Northern Mariana Islands

§1. Northern Mariana Islands Introduction

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.

§2. Northern Mariana Islands Geography

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 kmē
  land: 477 kmē
  water: 0 kmē
  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% (2005)

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

§3. Northern Mariana Islands People

Population:
  82,459 (July 2006 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 19.4% (male 8,350/female 7,623)
  15-64 years: 79% (male 26,715/female 38,442)
  65 years and over: 1.6% (male 679/female 650) (2006 est.)

Median age:
  total: 29.5 years
  male: 31.7 years
  female: 28.5 years (2006 est.)

Population growth rate:
  2.54% (2006 est.)

Birth rate:
  19.43 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Death rate:
  2.29 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Net migration rate:
  8.26 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.1 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.7 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 1.05 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.77 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 6.98 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 6.92 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 7.03 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 76.09 years
  male: 73.5 years
  female: 78.83 years (2006 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  1.24 children born/woman (2006 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  NA

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  NA

Nationality:
  noun: NA (US citizens)
  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.)

§4. Northern Mariana Islands Government

Country name:
  conventional long form: Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands
  conventional short form: Northern Mariana Islands
  former: Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands, Mariana Islands District

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 fully 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 Benjamin R. FITIAL (since 9 January 2006);
    Lieutenant Governor Timothy P. VILLAGOMEZ (since 9 January 2006)
  cabinet: NA
  elections: under the US Consitution, 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; election last held 5 November 2005 (next to be held
    November 2009)
  election results: Benjamin R. FITIAL elected governor in a four-way race;
    percent of vote - Benjamin R. FITIAL (Covenant Party) 28.07%, Heinz
    HOFSCHNEIDER (Independent) 27.34%, Juan BABAUTA (Republican) 26.6%,
    Froilan TENORIO (Democrat) 17.99%

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 5 November 2005 (next to be held November
    2009); House of Representatives - last held 5 November 2005 (next to be
    held November 2007)
  election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -
    Covenant Party 3, Republican Party 3, Democratic Party 2, independent 1;
    House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party
    - Covenant Party 7, Republican Party 7, Democratic Party 2, independent 2
  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 [leader NA];
  Covenant Party [Benigno R. FITIAL]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  NA

International organization participation:
  Interpol (subbureau), SPC

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

§5. Northern Mariana Islands Economy

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.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
  $900 million
  note: GDP estimate includes US subsidy (2000 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):
  NA

GDP - real growth rate:
  NA%

GDP - per capita (PPP):
  $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:
  agriculture NA%, industry NA%, services 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 (2004)

Imports:
  $NA

Imports - commodities:
  food, construction equipment and materials, petroleum products

Imports - partners:
  US, Japan (2004)

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

§6. Northern Mariana Islands Communications

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 1, FM 6, shortwave 1 (2006)

Television broadcast stations:
  1 (Low Power TV on Saipan; in addition, two cable services on Saipan
  provide varied programming from satellite networks) (2006)

Internet country code:
  .mp

Internet hosts:
  20 (2005)

Internet users:
  10,000 (2003)

§7. Northern Mariana Islands Transportation

Airports:
  5 (2005)

Airports - with paved runways:
  total: 3
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 2
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2005)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
  total: 2
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
  under 914 m: 1 (2005)

Heliports:
  1 (2005)

Roadways:
  total: 536 km (2004)

Ports and terminals:
  Saipan, Tinian

§8. Northern Mariana Islands Military

Military - note:
  defense is the responsibility of the US

§9. Northern Mariana Islands Transnational Issues

Disputes - international:
  none


<Factbook 2006>
