GUAM, gwam or or GUAJAN, gwa-han, one of the Ladrone Islands (other wise known as the Mariana Archipelago), the southernmost and largest, and the only one with much population; east of the Philippines; occupied by the United States in 1898. It lies in lat. 13° 26' N. and long. 144° 43' E.; is 32 miles long by 4 to 10 wide, and about 210 square miles in area; high and precipitous on the eastern side, and forming a low plateau in the northern part, but mountainous in the south. About half the soil is arable, but only about 30,000 acres cultivated. Except for the native clearings, most of it is thick and pathless jungle. Some of the trees are valuable hard woods for ship-building or ornamental cabinet work; others are useful for food, as the coco nut (the finest here of all the tropics), pine apple, sour-sop and custard-apple, etc.; the hau tilaceum) makes strong cordage, not affected by water; the pandanus' long leaves are braided into mats and hats; and the ylang-ylang is famous for perfume. Rice, sugar, tobacco, hemp, coffee, cacao, bananas, melons, etc., have been introduced and are cultivated. The only native mammals are rats, flying foxes, and bats; but the deer and wild goat, of European origin, have thriven plenti fully, and cows and pigs are raised. In 1915 there were about 6,000 head of cattle, in cluding 900 water buffaloes. There are no snakes; there are centipedes and scorpions, but none dangerous. The climate is very rainy, but mild except in midsummer, when the conflict of trade-winds produces a dead calm, oppres sive heat, and storms, with some hurricanes. As recently as 6 July 1918, the island was swept by a typhoon, which destroyed the crops and rendered half the inhabitants destitute and homeless. Earthquakes are frequent. The is land is volcanic, with bordering coral reefs. The east side has but two good harbors, Pago and Tarofofo; the latter is the only one, except San Luis d'Apra on the west, which is safe for vessels all the year round. The total number
of inhabitants (30 June 1915) was 13,689. The number of natives alone was given in 1913 as 12,448; the latter being Chamorros with a mix ture of Tagal and Malay, and some Anglo Saxons from whaling ships, producing half breeds with copper skins and light hair. They are nearly all in the villages; those with ranches build rough huts on them, where the family spend part of the time. Agana (San Ignacio de Agana), the seat of government and the most important town, is a neat place with houses half of stone and half of wood or bam boo, and contains about 7,000 people. Its best port is Apra (above), on a deep bay formed by a peninsula; its own harbor being dangerous in a storm from the anchors dragging on the coral bottom, and the landing bad from break ing reefs. There is a mission school, endowed in the 17th century by Maria Ana, queen of Philip IV of Spain. The total number of pupils registered in all the schools was given in 1916 as 1,970. The governor of Guam (an officer of the navy of the United States) is the military commandant of the island and com mandant of the naval station. As chief of the °Naval Government of the Island of Guam," he combines executive with legislative powers. There is an Island Court for the trial of both civil and criminal cases and a Court of Ap peals. Imports into the island amounted to $293,564 in the year ending 30 June 1915, and exports to $33,349. The official currency has been, since 1 July 1909, that of the United States.
Griffin, A. P. C., 'A List of Books, with References to Periodicals, on Samoa and Guam' (Washington 1901) ; Rich ard, B. H., 'The Question of Guam' (Milit. Historian and Economist, Cambridge, Mass. 1916) ; Safford, W. E., 'Our Smallest Posses sion — Guam' (Nat. Geog. Magazine, Wash ington 1905) ; United States: Guam Survey Board: 'Report of the Board to the Secretary of the Navy' (Washington 1902) ; White, D., 'The Capture of Guam' (Overland Monthly, Vol. XXXV, San Francisco 1900).