Profile
Background and figures as recorded in the CIA World Factbook.
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 because it served as a refueling stop for ships between Mexico and the Philippines. Spain formally colonized Guam in 1668.
- Capital
- Hagatna (Agana)
- Government
- unincorporated organized territory of the US with local self-government;
- Population
- 169,532
- Area
- 544 sq km
- Location
- Oceania, island in the North Pacific Ocean, about three-quarters of the way from Hawaii to the Philippines
- Climate
- tropical marine; generally warm and humid, moderated by northeast trade winds;
- Natural resources
- aquatic wildlife (supporting tourism); fishing (largely undeveloped)
- Languages
- English 43.3%; Filipino 24.9%; Chamorro 16%; other Pacific Island languages 9.4%…
- Religions
- Christian (predominantly Roman Catholic) 94.2%; folk religions 1.5%; Buddhist 1.1%; other 1.6%…
- Independence
- none (territory of the US)
- Export partners
- Taiwan 42%; Hong Kong 12%; Philippines 11%; Italy 8%…
- Import partners
- Singapore 52%; Japan 15%; Malaysia 6%; Taiwan 4%…
Source: CIA World Factbook — a work of the US government, in the public domain