Guam (gwäm)[1] is the largest and southernmost of the Mariana Islands. It is an unincorporated territory of the United States located in the Pacific Ocean; the residents are full U.S. citizens.
The island, Guam, was ceded to the United States by Spain in 1898, after the Spanish-American War.[2]
In World War II, Guam was occupied by the Japanese, but American forces landed in July 1944 and took back the island after a three-week battle. Out of 18,000 Japanese troops stationed on the island, only 500 survived to become prisoners of war.[3]
The highest point in Guam is Mount Lamlam, which is 1,332 feet (406 m). The weather is usually hot and humid, ranging from 74° to 86°, with an average annual rainfall of 96 inches. Typhoons are common, especially during the months of October and November.[4][5]
The population of Guam is estimated at 162,742 in July 2016.[2] As of 2010, the largest ethnic groups on this island are Chamorro (37.3%), Filipino (26.3%), white (7.1%), and Chuukese (7%).[2] The most common languages, as of 2010, are English (43.6%), Filipino (21.2%), and Chamorro (17.8%).[2] About 85 percent of the population are estimated to be Roman Catholics.[2][6]
The United States Army and Navy maintains military bases on Guam,[2] which cover 29% of the island's total land area.[7] The U.S. military has maintained its military presence on the island since 1944, when it retook the island from the Japanese during World War II.[7]
Guam is a strategically important U.S. territory in the Pacific.[7]
Guam is a relatively conservative U.S. territory. It is a right to work state,[8] and since 2014 it has been a Castle Doctrine[9][10] and concealed carry state.[10][11]