Difference between revisions of "Guam" - New World Encyclopedia

*Guåhån*
Guam
Guåhån Guam
	Anthem: Fanohge Chamoru;
Capital	Hagåtña
Largest village	Dededo
Official languages	English and Chamorro
Ethnic groups	37.3% Chamorro, 26.3% Filipino, 9.4% Multiracial, 7.1% Caucasian, 7.0% Chuukese, 4.6% Other, 2.2% Korean, 1.6% Chinese, 1.6% Palauan, 1.5% Japanese, 1.4% Pohnpeian
Demonym	Guamanian
Government
Area
Population
GDP (PPP)	2013 estimate
Currency	United States dollar (USD)
Time zone	Chamorro Standard Time (UTC+10)
Internet TLD	.gu
Calling code	[[++1-671]]
1	2000 estimate.

Latest revision as of 03:09, 26 February 2023

Guam (Chamorro: Guåhån), officially the U.S. Territory of Guam, is an island in the Western Pacific Ocean and is an organized unincorporated territory of the United States. Its indigenous people are the Chamorros, who first populated the island approximately 4,000 years ago. It is the largest and southernmost of the Mariana Islands. Guam provided one take-off point for the bombing of Hiroshima, which brought about the defeat of Japan in the World War II. Guam's five U.S. military installations, among the most strategically vital in the Pacific Ocean, take up one quarter of the territory's area.

Geography

Guam, the largest island in Micronesia, is 1,500 miles (2414 km) southeast of Tokyo and 6,000 miles (9656 km) west of San Francisco, and has an area of 210 square miles (544 sq km). The northern part of the island is a forested coralline limestone plateau while the south contains volcanic peaks covered in forest and grassland. A coral reef surrounds most of the island, except in areas where bays exist that provide access to small rivers and streams. The island's population is most dense in the northern and central regions. The capital is Hagåtña, formerly Agana (pronounced Agaña).

The Mariana island chain was created as a result of the Pacific and Philippine tectonic plates colliding. The Marianas Trench lies to the east of the island chain. The Challenger Deep, the deepest point on earth, is southwest of Guam at 35,797 feet (10,911 m) deep.

The island sustains occasional earthquakes due to its location on the edge of the Pacific Plate. Unlike the Anatahan volcano in the Northern Mariana Islands, Guam is not volcanically active.

Guam has a tropical marine climate. The weather is generally warm and humid with little seasonal temperature variation. The mean high temperature is 86° Fahrenheit (30°Celsius) and the mean low is 76°F (24°C) with an average annual rainfall of 86 inches (2,180 mm). The dry season runs from December through June. The highest risk of typhoons is during October and November. After Super Typhoon Pamela in 1976, concrete structures started replace the more traditional wooden buildings.

Guam's indigenous ecology has been largely destroyed and supplanted by introduced species. The slightly venomous but rather harmless brown tree snake (Boiga irregularis), thought to be a stowaway on a US military transport during World War II, has killed a large percentage of the native bird population on the previously snake-free island. These snakes, that have no natural predators on the island, were blamed for frequent blackouts in the 1980s by shorting out powerlines and transformers. Many power poles now have a slick metal sheath to prevent the snakes from climbing.

Introduced feral pigs and deer, over-hunting, and habitat loss from human development have all contributed to the loss of Guam's native plants and animals. The Spanish introduced pigs, dogs, chickens, the Philippine deer (Cervus mariannus), black francolins (a species of partridge), and water buffalo. Other introduced species include cane toads imported in 1937, the giant African Snail – an agricultural pest introduced during WWII – and more recently frog species that threaten crops in addition to being a new source of food for the brown tree snake population. Tinangaja, a plant virus affecting coconut palm trees, has left dead and infected trees throughout the forests of Guam. The dense forests of northern Guam have been replaced by thick Leucaena brush, a native to the Americas, known in Guam as “tangan tangan.”

Brown Tree Snake

Wild fires have devastated large areas of forest. Poachers often start fires so deer would be attracted to the new growth. Invasive grass species that rely on fire as part of their natural life cycle grow in many regularly burned areas. As a result, grasslands and barren areas have replaced previously forested areas, leading to greater soil erosion. which leads to water quality problems for southern Guam, and destruction of marine life in reefs around the island.

History

Chief Gadao is featured in many legends about Guam before European colonization.

Guam was first discovered by sea-faring people who migrated from Indonesia or the Philippines around 2000 B.C.E., according to legends and myths, archaeological evidence, Jesuit missionary accounts, and observations from visiting scientists.

The first European to discover the Mariana Island group was Ferdinand Magellan who, on March 6, 1521, observed the two southernmost islands and sailed between them. Magellan's crew called the islands “Islas de los Ladrones” (The Island of Thieves). The common account for this naming resulted from the theft of a boat from Magellan's ship, which may, in fact, have stemmed from cultural differences around private property. General Miguel López de Legazpi claimed Guam for Spain in 1565. Spanish colonization commenced in 1668 with the arrival of Padre San Vitores, who established the first Catholic mission.

Guam, along with the rest of the Mariana and Caroline Islands, were then governed as part of the Spanish East Indies from the Philippines. Between 1668 and 1815, Guam was an important resting stop on the Spanish trade route between Mexico and the Philippines. The original population of Guam declined significantly as a result of disease and rebellion against the Spaniards. Much of the adult male population was killed. In 1668, the Chamorros, who were typical Micronesians, with a considerable civilization, were estimated at 40,000 to 60,000; less than a century later, only 1,800 remained.

On June 21, 1898, Guam was captured by the United States in a bloodless invasion during the Spanish-American War. By the Treaty of Paris (1898), Spain officially ceded Guam to the United States. Since then, Guam served as a way-station for American ships traveling to and from the Philippines. The northern Mariana Islands passed to Germany, then Japan.

During World War II, Japanese armed forces invaded Guam on December 8, 1941. Chamorros from the Northern Mariana Islands were brought to Guam to serve as interpreters and in other capacities for the occupying Japanese force. The Guamanian Chamorros were treated as a conquered enemy. They were subjected to forced labor, family separation, prostitution, incarceration, execution, and concentration camps. Guamanian Chamorros came to resent the Chamorros in the Northern Marianas. To this day, Guam remains the only US soil, with a sizeable population, that suffered under foreign military power occupation.

Marines cross a bridge in Agat, Guam during the liberation of Guam in 1944.

Guam's occupation lasted for approximately 31 months. The United States returned and fought the Battle of Guam on July 21, 1944, to reclaim the island. The US also captured and occupied the Northern Marianas. Guam and Saipan provided the take-off point for the bombing of Hiroshima. When the armistice was signed, the war ended for everyone except one Japanese soldier who continued hiding out in Guam until 1990. His family thought that he had been killed in action.

The US Navy attempted to resume its dominance in Guam's internal affairs in the years immediately following World War II. This increased political pressure from Chamorro leaders for greater autonomy. The result was the Guam Organic Act of 1950, which established Guam as an unincorporated organized territory of the United States and, for the first time in Guam's history, provided for a civilian government, and granted the people United States citizenship.

On September 11, 1968, the Elective Governor Act (Public Law 90-497), allowed the people of Guam to elect their own governor and lieutenant governor. Nearly four years later, Congress passed the "Guam – Virgin Islands Delegate" Act that allowed for one non-voting Guam delegate in the House of Representatives. In the meantime, Guam's local government had formed several commissions to address options for self-determination.

Politics

War in the Pacific National Historical Park, Asan, Guam

Guam is governed by a popularly elected governor and a unicameral 15 member legislature. Guam elects one non-voting delegate to the US House of Representatives. Citizens of Guam, as with those of other unincorporated territories, do not vote for US Presidents.

In the 1980s and early 1990s, there was a significant movement in favor of the territory becoming a commonwealth, which would give it a political status similar to Puerto Rico and the Northern Mariana Islands. In Guam's first political status referendum in 1982, 49 percent of Guam residents who voted chose a closer relationship with the United States via Commonwealth, 26 percent voted for statehood, while ten percent voted for the status quo. In 1988, the first Guam Commonwealth Act was introduced in Congress. Delegates have subsequently reintroduced the bill with little success. Other groups advocate political independence from the United States, statehood, or a combination with the Northern Mariana Islands as a single commonwealth. Opponents say Guam does not have the financial resources to warrant such status.

Guam is divided into nineteen villages. The US military maintains jurisdiction over installations representing approximately one quarter of the island's area: Andersen Air Force Base, Yigo; Naval Air Station, Tiyan; Guam Naval Station, Orote peninsula; Ordnance Annex, South Central Highlands; and Naval Communications Station, Barrigada, and Finegayan.

Economy

Map of Guam

The economy depends largely on US military spending and tourism. Total US grants, wage payments, and procurement outlays amounted to US$1.3 billion in 2004. The Guam Treasury, rather than the US Treasury, receives federal income taxes paid by military and civilian Federal employees stationed in Guam. Over the past 30 years, the tourism industry has grown to become the largest income source following national defense.

Sometimes called "America in Asia," Guam is a popular destination for Japanese (90 percent), Korean, and Chinese tourists. With over 20 large hotels, a DFS Galleria, Pleasure Island aquarium, SandCastle Las Vegas shows, and other shopping and entertainment features in its chief tourism city of Tumon, the island's economy has grown dramatically. It is a relatively short flight from Asia compared to Hawaii, and a series of hotels and golf courses were built to cater to tourists. Significant sources of revenue include duty-free designer shopping outlets, and the American-style malls: Micronesia Mall, Guam Premium Outlets, and the Agana Shopping Center, and various businesses catering to tourists in Tumon.

Guam has a 14 percent unemployment rate, and the government sustained a US$314 million shortfall in 2003. Per capita gross domestic product was US$15,000 in 2005.

Exports totaled US$45 million in 2004. Export commodities were mostly trans-shipments of refined petroleum products, construction materials, fish, and food and beverage products. Export partners were Japan (67.2 percent), Singapore (11.6 percent), and the United Kingdom (4.8 percent). Imports totaled US$701 million. Import commodities were petroleum and petroleum products, food, and manufactured goods. Import partners were Singapore (50 percent), South Korea (21.4 percent), Japan (14 percent), and Hong Kong (4.6 percent).

Apra Harbor from the air

Most of the island has mobile phone service, and high speed internet is now widely available through cable or DSL. Most residents use cell phones. The telephone service is extremely reliable, as compared to 20 – 25 years ago when phone outages were common. Guam was added to the North American Numbering Plan in 1997, decreasing the high costs of international long-distance calls to the mainland. As Guam is also part of the US Postal System, mail to Guam from the mainland is considered domestic and no additional charges are required. Private shipping companies such as United Parcel Service, DHL, or FedEx also regard Guam is domestic, although this is often not reflected in the shipping charges for many mail-order companies or websites.

Guam is served by the Antonio B. Won Pat International Airport. There are no direct flights to Guam from the U.S. Mainland. Flights to Guam go through Hawaii, Japan, or Korea first and generally require a layover and a plane transfer. Most residents of Guam own cars. A limited bus system exists but is not used by many.

Demographics

The population of Guam reached over 150,000 by 2000, representing more than a six-fold increase since 1940, largely as a result of immigration after 1965. The largest immigrant population derives from the Philippines, followed by American military personnel and other Asian immigrants. Guam has a long life expectancy, 78.58 years for the total population.

The largest ethnic group are the native Chamorros, accounting for 37.3 percent of the total population. Other significant ethnic groups include those of Filipino (29.3 percent), White (7.1 percent), and Chuukese (7 percent) ethnicities. The rest are from other Pacific Islands or of Asian ancestry.

The official languages of the island are English and Chamorro. The Chamorro language, which is spoken throughout the Mariana Islands, is an Austronesian language.

While 85 percent of the population are baptized into the Roman Catholic faith, or belong to another Christian denomination, animistic beliefs persist, including a respect for ancestral spirits, or “taotaomo'na,” who are believed to occupy certain trees and other areas in the forests. Indigenous Chamorros believe their ancestors have lived in the Mariana Islands since the dawn of time, that the Mariana Islands are center of the universe, and that all human life began in Guam. While Spanish Catholic missionaries abolished the practices of the “makahna,” who mediated between the spiritual and physical world, many of them persist. Persons' spirits are widely believed to live beyond their physical life. Every year on All Soul's Day, Chamorros remember their ancestors by holding memorial services and decorating graves with flowers, candles, photographs, and other mementos.

The extended family, or clan, is the core of society. This can include grandparents, parents, children, grandchildren, cousins, and other relatives. Adoption is common. This enables childless women to raise a niece or nephew. Grandparents may exercise parental control over a grandchild. The groom's family sponsors any marriage, provides the bride with her wedding dress, and throws a party to show they can provide for their new daughter. Upon marriage, the woman was expected to relocate to her husband's clan land, although many live in whatever housing is available.

Chamorro society emphasizes respect for the elderly. There is a practice of sniffing the right hand of an elderly person to express one's deep regard. Clan elders held power and authority before colonial rule. There are two classes: the “manakhilo” (high people) and “manakpapa” (“low people”). The former includes wealthy families from the capital of Hagåtñta who have held positions of power since the colonial era. Most clans have members in both social classes. The rich and the poor live side by side within family compounds in rural villages.

Culture

A symbol of Chamorro strength, pride, resistance, and survival, is the latte stone, a megalithic structure used to elevate houses in the pre-colonial period. First built around 800 C.E., latte stones are large coral blocks composed of a trapezoidal stone pillar called a “haligi,” and a hemispherical cap called a “tasa.” Construction of these stones ceased after the onset of wars against Spanish colonizers. Jungle areas and sites in which latte stones are located are considered sacred. In precolonial years, people buried family members beneath latte stones and thus ancestral spirits are assumed to reside there.

In Chamorro culture, the sharing of food is part of a system of give and take reflecting a sense of obligation between people. Daily foods include rice, fish, breadfruit, and taro, in addition to imported canned goods, and fresh and frozen meats and vegetables. Each village celebrates the feast day of its patron saint. These feasts draw large crowds, and large quantities of food are prepared.

Literacy on Guam is high. Ninety-nine percent of people age 15 and over can read and write. In 2000, a total of 32,000 students attended Guam's public school system, however the public school system has been criticized for poor management and inadequate facilities. Lack of funding and corruption are often cited as the causes. Private schools had a total attendance of 6,000 in 2000, though attendance had increased before then. In 1998, the US Department of Defense opened schools for children of American military personnel. These schools had an attendance of 2,500 in 2000. The University of Guam and Guam Community College offer opportunities for higher education.

As a culture rooted in oral traditions, Guam has little written literature. A few Chamorro novels have been published. A literary journal published by the university's literature faculty motivates poets and other creative writers. There is a growing community of local painters and woodcarvers. The University of Guam's Fine Arts Theater, Southern High School's Performance Center, and the Tiyan Theater are popular venues for locally written and produced plays and musical performances.

Notes

↑ ^1.0 ^1.1 ^1.2 ^1.3 ^1.4 Central Intelligence Agency, Guam The World Factbook.

References
ISBN links support NWE through referral fees

Carter, Lee D., William L. Wuerch, and Rosa Roberta Carter, (eds.). Guam History: Perspectives, Volume One, MARC Educational Series No. 20, University of Hawaii Press, April 1995. ISBN 0824816781
Cunningham, Lawrence J. Ancient Chamorro Society. Bess Pr. Inc., 1992. ISBN 1880188066
Thomas, James O. Trapped With The Enemy: Four years as a civilian POW in Japan. XLibris Corp., 2002. ISBN 1401044131
Rogers, Robert F. Destiny’s Landfall: A History of Guam. University of Hawaii Press, 1995. ISBN 0824816781

External links

All links retrieved July 18, 2017.

Guam CIA World Factbook.
Andersen Air Force Base Guam Andersen Air Force Base.
Guam Countries and Their Cultures.
Northern Mariana Islands Countries and Their Cultures.
Guam Visitors Bureau visitguam.org.
Guam Chamber of Commerce
Guam Humanities Council
Map of Micronesia Map South Pacific.
Guam Maps Perry-Castañeda Library Map Collection at the University of Texas at Austin.
Hafa Adai and Welcome to Guam! Guam-OnLine.Com.

Countries and territories of Oceania
	Australia : Australia · Norfolk Island
	Melanesia : East Timor · Fiji · Maluku Islands & Western New Guinea (part of Indonesia) · New Caledonia · Papua New Guinea · Solomon Islands · Vanuatu
	Micronesia : Guam · Kiribati · Marshall Islands · Northern Mariana Islands · Federated States of Micronesia · Nauru · Palau · Wake Island
	Polynesia : American Samoa · Cook Islands · French Polynesia · Hawaii · New Zealand · Niue · Pitcairn Islands · Samoa · Tokelau · Tonga · Tuvalu · Wallis and Futuna

Credits

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Guam ^history

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History of "Guam"

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[CIA-1] 1.0 ^1.1 ^1.2 ^1.3 ^1.4 Central Intelligence Agency, Guam The World Factbook.

[1]

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
-{{Infobox Country  |
+{{Paid}}{{Approved}}{{Images OK}}{{Submitted}}{{Copyedited}}
-|native_name              = Territory of Guam<br>Guåhån
+{{Infobox Country
+|conventional_long_name =Guam
+|native_name              = ''{{lang|cha|Guåhån}}''
 |common_name              = Guam
 |image_flag              = Flag of Guam.svg
 |image_coat              = Coat of arms of Guam.svg
+|symbol_type              = Seal
 |image_map                = LocationGuam.png
-|national_motto          = Where America's Day Begins
+|national_motto          =
-|national_anthem          = Fanoghe Chamorro
+|national_anthem          = ''[[Stand Ye Guamanians|Fanohge Chamoru]]''
-|official_languages      = [[English language|English]], [[Chamorro language|Chamorro]]
+|official_languages      = [[English language|English]] and [[Chamorro language|Chamorro]]
 |capital                  = [[Hagåtña, Guam|Hagåtña]]
+|ethnic_groups            =  37.3% [[Chamorro people|Chamorro]], 26.3% [[Filipino Americans|Filipino]], 9.4% [[Multiracial Americans|Multiracial]], 7.1% [[Caucasian Americans|Caucasian]], 7.0% [[Chuukese people|Chuukese]], 4.6% Other, 2.2% [[Korean Americans|Korean]], 1.6% [[Chinese Americans|Chinese]], 1.6% [[Palauan Americans|Palauan]], 1.5% [[Japanese Americans|Japanese]], 1.4% [[Pohnpei State|Pohnpeian]]<ref name=CIA>Central Intelligence Agency, Guam ''The World Factbook''.</ref>
 |latd= |latm= |latNS= |longd= |longm= |longEW=
-|largest_city            = [[Dededo, Guam|Dededo]]
+|largest_settlement_type  = village
-|government_type          = Territory of [[United States|USA]]
+|largest_settlement      = [[Dededo, Guam|Dededo]]
 |leader_title1            = [[President of the United States|President]]
+|leader_name1            = [[Donald Trump]] ([[Republican Party (United States)|R]])
 |leader_title2            = [[List of Guam Governors|Governor]]
-|leader_name1             = [[George W. Bush]] (R)
+|leader_name2             = [[Eddie Calvo]] ([[Republican Party (United States)|R]])
-|leader_name2             = [[Felix Perez Camacho]] (R)
+|leader_title3            = [[Lieutenant Governor of Guam|Lt. Governor]]
-|area_rank                = 192nd
+|leader_name3             = [[Ray Tenorio]] ([[Republican Party (United States)|R]])
+|area_rank                = 190th
 |area_magnitude          = 1 E8
-|area                    = 543.52
+|area_km2                = 541.3
-|areami²                  = 209.85 <!-- Do not remove per [[WP:MOSNUM]] —>
+|area_sq_mi              = 209 <!--Do not remove per [[WP:MOSNUM]]—>
 |percent_water            = negligible
-|population_estimate     =  170,000
+|population_estimate = 162,742<ref name=CIA/>
-|population_estimate_rank = 186th
+|population_census = 159,358<ref name=CIA/>
-|population_estimate_year = July 2006
+|population_estimate_year = 2016
-|population_census        =
+|population_estimate_rank = n/a
-|population_census_year   =
+|population_census_year = 2010
-|population_density      = 307
+|population_density_sq_mi = 775
-|population_densitymi²    = 795 <!-- Do not remove per [[WP:MOSNUM]] —>
+|GDP_PPP = $4.88 billion<ref name=CIA/>
-|population_density_rank  = 37th
+|GDP_PPP_year = 2013
-|GDP_PPP                 = $3.2 billion
+|GDP_PPP_rank =
-|GDP_PPP_rank            = 167th
+|GDP_PPP_per_capita = $30,500<ref name=CIA/>
-|GDP_PPP_year            = 2000
+|GDP_PPP_per_capita_rank =
-|GDP_PPP_per_capita       = $21,000 (2000 est.)
+|HDI                      =
-|GDP_PPP_per_capita_rank  = 35th
+|HDI_rank                =
-|sovereignty_type        = [[Independence]]
+|HDI_year                =
-|sovereignty_note        = none (territory of the [[United States|USA]])
+|HDI_category            =
-|HDI                      = n/a
+|demonym                  = Guamanian
-|HDI_rank                = n/a
-|HDI_year                = n/a
-|HDI_category            = n/a
 |currency                = [[United States dollar]]
 |currency_code            = USD
-|country_code            =
+|country_code            = 1
-|time_zone                = [[Chamorro Standard Time]] -
+|time_zone                = [[Chamorro Standard Time]]
 |utc_offset              = +10
 |time_zone_DST            = (no DST)
 |utc_offset_DST          =
 |cctld                    = [[.gu]]
-|calling_code            = 1-671
+|calling_code            = [[+1-671]]
-|footnotes               =
+|footnote1               = 2000 estimate.
 }}
-'''Guam''' ([[Chamorro language|Chamorro]]: ''Guåhån''), officially the '''U.S. Territory of Guam''', is an island in the Western [[Pacific Ocean]] and is an [[organized territory|organized]] [[unincorporated territory]] of the [[United States]]. Its inhabitants are the [[Chamorros]], who first populated the island approximately 4,000 years ago. It is the largest and southernmost of the [[Mariana Islands]]. The capital is [[Hagåtña, Guam|Hagåtña]], formerly Agana (pronounced Agaña). Guam's economy is mainly supported by [[tourism]] (particularly from [[Japan]], [[Korea]] and [[China]]) and [[United States armed forces]] bases. The [[United Nations]] Committee on Decolonization includes Guam on the [[United Nations list of Non-Self-Governing Territories]].
+'''Guam''' ([[Chamorro language|Chamorro]]: ''Guåhån''), officially the '''U.S. Territory of Guam''', is an island in the Western [[Pacific Ocean]] and is an organized unincorporated territory of the [[United States]]. Its indigenous people are the [[Chamorros]], who first populated the island approximately 4,000 years ago. It is the largest and southernmost of the [[Mariana Islands]]. Guam provided one take-off point for the bombing of Hiroshima, which brought about the defeat of Japan in the [[World War II]]. Guam's five U.S. military installations, among the most strategically vital in the Pacific Ocean, take up one quarter of the territory's area.
+{{toc}}
 ==Geography==
-{{main|Geography of Guam}}
-[[Image:GuamMap.png|thumb|260px|right|Map of Guam]]
-Guam (or Guahan in Chamorro) is located at 13.5°N 144.5°E and has an area of 210 [[square mile]]s (544 [[square kilometre|km²]]).  The northern part of the island is a forested coralline limestone plateau while the south contains volcanic peaks covered in forest and grassland.  A coral reef surrounds most of the island, except in areas where bays exist that provide access to small rivers and streams that run down from the hills into the Pacific Ocean and Philippine Sea.  The island's population is most dense in the northern and central regions.  Guam is the southernmost island in the Mariana island chain and is the largest island in Micronesia.  This island chain was created as a result of the colliding of the Pacific and Philippine tectonic plates.  The [[Marianas Trench]], a deep [[subduction zone]], lies beside the island chain to the eastern part of the island.  The [[Challenger Deep]], the deepest point on [[earth]], is southwest of Guam at 35,797&nbsp;[[foot (unit of length)|feet]] (10,911&nbsp;[[meter|m]]) deep.  The island experiences occasional [[earthquake]]s due to being on the edge of the [[Pacific Plate]]. In recent years, quakes with epicenters near Guam have had magnitudes ranging from 5.0 to 8.2.  Unlike the [[Anatahan]] [[volcano]] in the northern Marianas, Guam is not volcanically active.  However, due to wind direction and proximity, volcanic ash activity does affect Guam from time to time, however, to a lesser degree.
+Guam, the largest island in [[Micronesia]], is 1,500 miles (2414 km) southeast of [[Tokyo]] and 6,000 miles (9656 km) west of [[San Francisco]], and has an area of 210 square miles (544 sq km). The northern part of the island is a [[forest]]ed [[coral]]line [[limestone]] [[plateau]] while the south contains [[volcano|volcanic]] peaks covered in forest and [[grassland]]. A coral reef surrounds most of the island, except in areas where bays exist that provide access to small rivers and streams. The island's population is most dense in the northern and central regions. The capital is Hagåtña, formerly Agana (pronounced Agaña).
+The Mariana island chain was created as a result of the Pacific and Philippine tectonic plates colliding. The [[Marianas Trench]] lies to the east of the island chain. [[The Challenger Deep]], the deepest point on earth, is southwest of Guam at 35,797 feet (10,911 m) deep.
+The island sustains occasional earthquakes due to its location on the edge of the Pacific Plate. Unlike the Anatahan volcano in the [[Northern Mariana Islands]], Guam is not volcanically active.
+Guam has a tropical marine climate. The weather is generally warm and humid with little seasonal temperature variation. The mean high temperature is 86° Fahrenheit (30°Celsius) and the mean low is 76°F (24°C) with an average annual rainfall of 86 inches (2,180 mm). The dry season runs from December through June. The highest risk of [[typhoon]]s is during October and November. After Super Typhoon Pamela in 1976, concrete structures started replace the more traditional wooden buildings.
+Guam's indigenous [[ecology]] has been largely destroyed and supplanted by introduced species. The slightly venomous but rather harmless brown tree snake (Boiga irregularis), thought to be a stowaway on a US military transport during World War II, has killed a large percentage of the native bird population on the previously snake-free island. These snakes, that have no natural predators on the island, were blamed for frequent blackouts in the 1980s by shorting out powerlines and transformers. Many power poles now have a slick metal sheath to prevent the snakes from climbing.
+Introduced [[feral pig]]s and [[deer]], over-hunting, and habitat loss from human development have all contributed to the loss of Guam's native plants and animals. The Spanish introduced [[pig]]s, [[dog]]s, [[chicken]]s, the Philippine deer (Cervus mariannus), black francolins (a species of [[partridge]]), and [[water buffalo]]. Other introduced species include cane toads imported in 1937, the giant [[African Snail]] &ndash; an agricultural pest introduced during WWII &ndash; and more recently [[frog]] species that threaten crops in addition to being a new source of food for the brown tree snake population. Tinangaja, a plant virus affecting [[coconut palm]] trees, has left dead and infected trees throughout the forests of Guam. The dense forests of northern Guam have been replaced by thick Leucaena brush, a native to the Americas, known in Guam as “tangan tangan.”
-[[Image:South Guam from space.JPG|200px]] [[Image:Guam from space.JPG|200px]]
+[[Image:snake_browntree.jpg|thumb|300px|right|Brown Tree Snake]]
-*Satellite images of southern and northern Guam.
+Wild fires have devastated large areas of forest. Poachers often start fires so deer would be attracted to the new growth. Invasive grass species that rely on fire as part of their natural life cycle grow in many regularly burned areas. As a result, grasslands and barren areas have replaced previously forested areas, leading to greater soil erosion. which leads to water quality problems for southern Guam, and destruction of marine life in reefs around the island.
 ==History==
-{{main|History of Guam}}
+[[Image:Gadao_Guam.jpg|left|thumb|300px|Chief [[Gadao]] is featured in many legends about Guam before European colonization.]]
-[[Portugal|Portuguese]] navigator [[Ferdinand Magellan]] reached the island in 1521 during his circumnavigation of the globe. General [[Miguel López de Legazpi]] claimed Guam for Spain in 1565. Spanish colonization commenced in 1668 with the arrival of Padre [[San Vitores]], who established the first Catholic mission.  The islands were then governed as part of the [[Spanish East Indies]] from the Philippines. Between 1668 and 1815, Guam was an important resting stop on the [[Spain|Spanish]] trade route between [[Mexico]] and the [[Philippines]]. Guam, along with the rest of the Mariana and [[Caroline islands]], was treated by Spain as part of their colony in the Philippines. While Guam's Chamorro culture is unique, the cultures of both Guam and the Northern Marianas were heavily influenced by Spanish culture and traditions.
-The [[United States]] [[Capture of Guam|took control]] of the island in the 1898 [[Spanish-American War]]. Guam came to serve as a way station for American ships traveling to and from the Philippines, while the northern Mariana islands passed to Germany then Japan.
+[[Guam]] was first discovered by sea-faring people who migrated from [[Indonesia]] or the [[Philippines]] around 2000 B.C.E., according to legends and myths, archaeological evidence, [[Jesuit]] missionary accounts, and observations from visiting scientists.
-During [[World War II]], Guam was attacked and invaded by the Japanese armed forces on December 8, 1941. The Northern Mariana Islands had become a Japanese protectorate before the war.  It was the Chamorros from the Northern Marianas who were brought to Guam to serve as interpreters and in other capacities for the occupying Japanese force.  The Guamanian Chamorros were treated as an occupied enemy by the Japanese military.  After the war, this would cause some resentment by the Guamanian Chamorros towards the Chamorros in the Northern Marianas. To this day, Guam remains the only U.S. soil, with a sizeable population, that suffered under foreign military power occupation.  Guam's occupation lasted for approximately thirty-one months.  During this period, the indigenous people of Guam were subjected to forced labor, family separation, incarceration, execution, concentration camps and prostitution. The United States returned and fought the [[Battle of Guam]] in July 21, 1944 to recapture the island from Japanese military occupation. The U.S. also captured and occupied the Northern Marianas. After the war, The [[Guam Organic Act of 1950]], which established Guam as an unincorporated [[organized territory]] of the United States, provided for the structure of the island's government, and granted the people United States citizenship.
+The first European to discover the Mariana Island group was [[Ferdinand Magellan]] who, on March 6, 1521, observed the two southernmost islands and sailed between them. Magellan's crew called the islands “Islas de los Ladrones” (The Island of Thieves). The common account for this naming resulted from the theft of a boat from Magellan's ship, which may, in fact, have stemmed from cultural differences around private property. General [[Miguel López de Legazpi]] claimed Guam for [[Spain]] in 1565. Spanish colonization commenced in 1668 with the arrival of [[Padre San Vitores]], who established the first [[Roman Catholic|Catholic]] mission.
-==Government and politics==
+Guam, along with the rest of the Mariana and [[Caroline Islands]], were then governed as part of the Spanish East Indies from the [[Philippines]]. Between 1668 and 1815, Guam was an important resting stop on the Spanish trade route between [[Mexico]] and the Philippines. The original population of Guam declined significantly as a result of disease and rebellion against the Spaniards. Much of the adult male population was killed. In 1668, the Chamorros, who were typical [[Micronesia]]ns, with a considerable civilization, were estimated at 40,000 to 60,000; less than a century later, only 1,800 remained.
-[[Image:Wapa new parknet photos.jpg|right|thumb|400px|War in the Pacific National Historical Park, Asan, Guam]]
-<!--Please add new information into relevant articles of the series—>{{morepolitics|country=Guam}}
+On June 21, 1898, Guam was captured by the [[United States]] in a bloodless invasion during the [[Spanish-American War]]. By the [[Treaty of Paris (1898)]], Spain officially ceded Guam to the United States. Since then, Guam served as a way-station for American ships traveling to and from the [[Philippines]]. The northern Mariana Islands passed to [[Germany]], then [[Japan]].
-Guam is governed by a popularly elected [[governor]] and a [[unicameral]] 15 member [[legislature]]. Guam elects one non-voting delegate to the [[US House of Representatives]], currently Congresswoman [[Madeleine Bordallo]]. During U.S. Presidential elections, citizens in Guam vote in a "straw poll" for their choice of president, but it doesn't count toward the general election results.
+During [[World War II]], Japanese armed forces invaded Guam on December 8, 1941. Chamorros from the Northern Mariana Islands were brought to Guam to serve as interpreters and in other capacities for the occupying Japanese force. The Guamanian Chamorros were treated as a conquered enemy. They were subjected to forced labor, family separation, prostitution, incarceration, execution, and concentration camps. Guamanian Chamorros came to resent the Chamorros in the Northern Marianas. To this day, Guam remains the only US soil, with a sizeable population, that suffered under foreign military power occupation.
-In the 1980s and early 1990s, there was a significant movement in favor of the Territory becoming a [[commonwealth (United States insular area)|commonwealth]], which would give it a political status similar to [[Puerto Rico]] and the [[Northern Mariana Islands]].  However, the Federal government gave no response to Guam's request for Commonwealth status for a decade before Guam leaders gave up the quest in the late 1990s. Competing movements with less significant influence exist, which advocate political independence from the United States, statehood, or a combination with the Northern Mariana Islands as a single commonwealth. These proposals however, are not seen as favorable or realistic within the U.S. federal government, which argues Guam does not have the financial stability or self sufficiency to warrant such status. The same sources quickly provide evidence of Guam’s increasing reliance on Federal spending, and question how commonwealth status or statehood would benefit the United States as a greater whole.
+[[Image:Agat_1944.jpg|right|thumb|290px|[[Marines]] cross a bridge in Agat, Guam during the liberation of Guam in 1944.]]
-{{seealso|List of Guam Governors}}
-==Administrative divisions==
+Guam's occupation lasted for approximately 31 months. The United States returned and fought the Battle of Guam on July 21, 1944, to reclaim the island. The US also captured and occupied the Northern Marianas. Guam and Saipan provided the take-off point for the bombing of Hiroshima. When the armistice was signed, the war ended for everyone except one Japanese soldier who continued hiding out in Guam until 1990. His family thought that he had been killed in action.
-{{main|Villages of Guam}}
-Guam is divided into nineteen [[village]]s: Agana Heights, Agat, Asan, Barrigada, Chalan Pago-Ordot, Dededo, Hagatna, Inarajan, Mangilao, Merizo, Mongmong-Toto-Maite, Piti, Santa Rita, Sinajana, Talafofo, Tamuning, Umatac, Yigo and Yona.
-The U.S. military maintains jurisdiction over bases comprising approximately one quarter of the island's area:
+The US Navy attempted to resume its dominance in Guam's internal affairs in the years immediately following World War II. This increased political pressure from Chamorro leaders for greater autonomy. The result was the Guam Organic Act of 1950, which established Guam as an unincorporated organized territory of the [[United States]] and, for the first time in Guam's history, provided for a civilian government, and granted the people United States citizenship.
-*[[Andersen Air Force Base]], Yigo
-*[[Naval Air Station]], Tiyan (now administered by the government of Guam)
-*[[Guam Naval Station]], Orote peninsula
-*[[Ordnance Annex]], South Central Highlands (formerly known as Naval Magazine)
-*[[Naval communications station]], Barrigada and Finegayan
-== Economy ==
+On September 11, 1968, the Elective Governor Act (Public Law 90-497), allowed the people of Guam to elect their own governor and lieutenant governor. Nearly four years later, Congress passed the "Guam &ndash; [[Virgin Islands]] Delegate" Act that allowed for one non-voting Guam delegate in the House of Representatives. In the meantime, Guam's local government had formed several commissions to address options for self-determination.
-Guam's economy depends primarily on tourism, the United States military base presence, and other federal spending. Although Guam receives no foreign aid, it does receive large transfer payments from the general revenues of the U.S. Federal Treasury into which Guam pays no income or excise taxes; under the provisions of a special law of Congress, the Guam Treasury, rather than the US Treasury, receives federal income taxes paid by military and civilian Federal employees stationed in Guam.
-Sometimes called "America in Asia," Guam is a popular destination for Japanese, Korean, and Chinese tourists, and with over 20 large hotels, a DFS Galleria, Pleasure Island aquarium, SandCastle Las Vegas shows and other shopping and entertainment features in its chief tourism city of [[Tumon]], the island's economy has grown dramatically.  It is a relatively short flight from Asia compared to [[Hawaii]], and a series of hotels and golf courses were built to cater to tourists.  Today, about 90 percent of tourists to Guam are Japanese.  Significant sources of revenue include [[duty-free]] designer shopping outlets, and the American-style malls: [[Micronesia Mall]], [[Guam Premium Outlets]], and the [[Agana Shopping Center]] and various businesses catering to tourists in [[Tumon]].
+==Politics==
-The economy had been stable since 2000 due to increased tourism, mainly from Japan, but took a more recent downturn along with the rest of Asia. It is expected to stabilize with the recent news that all US Marine personnel and operations currently in Okinawa (appr.5000) will transfer to Guam sometime in 2007-2008.  Guam has a 14% unemployment rate, and the government suffered a $314 million shortfall in 2003.[http://pacificweb.org/guam/2004%20Guam%20Yearbook/2004_Guam_Yearbook_FinalR2_Full%20Version.pdf]
+[[Image:Wapa new parknet photos.jpg|right|thumb|400px|War in the Pacific National Historical Park, Asan, Guam]]
-The following is the amount in billion of dollars, that the Government of Guam has spent in Federal grants for various government and economic expenditures minus those of the United States Armed Forces:[http://investguam.com/Stats/FedExp93-03guam.pdf]
+Guam is governed by a popularly elected governor and a unicameral 15 member legislature. Guam elects one non-voting delegate to the US House of Representatives. Citizens of Guam, as with those of other unincorporated territories, do not vote for US Presidents.
-::1993 - $1.004
-::1994 - $1.061
-::1995 - $0.809
-::1996 - $0.829
-::1997 - $0.846
-::1998 - $0.998
-::1999 - $0.844
-::2000 - $0.841
-::2001 - $0.907
-::2002 - $1.113
-::2003 - $1.538
-"The [http://www.fm/jcn/compact/introfr.html Compact of Free Association] between the United States of America, the Federated States of Micronesia, and the Republic of the Marshall Islands was signed in 1982, and ratified in 1986. It accorded the former entities of the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands a political status of 'free association'" with the United States.  The Compact was an agreement to which Guam was not a party.  Over the years, it was claimed by some in Guam that Guam has had to bear the brunt of this agreement in the form of public assistance programs and public education for those from the regions involved, but was never compensated by the federal government for its expenditures.
+In the 1980s and early 1990s, there was a significant movement in favor of the territory becoming a commonwealth, which would give it a political status similar to [[Puerto Rico]] and the [[Northern Mariana Islands]]. In Guam's first political status referendum in 1982, 49 percent of Guam residents who voted chose a closer relationship with the United States via Commonwealth, 26 percent voted for statehood, while ten percent voted for the ''status quo.'' In 1988, the first Guam Commonwealth Act was introduced in Congress. Delegates have subsequently reintroduced the bill with little success. Other groups advocate political independence from the United States, statehood, or a combination with the Northern Mariana Islands as a single commonwealth. Opponents say Guam does not have the financial resources to warrant such status.
-[[Image:Apra_Guam.jpg|right|thumb|300px|Apra Harbor from the air]]
+Guam is divided into nineteen villages. The US military maintains jurisdiction over installations representing approximately one quarter of the island's area: Andersen Air Force Base, Yigo; Naval Air Station, Tiyan; Guam Naval Station, Orote peninsula; Ordnance Annex, South Central Highlands; and Naval Communications Station, Barrigada, and Finegayan.
-== Transportation and communications==
+== Economy ==
-{{main|Communications in Guam|Transportation in Guam}}
+[[Image:GuamMap.png|thumb|260px|right|Map of Guam]]
-Most of the island has mobile phone service and high speed internet is now widely available through cable or DSL.  Cell phones are used by a majority of residents, and the telephone service is extremely reliable, as compared to 20-25 years ago when phone outages were common. Guam was added to the North American Numbering Plan in 1997, removing barriers of high costs of international long-distance calls to the mainland.
-As Guam is also part of the U.S. Postal System, mail to Guam from the mainland is considered domestic and no additional charges are required. Private shipping companies such as UPS, DHL or FedEx also regard Guam is domestic, although this is often not reflected in the shipping charges for many mail-order companies or websites. Mail will take approximately 1-2 weeks to travel between Guam and California.  Express mail and Fedex takes a minimum of three to four days to reach the U.S. Most of the residents use post office boxes to receive their mail and as their mailing addresses, though home delivery is becoming increasingly available.
+The economy depends largely on US military spending and tourism. Total US grants, wage payments, and procurement outlays amounted to US$1.3 billion in 2004. The Guam Treasury, rather than the US Treasury, receives federal income taxes paid by military and civilian Federal employees stationed in Guam. Over the past 30 years, the tourism industry has grown to become the largest income source following national defense.
-Guam is served by the [[Antonio B. Won Pat International Airport]]. There are no direct flights to Guam from the [[Continental United States|U.S. Mainland]].  Flights to Guam go through Hawaii, Japan, or Korea first and generally requires a layover and a plane transfer.  To fly to Guam from the mainland, through Hawaii, requires a five-hour flight from San Francisco or Los Angeles, for example, and another 7.5-hour flight from Hawaii to Guam. To fly to Guam from the mainland, through Japan or Korea, requires a 10-12-hour flight from the mainland to Korea or Japan, and another 3-4-hour flight to Guam.
+Sometimes called "America in Asia," Guam is a popular destination for [[Japan]]ese (90 percent), [[Korea]]n, and [[China|Chinese]] tourists. With over 20 large hotels, a DFS Galleria, Pleasure Island aquarium, SandCastle Las Vegas shows, and other shopping and entertainment features in its chief tourism city of [[Tumon]], the island's economy has grown dramatically. It is a relatively short flight from Asia compared to [[Hawaii]], and a series of hotels and golf courses were built to cater to tourists. Significant sources of revenue include duty-free designer shopping outlets, and the American-style malls: Micronesia Mall, Guam Premium Outlets, and the Agana Shopping Center, and various businesses catering to tourists in Tumon.
-Most residents travel in Guam using personally owned cars. A limited bus system for residents exists but is not used by many residents.
+Guam has a 14 percent unemployment rate, and the government sustained a US$314 million shortfall in 2003. Per capita gross domestic product was US$15,000 in 2005.
-==Climate==
+Exports totaled US$45 million in 2004. Export commodities were mostly trans-shipments of refined petroleum products, construction materials, fish, and food and beverage products. Export partners were Japan (67.2 percent), [[Singapore]] (11.6 percent), and the [[United Kingdom]] (4.8 percent). Imports totaled US$701 million. Import commodities were petroleum and petroleum products, food, and manufactured goods. Import partners were Singapore (50 percent), [[South Korea]] (21.4 percent), Japan (14 percent), and [[Hong Kong]] (4.6 percent).
-The climate is characterized as tropical marine. The weather is generally warm and humid with little seasonal temperature variation. The mean high temperature is 86°[[Fahrenheit|F]] (30&nbsp;°[[Celsius|C]]) and mean low is 76°[[Fahrenheit|F]] (24&nbsp;°[[Celsius|C]]) with an average annual rainfall of 86 [[inch]]es (2,180&nbsp;[[millimeter|mm]]).  The dry season runs from December through June. The remaining months constitute the rainy season. The highest risk of typhoons is during October and November.
-An average of three tropical storms and one typhoon pass within 180 nautical miles <!--nautical or statute? Erring on the side of caution and guessing nautical:—>(330&nbsp;km) of Guam each year. The most intense typhoon to pass over Guam recently was Super Typhoon Pongsona, with sustained winds of 180 miles per hour, which slammed Guam leaving massive destruction on December 8, 2002 (see [[1976 Pacific typhoon season]], [http://www.pacificworlds.com/guam/land/winds.cfm][http://www.rms.com/Catastrophe/Models/Guam.asp]). After Super Typhoon Pamela in [[1976]] wooden structures began to be replaced by concrete.  By the [[1980s]] many homes were concrete and "Typhoon proof".  Since the [[1980s]] wooden utility poles were slowly replaced by typhoon resistant concrete and steel poles.  In the [[1990s]] many home and bussiness owners installed [[typhoon shutters]].
+[[Image:Apra_Guam.jpg|right|thumb|300px|Apra Harbor from the air]]
-==Ecological issues=={{NPOV-section}}
+Most of the island has mobile phone service, and high speed internet is now widely available through cable or DSL. Most residents use cell phones. The telephone service is extremely reliable, as compared to 20 &ndash; 25 years ago when phone outages were common. Guam was added to the North American Numbering Plan in 1997, decreasing the high costs of international long-distance calls to the mainland. As Guam is also part of the US Postal System, mail to Guam from the mainland is considered domestic and no additional charges are required. Private shipping companies such as United Parcel Service, DHL, or FedEx also regard Guam is domestic, although this is often not reflected in the shipping charges for many mail-order companies or websites.
-===The brown tree snake===
-[[Image:snake_browntree.jpg|thumb|300px|right|Brown Tree Snake]]
-The island is also known as a example of the effects of [[Invasive species|bioinvasion]]: Thought to be a [[stowaway]] on a U.S. military transport near the end of World War II, the slightly venomous, but rather harmless, [[brown tree snake]] (''Boiga irregularis'') came to Guam and killed a large percentage of the native bird population on the previously snake-free island. This snake has no natural predators on the island. Although some studies have suggested a high density of the brown tree snake, residents rarely see these snakes. As prodigious climbers, the snakes were blamed for frequent blackouts in the 1980s by shorting across lines and transformers.  Many power poles now have a slick metal sheath to prevent the snakes from climbing and such blackouts are now rare.
-Many Guam residents feel that nationwide publicity concerning the brown tree snake and references to this species "hanging on trees like spaghetti" has caused much misinformation concerning the actual extent of the problem. While most residents acknowledge that the brown tree snake is somewhat of problem, they don't feel that it is to the extent portrayed by shows such as NBC's <i>[[20/20]]</i> in the 1990s.
+Guam is served by the Antonio B. Won Pat International Airport. There are no direct flights to Guam from the U.S. Mainland. Flights to Guam go through Hawaii, Japan, or Korea first and generally require a layover and a plane transfer. Most residents of Guam own cars. A limited bus system exists but is not used by many.
-===Other invasive animal species===
+==Demographics==
-[[Image:Marine toad Bufo marinus USGS Photograph.sized.jpg|thumb|250px|left|A [[Cane toad|Guam toad]].]]
+The population of Guam reached over 150,000 by 2000, representing more than a six-fold increase since 1940, largely as a result of immigration after 1965. The largest immigrant population derives from the [[Philippines]], followed by American military personnel and other Asian immigrants. Guam has a long life expectancy, 78.58 years for the total population.
-From the 17th through 19th centuries, the Spanish introduced pigs, dogs, chickens, the Philippine deer (Cervus mariannus), [[black francolin]]s, and [[water buffalo]].  Water buffalo, known as [[carabao]] locally, have cultural significance.  Herds of these animals obstruct military base operations and harm native ecosystems.  After birth control and adoption efforts were ineffective, the U.S. military began euthanizing the herds leading to organized protests from island residents.  [http://www.animalrights.net/archives/year/2003/000392.html]
-Other introduced species include [[cane toads]] imported in 1937, the giant African Snail&mdash;an agricultural pest introduced during WWII&mdash;and more recently frog species which could threaten crops in addition to providing additional food for the brown tree snake population.  Reports of loud chirping frogs that may have arrived from Hawaii have led to fears that the noise could even threaten Guam's tourism.  [http://www.frogs.org/news/article.asp?CategoryID=93&InfoResourceID=1799]  Introduced feral pigs and deer, over-hunting, and habitat loss from human development are also major factors in the decline and loss of Guam's native plants and animals.
+The largest ethnic group are the native Chamorros, accounting for 37.3 percent of the total population. Other significant ethnic groups include those of Filipino (29.3 percent), White (7.1 percent), and Chuukese (7 percent) ethnicities. The rest are from other Pacific Islands or of Asian ancestry.
-===Threats to indigenous plants===
+The official languages of the island are English and Chamorro. The Chamorro language, which is spoken throughout the Mariana Islands, is an Austronesian language.
-Invading animal species are not the only threat to Guam's native flora.  Tinangaja, a [[plant virus|virus]] affecting coconut palms, was first observed on the island in 1917 when [[copra]] production was still a major part of Guam's economy.  Though coconut plantations no longer exist on the island, the dead and infected trees that have resulted from the epidemic are seen throughout the forests of Guam. [http://www.apsnet.org/phyto/PDFS/1998/0527-01R.pdf]  The dense forests of northern guam have been largely replaced by thick tangan tangan brush (Leucaena-native to the Americas). Much of Guam and Saipan's folliage was lost during World War II.  In 1947, the U.S. military introduced the plant by seeding the island from the air to prevent [[erosion]].  Non-native grass species also dominate much of southern Guam's landscape.
-[[Image:Guam Grassland.jpg|right|thumb|200px]]
+While 85 percent of the population are baptized into the [[Roman Catholic]] faith, or belong to another [[Christian]] denomination, [[animisim|animistic]] beliefs persist, including a respect for ancestral spirits, or “taotaomo'na,” who are believed to occupy certain trees and other areas in the forests. Indigenous Chamorros believe their ancestors have lived in the Mariana Islands since the dawn of time, that the [[Mariana Islands]] are center of the universe, and that all human life began in Guam. While Spanish Catholic missionaries abolished the practices of the “makahna,” who mediated between the spiritual and physical world, many of them persist. Persons' spirits are widely believed to live beyond their physical life. Every year on [[All Soul's Day]], Chamorros remember their ancestors by holding memorial services and decorating graves with flowers, candles, photographs, and other mementos.
-===Wildfires===
+The extended family, or clan, is the core of society. This can include grandparents, parents, children, grandchildren, cousins, and other relatives. Adoption is common. This enables childless women to raise a niece or nephew. Grandparents may exercise parental control over a grandchild. The groom's family sponsors any marriage, provides the bride with her wedding dress, and throws a party to show they can provide for their new daughter. Upon marriage, the woman was expected to relocate to her husband's clan land, although many live in whatever housing is available.
-[[Wildfire]]s plague the forested ("boonie" or "jungle") areas of Guam every [[dry season]] despite the island's humid climate.  Most fires are man-caused with 80 percent resulting from [[arson]]. (See [http://www.guamforestry.org/docs/final_guam_2004.pdf| Territory of Guam Fire Assessment January 2004], Pgs. 6-7) [[Poaching|Poachers]] often start fires to attract deer to the new growth. Invasive grass species that rely on fire as part of their natural life cycle grow in many regularly burned areas.  [[Grassland]]s and "barrens" have replaced previously forested areas leading to greater soil [[erosion]].  During the [[rainy season]] sediment is carried by the heavy rains into the [[Fena Lake]] Resevoir and [[Ugum River]] leading to water quality problems for southern Guam.  Eroded silt also destroys the marine life in reefs around the island.  Soil stabilization efforts by volunteers and forestry workers to plant trees have had little success in preserving natural habitats.? [http://www.nps.gov/wapa/indepth/Park/Natural/fire/fireguam.htm] [http://www.guampdn.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060722/OPINION02/607220311/1014]
-===Aquatic preserves===
+Chamorro society emphasizes respect for the elderly. There is a practice of sniffing the right hand of an elderly person to express one's deep regard. Clan elders held power and authority before colonial rule. There are two classes: the “manakhilo” (high people) and “manakpapa” (“low people”). The former includes wealthy families from the capital of Hagåtñta who have held positions of power since the colonial era. Most clans have members in both social classes. The rich and the poor live side by side within family compounds in rural villages.
-As a vacation spot for [[scuba diver]]s, efforts have been made to protect Guam's coral reef habitats from [[pollution]], eroded [[silt]], and [[overfishing]] that have led to decreased fish populations.  In recent years the Department of Agriculture, Division of Aquatic and Wildlife Resources has established several new marine preserves where fish populations are monitored by biologists.[http://www.guampdn.com/guampublishing/special-sections/mlsea/8-future.htm]  A federal Guam National Wildlife Refuge in northern Guam protects the decimated [[sea turtle]] population in addition to a small colony of Mariana fruit bats.[http://www.cep.unt.edu/ISEE/n12-3-01.htm]
-<center><gallery>
+==Culture==
-Image:Whitespotted boxfish Ostracion meleagris photo Randall J E.jpg
-Image:Royal angelfish Pygoplites diacanthus photo Patzner R.jpg
-</gallery>Reef fish of Guam.</center>
-In the 1990s, as hotels filled up the beachfront property along [[Tumon Bay]], the bay was dredged by the hotel community to remove the seaweed and rocks that "despoiled the beauty" of the beach and provided hazards.  Though Tumon Bay is a protected reserve, it will take many years for the seaweed and fish to return.
+A symbol of Chamorro strength, pride, resistance, and survival, is the latte stone, a megalithic structure used to elevate houses in the pre-colonial period. First built around 800 C.E., latte stones are large coral blocks composed of a trapezoidal stone pillar called a “haligi,” and a hemispherical cap called a “tasa.” Construction of these stones ceased after the onset of wars against Spanish colonizers. Jungle areas and sites in which latte stones are located are considered sacred. In precolonial years, people buried family members beneath latte stones and thus ancestral spirits are assumed to reside there.
-==Education==
+In Chamorro culture, the sharing of food is part of a system of give and take reflecting a sense of obligation between people. Daily foods include [[rice]], [[fish]], [[breadfruit]], and [[taro]], in addition to imported canned goods, and fresh and frozen meats and vegetables. Each village celebrates the feast day of its patron saint. These feasts draw large crowds, and large quantities of food are prepared.
-[[Image:UOG Campus.jpg|thumb|300px|right|The [[University of Guam]].]]
-===Primary and secondary schools===
-{{seealso|List of Guam schools}}
-The [[Guam Public School System]] [http://www.doe.edu.gu/] serves the entire island of Guam. In 2000, 32,000 students attended Guam's public schools. Guam's public school system has been criticized for having poor management and inadequate facilities.  Lack of funding and corruption are often cited as the causes.  Recent losses in federal funding may lead to further problems.  [[Private school]]s had a total attendance of 6,000 in 2000, though attendance has increased in recent years.
-In 1998 the [[U.S. Department of Defense]] opened schools for children of American military personnel. [[DODEA]] schools had an attendance of 2,500 in 2000. The schools are Andersen Elementary School, Andersen Middle School, McCool Elementary/Middle School, and [[Guam High School]].
+Literacy on Guam is high. Ninety-nine percent of people age 15 and over can read and write. In 2000, a total of 32,000 students attended Guam's public school system, however the public school system has been criticized for poor management and inadequate facilities. Lack of funding and corruption are often cited as the causes. Private schools had a total attendance of 6,000 in 2000, though attendance had increased before then. In 1998, the US Department of Defense opened schools for children of American military personnel. These schools had an attendance of 2,500 in 2000. The University of Guam and Guam Community College offer opportunities for higher education.
-===Colleges and universities===
+As a culture rooted in [[oral tradition]]s, Guam has little written literature. A few Chamorro novels have been published. A literary journal published by the university's literature faculty motivates poets and other creative writers. There is a growing community of local painters and woodcarvers. The University of Guam's Fine Arts Theater, Southern High School's Performance Center, and the Tiyan Theater are popular venues for locally written and produced plays and musical performances.
-The [[University of Guam]] and [[Guam Community College]] offer courses in higher education.
-[http://pidp.eastwestcenter.org/pireport/2006/June/06-15-ed.htm] [http://de.asia.umuc.edu/www/article.cfm?areaID=2&SID=87]
-==See also==
+==Notes==
-*[[List of radio stations in Guam]]
+<references/>
-*[[Scouting on Guam]]
 ==References==
-* [http://factfinder.census.gov/servlet/DTTable?_bm=y&-show_geoid=Y&-tree_id=405&-_showChild=Y&-context=dt&-errMsg=&-all_geo_types=N&-mt_name=DEC_2000_IAGU_P001&-redoLog=false&-transpose=N&-search_map_config=|b=50|l=en|t=4001|zf=0.0|ms=sel_00dec|dw=0.9528487917191559|dh=0.6838460131961157|dt=gov.census.aff.domain.map.EnglishMapExtent|if=gif|cx=-67.48042614595042|cy=18.385966173167105|zl=6|pz=6|bo=318:317:316:314:313:323:319|bl=362:393:358:357:356:355:354|ft=350:349:335:389:388:332:331|fl=381:403:204:380:369:379:368|g=04000US72&-PANEL_ID=p_dt_geo_map&-_lang=en&-geo_id=04000US66&-CONTEXT=dt&-format=&-search_results=ALL&-ds_name=DEC_2000_IAGU Guam, United States Census Bureau]
+*Carter, Lee D., William L. Wuerch, and Rosa Roberta Carter, (eds.). ''Guam History: Perspectives,'' Volume One, MARC Educational Series No. 20, University of Hawaii Press, April 1995. ISBN 0824816781
+*Cunningham, Lawrence J. ''Ancient Chamorro Society.'' Bess Pr. Inc., 1992.  ISBN 1880188066
+*Thomas, James O. ''Trapped With The Enemy: Four years as a civilian POW in Japan.'' XLibris Corp., 2002.  ISBN 1401044131
+*Rogers, Robert F. ''Destiny’s Landfall: A History of Guam.'' University of Hawaii Press, 1995. ISBN 0824816781
 ==External links==
-{{sisterlinks|Guam}}
+All links retrieved July 18, 2017.
-'''Government'''
-* [http://www.house.gov/bordallo/ Congresswoman Madeleine Z. Bordallo, Member, U.S. Congress]
+* [https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/gq.html Guam] ''CIA World Factbook.''
-* [http://www.guamelection.org/ Guam Election Commission]
+* [http://www.andersen.af.mil/ Andersen Air Force Base Guam] ''Andersen Air Force Base''.
-* [http://www.justice.gov.gu/CompilerofLaws/gca.html Guam Code Annotated]
+* [http://www.everyculture.com/Ge-It/Guam.html Guam] ''Countries and Their Cultures''.
-* [https://www.guamtax.com/ Guam Department of Revenue and Taxation]
+* [http://www.everyculture.com/No-Sa/Commonwealth-of-the-Northern-Mariana-Islands.html Northern Mariana Islands] ''Countries and Their Cultures''.
-'''News'''
+* [http://www.visitguam.com/ Guam Visitors Bureau] ''visitguam.org''.
-* [http://www.mvariety,com Marianas Variety "Guam's only true independent news source"]
-* [http://www.guampdn.com/apps/pbcs.dll/frontpage ''Pacific Daily News'', A Gannett Newspaper]
-* [http://kuam.com/ ''KUAM'', Guam's Primary News Channel]
-'''Overviews'''
-* [http://www.guampedia.com/ Guampedia] from the Guam Humanities Council and the University of Guam
-* [http://dmoz.org/Regional/Oceania/Guam Open Directory Project - ''Guam''] directory category
-* [http://www.loc.gov/rr/international/hispanic/guam/guam.html U.S. Library of Congress - Portals to the World: ''Guam'']
-* [http://www.mymicronesia.com/guam/ myMicronesia - ''Guam'']
-* [https://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/geos/gq.html ''The World Factbook'' on Guam]
-'''Military'''
-* [http://www.guampowerauthority.com/servingyoubetter/SWAC.htm Guam Power Authority Sea Water Air Conditioning Project]
-* [http://www.guam.navy.mil/ Commander, Naval Forces Marianas (COMNAVMAR) Guam]
-* [http://www.andersen.af.mil/ Andersen Air Force Base (AAFB) Guam]
-* [http://www.nps.gov/wapa/indepth/extContent/Lib/liberation1.htm War in the Pacific - Liberation of Guam]
-* [http://www.wanpela.com/holdouts/links.html Sergeant Shoichi Yokoi, Japan's "No-Surrender" Soldier]
-'''Other'''
-* [http://www.visitguam.org/main/ Guam Visitors Bureau]
 * [http://www.guamchamber.com.gu/ Guam Chamber of Commerce]
-* [http://www.extremescience.com/DeepestOcean.htm Challenger Deep - Marianas Trench]
+* [http://www.guamhumanitiescouncil.org/ Guam Humanities Council]
-* [http://www.guam.net/planet University of Guam Planetarium]
+* [http://www.mapsouthpacific.com/micronesia/index.html Map of Micronesia] ''Map South Pacific''.
-* [http://www.guamhumanitiescouncil.org/ Guam Humanities Council]
+* [http://www.lib.utexas.edu/maps/guam.html Guam Maps] ''Perry-Castañeda Library Map Collection'' at the University of Texas at Austin.
-* [http://www.mapsouthpacific.com/micronesia/index.html Map of Micronesia]
+* [http://www.guam-online.com Hafa Adai and Welcome to Guam!] ''Guam-OnLine.Com''.
-* [http://www.lib.utexas.edu/maps/guam.html Maps - Perry-Castañeda Library Map Collection]
-*[http://www.mesc.usgs.gov/resources/education/bts/bts_home.asp The Brown Tree Snake on Guam] How the arrival of one invasive species damaged the ecology, commerce, electrical systems, and human health on Guam: A comprehensive information source.
-* [http://www.guam-online.com/gallery/gallery.htm Pictures of Tourist spots on Guam]
-{{Guam}}
+{{Oceania}}
-{{Countries and territories of Oceania}}
-{{United States}}
-<!--Categories—>
+{{credit|81115631}}
-[[Category:Guam| ]]
-[[Category:Insular areas of the United States]]
-[[Category:Islands of Oceania]]
-[[Category:Micronesia]]
-[[Category:Oceanic dependencies]]
-{{credit|81115631}}
+[[Category:Geography]]
+[[Category:Islands]]
+[[Category:Territories]]