MICRONESIA
Guam
Like an emerald glistening in
a velvet blue jewel case, the
green peaks of Guam emerge
from the surrounding waters
of the Western Pacific.
Guam is the largest and most southern
island in the Mariana Islands archipelago
in the northern area of the Pacific Ocean,
covering 34159 square kilometres and
with a population of approximately
167,000 people.
Situated approximately 2494 kilometres
south of Japan and 6115 kms west of
Hawaii, Guam has pristine beaches,
championship golf courses, world-
class diving and snorkelling. Visitors
can experience a variety of cultural and
historical sites, outdoor activities as well
as recreational events.
As the largest and most developed
island in Micronesia, Guam serves as a
transportation and communications hub
and is the gateway to Micronesia, a region
of 2000 islands and atolls spread over five
million square kilometres of the Pacific.
Guam is also America's airline link to Asia
with an average flight time of around three
hours to most Asian cities.
The terrain of Guam is a startling contrast
of limestone plateaus. The steep cliffs and
narrow coastal shelves in the central and
northern parts of the island are wonderful
to observe. Volcanic hills range up to
204 metres which is the height of Mount
Lamlam that is the tallest mountain in the
world from below sea level as a result of to
Guam's proximity to the Mariana Trench.
Southern Guam features lush jungles
and quiet seaside villages. The central
area of the island has all the modern
conveniences of suburban living, with
restaurants, bars, shopping centres and
international class resort hotels fronting
Tumon and Agana Bays.
Guam's earliest settlers were the
Chamorros who make up about 37
percent of the island population today.
