Guam - Government
Based on the etymolgy of Guam, it was the native Chamorro name for the island "Guahan" (meaning "we have" or "ours") was changed to Guam in the 1898 Treaty of Paris, whereby Spain relinquished Guam, Cuba, Puerto Rico, and the Philippines to the US. The Government system in this country is the unincorporated organized territory of the US with local self-government; republican form of territorial government with separate executive, legislative, and judicial branches type and the different Administrative divisions includes: none (territory of the US)
National symbols
Coconut tree; national colors: deep blue, red.
The flag
The National flag of Guam has 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, a proa or outrigger canoe with sail, and a palm tree with the word GUAM superimposed in bold red letters; the proa is sailing in Agana Bay with the promontory of Puntan Dos Amantes, near the capital, in the background; the shape of the central emblem is that of a Chamorro sling stone, used as a weapon for defense or hunting; blue represents the sea and red the blood shed in the struggle against oppression.
Info
note: the US flag is the national flag
The National Anthem
| Title | "Fanohge Chamoru" (Stand Ye Guamanians) |
|---|---|
| Lyric/music | Ramon Manalisay SABLAN [English], Lagrimas UNTALAN [Chamoru]/Ramon Manalisay SABLAN |
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note: adopted 1919; the local anthem is also known as "Guam Hymn"; as a territory of the United States, "The Star-Spangled Banner," which generally follows the playing of "Stand Ye Guamanians," is official (see United States)
More about the government of Guam
| Date of Independence | none (territory of the US) |
|---|---|
| National holiday | Discovery Day (or Magellan Day), first Monday in March (1521) |
| Legal system | common law modeled on US system; US federal laws apply |
| International law organization participation | |
| Constitution | |
| History | Effective 1 July 1950 (Guam Act of 1950 serves as a constitution) |
| Amendments | Amended many times, last in 2015 |
| Citizenship | |
| Executive Branch | |
| Chief of state | President Joseph R. BIDEN Jr. (since 20 January 2021) |
| Head of government | Governor Lourdes LEON GUERRERO (since 7 January 2019) |
| Cabinet | Cabinet appointed by the governor with the consent of the Legislature |
| Elections/appointments | president and vice president indirectly elected on the same ballot by an Electoral College of 'electors' chosen from each state to serve a 4-year term (eligible for a second term); 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 ballot by absolute majority vote in 2 rounds if needed for a 4-year term (eligible for 2 consecutive terms); gubernatorial election last held on 8 November 2022 (next to be held in November 2026) |
| Election results | 2022: Lourdes LEON GUERRERO reelected governor; percent of vote - Lourdes LEON GUERRERO (Democratic Party) 55%, Felix CAMACHO (Republican Party) 44%; Josh TENORIO (Democratic Party) elected lieutenant governor 2018: Lourdes LEON GUERRERO elected governor; percent of vote - Lourdes LEON GUERRERO (Democratic Party) 50.7%, Ray TENORIO (Republican Party) 26.4%; Josh TENORIO (Democratic Party) elected lieutenant governor |
| Legislative branch | |
| Description | Unicameral Legislature of Guam or Liheslaturan Guahan (15 seats; members elected in a single countrywide constituency by simple majority vote to serve 2-year terms) |
| Elections | Guam Legislature - last held on 8 November 2022 (next to be held on 5 November 2024) delegate to the US House of Representatives - last held on 8 November 2022 (next to be held on 5 November 2024) |
| Election results | Guam Legislature - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - Democratic Party 9, Republican Party 6; composition - men 9, women 6, percent of women 40% Guam delegate to the US House of Representatives - Democratic Party 1 (man) |
| Judicial branch | |
| Highest court(s) | Supreme Court of Guam (consists of 3 justices); note - appeals beyond the Supreme Court of Guam are referred to the US Supreme Court |
| Judge selection and term of office | Justices appointed by the governor and confirmed by the Guam legislature; justices appointed for life subject to retention election every 10 years |
| Subordinate courts | Superior Court of Guam - includes several divisions; US Federal District Court for the District of Guam (a US territorial court; appeals beyond this court are heard before the US Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit) |
| Diplomatic representation in the US | |
| Diplomatic representation from the US | |
| Embassy | None (territory of the US) |
Key Political parties and their leaders in Guam
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International organization participation
All Important Facts about Guam
Want to know more about Guam? Check all different factbooks for Guam below.
