Part 300

Legal system: modeled on US; federal laws apply

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal; US citizens, but do not vote in US presidential elections

Executive branch: chief of state: President (of the United States) William Jefferson CLINTON (since 20 January 1993); Vice President Albert GORE, Jr. (since 20 January 1993) head of government: Governor Carl GUTIERREZ (since 8 November 1994) and Lieutenant Governor Madeleine BORDALLO (since 8 November 1994) were elected for a four-year term by popular vote; election last held 8 November 1994 (next to be held NA November 1998); results - Carl GUTIERREZ (Democrat) defeated Tommy TANAKA (Republican) with 54.6% of the vote cabinet: executive departments; heads appointed by the governor with the consent of the Guam legislature

Legislative branch: unicameral Legislature: elections last held 8 November 1994 (next to be held NA November 1996); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (21 total) Democrats 14, Republican 7 US House of Representatives: elections last held 8 November 1994 (next to be held NA November 1996); Guam elects one delegate; results - Robert UNDERWOOD was reelected as delegate; seats - (1 total) Democrat 1

Judicial branch: Federal District Court, judge is appointed by the president; Territorial Superior Court, judges appointed for eight-year terms by the governor

Political parties and leaders: Democratic Party (controls the legislature); Republican Party (party of the Governor)

International organization participation: ESCAP (associate), IOC, SPC

Diplomatic representation in US: none (territory of the US)

US diplomatic representation: none (territory of the US)

Flag: territorial flag is dark blue with a narrow red border on all four sides; centered is a red-bordered, pointed, vertical ellipse containing a beach scene, outrigger canoe with sail, and a palm tree with the word GUAM superimposed in bold red letters; US flag is the national flag

Economy -------

Economic overview: The economy depends mainly on US military spending and on revenues from tourism. Over the past 20 years, the tourist industry has grown rapidly, creating a construction boom for new hotels and the expansion of older ones. Visitors numbered about 900,000 in 1992. The slowdown in Japanese economic growth has been reflected in less vigorous growth in the tourism sector. About 60% of the labor force works for the private sector and the rest for government. Most food and industrial goods are imported, with about 75% from the US. Guam faces the problem of building up the civilian economic sector to offset the impact of military downsizing.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $2 billion (1991 est.)

GDP real growth rate: NA%

GDP per capita: $14,000 (1991 est.)

GDP composition by sector: agriculture: NA% industry: NA% services: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 4% (1992 est.)

Labor force: 46,930 (1990) by occupation: federal and territorial government 40%, private 60% (trade 18%, services 15.6%, construction 13.8%, other 12.6%) (1990)

Unemployment rate: 2% (1992 est.)

Budget: revenues: $525 million expenditures: $395 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1991)

Industries: US military, tourism, construction, transshipment services, concrete products, printing and publishing, food processing, textiles

Industrial production growth rate: NA%

Electricity: capacity: 300,000 kW production: 750 million kWh consumption per capita: 4,797 kWh (1993)

Agriculture: fruits, copra, vegetables; eggs, pork, poultry, beef

Exports: $34 million (f.o.b., 1984) commodities: mostly transshipments of refined petroleum products, construction materials, fish, food and beverage products partners: US 25%, Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands 63%, other 12%

Imports: $493 million (c.i.f., 1984) commodities: petroleum and petroleum products, food, manufactured goods partners: US 23%, Japan 19%, other 58%

External debt: $NA

Economic aid: recipient: although Guam receives no foreign aid, it does receive large transfer payments from the general revenues of the US Federal Treasury into which Guamanians pay no income or excise taxes; under the provisions of a special law of Congress, the Guamanian Treasury, rather than the US Treasury, receives federal income taxes paid by military and civilian Federal employees stationed in Guam