GOVERNMENT
Country
name:
conventional long form: Territory of Guam
conventional short form: Guam
local long 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:
Hagatna (Agana)
Administrative divisions:
none (territory of the US)
Independence:
none (territory of the US)
National holiday:
Discovery Day, first Monday in March (1521)
Constitution:
Organic Act of 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 George W. BUSH of the US (since 20 January
2001); Vice President Richard B. CHENEY (since 20 January 2001)
head of government: Governor Felix P. P. CAMACHO (since 6 January
2003) and Lieutenant Governor Kaleo MOYLAN (since 6 January 2003)
cabinet: executive departments; heads appointed by the governor
with the consent of the Guam legislature
elections: US president and vice president elected on the same
ticket for a four-year term; governor and lieutenant governor
elected on the same ticket by popular vote for four-year term;
election last held 5 November 2002 (next to be held NA November
2006)
election results: Felix P. P. CAMACHO elected governor; percent
of vote - Felix P. P. CAMACHO (Republican Party) 55.4%, Robert
A. UNDERWOOD (Democratic Party) 44.6%
Legislative branch:
unicameral Legislature (15 seats; members are elected by popular
vote to serve two-year terms)
elections: last held 5 November 2002 (next to be held 2 November
2004)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party
- Democratic Party 9, Republican Party 6
note: Guam elects one nonvoting delegate to the US House of Representatives;
election last held 5 November 2002 (next to be held 2 November
2004); results - Madeleine BORDALLO (Democratic Party) was elected
as delegate; percent of vote by party - Democratic Party 64.6%,
Republican Party 35.4%; 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 (controls the legislature) [speaker, Vicente
(Ben) PANGELINAN]; Republican Party (party of Governor CAMACHO)
[leader NA]
Political pressure groups and leaders:
NA
International organization participation:
Interpol (subbureau), IOC
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
