Portuguese navigator Ferdinand Magellan, sailing for the King of Spain, reached the island in 1521 during his circumnavigation of the globe. General Miguel López de Legazpi claimed Guam for Spain in 1565.

Spanish colonisation 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 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.

Guam was ceded to the U.S. by Spain in 1898.

Captured by the Japanese in 1941, it was retaken by the U.S. three years later.

The military installation on the island is one of the most strategically important U.S. bases in the Pacific.

Source: CIA World Fact Book

Population: 173,456 (July 2007 est.)

---

Age structure: 0-14 years: 28.6% (male 25,686/female 23,938) 15-64 years: 64.5% (male 57,023/female 54,872) 65 years and over: 6.9% (male 5,592/female 6,345) (2007 est.)

---

Median age: total: 28.8 years male: 28.5 years female: 29 years (2007 est.)

---

Population growth rate: 1.4% (2007 est.)

---

Birth rate: 18.56 births/1,000 population (2007 est.)

---

Death rate: 4.56 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.)

---

Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2007 est.) Sex ratio:

---

at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.073 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.039 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.881 male(s)/female total population: 1.037 male(s)/female (2007 est.)

---

Infant mortality rate: total: 6.68 deaths/1,000 live births male: 7.35 deaths/1,000 live births female: 5.97 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.)

---

Life expectancy at birth: total population: 78.76 years male: 75.69 years female: 82.01 years (2007 est.)

---

Total fertility rate: 2.57 children born/woman (2007 est.)

---

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: NA

---

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: NA

---

HIV/AIDS - deaths: NA

---

Nationality: noun: Guamanian(s) (US citizens) adjective: Guamanian

---

Ethnic groups: Chamorro 37.1%, Filipino 26.3%, other Pacific islander 11.3%, white 6.9%, other Asian 6.3%, other ethnic origin or race 2.3%, mixed 9.8% (2000 census)

---

Religions: Roman Catholic 85%, other 15% (1999 est.)

---

Languages: English 38.3%, Chamorro 22.2%, Philippine languages 22.2%, other Pacific island languages 6.8%, Asian languages 7%, other languages 3.5% (2000 census)

---

Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 99% male: 99% female: 99% (1990 est.)

The economy depends largely on US military spending and tourism. Total US grants, wage payments, and procurement outlays amounted to $1.3 billion in 2004. Over the past 30 years, the tourist industry has grown to become the largest income source following national defense. The Guam economy continues to experience expansion in both its tourism and military sectors.

---

GDP (purchasing power parity): $2.5 billion (2005 est.)

---

GDP (official exchange rate): $2.773 billion (2001)

---

GDP - real growth rate: NA%

---

GDP - per capita (PPP): $15,000 (2005 est.)

---

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

---

Labor force: 62,050 (2002 est.)

---

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: 26% industry: 10% services: 64% (2004 est.)

---

Unemployment rate: 11.4% (2002 est.)

---

Population below poverty line: 23% (2001 est.)

---

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%

---

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 2.5% (2005 est.)

---

Budget: revenues: $319.6 million expenditures: $427.8 million (2002 est.)

---

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

---

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

---

Industrial production growth rate: NA%

---

Electricity - production: 1.764 billion kWh (2004)

---

Electricity - consumption: 1.641 billion kWh (2004)

---

Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (2004)

---

Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (2004)

---

Oil - production: 0 bbl/day (2004 est.)

---

Oil - consumption: 16,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

---

Oil - exports: NA bbl/day

---

Oil - imports: NA bbl/day

---

Oil - proved reserves: 0 bbl

---

Natural gas - production: 0 cu m (2004 est.)

---

Natural gas - consumption: 0 cu m (2004 est.)

---

Exports: $45 million f.o.b. (2004 est.)

---

Exports - commodities: mostly transshipments of refined petroleum products; construction materials, fish, food and beverage products

---

Exports - partners: Japan 67.2%, Singapore 11.6%, UK 4.8% (2006)

---

Imports: $701 million f.o.b. (2004 est.)

---

Imports - commodities: petroleum and petroleum products, food, manufactured goods

---

Imports - partners: Singapore 50%, South Korea 21.4%, Japan 14%, Hong Kong 4.6% (2006)

---

Debt - external: $NA

---

Economic aid - recipient: Guam receives large transfer payments from the US Federal Treasury ($143 million in 1997) into which Guamanians pay 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 (2001 est.)

---

Currency (code): US dollar (USD)

---

Exchange rates: the US dollar is used

---

Fiscal year: 1 October - 30 September