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
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:
168,564 (July 2005 est.)
Age structure:
0–14 years: 29.4% (male 25,645/female 23,887)
15–64 years: 64.1% (male 55,115/female 52,935)
65 years and over: 6.5% (male 5,157/female 5,825) (2005 est.)
Median age:
total: 28.38 years
male: 28.16 years
female: 28.61 years (2005 est.)
Population growth rate:
1.46% (2005 est.)
Birth rate:
19.03 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Death rate:
4.41 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Net migration rate:
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 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: 0.88 male(s)/female
total population: 1.04 male(s)/female (2005 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 6.94 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 7.61 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 6.24 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 78.4 years
male: 75.34 years
female: 81.64 years (2005 est.)
Total fertility rate:
2.6 children born/woman (2005 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 37.1%, 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)
Religions:
Roman Catholic 85%, other 15% (1999 est.)
Languages:
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)
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)
head of government: Governor Felix P. P. CAMACHO (since 6 January
2003) and Lieutenant Governor Kaleo MOYLAN (since 6 January 2003)
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 term;
election last held 5 November 2002 (next to be held November 2006)
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%
Legislative branch:
unicameral Legislature (15 seats; members are elected by popular
vote to serve two-year terms)
elections: last held 2 November 2004 (next to be held November 2006)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -
Democratic Party 6, Republican Party 9
note: Guam elects one nonvoting delegate to the US House of
Representatives; election last held 2 November 2004 (next to be held
November 2006); results - Madeleine BORDALLO (Democratic Party) was
elected as delegate; percent of vote by