From Wikitravel

Guam is an island in the western North Pacific Ocean, about three-quarters of the way from Hawaii to the Philippines. (Geographic coordinates: 13 28 N, 144 47 E)

It is the largest and southernmost island in the Mariana Islands archipelago. Guam is a territory of the United States of America. It is considered to occupy a militarily strategic location, south of the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands. Guam is one of many islands that make of Micronesia, which politically consists of Belau (Palau), the Federated States of Micronesia (FSM), Kiribati (anthropologically having affinities with Polynesia and Micronesia), the Marshall Islands, and several remote islands designated as the U.S.-administered islands of the Central Pacific. All of Micronesia has close political ties to the United States of America.

Contents 1 Regions 2 Cities 3 Other destinations 4 Understand 4.1 History 4.2 Economy 4.3 Geography 4.4 Climate 4.5 Terrain 5 Get in 5.1 By plane 5.2 By boat 6 Get around 7 Talk 8 Buy 9 Eat 10 Drink 11 Sleep 12 Learn 13 Work 14 Stay safe 15 Stay healthy 16 Respect 17 Contact

Regions

Cities

No true cities exist on Guam (if one uses the 50,000 person rule), but each "city" represents an individual township, all of which have mayors and limited autonomy within the central government. The largest population concentration is in the center of the island, since the south is fairly lightly populated and the north is mostly owned by the US military.

• Agana (Hagåtña) — the capital
• Tumon — where most tourists head, on the central west of the island

Other destinations

Understand

History

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 installations on the island are some of the more strategically important US bases in the Western Pacific.

Economy

The economy depends on US military spending, tourism, and the export of fish and handicrafts. Total US grants, wage payments, and procurement outlays amounted to $1 billion in 1998. Over the past 20 years, the tourist industry has grown rapidly, creating a construction boom for new hotels and the expansion of older ones. More than 1 million tourists visit Guam each year. The industry has recently suffered setbacks because of the continuing Japanese slowdown; the Japanese normally make up almost 90% of the tourists. Most food and industrial goods are imported. Guam faces the problem of building up the civilian economic sector to offset the impact of military downsizing.

Geography

Area 

total land: 549 sq km

Area - comparative 

three times the size of Washington, DC

Coastline 

125.5 km

Maritime claims 

exclusive economic zone: 200 NM
territorial sea: 12 NM

Natural resources 

fishing (largely undeveloped), tourism (especially from Japan)

Environment - current issues 

extirpation of native bird population by the rapid proliferation of the brown tree snake, an exotic, invasive species

Climate

tropical marine; generally warm and humid, moderated by northeast trade winds; dry season from January to June, rainy season from July to December; little seasonal temperature variation

Natural hazards 

frequent squalls during rainy season; relatively rare, but potentially very 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 center, mountains in south

Highest point 

Mount Lamlam 406 m

Land use 

arable land: 10.91%
permanent crops: 10.91%
other: 78.18% (1998 est.)

Get in

By plane

Won Pat Guam International Airport is the only civilian gateway to the island. The main airline servicing Guam is Continental Micronesia, a branch of Continental Airlines, which uses Guam as the Continental Airlines hub for Asia, Oceania, and Australia. Continental Airlines is the only airline with direct non-stop service from the US (from Honolulu, HI and Houston, TX). Other airlines service Guam through Japan or the Philippines.

By boat

Get around

Talk

English is a first language on Guam, though Chomorro words are an integral part of the local vocabulary, and like any area, a local accent of English exists. Chomorro borrows many words from Spanish, and many place names are pronounced as in Spanish, with key differences: "y" is pronounced as a "j" and vice-versa, such that the local name Reyes is pronounced ree-jez.

Buy

There are many retail outlets in Guam, including DFS (Duty Free Shoppers) which operates several stores in hotels, a large "Galleria," and a store in the Guam Airport. Further, visitors to Guam will note some of the same shopping opportunities that exist in "the States." Although there is no Wal-Mart, there is a large K-Mart that does a very high volume of business. Indeed, visitors who are used to the voided cavernous K-Marts in the USA may be surprised to find that they can barely squeeze through the isles of the Guam K-Mart.

The Tumon Bay area possesses many duty-free shopping outlets and boutiques catering to Japanese tourists. Among these are boutiques selling Bvgari, Chanel, Cartier, Dior, Fendi, Ferragamo, Gucci, Hermes, Luis Vitton, Rolex, and more.

Eat

Drink

Sleep

The main tourist area is around Tumon Bay, which has a number of high-rise hotels and can be compared to a smaller version of Waikiki even more heavily geared towards Japanese tourists. Cheaper accommodations exist near the airport, especially around the village of Harmon. Be aware that Harmon hotels tend to be on the seedier side since Harmon is a mixed industrial/residential neighborhood. Many of the flights scheduled through Guam to other locations (especially in Asia) often require an overnight layover, so plan ahead. Some hotels offer airport pickup, as taxis can be quite expensive.

Learn

The University of Guam provides higher education opportunities for students on Guam, as well as providing higher education for much of Micronesia. The UOG is located in Mangilao (pronounced muh-nee-lau), on the central eastern side of Guam. Students can earn various Undergraduate degrees and several programs offer degrees at the Masters level. Two of the more famous Masters level programs are the (1) Environmental Science Program, focusing on Agricultural sciences through the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences (CALS) and Hydrology and Water Resources through the Water and Environmental Research Institute of the Western Pacific (WERI; http://www.weriguam.org); and (2) the Marine Laboratory (http://www.uog.edu/marinelab), which focuses on Marine Biology and other environmental issues.

In recent years, the University of Guam has faced accreditation issues through the US university system.

Work

The largest employers on Guam are the Government of Guam and Continental Airlines, followed by a large duty-free retail firm (DFS Guam), the US Federal Government, the hotel industry and services sectors. Guam has two large military bases and several smaller military installations that employ many people. The only Air Force base is Anderson Airforce Base on the northern tip of the island. The US Navy has a large naval station -- Naval Station Guam --located on the west-central part of the island near the village Agat. This base is homeport to two Los-Angeles class submarines. The Navy also operates a ship repair facility in Apra Harbor, and operates the Naval Communications Telecommunications Area Master Station (NTCAMS) south of the village of Dededo. Additionally, the Navy controls the Fena Reservoir, which provides drinking water in addition to the aquifer in the northern part of the island.

Stay safe

Observe caution when engaged in water activities on Guam, as in any coastal area, as currents can be swift and unpredictable, depending on the season. Also, roads are not graded according to US Standards, and during the rainy season (from about August until March), water can pool unevenly on road surfaces. Pooling of rain water can lead to flooding of roads in the southern half of Guam, which does not have sewer drainage built under the road surfaces. Furthermore, many roads are in disrepair and potholes are frequent, which can easily blow out tires. Violent crime is fairly low, but property crime tends to be high, so safeguard valuables in vehicles. Rental cars have stickers and can be targeted by thieves.

Stay healthy

Respect

Chamorros -- the indigenous people of Guam -- (alternate spellings exist, such as Chamoro or Chamoru) possesses a culture that is a cobbling-together of Micronesian, Spanish, and American cultures, but in general the people are gregarious and welcoming to visitors. Observe common courtesies and tend to err on the modest side, especially with clothing. Guam is also a melting pot of other Micronesian cultures, with local inhabitants coming from the Philippines, Japan, China, Micronesia, Korea, and other countries to find better opportunities.

Chamorros are overwhelmingly Catholic, though other Micronesians may be predominantly Protestant. On Guam, Rosaries take the place of large formal gatherings to remember those whom have passed away, and such congregations can occur for up to 20 years after someone has passed.

Contact

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