|
Home
Missions
Ministries
Bible
Institute & School
Contact
Us
Careers,
Opportunities in Ministry
|
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. |
|
Location:
|
Oceania, islands
in the North Pacific Ocean, about three-quarters of the way
from Hawaii to the Philippines |
|
Geographic coordinates:
|
15 12 N, 145 45 E |
|
Map references:
|
Oceania |
|
Area:
|
total: 477
sq km
note: includes 14 islands including Saipan, Rota, and
Tinian
water: 0 sq km
land: 477 sq km |
|
Area - comparative:
|
2.5 times the
size of Washington, DC |
|
Land boundaries:
|
0 km |
|
Coastline:
|
1,482 km |
|
Climate:
|
tropical marine;
moderated by northeast trade winds, little seasonal
temperature variation; dry season December to June, rainy
season July to October |
|
Terrain:
|
southern islands
are limestone with level terraces and fringing coral reefs;
northern islands are volcanic |
|
Elevation extremes:
|
lowest point:
Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: unnamed location on Agrihan 965 m |
|
Natural resources:
|
arable land, fish |
|
Land use:
|
arable land:
15.22%
permanent crops: 6.52%
other: 78.26% (1998 est.) |
|
Irrigated land:
|
NA sq km |
|
Natural hazards:
|
active volcanoes
on Pagan and Agrihan; typhoons (especially August to November) |
|
Environment - current issues:
|
contamination of
groundwater on Saipan may contribute to disease; clean-up of
landfill; protection of endangered species conflicts with
development |
|
Geography - note:
|
strategic
location in the North Pacific Ocean |
|
Population:
|
78,252 (July 2004
est.) |
|
Age structure:
|
0-14 years:
20.3% (male 8,286; female 7,625)
15-64 years: 78.1% (male 25,579; female 35,534)
65 years and over: 1.6% (male 603; female 625) (2004
est.) |
|
Median age:
|
total:
29.2 years
male: 31.4 years
female: 28.2 years (2004 est.) |
|
Population growth rate:
|
2.71% (2004 est.) |
|
Birth rate:
|
19.77
births/1,000 population (2004 est.) |
|
Death rate:
|
2.3 deaths/1,000
population (2004 est.) |
|
Net migration rate:
|
9.61 migrant(s)/1,000
population (2004 est.) |
|
Sex ratio:
|
at birth:
1.06 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.09 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.72 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.97 male(s)/female
total population: 0.79 male(s)/female (2004 est.) |
|
Infant mortality rate:
|
total:
7.25 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 7.32 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
male: 7.18 deaths/1,000 live births |
|
Life expectancy at birth:
|
total
population: 75.67 years
male: 73.11 years
female: 78.38 years (2004 est.) |
|
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
|
NA% |
|
Nationality:
|
noun: NA
adjective: NA |
|
Ethnic groups:
|
Chamorro,
Carolinians and other Micronesians, Caucasian, Japanese,
Chinese, Filipino, Korean |
|
Religions:
|
Christian
(Roman Catholic majority, although traditional beliefs and
taboos may still be found) |
|
Languages:
|
English, Chamorro,
Carolinian
note: 86% of population speaks a language other than
English at home |
|
Literacy:
|
definition:
age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 97%
male: 97%
female: 96% (1980 est.) |
|
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 |
|
Government type:
|
commonwealth;
self-governing with locally elected governor, lieutenant
governor, and legislature |
|
Capital:
|
Saipan |
|
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 |
|
Independence:
|
none
(commonwealth in political union with the US) |
|
National holiday:
|
Commonwealth Day,
8 January (1978) |
|
Constitution:
|
Covenant
Agreement effective 4 November 1986 and the Constitution of
the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands effective 1
January 1978 |
|
Legal system:
|
based on US
system, except for customs, wages, immigration laws, and
taxation |
|
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 Juan N. BABAUTA (since NA
January 2002); Lieutenant Governor Diego T. BENEVENTE (since
NA January 2002)
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 NA November 2001 (next to
be held NA November 2005)
election results: Juan N. BABAUTA elected governor in a
four-way race; percent of vote - Juan N. BABAUTA (Republican
Party) 49% |
|
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 - NA; House of Representatives - percent
of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - Covenant Party 9,
Republican Party 7, Democratic Party 1, independent 1
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)
elections: Senate - last held 1 November 2003 (next to
be held 5 November 2005); House of Representatives - last held
1 November 2003 (next to be held 5 November 2005) |
|
Judicial branch:
|
Commonwealth
Supreme Court; Superior Court; Federal District Court |
|
Political parties and leaders:
|
Democratic Party
[Dr. Carlos S. CAMACHO]; Republican Party [NA]; Covenant Party
[Benigno R. FITIAL] |
|
Political pressure groups and leaders:
|
NA |
|
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 17,500 mostly Chinese
workers and sizable shipments to the US under duty and quota
exemptions. |
|
GDP:
|
purchasing power
parity - $900 million
note: GDP estimate includes US subsidy (2000 est.) |
|
GDP - real growth rate:
|
NA% |
|
GDP - per capita:
|
purchasing power
parity - $12,500 (2000 est.) |
|
GDP - composition by sector:
|
agriculture:
NA%
industry: NA%
services: NA% |
|
Population below poverty line:
|
NA% |
|
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
|
1.2% (1997 est.) |
|
Labor force:
|
6,006 total
indigenous labor force; 2,699 unemployed; 28,717 foreign
workers (June 1995) |
|
Labor force - by occupation:
|
NA |
|
Unemployment rate:
|
NA% |
|
Budget:
|
revenues:
$193 million
expenditures: $223 million, including capital
expenditures of NA (FY01/02 est.) |
|
Industries:
|
tourism,
construction, garments, handicrafts |
|
Industrial production growth rate:
|
NA% |
|
Electricity - production:
|
NA kWh |
|
Electricity - consumption:
|
NA kWh |
|
Agriculture - products:
|
coconuts, fruits,
vegetables; cattle |
|
Exports:
|
$NA |
|
Exports - commodities:
|
garments |
|
Exports - partners:
|
US (2000) |
|
Imports:
|
$NA |
|
Imports - commodities:
|
food,
construction equipment and materials, petroleum products |
|
Imports - partners:
|
US, Japan (2000) |
|
Debt - external:
|
$NA |
|
Economic aid - recipient:
|
extensive funding
from US |
|
Currency:
|
US dollar (USD) |
|
Currency code:
|
USD |
|
Exchange rates:
|
the US dollar is
used |
|
Fiscal year:
|
1 October - 30
September |
|
Telephones - main lines in use:
|
21,000 (2000) |
|
Telephones - mobile cellular:
|
3,000 (2000) |
|
Telephone system:
|
general
assessment: NA
domestic: NA
international: country code - 1-670; satellite earth
stations - 2 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean) |
|
Radio broadcast stations:
|
AM 2, FM 3,
shortwave 1 (1998) |
|
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) |
|
Internet country code:
|
.mp |
|
Internet users:
|
NA |
|
Railways:
|
0 km |
|
Highways:
|
total: 362
km
paved: NA km
unpaved: NA km (1991) |
|
Waterways:
|
none |
|
Ports and harbors:
|
Saipan, Tinian |
|
Merchant marine:
|
none |
|
Airports:
|
6 (2003 est.) |
|
Airports - with paved runways:
|
total: 3
2,438 to 3,047 m: 2
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2003 est.) |
|
Airports - with unpaved runways:
|
total: 3
under 914 m: 2 (2003 est.)
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 |
|
Heliports:
|
1 (2003 est.) |
|
Military - note:
|
defense is the
responsibility of the US |
|
Disputes - international:
|
none |
This page was last updated on 11 May, 2004
|