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.
