🇬🇺 Guam

Guam is a US territory of 170,000 people in the western Pacific — the largest and southernmost of the Mariana Islands. The island is a critical US military asset: about 27% of the island is occupied by military installations, including Andersen Air Force Base and Naval Base Guam. The military presence is expanding as the US bolsters its Pacific posture vis-à-vis China. GDP is about $6 billion. Guam is a major tourist destination for Japanese and Korean visitors — it's closer to Tokyo (2,500 km) than to Hawaii (6,000 km). The indigenous Chamorro people have inhabited the island for about 4,000 years.

The US military (about 35% of GDP), tourism (primarily from Japan and South Korea), and the federal government are the economic pillars. About 1.5 million tourists visit annually. Construction related to the military buildup (relocating 5,000 Marines from Okinawa) is a major economic driver. Guam uses the US dollar and residents are US citizens but can't vote in presidential elections. The territory imports nearly everything and has a significant trade deficit.

Guam's brown tree snake, accidentally introduced after WWII, has wiped out nearly all native bird species — the island went from 12 native forest bird species to 2. The US spends millions annually on snake control, including air-dropping dead mice laced with acetaminophen. Guam's Two Lovers Point is one of the most visited landmarks in the Pacific. The island was occupied by Japan from 1941-1944.

Guam's strategic military importance is only growing as US-China tensions increase. The military buildup brings economic benefits but also strains infrastructure and raises concerns about the island's role as a potential target in any Pacific conflict.