Northern Mariana Islands

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

Highways

300 km total (53 km primary, 55 km secondary, 192 km local)

Ports

Saipan, Rota, Tinian

Telecommunications

stations--2 AM, no FM, 1 TV; 2 Pacific Ocean INTELSAT earth stations

Note

defense is the responsibility of the US

Agriculture

coffee, coconuts, fruits, tobacco, cattle

Budget

revenues $NA; expenditures $70.6 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1987)

Currency

US currency is used

Economic aid

none

Electricity

25,000 kW capacity; 35 million kWh produced, 1,540 kWh per capita (1990)

Exchange rates

US currency is used

Exports

$153.9 million (1989); commodities--manufactured goods, garments; partners--NA

External debt

none

Fiscal year

1 October-30 September

GNP

$165 million, per capita $9,170; real growth rate NA% (1982)

Imports

$313.7 million, a 43% increase over previous year (1989); commodities--NA; partners--NA

Industrial production

growth rate NA%

Industries

tourism, construction, light industry, handicrafts

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

NA%

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. 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.

Unemployment rate

NA%

Climate

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

Coastline

1,482 km Contiguous zone: 12 nm; Continental shelf: 200 m (depth); Exclusive economic zone: 200 nm; Territorial sea: 3 nm

Comparative area

slightly more than 2.5 times the size of Washington, DC

Environment

Mt. Pagan is an active volcano (last erupted in October 1988); subject to typhoons during the rainy season

Land boundaries

none

Land use

arable land 1%; permanent crops NA%; meadows and pastures 19%; forest and woodland NA%; other NA%

Natural resources

arable land, fish

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

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)

Total area

477 km2; land area: 477 km2; includes Saipan, Rota, and Tinian

Administrative divisions

none

Capital

Saipan

Constitution

Covenant Agreement effective 3 November 1986

Diplomatic representation

none

Executive branch

governor, lieutenant governor

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

Independence

none (commonwealth associated with the US)

Judicial branch

Supreme Court 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 NA 1990); Lieutenant Governor Benjamin T. MANGLONA (since NA 1990)

Legal system

NA

Legislative branch

bicameral Legislature consists of an upper house or Senate and a lower house or House of Representatives

Long-form name

Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands

Member of

ESCAP (associate), SPC

National holiday

Commonwealth Day, 8 January (1978)

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 Governor--last held on NA November 1989 (next to be held November 1993); results--Lorenzo I. DeLeon GUERRERO, Republican Party, was elected governor; Senate--last held on NA November 1989 (next to be held November 1991); results--percent of vote by party NA; seats--(9 total) number of seats by party NA; House of Representatives--last held on NA November 1989 (next to be held November 1991); results--percent of vote by party NA; seats--(15 total) number of seats by party NA; US House of Representatives--last held NA November 1989 (next to be held NA); results--percent of vote by party NA; seats--(1 total) party of nonvoting delegate NA

Type

commonwealth associated with the US and administered by the Office of Territorial and International Affairs, US Department of the Interior

Birth rate

43 births/1,000 population (1991)

Death rate

6 deaths/1,000 population (1991)

Ethnic divisions

Chamorro majority; Carolinians and other Micronesians; Spanish, German, Japanese admixtures

Infant mortality rate

17 deaths/1,000 live births (1991)

Labor force

12,788 local; 18,799 foreign workers (1990 est.)

Language

English, but Chamorro and Carolinian are also spoken in the home and taught in school

Life expectancy at birth

65 years male, 70 years female (1991)

Literacy

96% (male 97%, female 96%) age 15 and over can read and write (1980)

Nationality

undetermined

Net migration rate

- 3 migrants/1,000 population (1991)

Organized labor

NA

Population

23,494 (July 1991), growth rate 3.4% (1991)

Religion

Christian with a Roman Catholic majority, although traditional beliefs and taboos may still be found

Total fertility rate

5.8 children born/woman (1991)