Key takeaways:
- Guam is America's most isolated territory, located nearly 8,000 miles away from Washington, DC.
- Guam's location in the Western Pacific makes it a strategic asset for the US military.
- The island's economy is heavily dependent on tourism, particularly from Asia, and the US federal government's presence.
- Guam faces unique challenges due to its territorial status, including limited political representation and the Jones Act's impact on shipping costs.
- Guam's residents generally express a desire for closer union or statehood with the United States.
Summary Objective: This blog post summary aims to provide a comprehensive overview of Guam's unique existence as America's most isolated territory, focusing on its history, economy, political status, and relationship with the US federal government.
# Guam: America's Most Isolated Territory
Guam is America's most isolated territory, located nearly 8,000 miles away from Washington, DC. It is part of the US's five inhabited territories, which include the US Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico, American Samoa, and the Northern Mariana Islands. Guam is the furthest from the continental US, making it the most isolated.
"It is the US. Guam has been inhabited for thousands of years by the native Chamorro people until the 1500s when it was first claimed as a territory by Spain. Centuries later, after the US’ victory in the Spanish-American war, the territory was ceded to the United States along with Puerto Rico and the Philippines."
Guam's history includes centuries of habitation by the native Chamorro people, colonization by Spain, and cession to the United States after the Spanish-American War. The island has remained part of the US ever since, with the exception of a brief Japanese occupation during World War Two.
# Guam's Economy and Strategic Location
Guam's economy and strategic location are closely intertwined. The island's location in the Western Pacific makes it a valuable asset for the US military, with a significant military presence and a high enlistment rate among its residents.
"One out of eight residents of Guam serve or have served in the US armed forces. It has a higher enlistment rate than any US state but this is helped by the fact that a quarter of the island is US military bases."
The US military is the single largest employer on Guam, and the island's economy depends on the military. Tourism is another critical sector, with 1.5 million visitors annually, primarily from Asia. However, tourism can be impacted by geopolitical events, as seen during the North Korean missile threats in 2017.
# Challenges and Opportunities for Guam
Guam faces unique challenges due to its territorial status, including limited political representation and the Jones Act's impact on shipping costs.
"Guam is not able to vote for their president—the US president. This presents an issue not only because of the lapse in democracy, but also because many US laws that may make sense for the continental United States just don’t for a territory on the other side of the world."
Despite these challenges, Guam's residents generally express a desire for closer union or statehood with the United States. The island's unique existence as America's most isolated territory offers both opportunities and challenges, shaping its history, economy, and relationship with the US federal government.
Summary for: Guam: Why America's Most Isolated Territory Exists