Northern Mariana Islands




                                  Header


Affiliation:
     (commonwealth in political union with the US)


                                 Geography


Location:
     Oceania, Micronesia, in the North Pacific Ocean, 5,635 km
     west-southwest of Honolulu, about three-quarters of the way between
     Hawaii and the Philippines
Map references:
     Oceania
Area:
total area:
     477 sq km
land area:
     477 sq km
comparative area:
     slightly more than 2.5 times the size of Washington, DC
note:
     includes 14 islands including Saipan, Rota, and Tinian
Land boundaries:
     0 km
Coastline:
     1,482 km
Maritime claims:
contiguous zone:
     24 nm
continental shelf:
     200-m depth or to depth of exploitation
exclusive economic zone:
     200 nm
territorial sea:
     12 nm
International disputes:
     none
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; highest elevation is 471 meters
     (Mt. Okso' Takpochao on Saipan)
Natural resources:
     arable land, fish
Land use:
arable land:
     5% on Saipan
permanent crops:
     NA%
meadows and pastures:
     19%




forest and woodland:
     NA%
other:
     NA%
Irrigated land:
     NA sq km
Environment:
current issues:
     contamination of groundwater on Saipan by raw sewage contributes to
     disease
natural hazards:
     active volcanoes on Pagan and Agrihan; subject to typhoons (especially
     August to November)
international agreements:
     NA
Note:
     strategic location in the North Pacific Ocean


                                  People


Population:
     49,799 (July 1994 est.)
Population growth rate:
     3.04% (1994 est.)
Birth rate:
     35.05 births/1,000 population (1994 est.)
Death rate:
     4.61 deaths/1,000 population (1994 est.)
Net migration rate:
     0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1994 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
     37.96 deaths/1,000 live births (1994 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population:
     67.43 years
male:
     65.53 years
female:
     69.48 years (1994 est.)
Total fertility rate:
     2.69 children born/woman (1994 est.)
Nationality:
noun:
     NA
adjective:
     NA
Ethnic divisions:
     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:
     age 15 and over can read and write (1980)
total population:
     97%
male:
     97%
female:
     96%
Labor force:
     7,476 total indigenous labor force, 2,699 unemployed; 21,188 foreign
     workers (1990)
by occupation:
     NA


                                Government


Names:
conventional long form:
     Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands
conventional short form:
Digraph:
     CQ
Type:
     commonwealth in political union with the US; self-governing with
     locally elected governor, lieutenant governor, and legislature;
     federal funds to the Commonwealth administered by the US Department of
     the Interior, Office of Territorial and International Affairs
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 3 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 William Jefferson CLINTON (since 20 January 1993); Vice
     President Albert GORE, Jr. (since 20 January 1993)




head of government:
     Governor Lorenzo I. DeLeon GUERRERO (since 9 January 1990); Lieutenant
     Governor Benjamin T. MANGLONA (since 9 January 1990); election last
     held in NA November 1989 (next to be held NA November 1993); results -
     Lorenzo I. DeLeon GUERRERO, Republican Party, was elected governor
Legislative branch:
     bicameral Legislature
Senate:
     elections last held NA November 1991 (next to be held NA November
     1993); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (9 total)
     Republicans 6, Democrats 3
House of Representatives:
     elections last held NA November 1991 (next to be held NA November
     1993); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (18 total)
     Republicans 10, Democrats 6, Independent 2
US House of Representatives:
     the Commonwealth does not have a nonvoting delegate in Congress;
     instead, it has an elected official "resident representative" located
     in Washington, DC; seats - (1 total) Republican (Juan N. BABAUTA)
Judicial branch:
     Commonwealth Supreme Court, Superior Court, Federal District Court
Political parties and leaders:
     Republican Party, Governor Lorenzo GUERRERO; Democratic Party, Carlos
     SHODA, chairman
Member of:
     ESCAP (associate), SPC
Flag:
     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


                                  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. An agreement for the years 1986 to 1992 entitled
     the islands to $228 million for capital development, government
     operations, and special programs. A rapidly growing major source of
     income is the tourist industry, which now employs about 50% of the
     work force. Japanese tourists predominate. The agricultural sector is
     made up of cattle ranches and small farms producing coconuts,
     breadfruit, tomatoes, and melons. Industry is small scale, mostly
     handicrafts and light manufacturing.
National product:
     GNP - purchasing power equivalent - $541 million (1992)
note:
     GNP numbers reflect US spending
National product real growth rate:
     NA%
National product per capita:
     $11,500 (1992)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
     6.5-7.5% (1991 est.)




Unemployment rate:
     NA%
Budget:
revenues:
     $147 million
expenditures:
     $127.7 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1991 est.)
Exports:
     $263.4 million (f.o.b. 1991 est.)
commodities:
     manufactured goods, garments, bread, pastries, concrete blocks, light
     iron work
partners:
     NA
Imports:
     $392.4 million (c.i.f. 1991 est.)
commodities:
     food, construction, equipment, materials
partners:
     NA
External debt:
     $0
Industrial production:
     growth rate NA%
Electricity:
capacity:
     25,000 kW
production:
     35 million kWh
consumption per capita:
     740 kWh (1990)
Industries:
     tourism, construction, light industry, handicrafts
Agriculture:
     coconuts, fruits, cattle, vegetables
Economic aid:
     none
Currency:
     1 United States dollar (US$) = 100 cents
Exchange rates:
     US currency is used
Fiscal year:
     1 October - 30 September


                              Communications


Railroads:
     none
Highways:
total:
     381.5 km
paved:
     NA
unpaved:
     NA




undifferentiated:
     primary 134.5 km; secondary 55 km; local 192 km (1991)
Inland waterways:
     none
Ports:
     Saipan, Tinian
Airports:
total:
     6
usable:
     5
with permanent-surface runways:
     3
with runways over 3,659 m:
     0
with runways 2,440-3,659 m:
     2
with runways 1,220-2,439 m:
     2
Telecommunications:
     broadcast stations - 2 AM, 1 FM (1984), 1 TV, 2 cable TV stations; 2
     Pacific Ocean INTELSAT earth stations


                              Defense Forces


Note:
     defense is the responsibility of the US