Country name:
conventional long form: Territory of Guam
conventional short form:
Guam
local long form:
Guahan
local short form:
Guahan
Dependency status:
organized, unincorporated territory of the US with policy relations between Guam and the US under the jurisdiction of the Office of Insular Affairs, US Department of the Interior
Capital:
name:
Hagatna (Agana)
geographic coordinates:
13 28 N, 144 44 E
time difference:
UTC+10 (15 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
Administrative divisions:
none (territory of the US)
Independence:
none (territory of the US)
National holiday:
Discovery Day, first Monday in March (1521)
Constitution:
effective 1 July 1950; amended many times, last in 2012 (2013)
Legal system:
common law modeled on US system; US federal laws apply
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal; note - Guamanians are US citizens but do not vote in US presidential elections
[see also: Suffrage country ranks ]
Executive branch:
chief of state:
President Barack H. OBAMA (since 20 January 2009); Vice President Joseph R. BIDEN (since 20 January 2009)
head of government:
Governor Eddie CALVO (since 3 January 2011); Lieutenant Governor Ray TENORIO (since 3 January 2011)
cabinet:
heads of executive departments; appointed by the governor with the consent of the Guam legislature
elections:
under the US Constitution, residents of unincorporated territories, such as Guam, do not vote in elections for US president and vice president; however, they may vote in Democratic and Republican presidential primary elections; governor and lieutenant governor elected on the same ticket by popular vote for a four-year term (can serve two consecutive terms, then must wait a full term before running again); election last held on 2 November 2010 (next to be held in November 2014)
election results:
Eddie CALVO elected governor with 50.6% percent of vote against 49.4% for Carl GUTIERREZ; Ray TENORIO elected lieutenant governor
Legislative branch:
unicameral Legislature (15 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve two-year terms)
elections:
last held on 6 November 2012 (next to be held in November 2014)
election results:
percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - Democratic Party 9, Republican Party 6
note:
Guam elects one nonvoting delegate to the US House of Representatives; election last held on 6 November 2012 (next to be held in November 2014); results - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - Democratic Party 1
Judicial branch:
highest court(s):
Supreme Court of Guam (consists of 3 justices)
note - appeals beyond the Supreme Court of Guam are heard by the US Supreme Court
judge selection and term of office:
justices appointed by the governor and confirmed by the Guam legislature; justices appointed for life subject to retention election every 10 years
subordinate courts:
Superior Court of Guam - includes several divisions; US Federal District Court for the District of Guam (a US territorial court; appeals beyond this court are heard before the US Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit)
Political parties and leaders:
Democratic Party [Carlo BRANCH]
Republican Party [Mike BENITO]
Political pressure groups and leaders:
Guam Commission on Decolonization
Guam Federation of Teachers' Union
Guam Waterworks Authority Workers
We Are Guahan
International organization participation:
IOC, PIF (observer), SPC, UPU
Diplomatic representation in the US: none (territory of the US)
Diplomatic representation from the US: none (territory of the US)
Flag description:
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, a proa or outrigger canoe with sail, and a palm tree with the word GUAM superimposed in bold red letters; the proa is sailing in Agana Bay with the promontory of Punta Dos Amantes, near the capital, in the background; blue represents the sea and red the blood shed in the struggle against oppression
note:
the US flag is the national flag
National symbol(s):
coconut tree
National anthem:
name:
"Fanohge Chamoru" (Stand Ye Guamanians)
lyrics/music:
Ramon Manalisay SABLAN [English], Lagrimas UNTALAN [Chamoru]/Ramon Manalisay SABLAN
note:
adopted 1919; the local anthem is also known as "Guam Hymn"; as a territory of the United States, "The Star-Spangled Banner," which generally follows the playing of "Stand Ye Guamanians," is official (see United States)