1.
[syn: Northern Marianas, Northern Mariana Islands]
WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006):
Northern Mariana Islands
n 1: a self-governing territory comprising all of the Mariana
Islands except Guam [syn: Northern Marianas, Northern
Mariana Islands]
CIA World Factbook 2002:
Northern Mariana Islands
Introduction Northern Mariana Islands
-------------------------------------
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
----------------------------------
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
note: includes 14 islands including
Saipan, Rota, and Tinian
water: 0 sq km
land: 477 sq km
Area - comparative: 2.5 times the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries: 0 km
Coastline: 1,482 km
Maritime claims: exclusive economic zone: 200 NM
territorial sea: 12 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: 15.22%
permanent crops: 6.52%
other: 78.26% (1998 est.)
Irrigated land: NA sq km
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
-------------------------------
Population: 77,311 (July 2002 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: 23.4% (male 9,208;
female 8,902)
15-64 years: 74.8% (male 27,041;
female 30,781)
65 years and over: 1.8% (male 690;
female 689) (2002 est.)
Population growth rate: 3.49% (2002 est.)
Birth rate: 20.29 births/1,000 population (2002
est.)
Death rate: 2.42 deaths/1,000 population (2002
est.)
Net migration rate: 17.02 migrant(s)/1,000 population
(2002 est.)
Sex ratio: at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.88 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 1 male(s)/female
total population: 0.92 male(s)/
female (2002 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 5.61 deaths/1,000 live births (2002
est.)
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 75.95 years
female: 79.23 years (2002 est.)
male: 72.85 years
Total fertility rate: 1.76 children born/woman (2002 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: NA%
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/ NA
AIDS:
HIV/AIDS - deaths: NA
Nationality: noun: NA
adjective: NA
Ethnic groups: Chamorro, Carolinians and other
Micronesians, Caucasian, Japanese,
Chinese, Filipino, Korean
Religions: Christian (Roman Catholic majority,
although traditional beliefs and
taboos may still be found)
Languages: English, Chamorro, Carolinian
note: 86% of population speaks a
language other than English at home
Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read
and write
total population: 97%
male: 97%
female: 96% (1980 est.)
Government Northern Mariana Islands
-----------------------------------
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: Covenant Agreement effective 4
November 1986 and the Constitution
of the Commonwealth of the Northern
Mariana Islands effective 1 January
1978
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.
BABOUTA (since NA January 2002) and
Lieutenant Governor Diego T.
BENEVENTE (since NA 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
NA November 2001 (next to be held NA
November 2005)
election results: Juan N. BABOUTA
elected governor in a four-way race;
percent of vote - Juan N. BABOUTA
(Republican Party) 49%
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)
election results: Senate - percent
of vote by party - NA%; seats by
party - Republican Party 4,
Democratic Party 3, Reform Party 1,
independent 1; House of
Representatives - percent of vote by
party - NA%; seats by party -
Republican Party 16, Democratic
Party 1, Covenant Party 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)
elections: Senate - last held 5
November 2001 (next to be held NA
November 2003); House of
Representatives - last held 5
November 2001 (next to be held NA
November 2003)
Judicial branch: Commonwealth Supreme Court; Superior
Court; Federal District Court
Political parties and leaders: Democratic Party [Dr. Carlos S.
CAMACHO]; Republican Party [Benigno
R. FITIAL]
Political pressure groups and NA
leaders:
International organization ESCAP (associate), Interpol
participation: (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
Economy Northern Mariana Islands
--------------------------------
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 (2000 est.)
note: GDP numbers reflect US
spending
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%
Population below poverty line: NA%
Household income or consumption by lowest 10%: NA%
percentage share: highest 10%: NA%
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 1.2% (1997 est.)
Labor force: 6,006 total indigenous labor force;
2,699 unemployed; 28,717 foreign
workers (1995)
Labor force - by occupation: NA
Unemployment rate: NA%
Budget: revenues: $193 million
expenditures: $223 million,
including capital expenditures of NA
(FY 2001/02 est.)
Industries: tourism, construction, garments,
handicrafts
Industrial production growth rate: NA%
Electricity - production: NA kWh
Electricity - consumption: NA kWh
Agriculture - products: coconuts, fruits, vegetables; cattle
Exports: $NA
Exports - commodities: garments
Exports - partners: US
Imports: $NA
Imports - commodities: food, construction equipment and
materials, petroleum products
Imports - partners: US, Japan
Debt - external: $NA
Economic aid - recipient: extensive funding from US
Currency: US dollar (USD)
Currency code: USD
Exchange rates: the US dollar is used
Fiscal year: 1 October - 30 September
Communications Northern Mariana Islands
---------------------------------------
Telephones - main lines in use: 21,000 (1996)
Telephones - mobile cellular: 1,200 (1995)
Telephone system: general assessment: NA
domestic: NA
international: satellite earth
stations - 2 Intelsat (Pacific
Ocean)
Radio broadcast stations: AM 2, FM 3, shortwave 1 (1998)
Radios: NA
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)
Televisions: NA
Internet country code: .mp
Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 1 (2001)
Internet users: NA
Transportation Northern Mariana Islands
---------------------------------------
Railways: 0 km
Highways: total: 362 km
paved: NA km
unpaved: NA km (1991)
Waterways: none
Ports and harbors: Saipan, Tinian
Merchant marine: none (2002 est.)
Airports: 6 (2001)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 3
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 (2001)
Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 3
under 914 m: 2 (2001)
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
Heliports: 1 (2001)
Military Northern Mariana Islands
---------------------------------
Military - note: defense is the responsibility of the
US
Transnational Issues Northern Mariana Islands
---------------------------------------------
Disputes - international: none