Map of Northern Mariana Islands | Geography | People | Government | Economy | Energy | Communication
Military | Transportation | Transnational Issues | Year: Guide1989199019911992199319941995199619971998199920002001200220032004200520062007200820092010201120122013201420152016201720182019202020212022202320242025 | More stats

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


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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 reference: Oceania

Area
Total: 464 km²
Rank: 196
Land: 464 km²
Water: 0 km²
Note: consists of 14 islands including Saipan Rota and Tinian
Comparative: 2.5 times the size of Washington DC

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 1482 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
Extremes highest point: unnamed elevation on Agrihan 965 m

Natural resources: arable land: fish

Land use
Arable land: 13.04%
Permanent crops: 4.35%
Other: 82.61% (2005)

Irrigated land: 1 km² (2008)

Major rivers

Major watersheds area km²

Total water withdrawal

Total renewable water resources

Natural hazards: active volcanoes on Pagan and Agrihan; typhoons (especially August to November)

Geography
Note: strategic location in the North Pacific Ocean


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Population: 46,050 (July 2011 est.)
Rank: 209
Growth rate: -4.004% (2011 est.)
Growth rate rank: 230
Below poverty line: 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)

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)

Religions: Christian (Roman Catholic majority although traditional beliefs and taboos may still be found)

Demographic profile

Age structure
0-14 years: 26%
15-64 years: 70.4% (male 15,014/female 17,397)
65 years and over: 3.6% (male 790/female 875) (2011 est.)

Dependency ratios

Median age
Total: 30 years
Male: 29.8 years
Female: 30.1 years (2011 est.)

Population growth rate: -4.004% (2011 est.)
Rank: 230

Birth rate: 20.69 births/1000 population (2011 est.)
Rank: 87

Death rate: 3.28 deaths/1000 population (July 2011 est.)
Rank: 216

Net migration rate: -57.46 migrant(s)/1000 population (2011 est.)
Rank: 220

Population distribution

Urbanization
Urban population: 91% of total population
Rate of urbanization: 1.7% annual rate of change (2010-15 est.)

Major urban areas

Environment
Current issues: contamination of groundwater on Saipan may contribute to disease; clean-up of landfill; protection of endangered species conflicts with development

Air pollutants

Sex ratio
At birth: 1.061 male/female
Under 15 years: 1.15 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.85 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.92 male(s)/female
Total population: 0.93 male(s)/female (2011 est.)

Mothers mean age at first birth

Maternal mortality ratio

Infant mortality rate
Total: 5.79 deaths/1000 live births
Rank: 177
Male: 6.19 deaths/1000 live births
Female: 5.37 deaths/1000 live births (2011 est.)

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 77.08 years
Rank: 67
Male: 74.45 years
Female: 79.87 years (2011 est.)

Total fertility rate: 2.13 children born/woman (2011 est.)
Rank: 114

Contraceptive prevalence rate

Drinking water source:

Current health expenditure

Physicians density

Hospital bed density

Sanitation facility access:

Hiv/Aids
Adult prevalence rate: NA
People living with hivaids: NA
Deaths: NA

Major infectious diseases

Obesity adult prevalence rate

Alcohol consumption

Tobacco use

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

Education expenditures: NA

Literacy
Definition: age 15 and over can read and write
Total population: 97%
Male: 97%
Female: 96% (1980 est.)

School life expectancy primary to tertiary education: NA

Youth unemployment


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Country name
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

Government type: commonwealth; self-governing with locally elected governor lieutenant governor and legislature

Capital
Name: Saipan
Geographic coordinates: 15 12 N 145 45 E
Time difference: UTC+10 (15 hours ahead of Washington DC during Standard Time)

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

Dependent areas

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 fully effective 4 November 1986

Legal system: US system applies except for customs wages immigration laws and taxation

International law organization participation

Citizenship

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 Barack H. OBAMA ; Vice President Joseph R. BIDEN (since 20 January 2009)
Head of government: Governor Benigno R. FITIAL (since 9 January 2006); Lieutenant Governor Eloy S. INOS (since 1 May 2009)
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; however they may vote in the Democratic and Republican party presidential primary elections; governor and lieutenant governor elected on the same ticket by popular vote for four-year terms (eligible for a second term); election last held on 7 November 2009 with a run-off election held on 23 November 2009 (next to be held in 2013)
Election results: Benigno R. FITIAL reelected governor in a run-off election held 23 November 2009; percent of vote - Benigno R. FITIAL 51.4% Heinz HOFSCHNEIDER 48.6%

Legislative branch: bicameral legislature consists of the Senate (9 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year staggered terms) and the House of Representatives (20 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve two-year terms)
Elections: Senate - last held on 7 November 2009 (next to be held in November 2011); House of Representatives - last held on 7 November 2009 (next to be held in November 2011)
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 elects one nonvoting delegate to the US House of Representatives; election last held on 2 November 2010 (next to be held in November 2012); seats by party - independent 1

Judicial branch: Commonwealth Supreme Court; Superior Court; Federal District Court

Political parties and leaders: Covenant Party [Benigno R. FITIAL]; Democratic Party [Dr. Carlos S. CAMACHO]; Republican Party [Juan S. REYES]

International organization participation: SPC UPU

Diplomatic representation

Flag description: blue with a white five-pointed star superimposed on a gray latte stone (the traditional foundation stone used in building) in the center surrounded by a wreath; blue symbolizes the Pacific Ocean the star represents the Commonwealth; the latte stone and the floral head wreath display elements of the native Chamorro culture

National symbols: latte stone

National anthem
Name: 'Gi Talo Gi Halom Tasi'
Lyricsmusic: Jose S. PANGELINAN [Chamoru] David PETER [Carolinian]/Wilhelm GANZHORN
Note: adopted 1996; the Carolinian version of the song is known as 'Satil Matawal Pacifico;' as a commonwealth of the United States in addition to the local anthem 'The Star-Spangled Banner' is official (see United States)

National heritage


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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 the employment of 17,500 mostly Chinese workers and sizable shipments to the US under duty and quota exemptions.

Real gdp purchasing power parity: $900 million (2000 est.)
Rank: 203
Note: GDP estimate includes US subsidy

Real gdp growth rate

Real gdp per capita: $12,500 (2000 est.)
Rank: 93

Gross national saving

Gdp composition by end use

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Agriculture: NA%
Industry: NA%
Services: NA%

Agriculture products: vegetables and melons fruits and nuts; ornamental plants; livestock poultry and eggs; fish and aquaculture products

Industries: banking construction fishing garment tourism handicrafts

Industrial production growth rate: NA%

Labor force: 38,450
Rank: 197
Note: nearly 29,000 of these were foreign workers (2005 est.)
By occupation agriculture: NA%
By occupation industry: NA%
By occupation services: NA%

Unemployment rate: 3.9% (2001)
Rank: 90

Youth unemployment

Population below poverty line: NA%

Gini index

Household income or consumption by percentage share
Lowest 10: NA%
Highest 10: NA%

Distribution of family income gini index

Budget
Revenues: $193 million
Expenditures: $223 million (FY91/02)
Surplus or deficit: -4.7% of GDP (FY01/02)
Surplus or deficit rank: 139

Taxes and other revenues: 30.5% of GDP (FY01/02)
Rank: 91

Public debt

Revenue

Fiscal year

Inflation rate consumer prices: -0.8% (2000)
Rank: 8

Central bank discount rate

Commercial bank prime lending rate

Stock of narrow money

Stock of broad money

Stock of domestic credit

Market value of publicly traded shares

Current account balance

Exports: $98.2 million (2008)
Rank: 189
Commodities: garments

Imports: $214.4 million (2001)
Rank: 201
Commodities: food construction equipment and materials petroleum products

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

Debt external: $NA

Stock of direct foreign investment at home

Stock of direct foreign investment abroad

Exchange rates: the US dollar is used


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Electricity
Production: 60,600 kWh (January 2009)
Production rank: 215
Consumption: 48,300 kWh (January 2009)
Consumption rank: 215
Exports: 0 kWh (January 2009 est.)
Imports: 0 kWh (January 2009 est.)

Coal

Petroleum

Crude oil

Refined petroleum

Natural gas

Carbon dioxide emissions

Energy consumption per capita


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Telephones
Main lines in use: 25,500 (2010)
Main lines in use rank: 184
Mobile cellular: 20,500 (2004)
Mobile cellular rank: 209

Telephone system
General assessment: NA
Domestic: NA
International: country code - 1-670; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)

Broadcast media: 1 TV broadcast station on Saipan; multi-channel cable TV services are available on Saipan; 9 licensed radio broadcast stations (2009)

Internet
Country code: .mp
Hosts: 9 (2010)
Hosts rank: 221

Broadband fixed subscriptions


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Military expenditures

Military and security forces

Military service age and obligation

Space program

Terrorist groups


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National air transport system

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

Airports: 5 (2010)
Rank: 183
With paved runways total: 3
With paved runways 2438 to 3047 m: 2
With paved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 1 (2010)
With unpaved runways total: 2
With unpaved runways 2438 to 3047 m: 1
With unpaved runways under 914 m: 1 (2010)

Heliports: 1 (2010)

Pipelines

Railways

Roadways
Total: 536 km
Rank: 192

Waterways

Merchant marine

Ports and terminals: Saipan Tinian Rota


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Disputes international: none

Refugees and internally displaced persons

Illicit drugs