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- #CARD:Northern Mariana Islands:Header
- THE WORLD FACTBOOK
- Northern Mariana Islands
- Header
-
-
- Affiliation:
- (commonwealth in political union with the US)
-
- #ENDCARD
- #CARD:Northern Mariana Islands:Geography
- #IMAGE 49 66 TWPCX \maps\Northern.PCX
- THE WORLD FACTBOOK Click Here for MAP
- Northern Mariana Islands
- Geography
-
-
- Location:
- 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 km2
- land area:
- 477 km2
- 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)
- 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 km2
- Environment:
- active volcanos on Pagan and Agrihan; subject to typhoons (most during
- August through November)
- Note:
- strategic location in the North Pacific Ocean
-
- #ENDCARD
- #CARD:Northern Mariana Islands:People
- THE WORLD FACTBOOK
- Northern Mariana Islands
- People
-
-
- Population:
- 48,581 (July 1993 est.)
- Population growth rate:
- 3.04% (1993 est.)
- Birth rate:
- 35.05 births/1,000 population (1993 est.)
- Death rate:
- 4.61 deaths/1,000 population (1993 est.)
- Net migration rate:
- 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1993 est.)
- Infant mortality rate:
- 37.96 deaths/1,000 live births (1993 est.)
- Life expectancy at birth:
- total population:
- 67.43 years
- male:
- 65.53 years
- female:
- 69.48 years (1993 est.)
- Total fertility rate:
- 2.69 children born/woman (1993 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 NA 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
-
- #ENDCARD
- #CARD:Northern Mariana Islands:Government
- THE WORLD FACTBOOK
- Northern Mariana Islands
- Government
-
-
- Names:
- conventional long form:
- Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands
- conventional short form:
- Northern Mariana Islands
- 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)
- 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
- National holiday:
- Commonwealth Day, 8 January (1978)
- Political parties and leaders:
- Republican Party, Governor Lorenzo GUERRERO; Democratic Party, Carlos SHODA,
- chairman
- Suffrage:
- 18 years of age; universal; indigenous inhabitants are US citizens but do
- not vote in US presidential elections
- Elections:
- Governor:
- last held in NA November 1989 (next to be held NA November 1993); results -
- Lorenzo I. DeLeon GUERRERO, Republican Party, was elected governor
- Senate:
- 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:
- 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)
- Executive branch:
- US president; governor, lieutenant governor
- Legislative branch:
- bicameral Legislature consists of an upper house or Senate and a lower house
- or House of Representatives
- Judicial branch:
- Commonwealth Supreme Court, Superior Court, Federal District Court
- Leaders:
- Chief of State:
- President William Jefferson CLINTON (since 20 January 1993); Vice President
- Albert GORE, Jr. (since 20 January 1993)
-
- #ENDCARD
- #CARD:Northern Mariana Islands:Government
- THE WORLD FACTBOOK
- Northern Mariana Islands
- Government
- Head of Government:
- Governor Lorenzo I. DeLeon GUERRERO (since 9 January 1990); Lieutenant
- Governor Benjamin T. MANGLONA (since 9 January 1990)
- 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
-
- #ENDCARD
- #CARD:Northern Mariana Islands:Economy
- THE WORLD FACTBOOK
- 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. 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 $147.0 million; expenditures $127.7 million, including capital
- expenditures of $NA (1991)
- 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:
- 25,000 kW capacity; 35 million kWh produced, 740 kWh per capita (1990)
- Industries:
- tourism, construction, light industry, handicrafts
- Agriculture:
- coconuts, fruits, cattle, vegetables
- Economic aid:
- none
- Currency:
- US currency is used
- Fiscal year:
- 1 October - 30 September
-
- #ENDCARD
- #CARD:Northern Mariana Islands:Communications
- THE WORLD FACTBOOK
- Northern Mariana Islands
- Communications
-
-
- Railroads:
- none
- Highways:
- 381.5 km total; 134.5 km primary, 55 km secondary, 192 km local (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
-
- #ENDCARD
- #CARD:Northern Mariana Islands:Defense Forces
- THE WORLD FACTBOOK
- Northern Mariana Islands
- Defense Forces
-
-
- Note:
- defense is the responsibility of the US
-
- #ENDCARD
-