Villages of Guam
Songsong Guåhan (Chamorro)
CategoryCounty equivalent
LocationGuam
Number19
Populations647 (Umatac) – 44,908 (Dededo)
Areas0.89 sq mi (2.3 km2) (Sinajana) – 35.61 sq mi (92.2 km2) (Yigo)
Government

The United States territory of Guam is divided into nineteen municipalities, called villages.[1] Each village is governed by an elected mayor. Village populations range in size from under 1,000 to over 40,000. In the 2020 census, the total population of Guam was 153,836.[2] Each municipality,[3] known as an "election district" by the United States Census Bureau, is counted as a county equivalent by the Census Bureau for statistical purposes.[4]

History

Many villages have rich histories reaching back thousands of years. Artifacts from ancient Chamorro settlements can be found in every village of Guam. When the Spanish Empire colonized the Marianas Islands as part of its Pacific possessions in the 16th and 17th centuries, the island was divided into separate districts with each district consisting of a parish with a village center governed by a Mayor alcalde, appointed by the island's governor.

In the 18th century, there were six parishes on Guam: Hagåtña, Hagat, Humåtak, Malesso', Inalåjan, and Pago.

Prior to Spanish colonization, Chamorro people regularly held village celebrations. After adopting Christianity, these celebrations became festivals (fiestas) in honor of the patron saint of each village. Annual village fiestas are still held throughout the island every year.

The current division of Guam into municipalities took place in the 1920s under United States Navy Administration. Santa Rita was formerly Sumay, before the U.S. taking of that village after World War II.

List of villages

VillageRegion[5]Land area[3]Population[2]Population density (2020)
sq mikm220202010per sq miper km2
Agana Heights Central1.032.673,6733,8083,5661,377
Asan-Maina Central5.6914.742,0112,137353136
Barrigada Central8.5022.017,9568,875936361
Chalan Pago-Ordot Central5.6714.697,0646,8221,246481
Dededo North30.5279.0544,90844,9431,471568
Hågat (formerly Agat) South10.3326.754,5154,917437169
Hagåtña Central0.952.469431,051993383
Humåtak (formerly Umatac) South6.2516.1964778210440
Inalåhan (formerly Inarajan) South18.7448.542,3172,27312448
Malesso' (formerly Merizo) South6.2616.211,6041,85025699
Mangilao Central10.1926.3913,47615,1911,322511
Mongmong-Toto-Maite Central1.824.716,3806,8253,5051,353
Piti Central7.5419.531,5851,45421081
Sånta Rita-Sumai (formerly Santa Rita) South16.2642.116,4706,084398154
Sinajana Central0.892.312,6112,5922,9341,133
Talo'fo'fo (formerly Talofofo) South17.7946.083,5503,05020077
Tamuning North5.6514.6318,48919,6853,2721,263
Yigo North35.6192.2319,33920,539543210
Yona South20.1252.116,2986,480313121
Guam 209.81543.41153,836159,358733283

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Village Maps". Pacific Daily News. Archived from the original on 2012-12-08. Retrieved 2023-07-02 – via Archive.today. (Archive at Ghostarchive)
  2. 1 2 Population of Guam: 2010 and 2020, U.S. Census Bureau.
  3. 1 2 Population, Housing Units, Land Area, and Density by Municipality for Guam: 2010, U.S. Census Bureau.
  4. ↑ "Geographic Levels". United States Census Bureau. Suitland, Maryland. September 12, 2016. Archived from the original on 2020-12-31. Retrieved 31 December 2020.
  5. ↑ "iaea2006report". U.S. Department of the Interior. Archived from the original on 2007-10-31. Retrieved 2007-12-31.
  • Rogers, Robert F (1995). Destiny's Landfall: A History of Guam: University of Hawai'i Press. ISBN 0-8248-1678-1
  • Carter, Lee D; Carter, Rosa Roberto; Wuerch, William L (1997). Guam History: Perspectives Volume One: MARC. ISBN 1-878453-28-9
  • Sanchez, Pedro C. Guahan, Guam: The History of our Island: Sanchez Publishing House.
  • "Guam-Election Districts" (PDF). U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved 2023-07-02.
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