Guam Hazard Mitigation Plan - Western States Seismic Policy Council

SECTIONFOURIsland Descriptioninstallations in Barrigada. The Government of Guam has no authority in these areas, whichoccupy approximately 29 percent of the island’s total land area.The U.S. Department of Defense has developed the Guam Military Buildup Program, which willinvolve the movement of forces and equipment of the U.S. Army, Air Force, Marines, and Navyfrom other areas to Guam. The program was initiated in May 2006 and construction, which willtake place at military sites throughout the island, was initially expected to be completed in 2014.However, construction has been delayed and may not be complete until 2020. Once completed,the program will increase the total number of military personnel on active duty from 6,420 toapproximately 18,930 (see Section 4.9.2 [Military Buildup] for additional information).4.5 POPULATIONThe estimated 2010 population in Guam is 180,692. According to U.S. Census estimates,between 2000 and 2010, Guam was expected to undergo a 16.72 percent population increase.This level of growth was forecasted to decline slightly during the following decade, as shown inTable 4-1, with an estimated population increase of 12.46 percent between 2010 and 2020. Theproportional distribution between villages of the population of Guam is not expected todrastically change through 2020. Data from the 2010 Census were not available at the time the2011 HMP was updated, so 2010 Census results are not incorporated in this document. Also, thepopulation projections provided do not include new growth due to the U.S. military buildup,which may increase the population growth rate that will occur between 2010 and 2020. For moreinformation on the military buildup, see Section 4.9.2 (Military Buildup).Census data and projections for 2000 and 2010 indicate uniform population growth across Guam,with nearly all villages experiencing an approximate 16.7 percent increase in population between2000 and 2010, with the exception of Piti, which is forecast to have a population increase ofapproximately 16.8 percent. The Census estimate of the population increase from 2010 to 2020also shows uniformity across the villages, with Census data projecting most villages and Guamas a whole to undergo a 12.5 percent population increase, with Merizo, Piti, and Talofofoprojected to undergo a 12.4 percent increase. The Risk Assessment in this 2011 Guam HMP (seeSection 5 [Risk Assessment]) uses the 2010 population estimates shown in Table 4-1.Dededo, which is geographically one of the largest villages, has the largest population.Figure D-5 shows the locations of several densely populated areas. Agana Heights, Agat,Barrigada, Mangilao, Mongmong-Toto-Maite, Santa Rita, Sinajana, Tamuning, and Yigo haveareas of dense populations. Most island populations are centered in a geographically narrowpoint in the approximate center of the island, which is also the largest urbanized area of Guam.As illustrated on Figure D-5, the majority of Guam has a relatively low population density and isconsidered rural.Table 4-1 Population of Guam, 1990–2020Village 2000 2008 (estimated) 2010 (estimated) 2020 (estimated)Agana Heights 3,940 4,476 4,599 5,172Agat 5,656 6,426 6,602 7,425Asan/Maina 2,090 2,374 2,439 2,744Barrigada 8,652 9,830 10,099 11,358Chalan Pago-Ordot 5,923 6,729 6,913 7,7754-4