According to abbreviationfinder, Guam is an island in the western Pacific, belonging to the United States as unincorporated territory. It is one of the 16 non-autonomous territories under the supervision of the UN Decolonization Committee, in order to eliminate colonialism. Guam was a Spanish territory, governed as part of the Captaincy General of the Philippines from the 16th century until 1898. It is the largest and southernmost of the Islands.
Government and politics
It is led by a popularly elected governor, Félix Pérez Camacho, and a 15-member chamber. Guam elects a delegate in the House of Representatives who does not have the right to vote, she is Madeleine Bordallo. During the presidential elections, the citizens of Guam vote in parallel, which does not count with respect to the general elections. See Guam facts.
Political-administrative organization
There are nineteen towns and numerous US military bases. It is divided into 19 cities, with Dededo being the most populated. The United States Army has jurisdiction over many bases, comprising a quarter of the island’s total area: The island’s Air Base is used to resupply B-2 Bombers. On October 10 of 2007 four B-2 bombers of 393 Squadron arrived at the base of Guam to maintain an active presence bomber United States.
On February 23, 2008, a US Air Force B-2 Stealth bomber crashed while taking off from a base on the island. The pilots were unharmed from the accident.
Geography
Located at 13.5 ° North latitude and 144.5 ° East latitude, it has a total area of 544 km 2. It is the southernmost island in the Mariana chain and is the largest island in Micronesia. The highest point is Mount Lamlam, which is 406 m above sea level. The island occasionally experiences earthquakes triggered by the collision zone to the west between the Pacific plate and the Philippine plate.
Culture
The traditional Chamorra culture is manifested in dance, maritime navigation, its unique cuisine, fishing, games (such as batu, chonka, stuleks, and bayogu), songs and fashion influenced by the immigration of people from other lands. Spanish policy during the colonial rule in Guam (1668-1898) was the conversion of its people to Catholicism. This led to a gradual elimination of Guam’s warrior men, and a displacement of indigenous people from their lands.
Despite the social upheavals, the Guam matriarchs, known as “I Maga’håga”, continued the indigenous culture, language and traditions. In the main culture or Pengngan Chamorro, protocol is included, a social complex focused on respect: how to kiss the hands of the elderly, inspired by the kiss of the ring of a Roman Catholic bishop by those he supervises, the oral transfer of legends, songs, rituals, of a person requesting forgiveness from spiritual ancestors entering a jungle. Other practices that predate the Spanish conquest include Galaid canoe making, the making of the belembaotuyan, a single-string musical instrument, and burial rituals.
Agaña (capital of Guam)
It is the capital of Guam, in the insular area of the United States, in the extreme south of the Mariana Islands, east of the Philippines. The city has a population of 1,100 residents.
Place names
The city was called Agaña when it was under Spanish rule over the Marianas that lasted until 1898 when it was annexed to the United States, from there the Americans, lacking the “ñ” in their alphabet, wrote directly “Agana” despite the Chamorra and Spanish pronunciation.
After gaining autonomy in the late 20th century, Guam’s legislators changed the name of Agan.
“Agaña” is the pronunciation of the name of the city in Guam’s native language, Chamorro, which comes from the word Hagåtña which means his blood in Chamorro.
Currently a third of the island is occupied by military installations of the United States.
History
It is said that the natives originally migrated from the village of Agat where the village name in Chamorro means blood.
In 1668, among the first Spaniards to arrive on the island was Father San Vitores, a missionary who according to history was the first to reach those lands, then Chief Kepuha donated the necessary lands in Agaña that allowed Father San Vitores to build the first church called: Cathedral Basilica of the Sweet Name of Mary in Guam.
Under Spanish rule, much of the indigenous population of Guam and other Mariana Islands was forced to relocate to the city.
After 1898 Guam was ceded by Spain to the United States in the war between Spain and the United States, but the city of Agana continues to be the seat of government under the US empire.
In 1941 Guam was captured by the Japanese and it was not liberated until 1944 during World War II, at this stage the city was heavily damaged by United States naval bombardments. The city was rebuilt by the United States Navy but the new streets pass through existing areas and created many parcels of land with multiple owners due to its divisions. This has hampered the development and population growth of the city.
In 1998, the Legislative Assembly of Guam changed the name from Agana to the original Chamorro Agaña.
Geography
It is located at the mouth of the Hagåtña River, on the west coast of Guam, specifically between the coordinates: 13 ° 29′N 144 ° 45′W.
The city has a total area of 2.6 km². The urban core is bounded by the beaches of Agana Bay to the north, the Hagåtña River and associated wetlands to the east, and a cliff to the south.
Population
The city has a population of 1,100 residents according to the 2006 census.
Places of interest
- Cathedral of Dulce Nombre de María, of the Archdiocese of Agaña, diocese since October 14, 1965 and archdiocese since May 20, 1984.
- Spain Square.
Education
The education of the city is the same that governs the entire island of Guam, which is the Public School System, among which the following stand out:
- Carlos L. Taitano, Elementary School (Sinajana).
- José LG Rios Middle School (Piti).
- John Kennedy High School (Tamuning.
Among the Private Schools of Agaña are included:
- Academy of Our Lady of Guam
