Northern Mariana Islands Population: 51,170
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| 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, and came into force on 24 March 1976. A new government and constitution went into effect in 1978. |
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| Geography | |
| Strategic location in the North Pacific Ocean | |
| 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 |
| Area: | total: 464 sq km land: 464 sq km water: 0 sq km note: consists of 14 islands including Saipan, Rota, and Tinian Size comparison: 2.5 times the size of Washington, DC |
| Land Boundaries: | 0 km |
| Coastline: | 1,482 km |
| Maritime claims: | territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 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 elevation on Agrihan 965 m |
| Natural resources: | arable land, fish |
| Land use: | arable land: 13.04% permanent crops: 4.35% other: 82.61% (2005) |
| Irrigated land: | 1 sq km |
| Natural hazards: | active volcanoes on Pagan and Agrihan; typhoons (especially August to November) |
| Current Environment Issues: | contamination of groundwater on Saipan may contribute to disease; clean-up of landfill; protection of endangered species conflicts with development |
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| People | |
| Population: | 51,170 (July 2013 est.) |
| Age structure: | 0-14 years: 26% (male 6,970/female 6,333) 15-24 years: 14.9% (male 4,133/female 3,471) 25-54 years: 45.5% (male 9,906/female 13,396) 55-64 years: 9.3% (male 2,592/female 2,187) 65 years and over: 4.3% (male 1,033/female 1,149) (2013 est.) population pyramid: |
| Median age: | total: 30.6 years male: 29.6 years female: 31 years (2012 est.) |
| Population growth rate: | -0.96% (2012 est.) |
| Birth rate: | 20.2 births/1,000 population (2012 est.) |
| Death rate: | 3.4 deaths/1,000 population (July 2012 est.) |
| Net migration rate: | -41.32 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2012 est.) |
| Sex ratio: | at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.12 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.87 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.91 male(s)/female total population: 0.93 male(s)/female (2011 est.) |
| Infant mortality rate: | total: 5.7 deaths/1,000 live births male: 6.1 deaths/1,000 live births female: 5.3 deaths/1,000 live births (2012 est.) |
| Life expectancy at birth: | total population: 77.27 years male: 74.62 years female: 80.07 years (2012 est.) |
| Total fertility rate: | 2.05 children born/woman (2013 est.) |
| HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: | NA |
| HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: | NA |
| HIV/AIDS - deaths: | NA |
| Nationality: | noun: NA (US citizens) adjective: NA |
| Ethnic groups: | Asian 56.3%, Pacific islander 36.3%, Caucasian 1.8%, other 0.8%, mixed 4.8% (2000 census) |
| Religions: | Christian (Roman Catholic majority, although traditional beliefs and taboos may still be found) |
| Languages: | Philippine languages 24.4%, Chinese 23.4%, Chamorro (official) 22.4%, English (official) 10.8%, other Pacific island languages 9.5%, other 9.6% (2000 census) |
| Literacy: | definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 97% male: 97% female: 96% (1980 est.) |
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| Government | |
| Country name: | conventional long form: Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands conventional short form: Northern Mariana Islands abbreviation: CNMI former: Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands, Mariana Islands District |
| Government type: | commonwealth; self-governing with locally elected governor, lieutenant governor, and legislature |
| Capital: | name: Saipan geographic coordinates: 15 12 N, 145 45 E time difference: UTC+10 (15 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) |
| 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: | Constitution of the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands effective 1 January 1978; Covenant Agreement fully effective 4 November 1986 |
| Legal system: | US system applies, except for customs, wages, immigration laws, and taxation |
| Suffrage: | 18 years of age; universal; note - indigenous inhabitants are US citizens but do not vote in US presidential elections |
| Executive branch: | chief of state: President Barack H. OBAMA (since 20 January 2009); Vice President Joseph R. BIDEN (since 20 January 2009) head of government: Governor Eloy S. INOS (since 20 February 2013); Lieutenant Governor Jude U. HOFSCHNEIDER (since 20 February 2013) cabinet: the cabinet consists of the heads of the 10 principal departments under the executive branch who are appointed by the governor with the advice and consent of the Senate; other members include special assistants to the governor and office heads appointed by and reporting directly to the governor (For more information visit the World Leaders website ) elections: under the US Constitution, residents of unincorporated territories, such as the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, do not vote in elections for US president and vice president; however, they may vote in the Democratic and Republican party presidential primary elections; governor and lieutenant governor elected on the same ticket by popular vote for four-year terms (eligible for a second term); election last held on 7 November 2009 with a run-off election held on 23 November 2009 (next to be held in 2014) election results: Benigno R. FITIAL reelected governor in a run-off election held 23 November 2009; percent of vote - Benigno R. FITIAL 51.4%, Heinz HOFSCHNEIDER 48.6% Note: Benigno R. FITIAL was impeached by House of Representatives on 11-12 February 2013 and resigns on 20 February 2013; INOS was sworn in as governor the same day |
| Legislative branch: | bicameral legislature consists of the Senate (9 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year staggered terms) and the House of Representatives (20 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve two-year terms) elections: Senate - last held on 6 November 2012 (next to be held in November 2014); House of Representatives - last held on 6 November 2012 (next to be held in November 2014) election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - Covenant Party 3, Republican Party 3, Democratic Party 1, independents 2; House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - Republican Party 4, Covenant Party 3, independents 13 note: the Northern Mariana Islands elects one nonvoting delegate to the US House of Representatives; election last held on 6 November 2012 (next to be held in November 2014); seats by party - independent 1 |
| Judicial branch: | Commonwealth Supreme Court (consists of three justices appointed by the governor and confirmed by the Commonwealth Senate; appeals of Commonwealth Supreme Court decisions referred to the US Supreme Court); Superior Court (consists of five judges appointed by the governor and confirmed by the Commonwealth Senate); US Federal District Court (judges are appointed by the President of the United States and confirmed by the US Senate) |
| Political parties and leaders: | Covenant Party [Benigno R. FITIAL]; Democratic Party [Dr. Carlos S. CAMACHO]; Republican Party [Juan S. REYES] |
| Political pressure groups and leaders: | NA |
| International organization participation: | SPC, UPU |
| Diplomatic representation in the US: | |
| Diplomatic representation from the US: | |
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| Economy | |
| The Northern Mariana Islands' economy benefits substantially from financial assistance from the US. The tourist industry employs approximately a quarter of the work force and accounts for roughly one-fourth of GDP. As a share of total arrivals, the number of Japanese tourists has dropped recently to less than half, while Korean visitors account for roughly one-third. Annual tourist arrivals have remained below 400,000 since 2007. Other services such as trade are also important to the local economy. The small agriculture sector is made up of cattle ranches and small farms producing coconuts, breadfruit, tomatoes, and melons. | |
| GDP (purchasing power parity): | GDP (purchasing power parity): $733 million (2010 est.) note: GDP estimate includes US subsidy |
| GDP (official exchange rate): | GDP (official exchange rate): $733 million (2010 est.) |
| GDP - real growth rate: | |
| GDP - per capita (PPP): | GDP - per capita (PPP): $13,600 (2010 est.) |
| GDP - composition by sector: | agriculture: NA% industry: 3.3% services: 95% (2010) |
| Labor force: | 38,450 note: nearly 29,000 of these were foreign workers (2005 est.) |
| Labor force - by occupation: | agriculture: 1.9% industry: 10% services: 88.1% |
| Unemployment rate: | 11.2% (2010 est.) 8% (2005 est.) |
| Population below poverty line: | NA% |
| Household income or consumption by percentage share: | lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA% |
| Inflation rate (consumer prices): | Inflation rate (consumer prices): -2.7% (2012 est.) |
| Budget: | revenues: $260 million expenditures: $318.2 million (FY10/11) |
| Agriculture - products: | vegetables and melons, fruits and nuts; ornamental plants; livestock, poultry and eggs; fish and aquaculture products |
| Industries: | tourism, banking, construction, fishing, handicrafts, other services |
| Industrial production growth rate: | NA% |
| Electricity - production: | 60,600 kWh (January 2009) country comparison to the world: 217 |
| Electricity - consumption: | 48,300 kWh (January 2009) |
| Electricity - exports: | 0 kWh (January 2009 est.) |
| Electricity - imports: | 0 kWh (January 2009 est.) |
| Exports: | $98.2 million (2008) |
| Exports - commodities: | garments |
| Imports: | $214.4 million (2001) |
| Imports - commodities: | food, construction equipment and materials, petroleum products |
| Debt - external: | $NA |
| Exchange rates: | the US dollar is used |
| Fiscal year: | 1 October - 30 September |
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| Communications | |
| Telephones in use: | |
| Cellular Phones in use: | |
| Telephone system: | international: country code - 1-670; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean) |
| Radio broadcast stations: | |
| Television broadcast stations: | |
| Internet country code: | .mp |
| Internet hosts: | 17 (2012) |
| Internet users: | |
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| Transportation | |
| Airports: | 5 (2012) country comparison to the world: 180 |
| Airports (paved runways): | total: 3 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2012) |
| Airports (unpaved runways): | total: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2012) |
| Heliports: | 1 (2012) |
| Roadways: | total: 536 km (2008) |
| Ports and terminals: | Saipan, Tinian, Rota |
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| Military | |
| Defense is the responsibility of the US | |
| Manpower fit for military service: | males age 16-49: 8,793 females age 16-49: 11,569 (2010 est.) |
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