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Coordinates: 13°27′N 144°47′E / 13.450°N 144.783°E / 13.450; 144.783
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Guam
Guåhån
Motto: "Where America's Day Begins"
Anthem: Fanohge Chamoru
Location of Guam
CapitalHagåtña
Largest villageDededo
Official languagesEnglish and Chamorro
Ethnic groups
37.1% Chamorro, 26.3% Filipino, 11.3% Pacific, 6.9% white, 6.3% other Asian, 2.3% other, 9.8% Mixed[1]
Demonym(s)Guamanian
Government
• President
Barack Obama (D)
• Governor
Felix Perez Camacho (R)
Michael W. Cruz (R)
Area
• Total
541.3 km2 (209.0 sq mi) (190th)
• Water (%)
negligible
Population
• 2009 [2] estimate
178,000 (181st)
• 2000 census
154,805
• Density
320/km2 (828.8/sq mi) (37th)
GDP (PPP)2000 estimate
• Total
$2.5 billion (2005 est.)1 (167th)
• Per capita
$15,000(2005 est.)1
CurrencyUnited States dollar (USD)
Time zoneUTC+10 (Chamorro Standard Time)
• Summer (DST)
(no DST)
Calling code+1-671
ISO 3166 codeGU
Internet TLD.gu
  1. 2000 estimate.
This article is about the Island of Guam and the United States territory of Guam. For the Mariana Archipelago, see Mariana Islands. For the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, see Northern Mariana Islands.
For GUAM, an eastern European international organization, see GUAM Organization for Democracy and Economic Development.

Guam (/ˈɡwɑːm/ⓘ; Chamorro: Guåhån), is an island in the western Pacific Ocean and is an organized, unincorporated territory of the United States. It is one of five U.S. territories with an established civilian government.[3][4] The island's capital is Hagåtña (formerly Agana). Guam is the largest and southernmost of the Mariana Islands.

The Chamorros, Guam's indigenous people, first populated the island approximately 4,000 years ago. [5] The island has a long history of European colonialism beginning on March 6, 1521 with the arrival of Ferdinand Magellan and again in 1668, when the first Spanish colony was established following the arrival of settlers including Padre San Vitores, a Catholic missionary. The island was controlled by Spain until 1898, when it was surrendered to the United States as part of the Treaty of Paris following Spanish American War.

As the largest island in Micronesia and the only American-held island in the region before World War II, Guam was captured by the Japanese on December 8, 1941, hours after the bombing of Pearl Harbor, and was occupied for two and a half years.

During the occupation, the people of Guam suffered terrible atrocities, including torture, beheadings, and rape, and were forced to adopt the Japanese culture, including the change of the island’s name to Omiya Jima or Great Shrine Island. Guam was subject to fierce fighting when American troops recaptured the island on July 21, 1944, a date commemorated every year as Liberation Day, in a celebration that lasts all month. Today Guam's economy is supported by its number one industry, tourism, which is primarily comprised of visitors from Japan. Guam’s second largest source of income is the United States military.[6]

History

Main article: History of Guam

It is believed that Guam was first discovered by seafaring people who migrated from southeastern Indonesia around 2000 B.C. Most of what is known about Pre-Contact ("Ancient") Chamorros comes from legends and myths, archaeological evidence, Jesuit missionary accounts, and observations from visiting scientists like Otto von Kotzebue and Louis de Freycinet.

When Europeans first arrived on Guam, Chamorro society roughly fell into three classes: matua (upper class), achaot (middle class), and mana'chang (lower class). The matua were located in the coastal villages, which meant they had the best access to fishing grounds while the mana'chang were located in the interior of the island. Matua and mana'chang rarely communicated with each other, and matua often used achaot as a go-between. There were also "makåhna" (similar to shamans), skilled in healing and medicine. Belief in spirits of ancient Chamorros called Taotao mo'na still persists as a remnant of pre-European society. When Magellan first arrived on Guam, he was greeted by hundreds of small outrigger canoes that appeared to be flying over the water, due their speed. These outrigger canoes were called Proas, and resulted in Magellan naming Guam Islas de las Velas Latinas (Islands of the Lateen Sails ).

Guam—the only European outpost in the Pacific Ocean beyond the Philippines, the regular stopping-place between Mexico and Manila from 1565 to 1815, and (since Philippine independence) the farthest outpost of actual United States territory in the Pacific—is the biggest single segment of Micronesia, the largest island between Kyushu and New Guinea, between the Philippines and the Hawaiian Islands.

Latte stone set on Guam

Latte Stones are a familiar site to Guam residents and visitors alike. These pillars are only found in the Mariana Islands and are a recent development in Pre-Contact Chamorro society. The latte stone was used a foundation on which thatched huts were built. Latte consist of a base shaped out of limestone called the haligi and with a capstone, or tåsa, made either from a large brain coral or limestone, placed on top. Using carbon-dating, archaeologists have broken Pre-Contact Guam (i.e. Chamorro) history into three periods: "Pre-Latte" (B.C. 2000? to A.D. 1) "Transitional Pre-Latte" (A.D. 1 to A.D. 1000), and "Latte" (A.D. 1000 to A.D. 1521). Archaeological evidence also suggests that Chamorro society was on the verge of another transition phase by 1521, as latte stones became bigger. Assuming the larger latte stones were used for chiefly houses, it can be argued that Chamorro society was becoming more stratified, either from population growth or the arrival of new people. The theory remains tenuous, however, due to lack of evidence, but if proven correct, will further support the idea that Pre-Contact Chamorros lived in a vibrant and dynamic environment.

Spanish Colonization and the Manila Galeons

Portuguese-born, Spanish navigator Ferdinand Magellan, sailing for the King of Spain, reached the island in 1521 during his fleet's 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 part of the Spanish East Indies governed from the Philippines, which were in turn part of the Viceroyalty of New Spain based in Mexico City. Between 1668 and 1815, Guam was an important resting stop for the Spanish Manila galleons, a fleet that covered the Pacific trade route between Acapulco (Mexico) and Manila (Philippines). Guam, along with the rest of the Mariana and Caroline Islands, were treated as part of Spain's 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 during their 333 years of rule.[6]

The Spanish-American War and World War II

The United States took control of the island in the 1898 Spanish-American War, as part of the Treaty of Paris. Guam came to serve as a station for American ships traveling to and from the Philippines, while the Northern Mariana Islands passed to Germany, and then Japan.[6]

During World War II, Guam was attacked, and invaded, by the armed forces of Japan on December 8, 1941. Before the attack, most of the United States citizens were transported from the island, away from imminent danger. 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 resentment between the Guamanian Chamorros and the Chamorros of the Northern Marianas. Guam's Chamorros believed their northern brethren should have been compassionate towards them, whereas having been occupied for over 30 years, the Northern Mariana Chamorros were loyal to Japan.

Guam's Japanese 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 forced prostitution. Approximately one thousand people died during the occupation, according to Congressional Testimony in 2004. The United States returned and fought the Battle of Guam on July 21, 1944, to recapture the island from Japanese military occupation. To this day, Guam remains the only U.S. soil with a sizable population to have been occupied by a foreign military power, since the War of 1812. The United States also captured and occupied the Northern Marianas. After the war, the Guam Organic Act of 1950, established Guam as an unincorporated organized territory of the United States, provided for the structure of the island's civilian government, and granted the people U.S. citizenship. However, to this day, though they are U.S. citizens, the people of Guam are not allowed to vote for president and their Congressional Representative is a non-voting member. This has caused contention amongst many Guamanians, who feel they are treated like third class citizens of the United States. [6]

Geography

Main article: Geography of Guam
Map of Guam
Beach scenery in Guam.

Guam lies between 13.2°N and 13.7°N and between 144.6°E and 145.0°E, and has an area of 212 square miles (549 km2), making it the 32nd largest island of the United States. It is the southernmost and largest island in the Mariana island chain and is also the largest island in Micronesia. This island chain was created by the colliding Pacific and Philippine Sea tectonic plates. Guam is the closest land mass to the Mariana Trench, a deep subduction zone, that lies beside the island chain to the east. Challenger Deep, the deepest surveyed point in the Oceans, is southwest of Guam at 35,797 feet (10,911 m) deep. The highest point in Guam is Mount Lamlam, which is 1,332 feet (406 m), and surprisingly, is also considered the tallest mountain in the world from below sea level, since it extends in to the Mariana Trench.

The island of Guam is 30 miles (48 km) long and 4 mi (6 km) to 12 mi (19 km) wide. The island experiences occasional earthquakes due to its location on the western edge of the Pacific Plate and near the Philippine Sea Plate. In recent years, earthquakes with epicenters near Guam have had magnitudes ranging from 5.0 to 8.7. Unlike the Anatahan volcano in the Northern Mariana Islands, Guam is not volcanically active.[7] However, due to its proximity to Anatahan, vog does occasionally affect Guam.[8]

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.[9] The island's population is most dense in the northern and central regions.[6]

Climate

The climate is characterized as tropical marine. The weather is generally hot and very humid with little seasonal temperature variation. The mean high temperature is 86 °F (30 °C) and mean low is 76 °F (24 °C) with an average annual rainfall of 96 inches (2,180 mm). The dry season runs from December through June. The remaining months constitute the rainy season. The months of January and February are considered the coolest months of the year with night time temperatures in the mid to low 70's and generally lower humidity levels. The highest risk of typhoons is during October and November. They can occur, however, year-round.

Guam is located in what has been nicknamed "Typhoon Alley" and it is common for the island to be threatened by tropical storms and possible typhoons during the wet season. The most intense typhoon to pass over Guam recently was Super Typhoon Pongsona, with sustained winds of 125 miles per hour, which slammed Guam on December 8, 2002, leaving massive destruction.

Since Super Typhoon Pamela in 1976, wooden structures have been largely replaced by concrete structures.[10][11] During the 1980s wooden utility poles began to be replaced by typhoon-resistant concrete and steel poles. After the local Government enforced stricter construction codes, many home and business owners built their structures out of reinforced concrete with installed typhoon shutters.

Demographics

Main article: Demographics of Guam
See also: List of U.S. states and territories by population

According to the U.S. census conducted in 2000, the population of Guam was 154,805.[12] The 2008 population estimate for Guam is 178,000.[9] As of 2005, the annual population growth is 1.76%.[13] The largest ethnic group are the native Chamorros, accounting for 37.1% of the total population. Other significant ethnic groups include those of Filipino (25.5%), White (10%) indicates of both European often of Spanish and white American ancestry, and the rest are of Chinese, Japanese and Korean ancestry. Roman Catholicism is the predominant religion, with 85% of the population claiming an affiliation with it. The programmed U.S. military buildup (2010-2014) will cause an unprecedented population increase (approximately 24-25% or 40,000 plus residents) which will significantly impact Guam's very limited and aging infrastructure. The official languages of the island are English and Chamorro.

Culture

Main article: Music of Guam
Dulce Nombre de Maria Cathedral Basilica in Hagåtña, faced by a statue of Pope John Paul II. Roman Catholicism is the main religion in Guam.

Traditional Chamorro culture is visually manifested in dance, sea navigation, unique cuisine, fishing, games (such as batu, chonka, estuleks, and bayogu), songs and fashion influenced by the immigration of peoples from other lands. Spanish policy during colonial rule (1668-1898) was one of conquest and conversion to Roman Catholicism. This led to the gradual elimination of Guam's male warriors and displacement of the Chamorro people from their lands. Today, many Chamorros have Spanish surnames because of their conversion to Roman Catholic Christianity through Catálogo alfabético de apellidos.

Due to cultural influence from outside forces, important aspects of the original Chamorro culture have been lost over the years. There has been a resurgence in protecting and preserving the culture the last few decades, and many scholars have traveled throughout the Pacific Islands conducting research to determine what Chamorro cultural practices such as dance, language, and canoe building may have been like.

Two aspects of Chamorro culture that withstood time are chenchule' and inafa'maolek. Chenchule' is the intricate system of reciprocity at the heart of Chamorro society. It is rooted in the core value of inafa’maolek. Historian Lawrence Cunningham in 1992 wrote, "In a Chamorro sense, the land and its produce belong to everyone. Inafa'maolek, or interdependence, is the key, or central value, in Chamorro culture … Inafa'maolek depends on a spirit of cooperation and sharing. This is the armature, or core, that everything in Chamorro culture revolves around. It is a powerful concern for mutuality rather than individualism and private property rights."

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

The core culture or Pengngan Chamorro is based on complex social protocol centered upon respect: From sniffing over the hands of the elders (called mangnginge in Chamorro), the passing down of legends, chants, and courtship rituals, to a person asking for permission from spiritual ancestors before entering a jungle or ancient battle grounds. Other practices predating Spanish conquest include galaide' canoe-making, making of the belembaotuyan (a string musical instrument made from a gourd), fashioning of åcho' atupat slings and slingstones, tool manufacture, Måtan Guma' burial rituals, and preparation of herbal medicines by Suruhanu.

Master craftsmen and women specialize in weavings, including plaited work (niyok- and åkgak-leaf baskets, mats, bags, hats, and food containments), loom-woven material (kalachucha-hibiscus and banana fiber skirts, belts and burial shrouds), and body ornamentation (bead and shell necklaces, bracelets, earrings, belts and combs made from tortoise shells) and Spondylus.

The cosmopolitan nature of modern Guam poses challenges for Chamorros struggling to preserve their culture and identity amidst forces of acculturation. The increasing numbers of Chamorros, especially Chamorro youth, relocating to the U.S. Mainland has further complicated both definition and preservation of Chamorro identity.[citation needed] While only a few masters exist to continue traditional art forms, the resurgence of interest among the Chamorros to preserve the language and culture has resulted in a growing number of young Chamorros who seek to continue the ancient ways of the Chamorro people.

Government and politics

War in the Pacific National Historical Park, Asan, Guam.
Main article: Politics of Guam
See also: List of Guam Governors and Political party strength in Guam

Guam is governed by a popularly elected governor and a unicameral 15-member legislature, whose members are known as senators. Guam elects one non-voting delegate, currently Madeleine Z. Bordallo, to the United States House of Representatives. U.S. citizens in Guam vote in a straw poll for their choice in the U.S. Presidential general election, but since Guam has no votes in the Electoral College, the poll has no real effect. However, in sending delegates to the Republican and Democratic national conventions, Guam does have influence in the national presidential race, though these convention delegates are elected by local party conventions rather than voters in primaries.[6]

In the 1980s and early 1990s, there was a significant movement in favor of the territory becoming a commonwealth, which would give it a level of self-government similar to Puerto Rico and the Northern Mariana Islands. However, the federal government rejected the version of a commonwealth that the government of Guam proposed, due to it having clauses incompatible with the Territorial Clause (Art. IV, Sec. 3, cl. 2) of the U.S. Constitution. Competing movements with less significant influence exist that advocate political independence from the United States, statehood, union with the Northern Mariana Islands as a single territory, or union with the current U.S. state of Hawaii.

Villages and military bases

Aerial photo of Apra Harbor.
Main article: Villages of Guam

Guam is divided into 19 municipalities commonly called villages: Agana Heights, Agat, Asan‑Maina, Barrigada, Chalan‑Pago‑Ordot, Dededo, Hagåtña, Inarajan, Mangilao, Merizo, Mongmong‑Toto‑Maite, Piti, Santa Rita, Sinajana, Talofofo, Tamuning, Umatac, Yigo, Yona.

The U.S. military maintains jurisdiction over its bases, which cover approximately 39,000 acres (160 km2), or 29% of the island's total land area:

Economy

Guam's economy depends primarily on tourism, Department of Defense installations, and locally owned businesses. 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 U.S. treasury, receives federal income taxes paid by local taxpayers to include military and civilian federal employees assigned to Guam.

  • 2009 Guam Quarter
    2009 Guam Quarter

Guam is a popular destination for Japanese tourists. Its tourist hub, Tumon, features over 20 large hotels, a Duty Free Shoppers Galleria, Pleasure Island district, indoor aquarium, Sandcastle Las Vegas–styled shows and other shopping and entertainment venues. It is a relatively short flight from Asia or Australia compared to Hawaii, with hotels and seven public golf courses accommodating over a million tourists per year. Although 75 percent of the tourists are Japanese, Guam receives a sizable number of tourists from South Korea, the U.S., the Philippines, and Taiwan.[14] Significant sources of revenue include duty-free designer shopping outlets, and the American-style malls: Micronesia Mall, Guam Premier Outlets, the Agana Shopping Center, and the world's largest Kmart.

The economy had been stable since 2000 due to increased tourism, but took a recent downturn along with most of Asia. It is expected to stabilize well ahead of the U.S. Marine Corps' 3rd Marine Expeditionary Force, currently in Okinawa (approximately 8,000 Marines, along with their 10,000 dependents), transfer to Guam between 2010–2015 but will cause an unprecedented 10% increase in the island's overall population.[citation needed] In 2003, Guam had a 14% unemployment rate, and the government suffered a $314 million shortfall.[15]

The Compacts of Free Association between the United States, the Federated States of Micronesia, the Republic of the Marshall Islands and the Republic of Palau accorded the former entities of the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands a political status of "free association" with the United States. The Compacts give citizens of these island nations generally no restrictions to reside in the United States (also its territories), and many were attracted to Guam due to its proximity, environmental, and cultural familiarity. Over the years, it was claimed by some in Guam that the territory 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, and the federal government should compensate the states and territories affected by this type of migration.[citation needed] Over the years, Congress had appropriated "Compact Impact" aids to Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands and Hawaii, and eventually this appropriation was written into each renewed Compact. Some, however, continue to claim the compensation is not enough or that the distribution of actual compensation received is significantly disproportionate.[citation needed]

Transportation and communications

Antonio B. Won Pat International Airport
Main articles: Communications in Guam and Transportation in Guam

Most of the island has state of the art mobile phone services while digital cable and high speed internet are now widely available through either cable or DSL. Guam was added to the North American Numbering Plan (NANP) in 1997 (country code 671 became NANP area code 671), removing the barrier of high cost international long-distance calls to the U.S. Mainland.

Flown cover carried both directions on the first commercial flights between Guam and the United States. October 5-24, 1935

As Guam is also part of the U.S. Postal System ("state" code: GU, ZIP code range: 96910–96932), mail to Guam from the U.S. mainland is considered domestic and no additional charges are required. Private shipping companies, such as UPS, DHL or FedEx, however, have no obligation to and do not regard Guam as domestic. The speed of mail traveling between Guam and the states varies depending on size and time of year. Light, first-class items generally take less than a week to or from the mainland, but larger first-class or Priority items can take a week or two. Fourth-class mail, such as magazines, are transported by surface after reaching Hawaii. Most residents use post office boxes or private mail boxes, although residential delivery is becoming increasingly available. Incoming mail not from the Americas should be addressed to "Guam" instead of "USA" to avoid being routed the long way through the U.S. mainland and possibly charged a higher rate (especially from Asia).

The Commercial Port of Guam is the island's lifeline since just about every product must be shipped into Guam for consumers. The Port is also the regional transhipment hub for over 500,000 customers throughout the Micronesian region. The Port is the shipping and receiving point for containers designated for the island's DoD installations, Andersen Air Force Base and Commander, Naval Forces Marianas and eventually the Third Marine Expeditionary Force.

Guam is served by the Antonio B. Won Pat International Airport, which is a regional hub for Continental Micronesia. The island is outside the United States customs zone and maintains its own customs agency and jurisdiction. Therefore, the U.S. Customs and Border Protection only carries immigration (but not customs) functions for incoming flights. Since Guam is under federal immigration jurisdiction, passengers arriving directly from the States skip immigration and directly proceed to customs. However, due to the Guam-only visa waiver program for certain countries, an eligibility pre-clearance check is carried on Guam for flights to the States. For travel to and from the Northern Mariana Islands (which are considered outside of U.S. immigration jurisdiction), a full inspection is performed though American citizens do not need a passport. Traveling between Guam and the States through a foreign point (for example, a Japanese airport), however, does requires a passport.

Most residents travel within Guam using personally owned vehicles. The local government currently outsources the only public bus system (Guam Mass Transit Authority), and some commercial companies operated buses between tourist-frequented locations.

Ecological issues

Guam exemplifies the effects of bioinvasion.

The brown tree snake

Brown Tree Snake.

Thought to be a stowaway on a U.S. military transport near the end of World War II, the brown tree snake (Boiga irregularis) came to Guam and nearly decimated the island's native bird population that previously had no native species of snake; this snake has no natural predators on the island. While slightly venomous, the brown tree snake is relatively harmless to human beings. Although some studies have suggested a high density of brown tree snakes on Guam, residents rarely see these nocturnal snakes. The Guam Customs & Quarantine Agency is training detector dogs to seek out Brown Tree Snakes throughout inland Guam in an effort to further mitigate and reduce their escalating population. [16][17]

Coconut Rhinoceros Beetle

An infestation of the coconut rhinoceros beetle (CRB), Oryctes rhinoceros, was detected on Guam on September 12, 2007. CRB is not known to occur in the United States except in American Samoa. Delimiting surveys performed September 13-25, 2007 indicated that the infestation was limited to Tumon Bay and Faifai Beach, an area of approximately 900 acres (3.6 km2). Guam Department of Agriculture (GDA) placed quarantine on all properties within the Tumon area on October 5 and later expanded the quarantine to about 2,500 acres (10 km2) on October 25; approximately 0.5 miles (800 m) radius in all directions from all known locations of CRB infestation. CRB is native to Southern Asia and distributed throughout Asia and the Western Pacific including Sri Lanka, Upolu, Western Samoa, American Samoa, Palau Islands, New Britain, West Irian, New Ireland, Pak Island and Manus Island (New Guinea), Fiji, Cocos (Keeling) Islands, Mauritius, and Reunion.

Adults are the injurious stage of the insect. They are generally night-time fliers and when they alight on a host, they chew down into the folded, emerging fronds of coconut palms to feed on sap. V-shaped cuts in the fronds and holes through the midrib are visible when the leaves grow out and unfold. If the growing tip is injured, the palm may be killed or severe loss of leaf tissue may cause decreased nut set. Feeding wounds may also serve as an infection pathway for pathogens or other pests. The effects of adult boring may be more severe on younger palms where spears are narrower. Mortality of young palms has already been observed on Guam. Oviposition and larval development typically occurs in decaying coconut logs or stumps.

Control measures have been developed for CRB and the current strategy on Guam is to implement an integrated eradication program using pheromone-baited, attractive traps to capture adults, various methods to eliminate infested and susceptible host material, and pesticides to kill larvae and adults. Pesticides may also be applied to uninfested trees as a preventive treatment. USDA-APHIS has completed an Environmental Assessment for the coconut rhinoceros beetle eradication program on Guam (EA Number: GU-08-1, http://www.guaminsects.net/uogces/kbwiki/images/d/dc/CRB_EA.pdf). The eradication program is a cooperative effort between USDA (APHIS and Forest Service), GDA and the University of Guam (UOG). This document follows the Forest Service Pest Risk Assessment (Kliejunas et al. 2001)format and is intended to provide information regarding the current status of CRB on Guam, its potential to spread to uninfested locales, and the consequences of establishment. The high, moderate or low riskvalues are based on available biological information and the subjective judgment of the authors.

A joint initiative between Guam Customs & Quarantine (trains detector dogs and their handlers), Guam Department of Agriculture (employs CRB detector dog handlers) and the University of Guam College of Agriculture (provides CRB Detector Dog program funding) is underway to implement the nation's first CRB Detector Dog Program. This program will provide enhanced capability and capacity to the CRB eradication program to help mitigate the overall CRB population on the island of Guam and prevent it from spreading to the outer islands.

Other invasive animal species

A Cane toad.

From the seventeenth through nineteenth centuries, the Spanish introduced pigs, dogs, chickens, the Philippine deer (Cervus mariannus), black francolins, 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 in 2002 leading to organized protests from island residents.[18]

Other introduced species include cane toads imported in 1937, the giant African snail (an agricultural pest introduced during WWII by Japanese occupation troops) 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 native to the Caribbean and known as coquí, that may have arrived from Hawaii, have led to fears that the noise could threaten Guam's tourism.[19]

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.

Threats to indigenous plants

Invading animal species are not the only threat to Guam's native flora. Tinangaja, a 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.[20] Also during the past century, the dense forests of northern Guam have been largely replaced by thick tangan tangan brush (Leucaena-native to the Americas). Much of Guam's foliage was lost during World War II. In 1947, the U.S. military introduced tangan tangan by seeding the island from the air to prevent erosion. In southern Guam, non-native grass species also dominate much of the landscape.

Wildfires

Guam's grassland.

Wildfires 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.[21] 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. Grasslands 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 Reservoir 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.[22]

Aquatic preserves

As a vacation spot for scuba divers, 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.[23] Prior to adopting U.S. Environmental Protection Agency‎ standards, portions of Tumon Bay were dredged by the hotel chains in order to provide a better experience for hotel guests.[24][25] Tumon Bay has since been made into a preserve. 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.[26]

Reef fish of Guam

Education

Colleges and universities

The University of Guam, and Guam Community College, both fully-accredited by Western Association of Schools and Colleges, offer courses in higher education.[27]

Primary and secondary schools

See also: List of schools in Guam
University of Guam

The Guam Public School System[28] serves the entire island of Guam. In 2000, 32,000 students attended Guam's public schools. Guam Public Schools have struggled with problems such as high dropout rates and poor test scores.[29][30] Guam's educational system has always faced unique challenges as a small community located 6,000 miles (9,700 km) from the U.S. mainland with a very diverse student body including many students who come from backgrounds without traditional American education.[31] An economic downturn in Guam since the mid-1990s has compounded the problems in schools.[32]

Prior to September 1997, the U.S. Department of Defense partnered with Guam Board of Education.[33] In September 1997 the DoDEA opened its own schools for children of military personnel.[34] DoDEA schools, which also serve children of some federal civilian employees, had an attendance of 2,500 in 2000. DoDEA Guam operates three elementary/middle schools and one high school.[35]

Public libraries

Guam Public Library System operates the Nieves M. Flores Memorial Library in Hagåtña and five branch libraries.[36]

Health care

The Government of Guam maintains Guam Memorial Hospital in Tamuning.[37] In addition the U.S. Naval Hospital is located in Agana Heights.[38]

See also

The University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC) came to an agreement with Guam officials in August 2009 to create a hospital with a scheduled open date in 2012. (Pittsburgh Post Gazette)

References

  1. ^ CIA FActbook: Guam
  2. ^ "World Population Prospects - Table A.1". UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs. Retrieved 2009-07-21.
  3. ^ "U.S. Territories." DOI Office of Insular Affairs. February 9, 2007.
  4. ^ "DEFINITIONS OF INSULAR AREA POLITICAL ORGANIZATIONS." Office of Insular Affairs. Accessed October 31, 2008.
  5. ^ http://www.chamorro.com/kantontasi/commonw.html
  6. ^ a b c d e f Rogers, Robert F. (1995). Destiny’s Landfall: A History of Guam. Honolulu: University of Hawaii Press. ISBN 978-0824816780.
  7. ^ "Geography of Guam," Official site of Guam, November 8, 2007Retrieved November 8, 2007.
  8. ^ "Home page of the Anahatan volcano," USGS-CNMI, November 8, 2007Retrieved November 8, 2007.
  9. ^ a b "Guam," CIA World Factbook, April 17, 2007, Retrieved April 19, 2007.
  10. ^ "Guam Catastrophe Model". Risk Management Solutions. Retrieved 2007-06-16.
  11. ^ "Winds". PacificWorlds.com. Retrieved 2007-06-16.
  12. ^ . "Guam Summary File," American FactFinder, Census 2000 Guam, Retrieved April 19, 2007.
  13. ^ "MIPT Terrorism Knowledge Base: Guam". 2007-05-17. Retrieved 2007-07-19.
  14. ^ Guam Visitors Bureau Tourist Statistics
  15. ^ "2004 Guam Yearbook" (PDF). Retrieved 2007-07-19.
  16. ^ Fritts, T.H. (2001). "USGS: The Brown Tree Snake on Guam". Retrieved 2007-07-28. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (|author= suggested) (help)
  17. ^ Vice, Daniel S. (2000). "Brown Tree Snake Discoveries During Detector Dog Inspections Following Supertyphoon Paka". Retrieved 2009-06-07. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (|author= suggested) (help)
  18. ^ "More Than 100 Protest Guam Carabao Cull". AnimalRights.net. 2003-10-15. Retrieved 2007-06-15.
  19. ^ Worth, Katie (2004-02-28). "Two Male Coqui Frogs Found in Guam". Retrieved 2007-07-19.
  20. ^ Hodgson, R. A. J.; Wall, G. C.; Randles, J. W. (1998), "Specific Identification of Coconut Tinangaja Viroid for Differential Field Diagnosis of Viroids in Coconut Palm" (PDF), Phytopathology, 88 (8): 774–781, doi:10.1094/PHYTO.1998.88.8.774, retrieved 2007-06-16
  21. ^ Territory of Guam Fire Assessment January 2004, Pgs. 6-7
  22. ^ National Park Service. "Fire and Guam". United States Department of the Interior. Retrieved 2007-06-16.
  23. ^ Brown, Valerie. "Guam's Marine Preserves". Pacific Daily News. Retrieved 2007-06-16.
  24. ^ "Management of Contaminated Harbor Sediments in Guam" (PDF). EPA Guam Report.
  25. ^ Packbier, Paul E.R. "Tumon Bay - Engineering a Better Environment". Directions Magazine; June/July 1996.
  26. ^ Holmes III, Rolston (2001). "Environmental Ethics in Micronesia, Past and Present, Part II — Guam Today: Still "on the Edge." Colonial Legacy and American Presence". International Society for Environmental Ethics Newsletter. 12 (3). Retrieved 2007-06-16.
  27. ^ "Politics Trumps Performance in Guam School System". Pacific Islands Report. 2006-06-15. Retrieved 2007-06-16.
  28. ^ Welcome to the Guam Public School System!
  29. ^ "Merrow Report: First to Worst". Retrieved 2007-11-08.
  30. ^ "State Comparisons". 1996. Retrieved 2007-11-08.
  31. ^ Grace, Ted (1966). "Guam's Education Marches On". Peabody Journal of Education. 44 (1): 37–39. {{cite journal}}: Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (|author= suggested) (help); Unknown parameter |month= ignored (help)
  32. ^ "AN ACT TO ESTABLISH A GUAM PARENTAL SCHOOL CHOICE PROGRAM" "AN ACT TO ESTABLISH A GUAM PARENTAL SCHOOL CHOICE PROGRAM". 1999. Retrieved 2007-11-08. {{cite web}}: Check |url= value (help)
  33. ^ "Rats, other problems face Guam schools." Pacific Stars and Stripes. October 3, 1993.
  34. ^ http://www.spaceref.com/news/viewpr.html?pid=12381
  35. ^ "DODEA". Retrieved 2006-05-10.
  36. ^ http://gpls.guam.gov/Portals/50/GPLS_LOC/GPLS_Location_2007Apr12.xml
  37. ^ http://www.gmha.org/
  38. ^ http://www.usnhguam.med.navy.mil/home.htm

 United States

13°27′N 144°47′E / 13.450°N 144.783°E / 13.450; 144.783 Template:Austronesian-speaking

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