scientific name is Marmota monax.
The groundhog lives in the United
States and Canada. It can be found in
meadows and forests.
The groundhog weighs about 4 to 13
pounds (2 to 6 kilograms). Not
counting its bushy tail, the groundhog
is about 13 to 20 inches (33 to 51
centimeters) long. Its fur is brown or
reddish brown. The groundhog has
strong legs and heavy claws that are
good for digging.
The groundhog lives in a burrow, or
hole. It eats grass and other plants. During
the winter the groundhog hibernates
in its burrow. It hardly moves or eats for
months.
In the United States and Canada,
February 2 is Groundhog Day. On this
day people watch as a groundhog comes
out of its burrow. If the animal sees its
shadow, it is said that winter will go on
for six more weeks. If not, then spring
is near.
#More to explore
Hibernation • Rodent • Squirrel
Guadeloupe
A group of islands in the Caribbean
Sea, Guadeloupe is an overseas
department (a type of province) of
France. The two largest islands are
Basse-Terre (to the west) and Grande-
Terre (to the east).
Guadeloupe lies north of the island
country of Dominica. Basse-Terre is
mountainous, while Grande-Terre is
flatter. Smaller islands called Marie-
Galante, La Desirade, the Saintes
Islands, and Saint-Barthelemy also
belong to Guadeloupe. In addition, the
northern part of the island of Saint Martin
is a part of Guadeloupe. Guadeloupe
has warm weather year-round and a
rainy season. The islands are sometimes
struck by hurricanes.
Forests of mahogany, chestnut, and
ironwood trees cover much of Basse-
Terre. Grande-Terre’s forests have been
cleared. The islands’ warm waters are
home to lobsters, octopuses, parrot fish,
and rays. Iguanas, raccoons, rodents
called agoutis, and a variety of birds live
on land.
Most Guadeloupeans are Creoles, or
people with both African and European
ancestors. Blacks and people with
mixed French and East Asian roots
Groundhogs are good diggers. They spend
a lot of time in the burrows that they dig.
164 Groundhog BRITANNICA STUDENT ENCYCLOPEDIA
form smaller groups. French is the main
language. Most people are Roman
Catholics.
Guadeloupe depends on money and
food from France. Many people work
for the government. Tourism is another
major industry. Guadeloupe produces
bananas, sugar, rum, and cement.
The Carib Indians drove the Arawak
Indians off the islands before Christopher
Columbus arrived in 1493. French
traders set up a colony in the 1600s. The
French defeated the Carib and brought
Africans to the islands as slaves.
In 1946 France changed Guadeloupe
from a colony to a department. Guadeloupe
has its own legislature as well as
representatives in France’s legislature.
#More to explore
Caribbean Sea
Guam
Guam is an island in the western Pacific
Ocean. It is the largest and most populous
island in the group called the Mariana
Islands. Guam is a territory of the
United States. It has important U.S.
military bases.
Guam is a long, narrow island. The
northern half is a plateau, or raised flat
area, made of limestone. To the south
are steep hills. Coral reefs and beaches
line the shores. The weather is tropical.
The local people of Guam are called
Chamorros. They are descendants of the
island’s early people, who came from
Indonesia. The population also includes
many Filipinos and other Asians, as well
as U.S. military personnel and their
families. Chamorro and English are the
main languages. Most of the people are
Roman Catholics.
U.S. military bases and tourism are the
most important parts of Guam’s
economy.
People first arrived on Guam before
1500 BC. The first settlers probably were
Indonesian. Europeans arrived on the
island in the early 1500s. Spain claimed
Guam in 1565. In 1898 the island was a
battle site in the Spanish-AmericanWar.
After the United States defeated Spain,
Guam came under U.S. control. Today
Guam governs itself, but it is still a U.S.
territory.
#More to explore
Pacific Ocean • Spanish-AmericanWar
A woman sells items in a market
in the town of Marigot on Saint
Martin island, Guadeloupe.
The people of
Guam are
U.S. citizens,
but they cannot
vote in
U.S. presidential
elections.
BRITANNICA STUDENT ENCYCLOPEDIA Guam 165
Guatemala
The Central American country of Guatemala
was the center of the great civilization
of the Maya. Modern Guatemala
has experienced unstable governments
and much violence. The capital is Guatemala
City.
Geography
Guatemala is bordered by Mexico, Belize,
Honduras, and El Salvador. It has
coasts on the Caribbean Sea and the
Pacific Ocean. Along the Pacific in the
south is a fertile coastal plain. North of
the plain is a row of volcanoes. The volcano
Tajumulco, at 13,845 feet (4,220
meters), is the highest peak in Central
America. Mountains rise in the middle
of the country. In northern Guatemala is
the Peten, a heavily forested area with
few people. It is known for its Mayan
ruins.
The low-lying coastal regions and the
Peten are hot year-round, but temperatures
are cooler at higher elevations.
Most of the country has a dry season,
but the Caribbean coast receives rain all
year.
Plants and Animals
The tropical rain forests of the Peten are
