Northern Mariana Islands

Internet Service Providers (ISPs)

1 (2000)

Internet country code

.mp

Internet users

NA

Radio broadcast stations

AM 2, FM 3, shortwave 1 (1998)

Radios

NA

Telephone system

general assessment: NA domestic: NA international: satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)

Telephones - main lines in use

21,000 (1996)

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

Agriculture - products

coconuts, fruits, vegetables; cattle

Budget

revenues: $221 million expenditures: $213 million, including capital expenditures of $17.7 million (1996)

Currency

US dollar (USD)

Currency code

USD

Debt - external

$NA

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 employment of 12,000 mostly Chinese workers and sizable shipments to the US under duty and quota exemptions.

Electricity - consumption

NA kWh

Electricity - production

NA kWh

Exchange rates

the US dollar is used

Exports

$NA

Exports - commodities

garments

Exports - partners

US

Fiscal year

1 October - 30 September

GDP

purchasing power parity - $900 million (2000 est.) note: GDP numbers reflect US spending

GDP - composition by sector

agriculture: NA% industry: NA% services: NA%

GDP - per capita

purchasing power parity - $12,500 (2000 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)

1.2% (1997 est.)

Labor force

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

Labor force - by occupation

NA

Population below poverty line

NA%

Unemployment rate

NA%

Area

total: 477 sq km land: 477 sq km water: 0 sq km note: includes 14 islands including Saipan, Rota, and Tinian

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

lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: unnamed location on Agrihan 965 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% permanent crops: 0% permanent pastures: 19% forests and woodland: 0% other: 60%

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

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 former: Mariana Islands District (Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands)

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

chief of state: President George W. BUSH of the US (since 20 January 2001); Vice President Richard B. CHENEY (since 20 January 2001) head of government: Governor Pedro P. TENORIO (since NA January 1998) and Lieutenant Governor Jesus R. SABLAN (since NA January 1998) cabinet: NA 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) election results: Pedro P. TENORIO elected governor in a three-way race; percent of vote - Pedro P. TENORIO (Republican Party) 47%

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) elections: Senate - last held 9 November 1999 (next to be held NA November 2001); House of Representatives - last held 9 November 1999 (next to be held NA November 2001) election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - Republican Party 6, Democratic Party 2, Reform Party 1; House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - Republican Party 10, Democratic Party 8 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 [Dr. Carlos S. CAMACHO]; Republican Party [Benigno R. FITIAL]

Political pressure groups and leaders

NA

Suffrage

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

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.

Military - note

defense is the responsibility of the US

Age structure

0-14 years: 23.55% (male 8,929; female 8,639) 15-64 years: 74.72% (male 26,242; female 29,509) 65 years and over: 1.73% (male 639; female 654) (2001 est.)

Birth rate

20.6 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Death rate

2.4 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Ethnic groups

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

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

NA%

HIV/AIDS - deaths

NA

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

NA

Infant mortality rate

5.7 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.)

Languages

English, Chamorro, Carolinian note: 86% of population speaks a language other than English at home

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 75.74 years male: 72.65 years female: 79.02 years (2001 est.)

Literacy

definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 97% male: 97% female: 96% (1980 est.)

Nationality

noun: NA adjective: NA

Net migration rate

18 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Population

74,612 (July 2001 est.)

Population growth rate

3.62% (2001 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: 0.89 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.98 male(s)/female total population: 0.92 male(s)/female (2001 est.)

Total fertility rate

1.76 children born/woman (2001 est.)

Disputes - international

none

Airports

6 (2000 est.)

Airports - with paved runways

total: 3 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 (2000 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways

total: 3 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 under 914 m: 2 (2000 est.)

Heliports

1 (2000 est.)

Highways

total: 362 km paved: NA km unpaved: NA km (1991)

Merchant marine

none (2000 est.)

Ports and harbors

Saipan, Tinian

Railways

0 km

Waterways

none