hazards: frequent squalls during rainy season; relatively
rare, but potentially very destructive typhoons (especially in August)

Environment - current issues: NA

Environment - international agreements:
party to: NA
signed, but not ratified: NA

Geography - note: largest and southernmost island in the Mariana
Islands archipelago; strategic location in western North Pacific Ocean

@Guam:People

Population: 160,595 (July 1997 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: NA
15-64 years: NA
65 years and over: NA

Population growth rate: 2.5% (1997 est.)

Birth rate: 23.35 births/1,000 population (1997 est.)

Death rate: 3.86 deaths/1,000 population (1997 est.)

Net migration rate: 3 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1997 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: NA male(s)/female
under 15 years: NA male(s)/female
15-64 years: NA male(s)/female
65 years and over : NA male(s)/female
total population: NA male(s)/female

Infant mortality rate: 15.17 deaths/1,000 live births (1997 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 74.29 years
male: 72.42 years
female: 76.13 years (1997 est.)

Total fertility rate: 2.16 children born/woman (1997 est.)

Nationality:
noun: Guamanian(s)
adjective: Guamanian

Ethnic groups: Chamorro 47%, Filipino 25%, white 10%, Chinese,
Japanese, Korean, and other 18%

Religions: Roman Catholic 98%, other 2%

Languages: English, Chamorro, Japanese

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population : 99%
male: 99%
female: 99% (1990 est.)

@Guam:Government

Country name:
conventional long form: Territory of Guam
conventional short form: Guam

Data code: GQ

Dependency status: organized, unincorporated territory of the US with
policy relations between Guam and the US under the jurisdiction of the
Office of Territorial and International Affairs, US Department of the
Interior

Government type: NA

National capital: Agana

Administrative divisions: none (territory of the US)

Independence: none (territory of the US)

National holiday: Guam Discovery Day (first Monday in March) (1521);
Liberation Day, 21 July (1944)

Constitution: Organic Act of 1 August 1950

Legal system: modeled on US; federal laws apply

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal; US citizens, but do not vote in
US presidential elections

Executive branch:
chief of state: President of the US William Jefferson CLINTON (since
20 January 1993); Vice President Albert GORE, Jr. (since 20 Janua