home *** CD-ROM | disk | FTP | other *** search
- THE WORLD FACTBOOK
- Northern Mariana Islands
- Header
-
-
- Affiliation:
- (commonwealth in political union with the US)
- THE WORLD FACTBOOK
- Northern Mariana Islands
- Geography
-
-
- Location:
- Oceania, islands in the North Pacific Ocean, about three-quarters of the way
- from Hawaii to 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:
- 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 m (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; typhoons (especially August to
- November)
- international agreements:
- NA
- Note:
- strategic location in the North Pacific Ocean
- THE WORLD FACTBOOK
- Northern Mariana Islands
- People
-
-
- Population:
- 51,033 (July 1995 est.)
- Age structure:
- 0-14 years:
- NA
- 15-64 years:
- NA
- 65 years and over:
- NA
- Population growth rate:
- 3.04% (1995 est.)
- Birth rate:
- 33.05 births/1,000 population (1995 est.)
- Death rate:
- 4.61 deaths/1,000 population (1995 est.)
- Net migration rate:
- 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1995 est.)
- Infant mortality rate:
- 37.96 deaths/1,000 live births (1995 est.)
- Life expectancy at birth:
- total population:
- 67.43 years
- male:
- 65.53 years
- female:
- 69.48 years (1995 est.)
- Total fertility rate:
- 2.69 children born/woman (1995 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
- 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)
- 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 Froilan C. TENORIO (since January 1994); Lieutenant Governor Jesus
- C. BORJA (since January 1994); election last held in NA November 1993 (next
- to be held NA November 1997); results - Froilan C. TENORIO (Democrat) was
- elected governor with 56% of the vote
- Legislative branch:
- bicameral Legislature
- Senate:
- elections last held NA November 1993 (next to be held NA November 1995);
- results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (9 total) Republicans
- retained a majority of the seats
- House of Representatives:
- elections last held NA November 1993 (next to be held NA November 1995);
- results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (18 total) Republicans
- retained a majority of the seats
- 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) Juan N. BABAUTA (Republican)
- Judicial branch:
- Commonwealth Supreme Court, Superior Court, Federal District Court
- Political parties and leaders:
- Republican Party, Benigno R. FITIAL, Leader; Democratic Party, Dr. Carlos S.
- CAMACHO, Chairman
- Member of:
- ESCAP (associate), INTERPOL (subbureau), SPC
- THE WORLD FACTBOOK
- Northern Mariana Islands
- Government
- 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
- 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 of minor importance and is made up
- of cattle ranches and small farms producing coconuts, breadfruit, tomatoes,
- and melons. Industry is small scale, mostly handicrafts, light
- manufacturing, and garment production.
- National product:
- GDP - purchasing power parity - $524 million (1994 est.)
- note:
- GDP numbers reflect US spending
- National product real growth rate:
- NA%
- National product per capita:
- $10,500 (1994 est.)
- Inflation rate (consumer prices):
- 6.5% (1994 est.)
- Unemployment rate:
- NA%
- Budget:
- revenues:
- $190.4 million
- expenditures:
- $190.4 million, including capital expenditures of $19.1 million (FY94/95)
- Exports:
- $263.4 million (f.o.b. 1991 est.)
- commodities:
- garments
- partners:
- NA
- Imports:
- $392.4 million (c.i.f. 1991 est.)
- commodities:
- food, construction equipment and materials, petroleum products
- partners:
- US, Japan
- External debt:
- $NA
- Industrial production:
- growth rate NA%
- Electricity:
- capacity:
- 105,000 kW
- production:
- NA kWh
- consumption per capita:
- NA kWh
- Industries:
- tourism, construction, light industry, handicrafts
- Agriculture:
- coconuts, fruits, cattle, vegetables; food is a major import
- Economic aid:
- none
- Currency:
- 1 United States dollar (US$) = 100 cents
- THE WORLD FACTBOOK
- Northern Mariana Islands
- Economy
- Exchange rates:
- US currency is used
- Fiscal year:
- 1 October - 30 September
- THE WORLD FACTBOOK
- Northern Mariana Islands
- Transportation
-
-
- Railroads:
- 0 km
- 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
- Merchant marine:
- none
- Airports:
- total:
- 8
- with paved runways 2,438 to 3,047 m:
- 1
- with paved runways 1,524 to 2,437 m:
- 3
- with paved runways under 914 m:
- 3
- with unpaved runways 2,438 to 3,047 m:
- 1
- THE WORLD FACTBOOK
- Northern Mariana Islands
- Communications
-
-
- Telephone system:
- NA telephones
- local:
- NA
- intercity:
- NA
- international:
- 2 INTELSAT (Pacific Ocean) earth stations
- Radio:
- broadcast stations:
- AM 2, FM 1, shortwave 0 (1984)
- radios:
- NA
- Television:
- broadcast stations:
- 1; note - there are 2 cable TV stations
- televisions:
- NA
- THE WORLD FACTBOOK
- Northern Mariana Islands
- Defense Forces
-
-
- Note:
- defense is the responsibility of the US
-