Guam (2007) | Jan Mayen (2001) | |
Administrative divisions | none (territory of 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) | 1 (2000 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) |
total:
1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2000 est.) |
Area | total: 541.3 sq km
land: 541.3 sq km water: 0 sq km |
total:
373 sq km land: 373 sq km water: 0 sq km |
Area - comparative | three times the size of Washington, DC | slightly more than twice the size of Washington, DC |
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. | This desolate, mountainous island was named after a Dutch whaling captain who indisputably discovered it in 1614 (earlier claims are inconclusive). Visited only occasionally by seal hunters and trappers over the following centuries, the island came under Norwegian sovereignty in 1929. The long dormant Beerenberg volcano resumed activity in 1970; it is the northernmost active volcano on earth. |
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 | arctic maritime with frequent storms and persistent fog |
Coastline | 125.5 km | 124.1 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:
none conventional short form: Jan Mayen |
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 | territory of Norway; administered from Oslo through a governor (sysselmann) resident in Longyearbyen (Svalbard); however, authority has been delegated to a station commander of the Norwegian Defense Communication Service |
Diplomatic representation from the US | none (territory of the US) | - |
Diplomatic representation in the US | none (territory of the US) | - |
Disputes - international | none | none |
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. | Jan Mayen is a volcanic island with no exploitable natural resources. Economic activity is limited to providing services for employees of Norway's radio and meteorological stations located on the island. |
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:
Norwegian Sea 0 m highest point: Haakon VII Toppen/Beerenberg 2,277 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 Norway 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 | 71 00 N, 8 00 W |
Geography - note | largest and southernmost island in the Mariana Islands archipelago; strategic location in western North Pacific Ocean | barren volcanic island with some moss and grass |
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 | - |
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) | - | 13 (Jan Mayen and Svalbard) (2000) |
Irrigated land | NA | 0 sq km (1993) |
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% permanent pastures: 0% forests and woodland: 0% other: 100% |
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 Norway, 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 | Northern Europe, island between the Greenland Sea and the Norwegian Sea, northeast of Iceland |
Map references | Oceania | Arctic Region |
Maritime claims | territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm |
contiguous zone:
10 NM continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation exclusive economic zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 4 NM |
Military - note | defense is the responsibility of the US | defense is the responsibility of Norway |
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) | dominated by the volcano Haakon VII Toppen/Beerenberg; volcanic activity resumed in 1970 |
Natural resources | fishing (largely undeveloped), tourism (especially from Japan) | none |
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
note: there are personnel who operate the Long Range Navigation (Loran-C) base and the weather and coastal services radio station (July 2001 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) | AM NA, FM NA, shortwave NA
note: there is one radio and meteorological station (1998) |
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 island, partly covered by glaciers |
Total fertility rate | 2.57 children born/woman (2007 est.) | - |
Unemployment rate | 11.4% (2002 est.) | - |
Waterways | - | none |