GUAM, the largest and most populous of the Marianas islands, in the North Pacific, in 13° 26' N. lat. and 39' E. long., about 1,823 m. E. by S. of Hong Kong, about 1,506 m. E. of Manila, and 5,053 m. W. by S. of San Francisco. Guam ex tends about 3o m. from north to south, has an average width of about 7 m., and has a land area of 210 sq. miles. The entire island is governed as a naval station of the United States.
Physical Features.—The northern portion is a plateau from 200 to Soo ft. above the sea, lowest in the interior and highest along the east and west coasts, where it terminates abruptly in bluffs and headlands; Mt. Santa Rosa, toward the northern ex tremity, has an elevation of 84o feet. The southern part of the island is high and mountainous. A chain of hills ranging in alti tude from 70o to 1,300 ft. begins near the bay of Pago and crosses to the west coast near Agana; the ridge follows near that coast to the extreme southern part of the island. The highest peak is Lamlam, which attains an elevation of feet. Be tween the foot of the steep western slope of these hills and the sea is a belt of rolling lowland, and to the east the surface is broken by the valleys of five rivers with a number of tributaries, has a general slope toward the sea, and terminates in a coastline of bluffs. Apra (formerly San Luis d'Apra), on the middle west coast, is the only good harbour; it is about 31 m. across, has a depth of 4 to 27 fathoms and is divided into an inner and outer harbour by a peninsula and an island. It serves as a naval sta tion and as a port of transit between America and the Far East. Piti, the landing place of Apra harbour and the port of entry, is connected with the deep-water anchorage by a shallow channel. Some of the highest points of the island are nearly bare of vege tation, and the more elevated plateau surface is covered with sword grass, but in the valleys and on the lower portions of the plateau there is valuable timber. The lowlands, especially on the west coast, have a rich soil of decomposed limestone. The climate is agreeable and healthy. The mean annual temperature is 81° F, and is nearly constant throughout the year. The yearly rainfall is about 81 in. From December to June the north-east trade winds prevail and the rainfall is relatively light; during the other six months the monsoon blows and produces the rainy season. Destructive typhoons and earthquakes sometimes visit Guam.
Population.—The population of Guam, exclusive of the U.S. naval station personnel, was 11,806 in 1910 and 13,275 in 1920. By June 30, 1924, the native population had increased to 15,16o, according to the census taken by the naval governor. The Federal census of 1930 returned the population as 18,509, but this figure included 1,118 of the United States naval reserva tion. Agana (q.v.), the chief city and capital, had in 1930, a population of 11,042. The natives are of the Chamorro (Indo nesian) stock, strongly intermixed with Philippine Tagals and Spaniards; their speech is a dialect of Malay, corrupted by Tagal and Spanish. The aboriginal native was of a very dark mahogany or chocolate colour, but few if any full-blood Chamor ros remain to-day.
Government.—The administration is directly under the navy department, and the governor, who is appointed by the secretary of the navy, is a naval officer with the rank of captain. He is also commandant of the naval station. The island is divided into six administrative districts, each with a commissioner as its executive head. There are a court of appeals, a court of first instance and police courts. The governor has full power and authority to make laws for the Government of the island, from which there is no appeal. He is assisted by a native congress which has only advisory power.
Finances and Education.—The revenues for the fiscal year 1923-24 amounted to $137,805, and expenditures to $152,781. The sources of revenue included land taxes, licences, court fees and fines, customs and revenue collections and productive industries. About 40% of the public receipts are expended on education. The only banking institution is the bank of Guam which was estab lished by the Naval Government in 1915, for general banking business and as a depository of the Naval Government of Guam.
Education has made remarkable progress since the island came under American administration. The schools are operated on a ten month basis, and attendance is compulsory between the ages of 7 and 12. There were, in 1924, 16 primary schools, one inter mediate school, one high-school and one school for Americans, besides two private schools. The total enrolment was 2,833, of whom 2,676 were in public schools. Fourteen of the 90 teachers were Americans. All teaching is in English : industrial courses and athletics are a recognized part of the curriculum.
The balance of trade is heavily against Guam. Imports and exports for the year ending June 3o, 1924, were $853,383 and respectively. This condition is explained in part by the fact that the vast majority of the imports are for the naval and marine forces, a non-producing part of the population. In 1924 Guam exported 476,844 lb. of copra to Japan and 2,110,010 lb. of copra and 54,414 lb. of coconut oil to the United States. The commercial needs of Guam are served by the navy and army transports, which stop on their westerly trips to the Philippines; by the station ship, which makes frequent trips to Manila ; by vessels of the Dollar Steamship company ; and by vessels of a Japanese firm. Transportation on the island is confined to high ways built by the Naval Government.