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Get A Large Static Flag Northern Mariana Islands
Flag of Northern Mariana Islands
Map of Northern Mariana Islands
Introduction Northern Mariana Islands
Background:
 Under US administration as part of UN Trust Territory of Pacific, people of Northern Mariana Islands decided in 1970s not to seek independence but instead to forge closer links with US. Negotiations for territorial status began in 1972. A covenant to establish a commonwealth in political union with US previously approved in 1975. A new government and constitution went into effect in 1978.
Geography Northern Mariana Islands
Location:
 Oceania, islands in North Pacific Ocean, about three-quarters of way from Hawaii to Philippines
Geographic coordinates:
 15 12 N, 145 45 E
Map references:
 Oceania
Area:
 total: 477 sq km
note: includes 14 islands includes Saipan, Rota, and Tinian
water: 0 sq km
land: 477 sq km
Area - comparative:
 2.5 times 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: 15.22%
permanent crops: 6.52%
other: 78.26% (1998 est.)
Irrigated land:
 NA sq km
Natural hazards:
 active volcanoes on Pagan and Agrihan; typhoons (especially August to November)
Environment - current issues:
 contamination of groundwater on Saipan may contribute to disease; clean-up of landfill; protection of endangered species conflicts with development
Geography - note:
 strategic location in North Pacific Ocean
People Northern Mariana Islands
Total Population:
 80,006 (July 2003 est.)
Age structure:
 0-14 years: 23.3% (male 9,483; female 9,168)
15-64 years: 74.8% (male 27,839; female 32,041)
65 years and over: 1.8% (male 748; female 727) (2003 est.)
Median age:
 total: 30.4 years
male: 31 years
female: 30.1 years (2002)
Population growth rate:
 3.37% (2003 est.)
Birth rate:
 19.97 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Death rate:
 2.44 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Net migration rate:
 16.11 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Sex ratio:
 at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.87 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 1.03 male(s)/female
Population: 0.91 male(s)/female (2003 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
 total: 5.52 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 4.37 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
male: 6.6 deaths/1,000 live births
Life Expectancy:
 Population: 76.16 years
male: 73.06 years
female: 79.44 years (2003 est.)
Total fertility rate:
 1.75 children born/woman (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
 NA%
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
 NA
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
 NA
Nationality:
 noun: NA
adjective: NA
Ethnic groups:
 Chamorro, Carolinians and other Micronesians, Caucasian, Japanese, Chinese, Filipino, 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
Population: 97%
male: 97%
female: 96% (1980 est.)
Government Northern Mariana Islands
Country name:
 conventional long form: Commonwealth of Northern Mariana Islands
conventional short form: Northern Mariana Islands
former: Mariana Islands District (Trust Territory of Pacific Islands)
Dependency status:
 commonwealth in political union with US; federal funds to Commonwealth administered by US Department of Interior, Office of Insular Affairs
Government type:
 commonwealth; self-governing with locally elected governor, lieutenant governor, and legislature
Capital:
 Saipan
Administrative divisions:
 none (commonwealth in political union with US); there are no first-order administrative divisions as defined by US Government, but there are four municipalities at second order; Northern Islands, Rota, Saipan, Tinian
Independence:
 none (commonwealth in political union with US)
National holiday:
 Commonwealth Day, 8 January (1978)
Constitution:
 Covenant Agreement effective 4 November 1986 and Constitution of Commonwealth of Northern Mariana Islands effective 1 January 1978
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 George W. BUSH of US (since 20 January 2001); Vice President Richard B. CHENEY (since 20 January 2001)
head of government: Governor Juan N. BABAUTA (since NA January 2002); Lieutenant Governor Diego T. BENEVENTE (since NA January 2002)
cabinet: NA
elections: US president and vice president elected on same ticket for four-year terms; governor and lieutenant governor elected on same ticket by popular vote for four-year terms; election last held NA November 2001 (next to be held NA November 2005)
election results: Juan N. BABAUTA elected governor in a four-way race; percent of vote - Juan N. BABAUTA (Republican Party) 49%
Legislative branch:
 bicameral Legislature consists of Senate (9 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve four-year staggered terms) and House of Representatives (18 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve two-year terms)
election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - Republican Party 4, Democratic Party 3, Reform Party 1, independent 1; House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - Covenant Party 9, Republican Party 7, Democratic Party 1, independent 1
note: Northern Mariana Islands does not have a nonvoting delegate in US Congress; instead, it has an elected official or "resident representative" located in Washington, DC; seats by party - Republican Party 1 (Pedro A. TENORIO)
elections: Senate - last held 5 November 2001 (next to be held NA November 2003); House of Representatives - last held 1 November 2003 (next to be held NA November 2005)
Judicial branch:
 Commonwealth Supreme Court; Superior Court; Federal District Court
Political parties and leaders:
 Democratic Party [Dr. Carlos S. CAMACHO]; Republican Party [Benigno R. FITIAL]
Political pressure groups and leaders:
 NA
International organization participation:
 ESCAP (associate), Interpol (subbureau), SPC
Flag description:
 blue, with a white, five-pointed star superimposed on gray silhouette of a latte stone (a traditional foundation stone used in building) in center, surrounded by a wreath
Economy Northern Mariana Islands
Economy - overview:
 economy benefits substantially from financial assistance from US. rate of funding has declined as locally generated government revenues have grown. key tourist industry employs about 50% of work force and accounts for roughly one-fourth of GDP. Japanese tourists predominate. Annual tourist entries have exceeded one-half million in recent years, but financial difficulties in Japan have caused a temporary slowdown. agricultural sector is made up of cattle ranches and limited farms producing coconuts, breadfruit, tomatoes, and melons. Garment production is by far most important industry with employment of 17,500 mostly Chinese workers and sizable shipments to US under duty and quota exemptions.
GDP:
 buying power parity - $900 million
note: $900 million $900 million GDP estimate includes US subsidy (2000 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
 NA%
GDP - per capita:
 buying power parity - $12,500 (2000 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
 agriculture: NA%
industry: NA%
services: NA%
Population below poverty line:
 NA%
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
 lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA%
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
 1.2% (1997 est.)
Labor force:
 6,006 total indigenous labor force; 2,699 unemployed; 28,717 foreign workers
Labor force - by occupation:
 NA
Unemployment rate:
 NA%
Budget:
 revenues: $193 million
expenditures: $223 million, includes capital expenditures of NA (FY 01/02 est.)
Industries:
 tourism, construction, garments, handicrafts
Industrial production growth rate:
 NA%
Electricity - production:
 NA kWh
Electricity - consumption:
 NA kWh
Electricity - exports:
 0 kWh
Electricity - imports:
 0 kWh
Agriculture - products:
 coconuts, fruits, vegetables; cattle
Exports:
 $NA
Exports - commodities:
 garments
Exports - partners:
 US (2000)
Imports:
 $NA
Imports - commodities:
 food, construction equipment and materials, petroleum products
Imports - partners:
 US, Japan (2000)
Debt - external:
 $NA
Economic aid - recipient:
 extensive funding from US
Currency:
 US dollar (USD)
Currency code:
 USD
Exchange rates:
 US dollar is used
Fiscal year:
 1 October - 30 September
Communications Northern Mariana Islands
Telephones - main lines in use:
 21,000 (1996)
Telephones - mobile cellular:
 1,200 (1995)
Telephone system:
 general assessment: NA
domestic: NA
international: satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)
Radio broadcast stations:
 AM 2, FM 3, shortwave 1 (1998)
Radios:
 NA
Television broadcast stations:
 1 (on Saipan and one station planned for Rota; in addition, two cable services on Saipan provide varied programming from satellite networks) (1997)
Televisions:
 NA
Internet country code:
 .mp
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
 1 (2001)
Internet users:
 NA
Transportation Northern Mariana Islands
Railways:
 0 km
Highways:
 total: 362 km
paved: NA km
unpaved: NA km (1991)
Waterways:
 none
Ports and harbors:
 Saipan, Tinian
Merchant marine:
 none (2002 est.)
Airports:
 6 (2002)
Airports - with paved runways:
 total: 3
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 (2002)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
 total: 3
under 914 m: 2 (2002)
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
Heliports:
 1 (2002)
Military Northern Mariana Islands
Military - note:
 defense is responsibility of US
Transnational Issues Northern Mariana Islands
Disputes - international:
 none