point for submarine cables between Asia and the US (Guam is a transpacific communications hub for major carriers linking the US and Asia); satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean) (2011)
about a dozen TV channels, including digital channels; multi-channel cable TV services are available; roughly 20 radio stations (2009)
23 (2012)
country comparison to the world: 219
90,000 (2009)
country comparison to the world: 163
5 (2013)
country comparison to the world: 182
total: 4
over 3,047 m: 2
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2013)
total: 1,045 km (2008)
country comparison to the world: 185
major seaport(s): Apra Harbor
males age 16-49: 38,358
females age 16-49: 36,869 (2010 est.)
male: 1,701
female: 1,608 (2010 est.)
defense is the responsibility of the US
