| Geography and Climate |
Guam, located in Oceania, an island in the North Pacific Ocean, about three-quarters of the way from Hawaii to the Philippines. Area comparatively three times the size of Washington, DC.
Guam has a tropical marine climate; generally warm and humid, moderated by northeast trade winds; dry season from January to June, rainy season from July to December; little seasonal temperature variation. Terrain consists of volcanic in origin, surrounded by coral reefs; relatively flat coralline limestone plateau (source of most fresh water) with steep coastal cliffs and narrow coastal plains in north, low-rising hills in center, mountains in south. Elevation extreme haas the lowest point in Pacific Ocean 0 m and highest point in Mount Lamlam 406 m.
Natural resources are fishing (largely undeveloped), tourism (especially from Japan). Land use:
arable land: 11%, permanent crops: 11%, permanent pastures: 15%, forests and woodland: 18%
other: 45% (1993 est.). Natural hazards are frequent squalls during rainy season; relatively rare, but potentially very destructive typhoons (especially in August).
Geography—note: largest and southernmost island in the Mariana Islands archipelago; strategic location in western North Pacific Ocean.
Ref. Anonymous, 1999 |