{ "Introduction": { "Background": { "text": "
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 as it served as a refueling stop for ships between Mexico and the Philippines. Spain formally colonized Guam in 1668. Spain’s brutal repression of 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 by 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 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.
President Joseph R. BIDEN Jr. (since 20 January 2021); Vice President Kamala D. HARRIS (since 20 January 2021)
" }, "head of government": { "text": "Governor Lourdes LEON GUERRERO (since 7 January 2019); Lieutenant Governor Josh TENORIO (since 7 January 2019)" }, "cabinet": { "text": "Cabinet appointed by the governor with the consent of the Legislature" }, "elections/appointments": { "text": "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); election last held on 6 November 2018 (next to be held in November 2022)" }, "election results": { "text": "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" } }, "Legislative branch": { "description": { "text": "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)NA
" }, "Exchange rates": { "text": "the US dollar is used
" } }, "Energy": { "Electricity access": { "electrification - total population": { "text": "100% (2020)" } }, "Electricity - production": { "text": "1.722 billion kWh (2016 est.)" }, "Electricity - consumption": { "text": "1.601 billion kWh (2016 est.)" }, "Electricity - exports": { "text": "0 kWh (2016 est.)" }, "Electricity - imports": { "text": "0 kWh (2016 est.)" }, "Electricity - installed generating capacity": { "text": "560,000 kW (2016 est.)" }, "Electricity - from fossil fuels": { "text": "94% of total installed capacity (2016 est.)" }, "Electricity - from nuclear fuels": { "text": "0% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)" }, "Electricity - from hydroelectric plants": { "text": "0% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)" }, "Electricity - from other renewable sources": { "text": "6% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)" }, "Crude oil - production": { "text": "0 bbl/day (2018 est.)" }, "Crude oil - exports": { "text": "0 bbl/day (2015 est.)" }, "Crude oil - imports": { "text": "0 bbl/day (2015 est.)" }, "Crude oil - proved reserves": { "text": "0 bbl (1 January 2018 est.)" }, "Refined petroleum products - production": { "text": "0 bbl/day (2015 est.)" }, "Refined petroleum products - consumption": { "text": "14,000 bbl/day (2016 est.)" }, "Refined petroleum products - exports": { "text": "0 bbl/day (2015 est.)" }, "Refined petroleum products - imports": { "text": "13,500 bbl/day (2015 est.)" }, "Natural gas - production": { "text": "0 cu m (2017 est.)" }, "Natural gas - consumption": { "text": "0 cu m (2017 est.)" }, "Natural gas - exports": { "text": "0 cu m (2017 est.)" }, "Natural gas - imports": { "text": "0 cu m (2017 est.)" }, "Natural gas - proved reserves": { "text": "0 cu m (1 January 2014 est.)" } }, "Communications": { "Telephones - fixed lines": { "total subscriptions": { "text": "68,000 (2018)" }, "subscriptions per 100 inhabitants": { "text": "42.01 (2018 est.)" } }, "Telephones - mobile cellular": { "total subscriptions": { "text": "98,000 (2004 est.)" }, "subscriptions per 100 inhabitants": { "text": "61.99 (2004 est.)" } }, "Telecommunication systems": { "general assessment": { "text": "integrated with US facilities for direct dialing, including free use of 800 numbers (2020)" }, "domestic": { "text": "three major companies provide both fixed-line and mobile services, as well as access to the Internet; fixed-line subscriptions in 2018 were 42 per 100 and 62 per 100 mobile-cellular subscriptions in 2004 (2019)" }, "international": { "text": "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)" }, "note": "note: the COVID-19 pandemic continues to have a significant impact on production and supply chains globally; since 2020, some aspects of the telecom sector have experienced downturn, particularly in mobile device production; many network operators delayed upgrades to infrastructure; progress towards 5G implementation was postponed or slowed in some countries; consumer spending on telecom services and devices was affected by large-scale job losses and the consequent restriction on disposable incomes; the crucial nature of telecom services as a tool for work and school from home became evident, and received some support from governments" }, "Broadcast media": { "text": "about a dozen TV channels, including digital channels; multi-channel cable TV services are available; roughly 20 radio stations" }, "Internet country code": { "text": ".gu" }, "Internet users": { "total": { "text": "136,500 (2021 est.)" }, "percent of population": { "text": "80.51% (2019 est.)" } }, "Broadband - fixed subscriptions": { "total": { "text": "3,000 (2014)" }, "subscriptions per 100 inhabitants": { "text": "1.86 (2019)" } } }, "Transportation": { "Civil aircraft registration country code prefix": { "text": "N" }, "Airports": { "total": { "text": "5 (2013)" } }, "Airports - with paved runways": { "total": { "text": "4" }, "over 3,047 m": { "text": "2" }, "2,438 to 3,047 m": { "text": "1" }, "914 to 1,523 m": { "text": "1 (2017)" } }, "Airports - with unpaved runways": { "total": { "text": "1" }, "under 914 m": { "text": "1 (2013)" } }, "Roadways": { "total": { "text": "1,045 km (2008)" } }, "Merchant marine": { "total": { "text": "3" }, "by type": { "text": "other 3 (2021)" } }, "Ports and terminals": { "major seaport(s)": { "text": "Apra Harbor" } } }, "Military and Security": { "Military - note": { "text": "defense is the responsibility of the US" } }, "Transnational Issues": { "Disputes - international": { "text": "none
" } } }