In the Pacific Ocean are the Mariana Islands, which are world famous for being located near the eponymous sea basin, the largest crevice with a depth of 11022 km. One of these islands will be discussed in this article. Guam is the largest southern island of the archipelago. It is located 1440 km from the equator line.
Island Affiliation
Guam has been considered an American island since 1898. But he has a special status. Properly modern Guam called the organized non-aligned territory of the United States of America. What does this mean?
The head of the island is considered the president of the United States, but in addition he has his own government, which consists entirely of local residents. At the same time, the islanders are not eligible to participate in the national elections held in America, although they are officially considered US citizens.
Political Administration
The island is governed by a governor who, after the election, takes office for 4 years. Guam also has one representative in the U.S. House, but no voting rights. Laws are adopted by the Legislative Assembly in the amount of fifteen senators. This authority is also selected by the population, but for 2 years. Now on the island, some politicians want to completely separate from the United States, but most residents are against this, preferring the island’s wider autonomy.
Island geography
Guam is an island in the western Pacific. Its area is 541 square meters. km Guam is stretched from north to south for 50 km, its width is small, in the middle at the narrowest point it reaches only 12 km. The northern part of the island is a plateau consisting of marine limestone deposits. On the coast of the northern and northwestern part of the island, it abruptly breaks into the ocean.
The southern half of the island is very different from its northern part. Its relief is of volcanic origin. It is a hilly surface formed as a result of runoff of volcanic lava. The hills also consist of quartzites and shales, granite areas and sandstones.
The highest point of the southern part of the island is Mount Lam Lam, which has a small height of 406 m and more resembles a hill. From the world's deepest Mariana Trench, the island is 340 km away.
Vegetation
The north of the island is covered by savannah vegetation growing on fertile ferrallite soils. In the valleys formed by the Guam River, you can sometimes find tropical rainforests. They also grow on the slopes of the hilly terrain of the southern part of the island. Along the coast, where numerous resort areas stretch for relaxation, picturesque coconut groves are located.
Military base
Guam is a strategically important island for the United States. Two military facilities are located there at once: Andersen Air Base and the Apra Harbor Naval Base . They occupy a third of the entire island, their goal is to protect the interests of America in the eastern region. If necessary, the United States can quickly respond to a threat.
Also, such an arrangement has a military-diplomatic influence on the situation in the region, because they are located near such large countries as China, North and South Korea, and Japan. At the base there are currently more than 7,000 troops.
The military bases of Guam, where a large number of equipment, ships and bombers are located, haunt the government of North Korea. In the latest news, threats are often made about launching missiles in the direction of Guam, which makes the current US government very angry, with Donald Trump at the head.
Guam story
Initially, the island was inhabited by Austronesian peoples called chamorro. In 1521, Magellan's expedition reached the island, and already in 1565 the Spaniards announced that Guam was a Spanish colony. On the way from Mexico to the Philippines, the galleons made stops on the island to rest the team and replenish water tanks, procure food. Naturally, there was a mixture of Aborigines with the Spaniards, Mexicans, Filipinos, of which the Spanish courts mainly consisted.
Since 1668, the Spaniards began to Christianize the local population, sending Catholic priests to the island. From that moment on, the Chamorro mass protests began, which were suppressed by Spanish soldiers.
During the Spanish-American War, the island of Guam was transferred to the United States under the Paris Peace Treaty. Then, in 1941, he was captured by the Japanese, but in 1944, the Marine Corps of America during the battle, which lasted 13 days, liberated the island. An interesting fact is that after the surrender of Japan, one corporal, named Shoichi Yokoi, did not recognize her and hid in the jungle right up to 1972, hunting and fishing for himself. During the day, he slept in a pit dug by himself, and at night hunted for food in the forest.
Guam Island Nature
Photos that can be viewed in large numbers on the Internet prove that the nature of the island is unique and very beautiful. These are rivers and waterfalls, mountains and forests, caves and jungles, not to mention national parks and beautiful beaches, which attract many tourists from year to year.
Guam National Wildlife Refuge National Park is located in the north of the island. It is known for its unique vegetation and the most beautiful beach called Ritidian.
Lam Lam Mountain, previously described as a small hill visible from the surface of the earth, some scientists call the highest mountain in the world. This is the case, if we consider its foundation the bottom of the Mariana Trench.
The picturesque Mount Santa Rosa is an extinct volcano, from its top you can see the magnificent Pacific Ocean and the US naval base.
Natural pools of Inarahan. Here you can refresh yourself in beautiful ponds and just take a walk, enjoying the beauties of this place.
There are also several viewing platforms on the island, offering magnificent views of Pago Bay, Cape of Lovers, the base of the American Navy, various monuments and historical sights, which we will talk about separately.
Monuments of history and architecture
One of the main and most ancient architectural monuments of the island are limestone mushrooms - latte stones. They served as supports for the local Chamorro huts. They can be seen all over the island.
Guam Island Caves, where ancient cave paintings and pictograms are located, can be visited during the tour. However, one of them is Taratuya, which is located on the territory of the Andersen military airport, so access to tourists is limited. To visit you need to have a pass, which is issued on a preliminary application, filed in three weeks.
In the capital of Guam, Hagatne, there is a beautiful, albeit small, square of Spain, the governor's palace, ancient cannons, three-arch gates, part of the walls of the ancient fortress. Nearby is Skinner Park, where the Guam Museum is located.
When relaxing in Guam, be sure to visit the Spanish stone bridge of San Antonio, located not far from the center of the capital. Nearby there is an interesting statue of the mermaid Siren. Also, tourists will be interested to look at the remains of the fort Apugan, located next to the cathedral and beautiful views of the bay.
The Americans would not be Americans if they had not erected the Statue of Liberty in Guam. This is an exact copy of the famous New York sculpture. It is located in the capital, in the park of Paseo De Susana.
The huge latte stone in the Gulf of Agagna is also famous, it is called Paseo De Susana. It is located inside the Adelup Park, next to the observation deck, which offers amazing views. Next to it are several real latte stones of various sizes.
Every year, many tourists come to relax and enjoy the beauties of the island. These are mainly residents of Japan. Now the Russians also loved the rest on the island, a visa for the trip is not issued, and it is easy to get to it by plane from Khabarovsk and Vladivostok.