Northern Mariana Islands

                          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 sq km
land: 477 sq km
water: 0 sq km
note: includes 14 islands including Saipan, Rota, and Tinian

AreaŃcomparative: 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: 21%
permanent crops: NA%
permanent pastures: 19%
forests and woodland: NA%
other: NA%

Irrigated land: NA sq km

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

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

EnvironmentŃinternational agreements:
party to: NA
signed, but not ratified: NA

GeographyŃnote: strategic location in the North Pacific Ocean

                                   People


Population: 66,561 (July 1998 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 24% (male 8,110; female 7,869)
15-64 years: 74% (male 23,847; female 25,659)
65 years and over: 2% (male 518; female 558) (July 1998 est.)

Population growth rate: 4.2% (1998 est.)

Birth rate: 22.81 births/1,000 population (1998 est.)

Death rate: 2.28 deaths/1,000 population (1998 est.)

Net migration rate: 21.42 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1998 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.92 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.93 male(s)/female (1998 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 6.53 deaths/1,000 live births (1998 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 75.82 years
male: 72.76 years
female: 79.08 years (1998 est.)

Total fertility rate: 1.89 children born/woman (1998 est.)

Nationality:
noun: NA
adjective: NA

Ethnic groups: Chamorro, Carolinians and other Micronesians, Caucasian,
Japanese, Chinese, 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


Country name:
conventional long form: Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands
conventional short form: Northern Mariana Islands

Data code: CQ

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

National capital: Saipan

Administrative divisions: none

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

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 of the US William Jefferson CLINTON (since 20
January 1993); Vice President Albert GORE, Jr. (since 20 January 1993)
head of government: Governor Pedro P. TENORIO (since NA January 1998) and
Lieutenant Governor Jesus R. SABLAN (since NA January 1998)
cabinet: NA
elections: governor and lieutenant governor elected on the same ticket by
popular vote for four-year terms; election last held in NA November 1997
(next to be held NA November 2001)
election results: Pedro P. TENORIO elected governor of Northern Mariana
Islands in three-way race; percent of voteŃPedro P. TENORIO (Republican) 47%

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: SenateŃlast held NA November 1997 (next to be held NA November
1999); House of RepresentativesŃlast held NA November 1997 (next to be held
NA November 1999)
election results: SenateŃpercent of vote by partyŃNA; seats by partyŃNA
(Republicans retained a majority of the seats); House of
RepresentativesŃpercent of vote by partyŃNA; seats by partyŃNA (Republicans
retained a majority of the seats)
note: the Commonwealth does not have a nonvoting delegate in Congress;
instead, it has an elected official or "resident representative" located in
Washington, DC; seats by partyŃRepublican 1 (Juan N. BABAUTA)

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

Political parties and leaders: Republican Party, Benigno R. FITIAL, leader;
Democratic Party, chairman (currently vacant)

International organization participation: ESCAP (associate), 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


EconomyŃoverview: The economy benefits substantially from financial
assistance from the US. The rate of funding has declined as locally
generated government revenues have grown. An agreement for the years 1986 to
1992 entitled the islands to $228 million for capital development,
government operations, and special programs. Since 1992, funding has been
extended one year at a time. The commonwealth received $27.7 million from
FY93/94 through FY95/96. For FY96/97 through FY02/03, funding of $11 million
will be provided for infrastructure, with an equal local match. A rapidly
growing chief source of income is the tourist industry, which now employs
about 50% of the work force. Japanese tourists predominate. The agricultural
sector is of minor importance and is made up of cattle ranches and small
farms producing coconuts, breadfruit, tomatoes, and melons. Garment
production is the fastest growing industry with employment of 12,000 mostly
Chinese workers and shipments of $800 million to the US in 1997 under duty
and quota exemptions.

GDP: purchasing power parityŃ$524 million (1994 est.)
note: GDP numbers reflect US spending

GDPŃreal growth rate: NA%

GDPŃper capita: purchasing power parityŃ$10,500 (1994 est.)

GDPŃcomposition by sector:
agriculture: NA%
industry: NA%
services: NA%

Inflation rateŃconsumer price index: 6.5% (1994 est.)

Labor force:
total: 7,476 total indigenous labor force; 2,699 unemployed; 22,560 foreign
workers (1995)
by occupation: NA

Unemployment rate: 14% (residents)

Budget:
revenues: $190.4 million
expenditures: $190.4 million, including capital expenditures of $19.1
million (FY94/95)

Industries: tourism, construction, garments, handicrafts

Industrial production growth rate: NA%

ElectricityŃcapacity: NA kW

ElectricityŃproduction: NA kWh

ElectricityŃconsumption per capita: NA kWh

AgricultureŃproducts: coconuts, fruits, vegetables; cattle

Exports: NA
commodities: garments
partners: NA

Imports: NA
commodities: food, construction equipment and materials, petroleum products
partners: US, Japan

DebtŃexternal: $NA

Economic aid: none

Currency: 1 United States dollar (US$) = 100 cents

Exchange rates: US currency is used

Fiscal year: 1 OctoberŃ30 September

                               Communications


Telephones: 13,618 (1993 est.)

Telephone system:
domestic: NA
international: satellite earth stationsŃ2 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations: AM 2, FM 3

Radios: 15,460 (1995 est.)

Television broadcast stations: 1
note: there is 1 cable TV station

Televisions: 15,460 (1995 est.)

                               Transportation


Railways: 0 km

Highways:
total: 362 km (1991 est.)
paved: NA km
unpaved: NA km

Waterways: none

Ports and harbors: Saipan, Tinian

Merchant marine: none

Airports: 5 (1997 est.)

AirportsŃwith paved runways:
total: 3
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 (1997 est.)

AirportsŃwith unpaved runways:
total: 2
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
under 914 m: 1 (1997 est.)

Heliports: 1 (1997 est.)

                                  Military


MilitaryŃnote: defense is the responsibility of the US

                            Transnational Issues


DisputesŃinternational: none