from
CIA World Factbook 2006
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.
Geography
Location: Oceania, islands in the North Pacific Ocean, about
three-quarters of the way from Hawaii to the
Philippines
Geographic 15 12 N, 145 45 E
coordinates:
Map Oceania
references:
Area: total: 477 sq km
land: 477 sq km
water: 0 sq km
note: includes 14 islands including Saipan, Rota, and
Tinian
Area - 2.5 times the size of Washington, DC
comparative:
Land 0 km
boundaries:
Coastline: 1,482 km
Maritime territorial sea: 12 nm
claims: 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 lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
extremes: highest point: unnamed location on Agrihan 965 m
Natural arable land, fish
resources:
Land use: arable land: 13.04%
permanent crops: 4.35%
other: 82.61% (2005)
Irrigated NA
land:
Natural active volcanoes on Pagan and Agrihan; typhoons
hazards: (especially August to November)
Environment - contamination of groundwater on Saipan may contribute
current to disease; clean-up of landfill; protection of
issues: endangered species conflicts with development
Geography - strategic location in the North Pacific Ocean
note:
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 2.54% (2006 est.)
growth rate:
Birth rate: 19.43 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Death rate: 2.29 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Net migration 8.26 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)
rate:
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 total: 6.98 deaths/1,000 live births
mortality male: 6.92 deaths/1,000 live births
rate: female: 7.03 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)
Life total population: 76.09 years
expectancy at male: 73.5 years
birth: female: 78.83 years (2006 est.)
Total 1.24 children born/woman (2006 est.)
fertility
rate:
HIV/AIDS - NA
adult
prevalence
rate:
HIV/AIDS - NA
people living
with HIV/AIDS:
HIV/AIDS - NA
deaths:
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.)
Government
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
Dependency commonwealth in political union with the US; federal
status: funds to the Commonwealth administered by the US
Department of the Interior, Office of Insular Affairs
Government commonwealth; self-governing with locally elected
type: 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 none (commonwealth in political union with the US);
divisions: 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 Commonwealth Day, 8 January (1978)
holiday:
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 chief of state: President George W. BUSH of the US
branch: (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 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 (eligible for a second
term); election last held 5 November 2005 (next to be
held November 2009)
election results: Benigno R. FITIAL elected governor in
a four-way race; percent of vote - Benigno R. FITIAL
(Covenant Party) 28.07%, Heinz HOFSCHNEIDER
(Independent) 27.34%, Juan BABAUTA (Republican) 26.6%,
Froilan TENORIO (Democrat) 17.99%
Legislative bicameral Legislature consists of the Senate (9 seats;
branch: 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 Commonwealth Supreme Court; Superior Court; Federal
branch: District Court
Political Covenant Party [Benigno R. FITIAL]; Democratic Party
parties and [Dr. Carlos S. CAMACHO]; Republican Party [Juan S.
leaders: REYES]
Political NA
pressure
groups and
leaders:
International Interpol (subbureau), SPC, UPU
organization
participation:
Flag blue, with a white, five-pointed star superimposed on
description: the gray silhouette of a latte stone (a traditional
foundation stone used in building) in the center,
surrounded by a wreath
Economy
Economy - The economy benefits substantially from financial
overview: 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 $900 million
(purchasing note: GDP estimate includes US subsidy (2000 est.)
power parity):
GDP (official $633.4 million
exchange
rate):
GDP - real NA%
growth rate:
GDP - per $12,500 (2000 est.)
capita (PPP):
GDP - agriculture: NA%
composition by industry: NA%
sector: services: NA%
Labor force: 44,470 total indigenous labor force; 2,699 unemployed;
28,717 foreign workers (2000)
Labor force - agriculture: NA%
by occupation: industry: NA%
services: NA%
Unemployment 3.9% NA%
rate:
Population NA%
below poverty
line:
Household lowest 10%: NA%
income or highest 10%: NA%
consumption by
percentage
share:
Inflation rate -0.8% (2000)
(consumer
prices):
Budget: revenues: $193 million
expenditures: $223 million; including capital
expenditures of $NA (FY01/02 est.)
Agriculture - coconuts, fruits, vegetables; cattle
products:
Industries: tourism, construction, garments, handicrafts
Industrial NA%
production
growth rate:
Electricity - NA kWh
production:
Electricity - NA kWh
consumption:
Electricity - 0 kWh
exports:
Electricity - 0 kWh
imports:
Exports: $NA
Exports - garments
commodities:
Exports - US (2004)
partners:
Imports: $214.4 million $NA
Imports - food, construction equipment and materials, petroleum
commodities: products
Imports - US, Japan (2004)
partners:
Debt - $NA
external:
Economic aid - extensive funding from US
recipient:
Currency US dollar (USD)
(code):
Currency code: USD
Exchange the US dollar is used
rates:
Fiscal year: 1 October - 30 September
Communications
Telephones - 21,000 (2000)
main lines in
use:
Telephones - 20,500 (2004)
mobile
cellular:
Telephone general assessment: NA
system: domestic: NA
international: country code - 1-670; satellite earth
stations - 2 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)
Radio AM 1, FM 6, shortwave 1 (2006)
broadcast
stations:
Radios: NA
Television 1 (Low Power TV on Saipan; in addition, two cable
broadcast services on Saipan provide varied programming from
stations: satellite networks) (2006)
Televisions: NA
Internet .mp
country code:
Internet 20 (2005)
hosts:
Internet 1 (2001)
Service
Providers
(ISPs):
Internet 10,000 (2003)
users:
Transportation
Airports: 5 (2006)
Airports - total: 3
with paved 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2
runways: 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2006)
Airports - total: 2
with unpaved 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
runways: under 914 m: 1 (2006)
Heliports: 1 (2006)
Roadways: total: 536 km (2004)
Ports and Saipan, Tinian
terminals:
Military
Military - defense is the responsibility of the US
note:
Transnational
Issues
Disputes - none
international: