Guam Government Profile 2009

Country name

conventional long form: Territory of Guam
conventional short form: Guam
local long form: Guahan
local short form: Guahan

Dependency status

organized, unincorporated territory of the US with policy relations between Guam and the US under the jurisdiction of the Office of Insular Affairs, US Department of the Interior

Government type

NA

Capital

name: Hagatna (Agana)
geographic coordinates: 13 28 N, 144 44 E
time difference: UTC+10 (15 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

Administrative divisions

none (territory of the US)

Affiliation

(territory of the US)

Independence

none (territory of the US)

National holiday

Discovery Day, first Monday in March (1521)

Constitution

Organic Act of Guam, 1 August 1950

Legal system

modeled on US; US federal laws apply

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal; US citizens but do not vote in US presidential elections

Executive branch

chief of state: President Barack H. OBAMA (since 20 January 2009); Vice President Joseph R. BIDEN (since 20 January 2009)
head of government: Governor Felix P. CAMACHO (since 6 January 2003); Lieutenant Governor Dr. Michael W. CRUZ (since 1 January 2007)
cabinet: heads of executive departments; appointed by the governor with the consent of the Guam legislature
elections: under the US Constitution, residents of unincorporated territories, such as Guam, do not vote in elections for US president and vice president; however, they may vote in Democratic and Republican presidential primary elections; governor and lieutenant governor elected on the same ticket by popular vote for four-year term (can serve two consecutive terms, then must wait a full term before running again); election last held 7 November 2006 (next to be held in November 2010)
election results: Felix P. CAMACHO reelected governor; Dr. Michael W. CRUZ elected lieutenant governor; percent of vote - NA

Legislative branch

unicameral Legislature (15 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve two-year terms)
elections: last held 4 November 2008 (next to be held in November 2010)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - Democratic Party 10, Republican Party 5
note: Guam elects one nonvoting delegate to the US House of Representatives; election last held 4 November 2008 (next to be held in November 2010); results - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - Democratic Party 1

Judicial branch

Federal District Court (judge is appointed by the president); Territorial Superior Court (judges appointed for eight-year terms by the governor)

Political parties and leaders

Democratic Party [leader Michael PHILLIPS]; Republican Party [Philip J. FLORES] (controls the legislature)

Political pressure groups and leaders

Guam Federation of Teachers' Union; Guam Waterworks Authority Workers
other: activists; indigenous groups

International organization participation

IOC, SPC, UPU

Diplomatic representation in the US

none (territory of the US)

Diplomatic representation from the US

none (territory of the US)

Flag description

territorial flag is dark blue with a narrow red border on all four sides; centered is a red-bordered, pointed, vertical ellipse containing a beach scene, outrigger canoe with sail, and a palm tree with the word GUAM superimposed in bold red letters; US flag is the national flag

Group

All, APLAA, Caribbean/Oceania, Australia - Oceania