The demographics of Guam details an array of demographic statistics relating to the territory of Guam. This includes statistics on population, including the Indigenous population; religious affiliations; language; and immigration. The Demographics of Guam provides an overview of the history of Guam, as well as a depiction of the villages in the United States territory and its populace. The population of Guam, as of July 2021 was 168,801.[1]
The demographics of Guam include the demographic features of the population of Guam, including population density, ethnicity, education level, health of the populace, economic status, religious affiliations and other aspects of the population.
Population
While there are no large cities in Guam, the populace resides in villages.[2] The most populated village in Guam is Dededo, with a population of 44,943 in 2010.[1] The Indigenous people of Guam are known as the Chamorro people, and are the largest ethnic group in Guam. This group is categorised as a minority group in the United States territory.[3] The 2021 mean age in the territory of Guam was 31.4 years.[1] Guam is the largest and most populated of the territories in the Mariana Islands.[2]
The population density of Guam is approximately 310 people per square kilometer. The total land area is 544km2.[1] 94.9% of Guam's population lives in urban regions.[1]
Guam is known to be the first island in the Pacific Ocean to be settled by Europeans, being first observed by Spain in 1521.[2] After contact with Guam was established by Ferdinand Magellan under the flag of Spain, the island was repeatedly invaded by foreign military forces.[2] The island was officially claimed by Spain in 1565. It was the first island as well as the Mariana Islands, inhabited by humans in Remote Oceania.[2] Guam has since been occupied by outside entities for over 330 years.[2]
Magellan arrived on the shores of Guam with three ships, the Trinidad, the Conception and the Victoria.[2] The population of Guam in the mid 16th century was severely reduced, due to bloodshed by Spain, as well as the many diseases carried by the Europeans.[2] Guam was ceded to the United States after the Spanish–American War in 1898.[3] It was then taken by the Japanese in 1941 during World War II. It was retaken by the United States in 1944.[3]
While Guam covers a relatively small 520km squared of land area, the United States territory is considered to be of international significance, due to geopolitics, as well as the strategic importance of Guam's straits, islands and canals.[3] Guam is the largest landfall, for use of communications, military bases and shipping.[2] Guam was utilised as a military base in World War II against the Japanese.[2]
Guam is a multi-ethnic island, with disporia from the Philippines, Korea, Japan and China forming part of its populace.[9] Guam was first settled by migrants from the Philippines in 1,500 to 1,400 BCE.[9]
The Chamorro people
The Mariana Islands is an ethnic and cultural heritage of the Chamorro people.[3] Despite the invasions from foreign powers, such as Spain, The United States of America and Japan, the Chamorro people have maintained their traditions.[9]While Guam has remained a territory in the modern day, the Chamorro people of Guam have gained an amount of local political control of the island traditions.[9]
In pre-Spanish times, Chamorro clans were divided into two distinct, ranked social castes. Social castes are different from social classes in that individuals are born into a particular caste and their status, therefore, could not be changed. Social classes, on the other hand, are more fluid and members can move between classes. The upper caste was known as chamorri, and the lower caste was known as manachang. Movement in between these castes, such as through marriage, was prohibited.[10] Concubines or other relationships could be maintained only within one's social class. In addition, the chamorri caste was divided into an upper noble class called matao and a middle, or demi-noble class, known as acha’ot.
1234Hung, H., Carson, M., Bellwood, P., Campos, F., Piper, P., Dizon, E., & Chi, Z. (2011). The first settlement of Remote Oceania: The Philippines to the Marianas. Antiquity, 85(329), 909-926. doi:10.1017/S0003598X00068393
↑Zanetti, Conrad Hackett, Marcin Stonawski, Yunping Tong, Stephanie Kramer, Anne Shi and Nick (9 June 2025). "Religious Composition by Country, 2010-2020". Pew Research Center. Retrieved 8 January 2026.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
↑This number includes all baptized members including those no longer attending.
