2000 Edition

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. A new government and constitution went into effect in 1978.

Area

land

477 sq km

note

includes 14 islands including Saipan, Rota, and Tinian

total

477 sq km

water

0 sq km

Area - comparative

2.5 times the size of Washington, DC

Climate

tropical marine; moderated by northeast trade winds, little seasonal temperature variation; dry season December to June, rainy season July to October

Coastline

1,482 km

Elevation extremes

highest point

unnamed location on Agrihan 965 m

lowest point

Pacific Ocean 0 m

Environment - current issues

contamination of groundwater on Saipan may contribute to disease; clean-up of landfill; protection of endangered species conflicts with development

Geographic coordinates

15 12 N, 145 45 E

Geography - note

strategic location in the North Pacific Ocean

Irrigated land

NA sq km

Land boundaries

0 km

Land use

arable land

21%

forests and woodland

0%

other

60%

permanent crops

0%

permanent pastures

19%

Location

Oceania, islands in the North Pacific Ocean, about three-quarters of the way from Hawaii to the Philippines

Map references

Oceania

Maritime claims

exclusive economic zone

200 nm

territorial sea

12 nm

Natural hazards

active volcanoes on Pagan and Agrihan; typhoons (especially August to November)

Natural resources

arable land, fish

Terrain

southern islands are limestone with level terraces and fringing coral reefs; northern islands are volcanic

Age structure

0-14 years: 24% (male 8,652; female 8,377) 15-64 years: 75% (male 25,441; female 28,233) 65 years and over: 1% (male 591; female 618) (2000 est.)

Birth rate

20.86 births/1,000 population (2000 est.)

Death rate

2.41 deaths/1,000 population (2000 est.)

Ethnic groups

Chamorro, Carolinians and other Micronesians, Caucasian, Japanese, Chinese, Korean

Infant mortality rate

5.79 deaths/1,000 live births (2000 est.)

Languages

English, Chamorro, Carolinian

note

86% of population speaks a language other than English at home

Life expectancy at birth

female

78.82 years (2000 est.)

male

72.45 years

total population

75.54 years

Literacy

definition

age 15 and over can read and write

female

96% (1980 est.)

male

97%

total population

97%

Nationality

adjective

NA

noun

NA

Net migration rate

19.06 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2000 est.)

Population

71,912 (July 2000 est.)

Population growth rate

3.75% (2000 est.)

Religions

Christian (Roman Catholic majority, although traditional beliefs and taboos may still be found)

Sex ratio

at birth

1.06 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.9 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.96 male(s)/female

total population

0.93 male(s)/female (2000 est.)

Total fertility rate

1.76 children born/woman (2000 est.)

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

Capital

Saipan

Constitution

Covenant Agreement effective 4 November 1986 and the Constitution of the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands effective 1 January 1978

Country name

conventional long form

Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands

conventional short form

Northern Mariana Islands

Data code

CQ

Dependency status

commonwealth in political union with the US; federal funds to the Commonwealth administered by the US Department of the Interior, Office of Insular Affairs

Executive branch

cabinet

NA

chief of state

President William Jefferson CLINTON of the US (since 20 January 1993); Vice President Albert GORE, Jr. (since 20 January 1993)

election results

Pedro P. TENORIO elected governor in a three-way race; percent of vote - Pedro P. TENORIO (Republican Party) 47%

elections

US president and vice president elected on the same ticket for four-year terms; governor and lieutenant governor elected on the same ticket by popular vote for four-year terms; election last held in NA November 1997 (next to be held NA November 2001)

head of government

Governor Pedro P. TENORIO (since NA January 1998) and Lieutenant Governor Jesus R. SABLAN (since NA January 1998)

Flag description

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, surrounded by a wreath

Government type

commonwealth; self-governing with locally elected governor, lieutenant governor, and legislature

Independence

none (commonwealth in political union with the US)

International organization participation

ESCAP (associate), Interpol (subbureau), SPC

Judicial branch

Commonwealth Supreme Court; Superior Court; Federal District Court

Legal system

based on US system, except for customs, wages, immigration laws, and taxation

Legislative branch

bicameral Legislature consists of the Senate (9 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve four-year staggered terms) and the 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 8, Democratic Party 1; House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - Republican Party 13, Democratic Party 5

elections

Senate - last held NA November 1997 (next to be held NA November 1999); House of Representatives - last held NA November 1997 (next to be held NA November 1999)

note

the Commonwealth does not have a nonvoting delegate in the US Congress; instead, it has an elected official or "resident representative" located in Washington, DC; seats by party - Republican Party 1 (Juan N. BABAUTA)

National holiday

Commonwealth Day, 8 January (1978)

Political parties and leaders

Democratic Party [chairman (currently vacant)]; Republican Party

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal; indigenous inhabitants are US citizens but do not vote in US presidential elections

Agriculture - products

coconuts, fruits, vegetables; cattle

Budget

expenditures

$213 million, including capital expenditures of $17.7 million (1996)

revenues

$221 million

Currency

1 United States dollar (US$) = 100 cents

Debt - external

$NA

Economic aid - recipient

$21.1 million (1995)

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. Since 1992, funding has been extended one year at a time. The commonwealth received $27.7 million from FY93/94 through FY95/96. For FY96/97 through FY02/03, funding of $11 million will be provided for infrastructure, with an equal local match. A rapidly growing chief 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. Garment production is the fastest growing industry with employment of 12,000 mostly Chinese workers and shipments of $1 billion to the US in 1998 under duty and quota exemptions.

Electricity - consumption

NA kWh

Electricity - exports

NA kWh

Electricity - imports

NA kWh

Electricity - production

NA kWh

Electricity - production by source

fossil fuel

100%

hydro

0%

nuclear

0%

other

0%

Exchange rates

US currency is used

Exports

$1 billion (1998)

Exports - commodities

garments

Exports - partners

US

Fiscal year

1 October - 30 September

GDP

purchasing power parity - $524 million (1996 est.)

note

GDP numbers reflect US spending

GDP - composition by sector

agriculture

NA%

industry

NA%

services

NA%

GDP - per capita

purchasing power parity - $9,300 (1996 est.)

GDP - real growth rate

NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share

lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%

Imports

$NA

Imports - commodities

food, construction equipment and materials, petroleum products

Imports - partners

US, Japan

Industrial production growth rate

NA%

Industries

tourism, construction, garments, handicrafts

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

6.5% (1994 est.)

Labor force

6,006 total indigenous labor force; 2,699 unemployed; 28,717 foreign workers (1995)

Labor force - by occupation

managerial 20.5%, technical, sales 16.4%, services 19.3%, farming 3.1%, precision production 13.8%, operators, fabricators 26.9%

Population below poverty line

NA%

Unemployment rate

14% (residents)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs)

NA

Radio broadcast stations

AM 2, FM 3, shortwave 1 (1998)

Radios

NA

Telephone system

domestic

NA

international

satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)

Telephones - main lines in use

15,000 (1995)

Telephones - mobile cellular

1,200 (1995)

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

Airports

6 (1999 est.)

Airports - with paved runways

total

3 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 (1999 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways

total

3 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 under 914 m: 2 (1999 est.)

Heliports

1 (1999 est.)

Highways

paved

NA km

total

362 km (1991 est.)

unpaved

NA km

Merchant marine

none (1999 est.)

Ports and harbors

Saipan, Tinian

Railways

0 km

Waterways

none

Military - note

defense is the responsibility of the US

Disputes - international

none

NORWAY