Guam
Largest of the Mariana Islands in the W Pacific, an unincorporated
territory of the USA
Area:
540 sq km/208 sq mi
Capital:
Agaņa
Towns and Cities:
Apra (port), Tamuning
Features:
Major US air and naval base, much used in the Vietnam War; tropical,
with much rain
Industries:
Sweet potatoes, fish; tourism is important
Currency:
US dollar
Population:
(1992) 140,200
Language:
English, Chamorro (basically Malay-Polynesian)
Religion:
96% Roman Catholic
Government:
Popularly elected governor (Joseph F Ada from 1991) and single-chamber
legislature
History:
Claimed by Magellan for Spain 1521. The indigenous population of Chamorros
dwindled from 80,000 in 1668 to 1,500 in 1783, partly as a result
of infectious disease, partly as a result of Spanish brutality.
Guam was captured by the USA 1898 in the Spanish-American War.
It became the headquarters of the US Pacific Strategic Air Command
1954 and is also central command for all US naval operations in
the W Pacific, with 21,000 US military personnel (1991) and storage
of nuclear weapons. The USA spends $750 million a year on its
military presence in Guam
Ceded by Spain to the USA 1898; occupied by Japan as an air and
naval base 1941-44. Guam achieved full US citizenship and self-government
from 1950. A referendum 1982 favoured the status of a commonwealth,
in association with the USA.
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