:Northern Mariana Islands Geography

Total area:
    477 km2
Land area:
    477 km2; comprises 16 islands including Saipan, Rota, and Tinian
Comparative area:
    slightly more than 2.5 times the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries:
    none
Coastline:
    1,482 km
Maritime claims:
  Contiguous zone:
    12 nm
  Continental shelf:
    200 m (depth)
  Exclusive economic zone:
    200 nm
  Territorial sea:
    3 nm
Disputes:
    none
Climate:
    tropical marine; moderated by northeast trade winds, little seasonal
    temperature variation; dry season December to July, rainy season July to
    October
Terrain:
    southern islands are limestone with level terraces and fringing coral reefs;
    northern islands are volcanic; highest elevation is 471 meters (Mt. Tagpochu
    on Saipan)
Natural resources:
    arable land, fish
Land use:
    arable land 1%; permanent crops NA%; meadows and pastures 19%; forest and
    woodland NA%; other NA%
Environment:
    active volcanos on Pagan and Agrihan; subject to typhoons during the rainy
    season
Note:
    strategic location 5,635 km west-southwest of Honolulu in the North Pacific
    Ocean, about three-quarters of the way between Hawaii and the Philippines

:Northern Mariana Islands People

Population:
    47,168 (July 1992), growth rate 3.0% (1992)
Birth rate:
    35 births/1,000 population (1992)
Death rate:
    5 deaths/1,000 population (1992)
Net migration rate:
    0 migrants/1,000 population (1992)
Infant mortality rate:
    38 deaths/1,000 live births (1992)
Life expectancy at birth:
    66 years male, 69 years female (1992)
Total fertility rate:
    2.7 children born/woman (1992)
Nationality:
    undetermined
Ethnic divisions:
    Chamorro majority; Carolinians and other Micronesians; Spanish, German,
    Japanese admixtures
Religions:
    Christian with a Roman Catholic majority, although traditional beliefs and
    taboos may still be found
Languages:
    English, but Chamorro and Carolinian are also spoken in the home and taught
    in school
Literacy:
    96% (male 97%, female 96%) age 15 and over can read and write (1980)
Labor force:
    12,788 local; 18,799 foreign workers (1990 est.)
Organized labor:
    NA

:Northern Mariana Islands Government

Long-form name:
    Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands
Type:
    commonwealth in political union with the US and administered by the Office
    of Territorial and International Affairs, US Department of the Interior
Capital:
    Saipan
Administrative divisions:
    none
Independence:
    none (commonwealth in political union with the US)
Constitution:
    Covenant Agreement effective 3 November 1986
Legal system:
    based on US system except for customs, wages, immigration laws, and taxation
National holiday:
    Commonwealth Day, 8 January (1978)
Executive branch:
    US President; governor, lieutenant governor
Legislative branch:
    bicameral Legislature consists of an upper house or Senate and a lower house
    or House of Representatives
Judicial branch:
    Commonwealth Court and the Federal District Court
Leaders:
  Chief of State:
    President George BUSH (since 20 January 1989); Vice President Dan QUAYLE
    (since 20 January 1989)
  Head of Government:
    Governor Lorenzo I. DeLeon GUERRERO (since 9 January 1990); Lieutenant
    Governor Benjamin T. MANGLONA (since 9 January 1990)
Political parties and leaders:
    Republican Party, Alonzo IGISOMAR; Democratic Party, Felicidad OGUMORO
Suffrage:
    universal at age 18; indigenous inhabitants are US citizens but do not vote
    in US presidential elections
Elections:
  Governor:
    last held in November 1989 (next to be held November 1993); results -
    Lorenzo I. DeLeon GUERRERO, Republican Party, was elected governor
  Senate:
    last held on November 1991 (next to be held November 1993); results -
    percent of vote by party NA; seats - (9 total) Republications 6, Democrats 3
  House of Representatives:
    last held in November 1991 (next to be held November 1993); results -
    percent of vote by party NA; seats - (15 total) Republicans 5, Democrats 10
  US House of Representatives:
    the Commonwealth does not have a nonvoting delegate in Congress; instead, it
    has an elected official ``resident representative'' located in Washington,
    DC; seats - (1 total) Republican (Juan N. BABAUTA)
Member of:
    ESCAP (associate), SPC
Diplomatic representation:
    none
Flag:
    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

:Northern Mariana Islands Economy

Overview:
    The economy benefits substantially from financial assistance from the US. An
    agreement for the years 1986 to 1992 entitles the islands to $228 million
    for capital development, government operations, and special programs.
    Another major source of income is the tourist industry, which employs about
    10% of the work force. Japanese tourists predominate. The agricultural
    sector is made up of cattle ranches and small farms producing coconuts,
    breadfruit, tomatoes, and melons. Industry is small scale in nature - mostly
    handicrafts and fish processing.
GNP:
    purchasing power equivalent - $165 million, per capita $3,498; real growth
    rate NA% (1982); note - GNP numbers reflect US spending
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
    NA%
Unemployment rate:
    NA%
Budget:
    revenues $NA; expenditures $112.2 million, including capital expenditures of
    $NA (February 1990)
Exports:
    $153.9 million (1989)
  commodities:
    manufactured goods, garments, vegetables, beef, pork
  partners:
    NA
Imports:
    $313.7 million, a 43% increase over previous year (1989)
  commodities:
    NA
  partners:
    NA
External debt:
    none
Industrial production:
    growth rate NA%
Electricity:
    25,000 kW capacity; 35 million kWh produced, 740 kWh per capita (1990)
Industries:
    tourism, construction, light industry, handicrafts
Agriculture:
    coffee, coconuts, fruits, tobacco, cattle
Economic aid:
    none
Currency:
    US currency is used
Exchange rates:
    US currency is used
Fiscal year:
    1 October - 30 September

:Northern Mariana Islands Communications

Highways:
    381.5 km total (134.5 km first-grade primary, 55 km secondary, 192 km local)
    (1991)
Ports:
    Saipan, Rota, Tinian
Airports:
    6 total, 4 usable; 3 with permanent-surface runways; none with runways over
    3,659 m; 1 with runways 2,440-3,659 m; 2 with runways 1,220-2,439 m
Telecommunications:
    broadcast stations - 2 AM, 1 FM (1984), 1 TV; 2 Pacific Ocean INTELSAT earth
    stations

:Northern Mariana Islands Defense Forces

Note:
    defense is the responsibility of the US