In Oceania, Guam is the largest and southernmost of the Mariana Islands and the largest island in Micronesia.
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In Oceania, Guam is the largest and southernmost of the Mariana Islands and the largest island in Micronesia.
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Guam's capital is Hagatna, and the most populous village is Dededo.
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Between the 16th and 18th centuries, Guam was an important stopover for the Spanish Manila Galleons.
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On December 8, 1941, hours after the attack on Pearl Harbor, Guam was captured by the Japanese, who occupied the island for two and a half years.
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Since the 1960s, Guam's economy has been supported primarily by tourism and the U S military, for which Guam is a major strategic asset.
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Guam is among the 17 non-self-governing territories listed by the United Nations, and has been a member of the Pacific Community since 1983.
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The Spanish-Chamorro Wars on Guam began in 1670 over growing tensions with the Jesuit mission, with the last large-scale uprising in 1683.
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Guam was transferred to the United States Navy control on December 23, 1898, by Executive Order 108-A from 25th President William McKinley.
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Guam was a station for American merchants and warships traveling to and from the Philippines while the Northern Mariana Islands were sold by Spain to Germany for part of its rapidly expanding German Empire.
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The Governor of Guam was federally appointed until 1968 when the Guam Elective Governor Act provided for the office's popular election.
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Since Guam is not a U S state, U S citizens residing on Guam are not allowed to vote for president and their congressional representative is a non-voting member.
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Guam is 30 miles long and 4 to 12 miles (6 to 19 kilometers) wide, giving it an area of 212 square miles (549 square kilometers) and making it the 32nd largest island of the United States.
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Mariana chain of which Guam is a part was created by collision of the Pacific and Philippine Sea tectonic plates, with Guam located on the micro Mariana Plate between the two.
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Guam is the closest land mass to the Mariana Trench, the deep subduction zone that runs east of the Marianas.
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The north of Guam is a result of this base being covered with layers of coral reef, turning into limestone, and then being thrust upward by tectonic activity to create a plateau.
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Cocos Island off the southern tip of Guam is the largest of the many small islets along the coastline.
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Guam has experienced severe impacts from invasive species upon the natural biodiversity of the island.
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Culture of Guam is a reflection of traditional Chamoru customs in combination with American, Spanish and Mexican traditions.
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At the 2007 Games, Guam finished 7th of 22 countries in the medal count, and 14th at the 2011 Games.
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Guam is home to various basketball organizations, including the Guam Basketball Association.
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Guam hosted qualifying games on the island for the first time in 2015 and, in 2018, clinched their first FIFA World Cup Qualifying win.
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Guam's economy depends primarily on tourism, Department of Defense installations and locally owned businesses.
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Guam is governed by a popularly elected governor and a unicameral 15-member legislature, whose members are known as senators.
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District Court of Guam is the court of United States federal jurisdiction in the territory.
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However, in sending delegates to the Republican and Democratic national conventions, Guam does have influence in the national presidential race.
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On July 31, 2020, the Government of Guam joined the Unrepresented Nations and Peoples Organization.
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Guam was added to the North American Numbering Plan in 1997 (country code 671 became NANP area code 671), removing the barrier of high-cost international long-distance calls to the U S mainland.
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Guam currently serves twelve submarine cables, with most continuing to China.
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In 1899, the local postage stamps were overprinted "Guam" as was done for the other former Spanish colonies, but this was discontinued shortly thereafter and regular U S postage stamps have been used ever since.
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Port of Guam is the island's lifeline because most products must be shipped into Guam for consumers.
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Guam is served by the Antonio B Won Pat International Airport.
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The island is outside the United States customs zone, so Guam is responsible for establishing and operating its own customs and quarantine agency and jurisdiction.
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Since Guam is under federal immigration jurisdiction, passengers arriving directly from the United States skip immigration and proceed directly to Guam Customs and Quarantine.
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Government of Guam maintains the island's main health care facility, Guam Memorial Hospital, in Tamuning.
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