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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
Pacif ic Ocean, covering 34159 square
kilometres and with a population of
approximately 167,000 people.
Situated approximately 2494
kilometres south of Japan and 6115
kilometres 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 f ive million square
kilometres of the Pacif ic.
Guam is also America's airline link
to Asia with an average f light 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 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.
They are thought to have travelled
by canoe from South-East Asia to the
G U A M
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