Guam is the largest island in the Mariana Islands and is a United States territory.
Guam lies in the western Pacific Ocean and is the southernmost and largest island of the Mariana chain. It is an organized, unincorporated U.S. territory, with Hagåtña as its capital. The island’s location made it an important strategic and military centre in the Pacific.
The Mariana Islands also include the Northern Mariana Islands, a separate U.S. commonwealth whose main island is Saipan. Guam is geographically part of Micronesia and culturally has a strong CHamoru heritage. Spain controlled Guam for centuries before the island became a U.S. possession in 1898.