Airports [time series]

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

Roadways (Highways) [time series]

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

Ports [time series]

Saipan, Rota, Tinian

Telecommunication systems (Telecommunications) [time series]

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

Note [time series]

defense is the responsibility of the US

Agricultural products (Agriculture) [time series]

coffee, coconuts, fruits, tobacco, cattle

Budget [time series]

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

Exchange rates (Currency) [time series]

US currency is used

Economic aid [time series]

none

Electricity [time series]

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

Exchange rates [time series]

US currency is used

Exports [time series]

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

Debt - external (External debt) [time series]

none

Fiscal year [time series]

1 October-30 September

GNP [time series]

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

Imports [time series]

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

Industrial production growth rate (Industrial production) [time series]

growth rate NA%

Industries [time series]

tourism, construction, light industry, handicrafts

Inflation rate (consumer prices) [time series]

NA%

Economic overview (Overview) [time series]

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 [time series]

NA%

Climate [time series]

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

Coastline [time series]

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

Area - comparative (Comparative area) [time series]

slightly more than 2.5 times the size of Washington, DC

Environment - current issues (Environment) [time series]

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

Land boundaries [time series]

none

Land use [time series]

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

Natural resources [time series]

arable land, fish

Note [time series]

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 [time series]

southern islands are limestone with level terraces and fringing coral reefs; northern islands are volcanic; highest elevation is 471 meters (Mt. Tagpochu on Saipan)

Area (Total area) [time series]

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

Administrative divisions [time series]

none

Capital [time series]

Saipan

Constitution [time series]

Covenant Agreement effective 3 November 1986

Diplomatic representation in the US (Diplomatic representation) [time series]

none

Executive branch [time series]

governor, lieutenant governor

Flag [time series]

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 [time series]

none (commonwealth associated with the US)

Judicial branch [time series]

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 [time series]

NA

Legislative branch [time series]

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

Country name (Long-form name) [time series]

Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands

International organization participation (Member of) [time series]

ESCAP (associate), SPC

National holiday [time series]

Commonwealth Day, 8 January (1978)

Political parties (Political parties and leaders) [time series]

Republican Party, Alonzo IGISOMAR; Democratic Party, Felicidad OGUMORO

Suffrage [time series]

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

Government type (Type) [time series]

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

Birth rate [time series]

43 births/1,000 population (1991)

Death rate [time series]

6 deaths/1,000 population (1991)

Ethnic groups (Ethnic divisions) [time series]

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

Infant mortality rate [time series]

17 deaths/1,000 live births (1991)

Labor force [time series]

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

Languages (Language) [time series]

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

Life expectancy at birth [time series]

65 years male, 70 years female (1991)

Literacy [time series]

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

Nationality [time series]

undetermined

Net migration rate [time series]

- 3 migrants/1,000 population (1991)

Organized labor [time series]

NA

Population [time series]

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

Religions (Religion) [time series]

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

Total fertility rate [time series]

5.8 children born/woman (1991)