{ "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.
Guam map showing the island and its major population centers in the North Pacific Ocean.
" } }, "People and Society": { "Population": { "text": "169,086 (2022 est.)" }, "Nationality": { "noun": { "text": "Guamanian(s) (US citizens)" }, "adjective": { "text": "Guamanian" } }, "Ethnic groups": { "text": "Chamorro 37.3%, Filipino 26.3%, White 7.1%, Chuukese 7%, Korean 2.2%, other Pacific Islander 2%, other Asian 2%, Chinese 1.6%, Palauan 1.6%, Japanese 1.5%, Pohnpeian 1.4%, mixed 9.4%, other 0.6% (2010 est.)" }, "Languages": { "text": "English 43.6%, Filipino 21.2%, Chamorro 17.8%, other Pacific island languages 10%, Asian languages 6.3%, other 1.1% (2010 est.)" }, "Religions": { "text": "Christian (predominantly Roman Catholic) 94.2%, folk religions 1.5%, Buddhist 1.1%, other 1.6%, unaffiliated 1.7% (2020 est.)" }, "Age structure": { "0-14 years": { "text": "27.22% (male 23,748/female 22,122)" }, "15-24 years": { "text": "16.08% (male 14,522/female 12,572)" }, "25-54 years": { "text": "36.65% (male 31,880/female 29,871)" }, "55-64 years": { "text": "10.5% (male 9,079/female 8,610)" }, "65 years and over": { "text": "9.54% (2020 est.) (male 7,504/female 8,577)" } }, "Dependency ratios": { "total dependency ratio": { "text": "52.4" }, "youth dependency ratio": { "text": "36.4" }, "elderly dependency ratio": { "text": "16.1" }, "potential support ratio": { "text": "6.2 (2020 est.)" } }, "Median age": { "total": { "text": "29.4 years" }, "male": { "text": "28.7 years" }, "female": { "text": "30.2 years (2020 est.)" } }, "Population growth rate": { "text": "0.16% (2022 est.)" }, "Birth rate": { "text": "18.56 births/1,000 population (2022 est.)" }, "Death rate": { "text": "6.03 deaths/1,000 population (2022 est.)" }, "Net migration rate": { "text": "-10.96 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2022 est.)" }, "Population distribution": { "text": "no large cities exist on the island, though large villages (municipalities) attract much of the population; the largest of these is Dededo" }, "Urbanization": { "urban population": { "text": "95.1% of total population (2022)" }, "rate of urbanization": { "text": "0.84% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)" } }, "Major urban areas - population": { "text": "147,000 HAGATNA (capital) (2018)" }, "Sex ratio": { "at birth": { "text": "1.07 male(s)/female" }, "0-14 years": { "text": "1.07 male(s)/female" }, "15-24 years": { "text": "1.16 male(s)/female" }, "25-54 years": { "text": "1.07 male(s)/female" }, "55-64 years": { "text": "1.07 male(s)/female" }, "65 years and over": { "text": "0.71 male(s)/female" }, "total population": { "text": "1.06 male(s)/female (2022 est.)" } }, "Infant mortality rate": { "total": { "text": "11.46 deaths/1,000 live births" }, "male": { "text": "11.49 deaths/1,000 live births" }, "female": { "text": "11.44 deaths/1,000 live births (2022 est.)" } }, "Life expectancy at birth": { "total population": { "text": "77.5 years" }, "male": { "text": "75.07 years" }, "female": { "text": "80.08 years (2022 est.)" } }, "Total fertility rate": { "text": "2.78 children born/woman (2022 est.)" }, "Contraceptive prevalence rate": { "text": "NA" }, "Drinking water source": { "improved: urban": { "text": "urban: NA" }, "improved: rural": { "text": "rural: NA" }, "improved: total": { "text": "total: 99.7% of population" }, "unimproved: urban": { "text": "urban: NA" }, "unimproved: rural": { "text": "rural: NA" }, "unimproved: total": { "text": "total: 0.3% of population (2020 est.)" } }, "Current Health Expenditure": { "text": "NA" }, "Sanitation facility access": { "improved: urban": { "text": "urban: 89.8% of population (2015 est.)" }, "improved: rural": { "text": "rural: 89.8% of population (2015 est.)" }, "improved: total": { "text": "total: 89.8% of population (2015 est.)" }, "unimproved: urban": { "text": "urban: 10.2% of population (2015 est.)" }, "unimproved: rural": { "text": "rural: 10.2% of population (2015 est.)" }, "unimproved: total": { "text": "total: 10.2% of population (2015 est.)" } }, "HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate": { "text": "NA" }, "HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS": { "text": "NA" }, "HIV/AIDS - deaths": { "text": "NA" }, "Children under the age of 5 years underweight": { "text": "NA" }, "Education expenditures": { "text": "NA" }, "Unemployment, youth ages 15-24": { "total": { "text": "29.4%" }, "male": { "text": "29.7%" }, "female": { "text": "28.9% (2011 est.)" } } }, "Environment": { "Environment - current issues": { "text": "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" }, "Climate": { "text": "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" }, "Land use": { "agricultural land": { "text": "33.4% (2018 est.)" }, "agricultural land: arable land": { "text": "arable land: 1.9% (2018 est.)" }, "agricultural land: permanent crops": { "text": "permanent crops: 16.7% (2018 est.)" }, "agricultural land: permanent pasture": { "text": "permanent pasture: 14.8% (2018 est.)" }, "forest": { "text": "47.9% (2018 est.)" }, "other": { "text": "18.7% (2018 est.)" } }, "Urbanization": { "urban population": { "text": "95.1% of total population (2022)" }, "rate of urbanization": { "text": "0.84% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)" } }, "Revenue from forest resources": { "forest revenues": { "text": "0% of GDP (2018 est.)" } }, "Revenue from coal": { "coal revenues": { "text": "0% of GDP (2018 est.)" } }, "Waste and recycling": { "municipal solid waste generated annually": { "text": "141,500 tons (2012 est.)" }, "municipal solid waste recycled annually": { "text": "25,258 tons (2011 est.)" }, "percent of municipal solid waste recycled": { "text": "17.9% (2011 est.)" } } }, "Government": { "Country name": { "conventional long form": { "text": "none" }, "conventional short form": { "text": "Guam" }, "local long form": { "text": "none" }, "local short form": { "text": "Guahan" }, "abbreviation": { "text": "GU" }, "etymology": { "text": "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" } }, "Government type": { "text": "unincorporated organized territory of the US with local self-government; republican form of territorial government with separate executive, legislative, and judicial branches" }, "Dependency status": { "text": "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" }, "Capital": { "name": { "text": "Hagatna (Agana)" }, "geographic coordinates": { "text": "13 28 N, 144 44 E" }, "time difference": { "text": "UTC+10 (15 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)" }, "etymology": { "text": "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" } }, "Administrative divisions": { "text": "none (territory of the US)" }, "Independence": { "text": "none (territory of the US)" }, "National holiday": { "text": "Discovery Day (or Magellan Day), first Monday in March (1521)" }, "Constitution": { "history": { "text": "effective 1 July 1950 (Guam Act of 1950 serves as a constitution)" }, "amendments": { "text": "amended many times, last in 2015" } }, "Legal system": { "text": "common law modeled on US system; US federal laws apply" }, "Citizenship": { "text": "see United States" }, "Suffrage": { "text": "18 years of age; universal; note - Guamanians are US citizens but do not vote in US presidential elections" }, "Executive branch": { "chief of state": { "text": "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": "70,000 (2020 est.)" }, "subscriptions per 100 inhabitants": { "text": "41 (2020 est.)" } }, "Telephones - mobile cellular": { "total subscriptions": { "text": "98,000 (2009 est.)" }, "subscriptions per 100 inhabitants": { "text": "62 (2009 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": "135,509 (2019 est.)" }, "percent of population": { "text": "81% (2019 est.)" } }, "Broadband - fixed subscriptions": { "total": { "text": "3,000 (2020 est.)" }, "subscriptions per 100 inhabitants": { "text": "2 (2020 est.)" } } }, "Transportation": { "Civil aircraft registration country code prefix": { "text": "N" }, "Airports": { "total": { "text": "5 (2021)" } }, "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 (2021)" } }, "Airports - with unpaved runways": { "total": { "text": "1" }, "under 914 m": { "text": "1 (2021)" } }, "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
" } } }