Guam
General Information for Guam
Geo-political:
Capital City: Hagatna.
Nationality: (noun) Guamanian, (adjective) Guamanian.
Population: 178,430.
Communications:
International Direct Dial Code: 1-671.
Number of Internal Airports: 4.
Major Languages Spoken: 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).
Economy:
Currency: 1 US Dollar (USD) of 100 Cents.
Main Industries: US military, tourism, construction, transshipment services, concrete products, printing
and publishing, food processing and textiles.
Environment:
Territorial Sea: 12 n.m.
Other Maritime Claims: Exclusive Economic Zone: 200 n.m.
Coastline Extent: 126 km.
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.
Natural Resources: Aquatic wildlife (fishing (largely undeveloped) and fishing ().
Natural Hazards: Frequent squalls during rainy season; relatively rare but potentially destructive
typhoons (June - December).
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 centre, mountains in south.
Average Temperatures:
| Month | High | Low |
|---|---|---|
| January | 85° C | 75° C |
| June | 87° C | 76° C |
| September | 87° C | 76° C |
OVERVIEW:
Guam is an island in the western Pacific Ocean and an organised, unincorporated territory
of the USA. It is one of five US territories with an established civilian government.
Guam is the largest and southernmost of the Mariana Islands.
HOLIDAYS:
1 January (New Year's Day); 19 January (Martin Luther King Day); Memorial Day (last
Monday in May); 4 July (Independence Day); 21 July (Liberation Day); Labour Day (first
Monday in September); 2 November (All Soul's Day); 11 November (Veteran's Day); Thanksgiving
(fourth Thursday in November); 8 December (Our Lady of Camarin Day); 25 December (Christmas
Day).
WEATHER/TIDES:
The climate is characterised as tropical marine. The weather is generally hot and
very humid with little seasonal temperature variation. The mean high temperature is
86°F (30°C) and mean low is 76°F (24°C) with an average annual rainfall of 96 in.
(2,180 mm.). The dry season runs from December to June. The remaining months (July
to November) constitute the rainy season. The months of January and February are considered
the coolest months of the year with night-time temperatures in the mid to low 70s
and generally lower humidity levels. The highest risk of typhoons is during October
and November. They can, however, occur year-round.
Guam is located in what has been nicknamed typhoon alley, and it is common for the
island to be threatened by tropical storms and possible typhoons during the wet season.
The most intense typhoon to pass over Guam in recent years was super typhoon Pongsona,
with sustained winds of 144 m.p.h. (125 knots), gusts to 173 m.p.h. (150 knots), which
slammed Guam on 8 December 2002, leaving massive destruction.
REPATRIATION:
Travellers planning to visit the CNMI should be aware of the US Electronic System
for Travel Authorization (ESTA) requirement. ESTA is an automated system that determines
the eligibility of visitors to travel to the United States under the Visa Waiver Program
(VWP). As the CNMI is a US territory, travellers who meet the criteria for the Visa
Waiver Program will need to apply for an ESTA approval prior to their departure. The
ESTA authorisation is valid for stays of up to 90 days for tourism, business, or transit
purposes. Applications for an ESTA can be made at
esta.cbp.dhs.gov/esta
Citizens of Australia, Brunei, Hong Kong, Japan, Malaysia, Nauru, New Zealand, Papua
New Guinea, South Korea, Singapore, Taiwan and the United Kingdom do not need a US
visa or ESTA to visit both Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands because of the separate
Guam-CNMI Visa Waiver Program, though they must complete a G-CNMI Electronic Travel
Authorization (ETA) prior to travel. The G-CNMI ETA is a replacement of the former
Entry-Exit Card (I-736). People's Republic of China passport holders also do not need
a US visa if they are travelling to the CNMI under CNMI EVS-TAP for 14 days or less,
though they must also complete a G-CNMI ETA prior to travel.
g-cnmi-eta.cbp.dhs.gov/
It is recommended to apply for a G-CNMI ETA up to 7 days prior to departure and obtained
at least 5 days in advance.
An approved G-CNMI ETA is not a visa. It does not meet the legal or regulatory requirements
to serve in lieu of a United States visa when a visa is required under United States
law. Individuals who possess a valid US visa will still be able to travel to Guam
or the CNMI on that visa for the purpose for which it was issued. Individuals travelling
on valid US visas are not required to apply for a travel authorization.
Travellers who already have a valid ESTA approval do not need to apply for a G-CNMI
ETA.
Note: if your journey involves a layover or transit through the US mainland or Hawaii,
a US ESTA is mandatory. A G-CNMI ETA is only for travel to Guam or the Northern Mariana
Islands without passing through the US mainland or Hawaii.
