Western Sahara (2005) | Guam (2006) | |
Administrative divisions | none (under de facto control of Morocco) | none (territory of the US) |
Age structure | 0-14 years: NA
15-64 years: NA 65 years and over: NA |
0-14 years: 29% (male 25,703/female 23,903)
15-64 years: 64.3% (male 56,020/female 53,894) 65 years and over: 6.7% (male 5,391/female 6,108) (2006 est.) |
Agriculture - products | fruits and vegetables (grown in the few oases); camels, sheep, goats (kept by nomads) | fruits, copra, vegetables; eggs, pork, poultry, beef |
Airports | 11 (2004 est.) | 5 (2006) |
Airports - with paved runways | total: 3
2,438 to 3,047 m: 3 (2004 est.) |
total: 4
over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2006) |
Airports - with unpaved runways | total: 8
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 4 under 914 m: 3 (2004 est.) |
total: 1
under 914 m: 1 (2006) |
Area | total: 266,000 sq km
land: 266,000 sq km water: 0 sq km |
total: 541.3 sq km
land: 541.3 sq km water: 0 sq km |
Area - comparative | about the size of Colorado | three times the size of Washington, DC |
Background | Morocco virtually annexed the northern two-thirds of Western Sahara (formerly Spanish Sahara) in 1976, and the rest of the territory in 1979, following Mauritania's withdrawal. A guerrilla war with the Polisario Front contesting Rabat's sovereignty ended in a 1991 UN-brokered cease-fire; a UN-organized referendum on final status has been repeatedly postponed. | 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. |
Birth rate | NA births/1,000 population | 18.79 births/1,000 population (2006 est.) |
Budget | revenues: NA
expenditures: NA, including capital expenditures of NA |
revenues: $319.6 million
expenditures: $427.8 million (2002 est.) |
Capital | none | name: Hagatna (Agana)
geographic coordinates: 13 28 N, 144 45 E time difference: UTC+10 (15 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) |
Climate | hot, dry desert; rain is rare; cold offshore air currents produce fog and heavy dew | 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 |
Coastline | 1,110 km | 125.5 km |
Constitution | - | Organic Act of Guam, 1 August 1950 |
Country name | conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Western Sahara former: Spanish Sahara |
conventional long form: Territory of Guam
conventional short form: Guam local long form: Guahan local short form: Guahan |
Death rate | NA deaths/1,000 population | 4.48 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.) |
Debt - external | NA | $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 |
Diplomatic representation from the US | none | none (territory of the US) |
Diplomatic representation in the US | none | none (territory of the US) |
Disputes - international | Morocco claims and administers Western Sahara, whose sovereignty remains unresolved - UN-administered cease-fire has remained in effect since September 1991, administered by the UN Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO), but attempts to hold a referendum have failed and parties thus far have rejected all brokered proposals | none |
Economic aid - recipient | NA | 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 | Western Sahara depends on pastoral nomadism, fishing, and phosphate mining as the principal sources of income for the population. The territory lacks sufficient rainfall for sustainable agricultural production, and most of the food for the urban population must be imported. All trade and other economic activities are controlled by the Moroccan Government. Moroccan energy interests in 2001 signed contracts to explore for oil off the coast of Western Sahara, which has angered the Polisario. Incomes and standards of living in Western Sahara are substantially below the Moroccan level. | 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. |
Electricity - consumption | 83.7 million kWh (2002) | 781.3 million kWh (2003) |
Electricity - exports | 0 kWh (2002) | 0 kWh (2003) |
Electricity - imports | 0 kWh (2002) | 0 kWh (2003) |
Electricity - production | 90 million kWh (2002) | 840.1 million kWh (2003) |
Elevation extremes | lowest point: Sebjet Tah -55 m
highest point: unnamed location 463 m |
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: Mount Lamlam 406 m |
Environment - current issues | sparse water and lack of arable land | extirpation of native bird population by the rapid proliferation of the brown tree snake, an exotic, invasive species |
Environment - international agreements | party to: none of the selected agreements
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements |
- |
Ethnic groups | Arab, Berber | 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 | Moroccan dirhams per US dollar - 8.868 (2004), 9.5744 (2003), 11.0206 (2002), 11.303 (2001), 10.6256 (2000) | the US dollar is used |
Executive branch | none | 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) and Lieutenant Governor Kaleo MOYLAN (since 6 January 2003) cabinet: heads of executive departments; appointed by the governor with the consent of the Guam legislature elections: under the US Consitution, 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 November 2010) election results: Felix P. CAMACHO reelected governor; Dr. Michael W. CRUZ elected lieutenant governor; percent of vote - NA |
Exports | NA | NA bbl/day |
Exports - commodities | phosphates 62% | mostly transshipments of refined petroleum products; construction materials, fish, food and beverage products |
Exports - partners | Morocco claims and administers Western Sahara, so trade partners are included in overall Moroccan accounts | Japan 67.2%, Singapore 11.6%, UK 4.8% (2005) |
Fiscal year | calendar 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 |
GDP - composition by sector | agriculture: NA
industry: NA services: 40% (1996 est.) |
agriculture: NA
industry: NA services: NA |
GDP - per capita | purchasing power parity - NA | - |
GDP - real growth rate | NA | NA% |
Geographic coordinates | 24 30 N, 13 00 W | 13 28 N, 144 47 E |
Geography - note | the waters off the coast are particularly rich fishing areas | largest and southernmost island in the Mariana Islands archipelago; strategic location in western North Pacific Ocean |
Highways | total: 6,200 km
paved: 1,350 km unpaved: 4,850 km (1991 est) |
- |
Household income or consumption by percentage share | lowest 10%: NA
highest 10%: NA |
lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA% |
Imports | NA | NA bbl/day |
Imports - commodities | fuel for fishing fleet, foodstuffs | petroleum and petroleum products, food, manufactured goods |
Imports - partners | Morocco claims and administers Western Sahara, so trade partners are included in overall Moroccan accounts | Singapore 50%, South Korea 21.4%, Japan 14%, Hong Kong 4.6% (2005) |
Independence | - | none (territory of the US) |
Industrial production growth rate | NA | NA% |
Industries | phosphate mining, handicrafts | US military, tourism, construction, transshipment services, concrete products, printing and publishing, food processing, textiles |
Infant mortality rate | total: NA
male: NA female: NA |
total: 6.81 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 7.48 deaths/1,000 live births female: 6.1 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.) |
Inflation rate (consumer prices) | NA | 2.5% (2005 est.) |
International organization participation | none | IOC, SPC, UPU |
Irrigated land | NA sq km | NA |
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 | 12,000 | 62,050 (2002 est.) |
Labor force - by occupation | animal husbandry and subsistence farming 50% | agriculture: 26%
industry: 10% services: 64% (2004 est.) |
Land boundaries | total: 2,046 km
border countries: Algeria 42 km, Mauritania 1,561 km, Morocco 443 km |
0 km |
Land use | arable land: 0.02%
permanent crops: 0% other: 99.98% (2001) |
arable land: 3.64%
permanent crops: 18.18% other: 78.18% (2005) |
Languages | Hassaniya Arabic, Moroccan Arabic | 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 |
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 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 November 2008); results - Madeleine BORDALLO (Democratic Party) was reelected as delegate; percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - Democratic Party 1 |
Life expectancy at birth | total population: NA years
male: NA years female: NA years |
total population: 78.58 years
male: 75.52 years female: 81.83 years (2006 est.) |
Literacy | definition: NA
total population: NA% male: NA% female: NA% |
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 99% male: 99% female: 99% (1990 est.) |
Location | Northern Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Mauritania and Morocco | Oceania, island in the North Pacific Ocean, about three-quarters of the way from Hawaii to the Philippines |
Map references | Africa | Oceania |
Maritime claims | contingent upon resolution of sovereignty issue | territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm |
Military - note | - | defense is the responsibility of the US |
National holiday | - | Discovery Day, first Monday in March (1521) |
Nationality | noun: Sahrawi(s), Sahraoui(s)
adjective: Sahrawi, Sahrawian, Sahraouian |
noun: Guamanian(s) (US citizens)
adjective: Guamanian |
Natural hazards | hot, dry, dust/sand-laden sirocco wind can occur during winter and spring; widespread harmattan haze exists 60% of time, often severely restricting visibility | frequent squalls during rainy season; relatively rare, but potentially very destructive typhoons (June - December) |
Natural resources | phosphates, iron ore | fishing (largely undeveloped), tourism (especially from Japan) |
Net migration rate | - | 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.) |
Political parties and leaders | - | Democratic Party [leader Michael PHILLIPS]; Republican Party (controls the legislature) [leader Philip J. FLORES] |
Political pressure groups and leaders | none | NA |
Population | 273,008 (July 2005 est.) | 171,019 (July 2006 est.) |
Population below poverty line | NA | 23% (2001 est.) |
Population growth rate | NA | 1.43% (2006 est.) |
Ports and harbors | Ad Dakhla, Cabo Bojador, Laayoune (El Aaiun) | - |
Radio broadcast stations | AM 2, FM 0, shortwave 0 (1998) | AM 3, FM 11, shortwave 2 (2006) |
Religions | Muslim | Roman Catholic 85%, other 15% (1999 est.) |
Sex ratio | NA | at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.08 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 (2006 est.) |
Suffrage | none; a UN-sponsored voter identification campaign not yet completed | 18 years of age; universal; US citizens, but do not vote in US presidential elections |
Telephone system | general assessment: sparse and limited system
domestic: NA international: country code - 212; tied into Morocco's system by microwave radio relay, tropospheric scatter, and satellite; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) linked to Rabat, Morocco |
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; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean); submarine cables to US and Japan (Guam is a trans-Pacific communications hub for MCI, Sprint, AT&T, IT&E, and GTE, linking the US and Asia) |
Telephones - main lines in use | about 2,000 (1999 est.) | 84,134 (2001) |
Telephones - mobile cellular | 0 (1999) | 98,000 (2004) |
Television broadcast stations | NA | 3; 6 (Low Power TV) (2006) |
Terrain | mostly low, flat desert with large areas of rocky or sandy surfaces rising to small mountains in south and northeast | 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 |
Total fertility rate | NA children born/woman | 2.58 children born/woman (2006 est.) |
Unemployment rate | NA | 11.4% (2002 est.) |