2007 Edition

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

Age structure

0-14 years: 19.4% (male 8,350/female 7,623) 15-64 years: 79% (male 26,715/female 38,442) 65 years and over: 1.6% (male 679/female 650) (2006 est.)

Agriculture - products

coconuts, fruits, vegetables; cattle

Airports

5 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways

total

3 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2006)

Airports - with unpaved runways

total

2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1

under 914 m

1 (2006)

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

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. Geography Northern Mariana Islands

Birth rate

19.43 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Budget

expenditures

$223 million; including capital expenditures of $NA (FY01/02 est.)

revenues

$193 million

Capital

geographic coordinates

15 12 N, 145 45 E

name

Saipan

time difference

UTC+10 (15 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

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

Constitution

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

Country name

abbreviation

CNMI

conventional long form

Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands

conventional short form

Northern Mariana Islands

former

Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands, Mariana Islands District

Currency (code)

US dollar (USD)

Currency code

USD

Death rate

2.29 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Debt - external

$NA

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

Disputes - international

none This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

Economic aid - recipient

extensive funding from US

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. The key tourist industry employs about 50% of the 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. The agricultural sector is made up of cattle ranches and small farms producing coconuts, breadfruit, tomatoes, and melons. Garment production is by far the most important industry with the employment of 17,500 mostly Chinese workers and sizable shipments to the US under duty and quota exemptions.

Electricity - consumption

NA kWh

Electricity - exports

0 kWh

Electricity - imports

0 kWh

Electricity - production

NA kWh

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

Ethnic groups

Asian 56.3%, Pacific islander 36.3%, Caucasian 1.8%, other 0.8%, mixed 4.8% (2000 census)

Exchange rates

the US dollar is used

Executive branch

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

chief of state

President George W. BUSH of the US (since 20 January 2001); Vice President Richard B. CHENEY (since 20 January 2001)

election results

Benigno R. FITIAL elected governor in a four-way race; percent of vote - Benigno R. FITIAL (Covenant Party) 28.07%, Heinz HOFSCHNEIDER (Independent) 27.34%, Juan BABAUTA (Republican) 26.6%, Froilan TENORIO (Democrat) 17.99%

elections

under the US Consitution, residents of unincorporated territories, such as the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, do not vote in elections for US president and vice president; governor and lieutenant governor elected on the same ticket by popular vote for four-year terms (eligible for a second term); election last held 5 November 2005 (next to be held November 2009)

head of government

Governor Benigno R. FITIAL (since 9 January 2006); Lieutenant Governor Timothy P. VILLAGOMEZ (since 9 January 2006)

Exports

$NA

Exports - commodities

garments

Exports - partners

US (2004)

Fiscal year

1 October - 30 September Communications Northern Mariana Islands

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 Economy Northern Mariana Islands

GDP - composition by sector

agriculture

NA%

industry

NA%

services

NA%

GDP - per capita (PPP)

$12,500 (2000 est.)

GDP - real growth rate

NA%

GDP (official exchange rate)

$633.4 million (2000)

GDP (purchasing power parity)

$900 million

note

GDP estimate includes US subsidy (2000 est.)

Geographic coordinates

15 12 N, 145 45 E

Geography - note

strategic location in the North Pacific Ocean People Northern Mariana Islands

Government type

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

Heliports

1 (2006)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths

NA

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

NA

Household income or consumption by percentage share

highest 10%

NA%

lowest 10%

NA%

Imports

$214.4 million (2001)

Imports - commodities

food, construction equipment and materials, petroleum products

Imports - partners

US, Japan (2004)

Independence

none (commonwealth in political union with the US)

Industrial production growth rate

NA%

Industries

tourism, construction, garments, handicrafts

Infant mortality rate

female

7.03 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

male

6.92 deaths/1,000 live births

total

6.98 deaths/1,000 live births

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

-0.8% (2000)

International organization participation

Interpol (subbureau), SPC, UPU

Internet country code

.mp

Internet hosts

20 (2005)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs)

1 (2001)

Internet users

10,000 (2003) Transportation Northern Mariana Islands

Irrigated land

NA

Judicial branch

Commonwealth Supreme Court; Superior Court; Federal District Court

Labor force

44,470 total indigenous labor force; 2,699 unemployed; 28,717 foreign workers (2000)

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture

NA%

industry

NA%

services

NA%

Land boundaries

0 km

Land use

arable land

13.04%

other

82.61% (2005)

permanent crops

4.35%

Languages

Philippine languages 24.4%, Chinese 23.4%, Chamorro 22.4%, English 10.8%, other Pacific island languages 9.5%, other 9.6% (2000 census)

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 - Covenant Party 3, Republican Party 3, Democratic Party 2, independent 1; House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - Covenant Party 7, Republican Party 7, Democratic Party 2, independent 2

elections

Senate - last held 5 November 2005 (next to be held November 2009); House of Representatives - last held 5 November 2005 (next to be held November 2007)

note

the Northern Mariana Islands 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 (Pedro A. TENORIO)

Life expectancy at birth

female

78.83 years (2006 est.)

male

73.5 years

total population

76.09 years

Literacy

definition

age 15 and over can read and write

female

96% (1980 est.) Government Northern Mariana Islands

male

97%

total population

97%

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

Median age

female

28.5 years (2006 est.)

male

31.7 years

total

29.5 years

Military - note

defense is the responsibility of the US Transnational Issues Northern Mariana Islands

National holiday

Commonwealth Day, 8 January (1978)

Nationality

adjective

NA

noun

NA (US citizens)

Natural hazards

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

Natural resources

arable land, fish

Net migration rate

8.26 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

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

Population

82,459 (July 2006 est.)

Population below poverty line

NA%

Population growth rate

2.54% (2006 est.)

Ports and terminals

Saipan, Tinian Military Northern Mariana Islands

Radio broadcast stations

AM 1, FM 6, shortwave 1 (2006)

Radios

NA

Religions

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

Roadways

total

536 km (2004)

Sex ratio

at birth

1.06 male(s)/female

total population

0.77 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

under 15 years

1.1 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.7 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 1.05 male(s)/female

Suffrage

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

Telephone system

domestic

NA

general assessment

NA

international

country code - 1-670; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)

Telephones - main lines in use

21,000 (2000)

Telephones - mobile cellular

20,500 (2004)

Television broadcast stations

1 (Low Power TV on Saipan; in addition, two cable services on Saipan provide varied programming from satellite networks) (2006)

Televisions

NA

Terrain

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

Total fertility rate

1.24 children born/woman (2006 est.)

Unemployment rate

3.9% (2001)