Guam
| of these articles is occupied with the Pacific island. For the alliance of four GUS states see GUAM. |
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| (Detail) | (detail) |
| Office language | English |
| capital | Hagåtña |
| system of government | nichtinkorporiertes territory within American Ozeaniens |
| head of state | George W. Bush |
| head of the government | governor Felix Perez Camacho |
| surface | 549 km ² |
| number of inhabitants | 168,564 (conditions July 2005) |
| currency | US Dollar (USD) |
| time belt | UTC +10 |
| internet TLD | .gu |
| preselection | +1,671 |
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Guam (also Guahan) is the largest and southernmost island of the Maria EN archipelago in the westPacific ocean and is a nichtinkorporiertes territory within American Ozeaniens.The capital is Hagåtña, also well-known as Agana.
Admits became the island by the strategically important American Air Force base there present Andersen one air Force cousin as well as spectacular becoming extinct nearly of the entire native bird world by those probably during 2. World war by troopand materials handlings of the Americans brought in brown Nachtbaumnatter (Boiga irregularis) (see also Neozoen).
Of 15. September 1996 to 16. Decembers 1996 accomplished the USA the covered operation Pacific Haven/Quick transit Iraq - Guam.
Table of contents |
geography
Guam consists of oneflat, korallinen lime plateau on volcanic underground (also simultaneous the source of most fresh water) with steeply rising coastal cliffs and a narrow coastal plain in the north, a flat waved hill landscape in the island center and mountains in the south. The island lies in an earthquake-endangered zone. In past years reached Earthquake, for whose Epizentrum close Guam was appropriate, strengths from 7,0 to 8.2 on the judge scale.
Guam lies approximately 5300 kilometers to the west of Hawaii, 2400 kilometers east of the Philippines and 2500 kilometers south of Japan.
The island is approximately 48 kilometers longand 14.5 kilometers wide. The length of the coastal line amounts to 125.5 km. The highest point of the island is the Mount Lamlam with 406 M. The deepest point is on sea level.
climate
the climate on Guam is typically tropical, it is general warm and humid, the drying time persists from January to July, the rain time of July until Decembers. In this time it can come also to destructive Taifunen, which however is relatively rare.
population
origin
about 37.1% the inhabitant Guamsare Chamorro - half-breeds of Indonesian-Spanish-Philippine origin, 26.3% of the population are Filipinos (Malaien are) to the majority, 11.3% come from other Pacific islands, 6.9% are white, 6.3% are Korean, Chinese or Japanese origin, 2.3% have another origin or race,9.8% are half-breeds.
English
, which office and traffic language are, speak language 38.3% of the population. Besides 22.2% Chamorro, 22.2% speak Philippine languages, 6.8% speak a language of the other Pacific islands, 7% an asiatic language and 3,5% another language.
age structure
29.4% of the population are old under 15 years (of it male: 25.645/weiblich: 23.887),
64.1% of the population is 15-64 years old (of it male: 55.115/weiblich: 52.935),
6.5% of the population is 65 or older (of it male: 5.157/weiblich: 5.825).
religion
the long rule of the Spaniards settles particularly in the faith: 85% of the population profess themselves to the catholic faith, only of 15% profess themselves to another religion.
history
it assumed that the islandaround 2000 v.Chr. by sailors from southeast Indonesia one discovered and one settled. Another theory means, which the island from the Philippines were settled. Most that admits from the time before the Europeans is, comes from legends and myths of the Chamorros, archaeologicalExcavations, recordings of Jesuiten and research of scientists such as Otto von Kotzebue and Louis de Freycinet.
To 6. March 1521 heads for Magellan Guam, which it read after some misunderstandings with the native ones “Islas de Ladrones” (the island of the thieves) called loosely. 1565 becameit of Miguel Lopez de Legazpi for Spain stresses. 1668 reached Jesuiten the island, spread the Christian (catholic) faith and changed the names in Marianen, after Marianne of Austria, the widow of of Spain king Phillip IV. In this time Guam became an important place of transshipment forthe Spanish ships, which at that time drove on the Pacific of the Philippines until Mexico. One can visit sunk one Spanish ships until today before the coast.
After the Spanish defeat in the Spanish-American war the island arrived 1899 under American administration. To 8. December 1941, brieflyafter the attack on Pearl Harbour Guam by the Japanese one conquered and remained by July 1944 under their control. To 21. July began the battle around Guam with the landing of American troops and ended to 10. August with the victory of the Americans. The timethe crew was a brutal experience for the population, since the Japanese led a hard crew regime.
1949 signed Harry S. Truman the Organic act, which Guam made an external territory of the USA with internal autonomy, which it until today remained.
Politics
the population are to a large extent proud on its connections to the USA, also the existence of the military bases is very important for the economy of Guam. But the inhabitants generally symphatisieren with the American culture, which on the experiences of humans in 2. World war to lead back is.
executive
head of state is George W. Bush, governor is Felix Perez Camacho.
legislation
Guam has an a chamber parliament with 15 seats, the members for the duration by two years is selected. With the last choice to 2.The democrats of 6 seats, the republicans of 9 seats received November 2004 ( the next elections are held in November 2006).
Judikative
it gives a Federal District Court (its judge is appointed by the president) and territorially a Superior Court (its judges of the governor for8 years one appoints).
there
are parties on Guam a similar party landscape as in the USA, it gives a democratic party (chairman is Michael Phillips) and a republican party (controlled at present the legislation, chairman is Philip J. Flores).
Status
Guam is an external territory of the USA with internal autonomy. The inhabitants are US citizens, may however not in the choice to the president participate. Guam does not send voters to one delegated into the US house of representatives. Delegated ones present is larva line Bordallo of the democrats.
see also: List of the governors von Guam
economics
the mechanisms of the navy and the Air Force are a very important employer. 40% the employee work in the service sector, 26% the employee work in the public service, 24% work in the trade, 10%in the industry.
15% the island inhabitant are unemployed, 23% of the population live under the poverty border.
Besides the tourism much, only Hawaii is important is by far shorter a still more popular goal in the Pacific, before all for Japanese, for the one flight from Japanis as after Hawaii. Guam is one of the most popular goals for divers. The island is visited predominantly by Japanese (1.3 million in the year 2005, 90% of the tourists).
In addition Guam is a Einkaufsparadies, since there is no tariff.
Official national currency is the US Dollar (US$).
Infrastructure
on Guam gives it to 5 airports, starting and runway asphalted of it 4 with. Two of the airports have a runway those than 3047 m are longer.
Guam possesses 977 km Stasse, of it is 962 km asphalted.
The most important port is the Apra Harbour.
national holiday
national holiday is always in each case that first Monday in March (Discovery Day).
national defense
the defense of the country is task of the USA.
meaning of the island
the island possesses a great strategic importance for the USA. Approximatelya third of the island is taken by mechanisms of the navy and the Air Force, which contributes to a high standard of living on the island. One fears however high unemployment, if as are planned, four naval mechanisms are closed.
Guam in the media
to 6. August 1997 fell a Boeing 747-300 the Korean airlines on the flight from Seoul to Agana (Guam) with violent rain into a hilly jungle valley 5 km before the airport of Agana. The airplane broke apart and came up in flames. From 254 humans on board (231 passengers and 23 crew members) 27 survived the crash.
14 oceanic UN member states:
Australia |
Fiji |
Kiribati |
Marshall Islands |
Mikronesien |
Nauru |
New Zealand |
Palau |
Papua New Guinea |
Salomonen |
Samoa |
Tonga |
Tuvalu |
Vanuatu
other undisputed States of/special cases:
Cookinseln |
Niue
other disputed states:
Hutt River Province
other areas (z. B. Colonies):
American Samoa |
Bakerinsel |
Tie-clip by clay/tone island |
French Polynesien |
Guam |
Heard and McDonald islands |
Hawaii |
Howlandinsel |
Jarvisinsel |
John clay/tone island |
Kingmanriff |
Kokosinseln |
Midwayinseln |
Neukaledonien |
Northern Marianen |
Norfolkinsel |
Osterinsel |
Palmyra |
Pitcairninseln |
Tokelau |
Wake |
Whale-read and Futuna
coordinates: 13° 24 ' N; 144° 43 ' O
