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, and came into force on 24 March 1976. A new government and constitution went into effect in 1978.

Oceania, islands in the North Pacific Ocean, about three-quarters of the way from Hawaii to the Philippines
15 12 N, 145 45 E
Oceania
total: 477 sq km ; land: 477 sq km ; water: 0 sq km ; note: includes 14 islands including Saipan, Rota, and Tinian
2.5 times the size of Washington, DC
0 km
1,482 km
territorial sea: 12 nm ; exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
tropical marine; moderated by northeast trade winds, little seasonal temperature variation; dry season December to June, rainy season July to October
southern islands are limestone with level terraces and fringing coral reefs; northern islands are volcanic
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m ; highest point: unnamed location on Agrihan 965 m
arable land, fish
arable land: 13.04% ; permanent crops: 4.35% ; other: 82.61% (2005)
NA


active volcanoes on Pagan and Agrihan; typhoons (especially August to November)
contamination of groundwater on Saipan may contribute to disease; clean-up of landfill; protection of endangered species conflicts with development

strategic location in the North Pacific Ocean
84,546 (July 2007 est.)
0-14 years: 18.9% (male 8,354/female 7,612) ; 15-64 years: 79.5% (male 27,334/female 39,860) ; 65 years and over: 1.6% (male 717/female 669) (2007 est.)
total: 29.7 years ; male: 31.8 years ; female: 28.7 years (2007 est.)
2.461% (2007 est.)
19.27 births/1,000 population (2007 est.)
2.29 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.)
7.64 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2007 est.)
at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female ; under 15 years: 1.097 male(s)/female ; 15-64 years: 0.686 male(s)/female ; 65 years and over: 1.072 male(s)/female ; total population: 0.756 male(s)/female (2007 est.)
total: 6.85 deaths/1,000 live births ; male: 6.8 deaths/1,000 live births ; female: 6.89 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.)
total population: 76.29 years ; male: 73.7 years ; female: 79.05 years (2007 est.)
1.21 children born/woman (2007 est.)
NA
NA
NA
noun: NA (US citizens) ; adjective: NA
Asian 56.3%, Pacific islander 36.3%, Caucasian 1.8%, other 0.8%, mixed 4.8% (2000 census)
Christian (Roman Catholic majority, although traditional beliefs and taboos may still be found)
Philippine languages 24.4%, Chinese 23.4%, Chamorro 22.4%, English 10.8%, other Pacific island languages 9.5%, other 9.6% (2000 census)
definition: age 15 and over can read and write ; total population: 97% ; male: 97% ; female: 96% (1980 est.)


conventional long form: Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands ; conventional short form: Northern Mariana Islands ; abbreviation: CNMI ; former: Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands, Mariana Islands District
commonwealth; self-governing with locally elected governor, lieutenant governor, and legislature
name: Saipan ; geographic coordinates: 15 12 N, 145 45 E ; time difference: UTC+10 (15 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
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

none (commonwealth in political union with the US)
Commonwealth Day, 8 January (1978)
Constitution of the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands effective 1 January 1978; Covenant Agreement fully effective 4 November 1986
based on US system, except for customs, wages, immigration laws, and taxation
18 years of age; universal; indigenous inhabitants are US citizens but do not vote in US presidential elections
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 Benigno R. FITIAL (since 9 January 2006); Lieutenant Governor Timothy P. VILLAGOMEZ (since 9 January 2006) ; cabinet: the cabinet consists of the heads of the 10 principal departments under the executive branch who are appointed by the governor with the advice and consent of the Senate; other members include Special Assistants to the governor and office heads appointed by and reporting directly to the governor ; elections: under the US Constitution, residents of unincorporated territories, such as the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, do not vote in elections for US president and vice president; governor and lieutenant governor elected on the same ticket by popular vote for four-year terms (eligible for a second term); election last held 5 November 2005 (next to be held in November 2009) ; election results: Benigno R. FITIAL elected governor in a four-way race; percent of vote - Benigno R. FITIAL 28.07%, Heinz HOFSCHNEIDER 27.34%, Juan BABAUTA 26.6%, Froilan TENORIO 17.99%
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 (20 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve two-year terms) ; elections: Senate - last held 3 November 2007 (next to be held in November 2009); House of Representatives - last held 3 November 2007 (next to be held in November 2009) ; election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - Covenant Party 3, Republican Party 3, Democratic Party 1, independents 2; House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - Republican Party 12, Covenant Party 4, Democratic Party 1, independents 3 ; note: the Northern Mariana Islands does not have a nonvoting delegate in the US Congress; instead, it has an elected official or "resident representative" in Washington, DC; seats by party - Republican Party 1 (Pedro A. TENORIO)
Commonwealth Supreme Court; Superior Court; Federal District Court
Covenant Party [Benigno R. FITIAL]; Democratic Party [Dr. Carlos S. CAMACHO]; Republican Party [Juan S. REYES]
NA
Interpol (subbureau), SPC, UPU
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


commonwealth in political union with the US; federal funds to the Commonwealth administered by the US Department of the Interior, Office of Insular Affairs




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 the employment of 17,500 mostly Chinese workers and sizable shipments to the US under duty and quota exemptions.
$900 million ; note: GDP estimate includes US subsidy (2000 est.)
$633.4 million (2000)
NA%
$12,500 (2000 est.)
agriculture: NA% ; industry: NA% ; services: NA%
44,470 total indigenous labor force; 2,699 unemployed; 28,717 foreign workers (2000)
agriculture: NA% ; industry: NA% ; services: NA%
3.9% (2001)
NA%
lowest 10%: NA% ; highest 10%: NA%

-0.8% (2000)

revenues: $193 million ; expenditures: $223 million (FY01/02 est.)

coconuts, fruits, vegetables; cattle
tourism, construction, garments, handicrafts
NA%
NA kWh

NA kWh
0 kWh (2007 est.)
0 kWh (2007 est.)











$NA
garments
US (2006)
$214.4 million (2001)
US, Japan (2006)


$NA



US dollar (USD)
USD
the US dollar is used
1 October - 30 September
extensive funding from US
21,000 (2000)
20,500 (2004)
general assessment: NA ; domestic: NA ; international: country code - 1-670; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)
AM 1, FM 6, shortwave 1 (2005)
NA
1 (on Saipan; in addition, 2 cable services on Saipan provide varied programming from satellite networks) (2006)
NA
.mp
5 (2007)
1 (2001)
10,000 (2003)

5 (2007)
total: 3 ; 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 ; 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2007)
total: 2 ; 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 ; under 914 m: 1 (2007)
1 (2007)


total: 536 km (2004)


Saipan, Tinian







defense is the responsibility of the US
none



