Oceania
Area:
total: 549 sq km
water: 0 sq km
land: 549 sq km
Area - comparative:
three times the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries:
0 km
Coastline:
125.5 km
Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 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
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
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: Mount Lamlam 406 m
Natural resources:
fishing (largely undeveloped), tourism (especially from Japan)
Land use: arable land: 9.09% permanent crops: 16.36% other: 74.55% (2001)
Irrigated land:
NA sq km
Natural hazards:
frequent squalls during rainy season; relatively rare, but
potentially very destructive typhoons (June - December)
Environment - current issues:
extirpation of native bird population by the rapid proliferation of
the brown tree snake, an exotic, invasive species
Geography - note:
largest and southernmost island in the Mariana Islands archipelago;
strategic location in western North Pacific Ocean
People Guam
Population:
166,090 (July 2004 est.)
Age structure:
0–14 years: 29.8% (male 25,577; female 23,850)
15–64 years: 64% (male 54,220; female 52,026)
65 years and over: 6.3% (male 4,912; female 5,505) (2004 est.)
Median age:
total: 28.2 years
male: 28 years
female: 28.4 years (2004 est.)
Population growth rate:
1.5% (2004 est.)
Birth rate:
19.31 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Death rate:
4.35 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Net migration rate:
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.07 male(s)/female
15–64 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.89 male(s)/female
total population: 1.04 male(s)/female (2004 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 7.15 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 6.46 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
male: 7.8 deaths/1,000 live births
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 78.12 years
male: 75.08 years
female: 81.34 years (2004 est.)
Total fertility rate:
2.61 children born/woman (2004 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
NA
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
NA
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
NA
Nationality:
noun: Guamanian(s)
adjective: Guamanian
Ethnic groups:
Chamorro 37%, Filipino 26%, white 10%, Chinese, Japanese, Korean,
and other 27%
Religions:
Roman Catholic 85%, other 15% (1999 est.)
Languages:
English, Chamorro, Japanese
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 99%
male: 99%
female: 99% (1990 est.)
Government Guam
Country name:
conventional long form: Territory of Guam
conventional short form: Guam
local long form: Guahan
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
Government type:
NA
Capital:
Hagatna (Agana)
Administrative divisions:
none (territory of the US)
Independence:
none (territory of the US)
National holiday:
Discovery Day, first Monday in March (1521)
Constitution:
Organic Act of 1 August 1950
Legal system:
modeled on US; US federal laws apply
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal; US citizens, but do not vote in US
presidential elections
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)
election results: Felix P. P. CAMACHO elected governor; percent of
vote - Felix P. P. CAMACHO (Republican Party) 55.4%, Robert A.
UNDERWOOD (Democratic Party) 44.6%
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 term;
election last held 5 November 2002 (next to be held NA November 2006)