| Northern Mariana Islands (commonwealth in political union with the US) |  | Click to enlarge
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This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005
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| Introduction | Northern Mariana Islands | Top of Page

Background: | Under US administration as part of the UN Trust Territory of the Pacific, the people of the Northern Mariana Islands decided in the 1970s not to seek independence but instead to forge closer links with the US. Negotiations for territorial status began in 1972. A covenant to establish a commonwealth in political union with the US was approved in 1975. A new government and constitution went into effect in 1978.

| Geography | Northern Mariana Islands | Top of Page

Location: | Oceania, islands in the North Pacific Ocean, about three-quarters of the way from Hawaii to the Philippines
Geographic coordinates: | 15 12 N, 145 45 E
Map references: | Oceania
Area: | total: 477 sq km land: 477 sq km water: 0 sq km note: includes 14 islands including Saipan, Rota, and Tinian
Area - comparative: | 2.5 times the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries: | 0 km
Coastline: | 1,482 km
Maritime claims: | territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Climate: | tropical marine; moderated by northeast trade winds, little seasonal temperature variation; dry season December to June, rainy season July to October
Terrain: | southern islands are limestone with level terraces and fringing coral reefs; northern islands are volcanic
Elevation extremes: | lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: unnamed location on Agrihan 965 m
Natural resources: | arable land, fish
Land use: | arable land: 13.04% permanent crops: 4.35% other: 82.61% (2001)
Irrigated land: | NA
Natural hazards: | active volcanoes on Pagan and Agrihan; typhoons (especially August to November)
Environment - current issues: | contamination of groundwater on Saipan may contribute to disease; clean-up of landfill; protection of endangered species conflicts with development
Geography - note: | strategic location in the North Pacific Ocean

| People | Northern Mariana Islands | Top of Page

Population: | 80,362 (July 2005 est.)
Age structure: | 0-14 years: 19.9% (male 8,332/female 7,646) 15-64 years: 78.5% (male 26,121/female 36,982) 65 years and over: 1.6% (male 646/female 635) (2005 est.)
Median age: | total: 29.33 years male: 31.54 years female: 28.33 years (2005 est.)
Population growth rate: | 2.61% (2005 est.)
Birth rate: | 19.51 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Death rate: | 2.3 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Net migration rate: | 8.92 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Sex ratio: | at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.09 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.71 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 1.02 male(s)/female total population: 0.78 male(s)/female (2005 est.)
Infant mortality rate: | total: 7.11 deaths/1,000 live births male: 7.05 deaths/1,000 live births female: 7.17 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: | total population: 75.88 years male: 73.31 years female: 78.61 years (2005 est.)
Total fertility rate: | 1.27 children born/woman (2005 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: | NA
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: | NA
HIV/AIDS - deaths: | NA
Nationality: | noun: NA adjective: NA
Ethnic groups: | Asian 56.3%, Pacific islander 36.3%, Caucasian 1.8%, other 0.8%, mixed 4.8% (2000 census)
Religions: | Christian (Roman Catholic majority, although traditional beliefs and taboos may still be found)
Languages: | Philippine languages 24.4%, Chinese 23.4%, Chamorro 22.4%, English 10.8%, other Pacific island languages 9.5%, other 9.6% (2000 census)
Literacy: | definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 97% male: 97% female: 96% (1980 est.)

| Government | Northern Mariana Islands | Top of Page

Country name: | conventional long form: Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands conventional short form: Northern Mariana Islands former: Mariana Islands District (Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands)
Dependency status: | commonwealth in political union with the US; federal funds to the Commonwealth administered by the US Department of the Interior, Office of Insular Affairs
Government type: | commonwealth; self-governing with locally elected governor, lieutenant governor, and legislature
Capital: | Saipan
Administrative divisions: | none (commonwealth in political union with the US); there are no first-order administrative divisions as defined by the US Government, but there are four municipalities at the second order: Northern Islands, Rota, Saipan, Tinian
Independence: | none (commonwealth in political union with the US)
National holiday: | Commonwealth Day, 8 January (1978)
Constitution: | Constitution of the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands effective 1 January 1978; Covenant Agreement effective 4 November 1986
Legal system: | based on US system, except for customs, wages, immigration laws, and taxation
Suffrage: | 18 years of age; universal; indigenous inhabitants are US citizens but do not vote in US presidential elections
Executive branch: | chief of state: President George W. BUSH of the US (since 20 January 2001); Vice President Richard B. CHENEY (since 20 January 2001) head of government: Governor Juan N. BABAUTA (since 14 January 2002); Lieutenant Governor Diego T. BENAVENTE (since 14 January 2002) cabinet: NA elections: US president and vice president elected on the same ticket for four-year terms; governor and lieutenant governor elected on the same ticket by popular vote for four-year terms; election last held 3 November 2001 (next to be held November 2005) election results: Juan N. BABAUTA elected governor in a four-way race; percent of vote - Juan N. BABAUTA (Republican Party) 42.8%
Legislative branch: | bicameral Legislature consists of the Senate (9 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve four-year staggered terms) and the House of Representatives (18 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve two-year terms) elections: Senate - last held 1 November 2003 (next to be held 5 November 2005); House of Representatives - last held 1 November 2003 (next to be held 5 November 2005) election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - NA; House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - Covenant Party 9, Republican Party 7, Democratic Party 1, independent 1 note: the Northern Mariana Islands does not have a nonvoting delegate in the US Congress; instead, it has an elected official or "resident representative" located in Washington, DC; seats by party - Republican Party 1 (Pedro A. TENORIO)
Judicial branch: | Commonwealth Supreme Court; Superior Court; Federal District Court
Political parties and leaders: | Democratic Party [Dr. Carlos S. CAMACHO]; Republican Party [NA]; Covenant Party [Benigno R. FITIAL]
Political pressure groups and leaders: | NA
International organization participation: | Interpol (subbureau)
Flag description: | blue, with a white, five-pointed star superimposed on the gray silhouette of a latte stone (a traditional foundation stone used in building) in the center, surrounded by a wreath

| Economy | Northern Mariana Islands | Top of Page

Economy - overview: | The economy benefits substantially from financial assistance from the US. The rate of funding has declined as locally generated government revenues have grown. The key tourist industry employs about 50% of the work force and accounts for roughly one-fourth of GDP. Japanese tourists predominate. Annual tourist entries have exceeded one-half million in recent years, but financial difficulties in Japan have caused a temporary slowdown. The agricultural sector is made up of cattle ranches and small farms producing coconuts, breadfruit, tomatoes, and melons. Garment production is by far the most important industry with employment of 17,500 mostly Chinese workers and sizable shipments to the US under duty and quota exemptions.
GDP (purchasing power parity): | $900 million note: GDP estimate includes US subsidy (2000 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: | NA
GDP - per capita: | purchasing power parity - $12,500 (2000 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: | agriculture: NA industry: NA services: NA
Labor force: | 6,006 total indigenous labor force; 2,699 unemployed; 28,717 foreign workers (June 1995)
Labor force - by occupation: | NA
Unemployment rate: | NA
Population below poverty line: | NA
Household income or consumption by percentage share: | lowest 10%: NA highest 10%: NA
Inflation rate (consumer prices): | 1.2% (1997 est.)
Budget: | revenues: $193 million expenditures: $223 million, including capital expenditures of NA (FY01/02 est.)
Agriculture - products: | coconuts, fruits, vegetables; cattle
Industries: | tourism, construction, garments, handicrafts
Industrial production growth rate: | NA
Electricity - production: | NA kWh
Electricity - consumption: | NA kWh
Electricity - exports: | 0 kWh
Electricity - imports: | 0 kWh
Exports: | NA
Exports - commodities: | garments
Exports - partners: | US (2000)
Imports: | NA
Imports - commodities: | food, construction equipment and materials, petroleum products
Imports - partners: | US, Japan (2000)
Debt - external: | NA
Economic aid - recipient: | extensive funding from US
Currency (code): | US dollar (USD)
Exchange rates: | the US dollar is used
Fiscal year: | 1 October - 30 September

| Communications | Northern Mariana Islands | Top of Page

Telephones - main lines in use: | 21,000 (2000)
Telephones - mobile cellular: | 3,000 (2000)
Telephone system: | general assessment: NA domestic: NA international: country code - 1-670; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)
Radio broadcast stations: | AM 2, FM 3, shortwave 1 (1998)
Television broadcast stations: | 1 (on Saipan and one station planned for Rota; in addition, two cable services on Saipan provide varied programming from satellite networks) (1997)
Internet country code: | .mp
Internet users: | NA

| Transportation | Northern Mariana Islands | Top of Page

Highways: | total: 362 km paved: NA km unpaved: NA km (1991)
Ports and harbors: | Saipan, Tinian
Airports: | 5 (2004 est.)
Airports - with paved runways: | total: 3 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2004 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways: | total: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.)
Heliports: | 1 (2004 est.)

| Military | Northern Mariana Islands | Top of Page

Military - note: | defense is the responsibility of the US

| Transnational Issues | Northern Mariana Islands | Top of Page

Disputes - international: | none

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005