Guam (2007) | French Southern and Antarctic Lands (2005) | |
Administrative divisions | none (territory of the US) | none (overseas territory of France); there are no first-order administrative divisions as defined by the US Government, but there are 3 districts named Ile Crozet, Iles Kerguelen, and Iles Saint-Paul et Amsterdam; excludes "Adelie Land" claim in Antarctica that is not recognized by the US |
Age structure | 0-14 years: 28.6% (male 25,686/female 23,938)
15-64 years: 64.5% (male 57,023/female 54,872) 65 years and over: 6.9% (male 5,592/female 6,345) (2007 est.) |
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Agriculture - products | fruits, copra, vegetables; eggs, pork, poultry, beef | - |
Airports | 5 (2007) | none (2004 est.) |
Airports - with paved runways | total: 4
over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2007) |
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Airports - with unpaved runways | total: 1
under 914 m: 1 (2007) |
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Area | total: 541.3 sq km
land: 541.3 sq km water: 0 sq km |
total: 7,829 sq km
land: 7,829 sq km water: 0 sq km note: includes Ile Amsterdam, Ile Saint-Paul, Iles Crozet and Iles Kerguelen; excludes "Adelie Land" claim of about 500,000 sq km in Antarctica that is not recognized by the US |
Area - comparative | three times the size of Washington, DC | slightly less than 1.3 times the size of Delaware |
Background | Guam was ceded to the US by Spain 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. | The Southern Lands consist of two archipelagos, Iles Crozet and Iles Kerguelen, and two volcanic islands, Ile Amsterdam and Ile Saint-Paul. They contain no permanent inhabitants and are visited only by researchers studying the native fauna. The Antarctic portion consists of "Adelie Land," a thin slice of the Antarctic continent discovered and claimed by the French in 1840. |
Birth rate | 18.56 births/1,000 population (2007 est.) | - |
Budget | revenues: $319.6 million
expenditures: $427.8 million (2002 est.) |
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Capital | name: Hagatna (Agana)
geographic coordinates: 13 28 N, 144 44 E time difference: UTC+10 (15 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) |
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Climate | 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 | antarctic |
Coastline | 125.5 km | 1,232 km |
Constitution | Organic Act of Guam, 1 August 1950 | - |
Country name | conventional long form: Territory of Guam
conventional short form: Guam local long form: Guahan local short form: Guahan |
conventional long form: Territory of the French Southern and Antarctic Lands
conventional short form: French Southern and Antarctic Lands local long form: Territoire des Terres Australes et Antarctiques Francaises local short form: Terres Australes et Antarctiques Francaises |
Death rate | 4.56 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.) | - |
Debt - external | $NA | - |
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 | overseas territory of France since 1955; administered from Paris by Administrateur Superieur Michel CHAMPON (since 20 December 2004), assisted by Secretary General Jean-Yves HERMOSO (since NA) |
Diplomatic representation from the US | none (territory of the US) | none (overseas territory of France) |
Diplomatic representation in the US | none (territory of the US) | none (overseas territory of France) |
Disputes - international | none | French claim to "Adelie Land" in Antarctica is not recognized by the United States |
Economic aid - recipient | Guam receives large transfer payments from the US Federal Treasury ($143 million in 1997) into which Guamanians pay no income or excise taxes; under the provisions of a special law of Congress, the Guam Treasury, rather than the US Treasury, receives federal income taxes paid by military and civilian Federal employees stationed in Guam (2001 est.) | - |
Economy - overview | The economy depends largely on US military spending and tourism. Total US grants, wage payments, and procurement outlays amounted to $1.3 billion in 2004. Over the past 30 years, the tourist industry has grown to become the largest income source following national defense. The Guam economy continues to experience expansion in both its tourism and military sectors. | Economic activity is limited to servicing meteorological and geophysical research stations and French and other fishing fleets. The fish catches landed on Iles Kerguelen by foreign ships are exported to France and Reunion. |
Electricity - consumption | 1.667 billion kWh (2005) | - |
Electricity - exports | 0 kWh (2005) | - |
Electricity - imports | 0 kWh (2005) | - |
Electricity - production | 1.793 billion kWh (2005) | - |
Elevation extremes | lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: Mount Lamlam 406 m |
lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
highest point: Mont Ross on Iles Kerguelen 1,850 m |
Environment - current issues | extirpation of native bird population by the rapid proliferation of the brown tree snake, an exotic, invasive species | NA |
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) | - |
Exchange rates | the US dollar is used | - |
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. CAMACHO (since 6 January 2003); Lieutenant Governor Dr. Michael W. CRUZ (since 1 January 2007) 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; governor and lieutenant governor elected on the same ticket by popular vote for four-year term (can serve two consecutive terms, then must wait a full term before running again); election last held 7 November 2006 (next to be held in November 2010) election results: Felix P. CAMACHO reelected governor; Dr. Michael W. CRUZ elected lieutenant governor; percent of vote - NA |
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Exports | NA bbl/day | - |
Exports - commodities | mostly transshipments of refined petroleum products; construction materials, fish, food and beverage products | - |
Exports - partners | Japan 67.2%, Singapore 11.6%, UK 4.8% (2006) | - |
Fiscal year | 1 October - 30 September | - |
Flag description | 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, outrigger canoe with sail, and a palm tree with the word GUAM superimposed in bold red letters; US flag is the national flag | the flag of France is used |
GDP - composition by sector | agriculture: NA%
industry: NA% services: NA% |
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GDP - real growth rate | NA% | - |
Geographic coordinates | 13 28 N, 144 47 E | 43 00 S, 67 00 E |
Geography - note | largest and southernmost island in the Mariana Islands archipelago; strategic location in western North Pacific Ocean | islands component is widely scattered across remote locations in the southern Indian Ocean |
Household income or consumption by percentage share | lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA% |
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Imports | NA bbl/day | - |
Imports - commodities | petroleum and petroleum products, food, manufactured goods | - |
Imports - partners | Singapore 50%, South Korea 21.4%, Japan 14%, Hong Kong 4.6% (2006) | - |
Independence | none (territory of the US) | - |
Industrial production growth rate | NA% | - |
Industries | US military, tourism, construction, transshipment services, concrete products, printing and publishing, food processing, textiles | - |
Infant mortality rate | total: 6.68 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 7.35 deaths/1,000 live births female: 5.97 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.) |
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Inflation rate (consumer prices) | 2.5% (2005 est.) | - |
International organization participation | IOC, SPC, UPU | - |
Irrigated land | NA | 0 sq km (1998 est.) |
Judicial branch | Federal District Court (judge is appointed by the president); Territorial Superior Court (judges appointed for eight-year terms by the governor) | - |
Labor force | 62,050 (2002 est.) | - |
Labor force - by occupation | agriculture: 26%
industry: 10% services: 64% (2004 est.) |
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Land boundaries | 0 km | 0 km |
Land use | arable land: 3.64%
permanent crops: 18.18% other: 78.18% (2005) |
arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (2001) |
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) | - |
Legal system | modeled on US; US federal laws apply | the laws of France, where applicable, apply |
Legislative branch | unicameral Legislature (15 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve two-year terms)
elections: last held 7 November 2006 (next to be held in November 2008) election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - Republican Party 8, Democratic Party 7 note: Guam elects one nonvoting delegate to the US House of Representatives; election last held 7 November 2006 (next to be held in November 2008); results - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - Democratic Party 1 |
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Life expectancy at birth | total population: 78.76 years
male: 75.69 years female: 82.01 years (2007 est.) |
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Literacy | definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 99% male: 99% female: 99% (1990 est.) |
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Location | Oceania, island in the North Pacific Ocean, about three-quarters of the way from Hawaii to the Philippines | southeast of Africa, islands in the southern Indian Ocean, about equidistant between Africa, Antarctica, and Australia; note - French Southern and Antarctic Lands include Ile Amsterdam, Ile Saint-Paul, Iles Crozet, and Iles Kerguelen in the southern Indian Ocean, along with the French-claimed sector of Antarctica, "Adelie Land"; the US does not recognize the French claim to "Adelie Land" |
Map references | Oceania | Antarctic Region |
Maritime claims | territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm |
territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm from Iles Kerguelen (does not include the rest of French Southern and Antarctic Lands) |
Merchant marine | - | total: 75 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 3,092,387 GRT/5,056,658 DWT
by type: bulk carrier 2, cargo 1, chemical tanker 21, container 19, liquefied gas 7, petroleum tanker 15, roll on/roll off 6, vehicle carrier 4 foreign-owned: 71 (Belgium 5, Denmark 2, France 45, Germany 2, Greece 2, Hong Kong 5, Japan 4, Saudi Arabia 1, Sweden 5) (2005) |
Military - note | defense is the responsibility of the US | defense is the responsibility of France |
National holiday | Discovery Day, first Monday in March (1521) | - |
Nationality | noun: Guamanian(s) (US citizens)
adjective: Guamanian |
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Natural hazards | frequent squalls during rainy season; relatively rare, but potentially very destructive typhoons (June - December) | Ile Amsterdam and Ile Saint-Paul are extinct volcanoes |
Natural resources | fishing (largely undeveloped), tourism (especially from Japan) | fish, crayfish |
Net migration rate | 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2007 est.) | - |
Political parties and leaders | Democratic Party [leader Michael PHILLIPS]; Republican Party [Philip J. FLORES] (controls the legislature) | - |
Political pressure groups and leaders | NA | - |
Population | 173,456 (July 2007 est.) | no indigenous inhabitants (July 2005 est.)
note: in 2002, there were 145 researchers whose numbers vary from winter (July) to summer (January) (July 2005 est.) |
Population below poverty line | 23% (2001 est.) | - |
Population growth rate | 1.4% (2007 est.) | - |
Ports and harbors | - | none; offshore anchorage only |
Radio broadcast stations | AM 3, FM 11, shortwave 2 (2005) | - |
Religions | Roman Catholic 85%, other 15% (1999 est.) | - |
Sex ratio | at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.073 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.039 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.881 male(s)/female total population: 1.037 male(s)/female (2007 est.) |
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Suffrage | 18 years of age; universal; US citizens, but do not vote in US presidential elections | - |
Telephone system | general assessment: modern system, integrated with US facilities for direct dialing, including free use of 800 numbers
domestic: modern digital system, including cellular mobile 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 trans-Pacific communications hub for major carriers linking the US and Asia); satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean) |
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Telephones - main lines in use | 80,000 (2001) | - |
Telephones - mobile cellular | 98,000 (2004) | - |
Television broadcast stations | 3 (2006) | - |
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 | volcanic |
Total fertility rate | 2.57 children born/woman (2007 est.) | - |
Unemployment rate | 11.4% (2002 est.) | - |