under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.)
Military Guadeloupe
Military branches:
no regular military forces
Military - note:
defense is the responsibility of France
Transnational Issues Guadeloupe
Disputes - international: none
This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005
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@Guam
Introduction Guam
Background:
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
installation on the island is one of the most strategically
important US bases in the Pacific.
Geography Guam
Location:
Oceania, island in the North Pacific Ocean, about three-quarters of
the way from Hawaii to the Philippines
Geographic coordinates:
13 28 N, 144 47 E
Map references:
Oceania
Area:
total: 549 sq km
land: 549 sq km
water: 0 sq km
Area - comparative:
three times the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries:
0 km
Coastline:
125.5 km
Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
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
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
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: Mount Lamlam 406 m
Natural resources:
fishing (largely undeveloped), tourism (especially from Japan)
Land use: arable land: 9.09% permanent crops: 16.36% other: 74.55% (2001)
Irrigated land:
NA
Natural hazards:
frequent squalls during rainy season; relatively rare, but
potentially very destructive typhoons (June - December)
Environment - current issues:
extirpation of native bird population by the rapid proliferation of
the brown tree snake, an exotic, invasive species
Geography - note:
largest and southernmost island in the Mariana Islands archipelago;
strategic location in western North Pacific Ocean
People Guam
Population:
168,564 (July 2005 est.)
Age structure:
0–14 years: 29.4% (male 25,645/female 23,887)
15–64 years: 64.1% (male 55,115/female 52,935)
65 years and over: 6.5% (male 5,157/female 5,825) (2005 est.)
Median age:
total: 28.38 years
male: 28.16 years
female: 28.61 years (2005 est.)
Population growth rate:
1.46% (2005 est.)
Birth rate:
19.03 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Death rate:
4.41 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Net migration rate:
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.07 male(s)/female
15–64 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.88 male(s)/female
total population: 1.04 male(s)/female (2005 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 6.94 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 7.61 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 6.24 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 78.4 years
male: 75.34 years
female: 81.64 years (2005 est.)
Total fertility rate:
2.6 children born/woman (2005 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
