GENERAL INFORMATION Guam, an unincorporated but or- has an area of 209 square miles. It lies ganized territory, is the westernmost in the Westernmost Pacific, 1,500 miles frontier of the United States. Over east of the Philippines, 1,300 miles 100,000 residents, including the mili- southeast of Japan, and 3,000 westtary and aliens, live here, making southwest of Hawaii. Guam the most populated island in The climate is warm and humid, the Marianas chain. Most of the resi- with an average yearly rainfall of 85 dent are U.S. citizens. to 100 inches. Guam is 13° north of The Government of Guam is headed the Equator, and its temperatures vary by the Governor, who is appointed by from 70° to 90°. The dry season exthe President, with the advice and con- tends from December through April, sent of the Senate. However, this ap- with the hottest months in May and pointed status will cease next year. In June. Most of the rain falls from July November 1970, the people of Guam to September. Trade winds bring rewill eleot their first Governor and lief to the island during its hottest Lieutenant Governor by popular ballot. months. The gigantic stride toward full selfThe island's topography varies from government was made possible by the a high rolling plain reaching 400 feet signing of the Elective Governorship above the ocean in the northern half to Act by the President in late 1968. rough mountains rising from 700 to The 21 members of the unicameral 1,334 feet above sea level in .the south. Guam Legislature are elected, at large, The central portion, in which Agana, biennially. The lawmaking body is em- the capital, is situated, is flat to the sea, powered to pass tax laws and to legis- but gently rising hills break the flatness. late on all matters not inconsistent with The highest peak is Mount Lamlam, Federal laws applicable .to Guam. located in the southern part of the The two political parties are the island. Democratic and Republican parties, Ferdinand Magellan and his fleet of and both are affiliated with the na- three ships landed at Umatac Bay in tional organizations. 1521 during his circumnavigating voyA Washington representative, an age. Nearly two centuries later, in elected official, represents the terri- 1665, Spanish missionaries oame to tory in Washington. However, he is not Christianize the islanders. Guam reofficially a member in Congress but mained a protectorate of the Spanish represents Guam in congressional hear- throne from .that date until 1898, when ings on matters pertaining to the it was ceded to the United States- by territory. the Treaty of Paris. The island is 30 miles long and The U.S. Navy administered the ranges from 4 miles at its narrowest island until Japanese forces seized it point to 8½ miles at its widest, and in 1941, shortly after the attack on
1
