Airports [time series]

total: 6 usable: 5 with permanent-surface runways: 3 with runways over 3,659 m: 0 with runways 2,440-3,659 m: 2 with runways 1,220-2,439 m: 2

Roadways (Highways) [time series]

total: 381.5 km paved: NA unpaved: NA undifferentiated: primary 134.5 km; secondary 55 km; local 192 km (1991)

Waterways (Inland waterways) [time series]

none

Ports [time series]

Saipan, Tinian

Railways (Railroads) [time series]

none

Telecommunication systems (Telecommunications) [time series]

broadcast stations - 2 AM, 1 FM (1984), 1 TV, 2 cable TV stations; 2 Pacific Ocean INTELSAT earth stations

Note [time series]

defense is the responsibility of the US

Agricultural products (Agriculture) [time series]

coconuts, fruits, cattle, vegetables

Budget [time series]

revenues: $147 million expenditures: $127.7 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1991 est.)

Exchange rates (Currency) [time series]

1 United States dollar (US$) = 100 cents

Economic aid [time series]

none

Electricity [time series]

capacity: 25,000 kW production: 35 million kWh consumption per capita: 740 kWh (1990)

Exchange rates [time series]

US currency is used

Exports [time series]

$263.4 million (f.o.b. 1991 est.) commodities: manufactured goods, garments, bread, pastries, concrete blocks, light iron work partners: NA

Debt - external (External debt) [time series]

$0

Fiscal year [time series]

1 October - 30 September

Imports [time series]

$392.4 million (c.i.f. 1991 est.) commodities: food, construction, equipment, materials 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]

6.5-7.5% (1991 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) (National product) [time series]

GNP - purchasing power equivalent - $541 million (1992) note: GNP numbers reflect US spending

Real GDP per capita (National product per capita) [time series]

$11,500 (1992)

Real GDP growth rate (National product real growth rate) [time series]

NA%

Economic overview (Overview) [time series]

The economy benefits substantially from financial assistance from the US. The rate of funding has declined as locally generated government revenues have grown. An agreement for the years 1986 to 1992 entitled the islands to $228 million for capital development, government operations, and special programs. A rapidly growing major source of income is the tourist industry, which now employs about 50% 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, mostly handicrafts and light manufacturing.

Unemployment rate [time series]

NA%

Area [time series]

total area: 477 sq km land area: 477 sq km comparative area: slightly more than 2.5 times the size of Washington, DC note: includes 14 islands including Saipan, Rota, and Tinian

Climate [time series]

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

Coastline [time series]

1,482 km

Environment - current issues (Environment) [time series]

current issues: contamination of groundwater on Saipan by raw sewage contributes to disease natural hazards: active volcanoes on Pagan and Agrihan; subject to typhoons (especially August to November) international agreements: NA

Disputes - international (International disputes) [time series]

none

Irrigated land [time series]

NA sq km

Land boundaries [time series]

0 km

Land use [time series]

arable land: 5% on Saipan permanent crops: NA% meadows and pastures: 19% forest and woodland: NA% other: NA%

Location [time series]

Oceania, Micronesia, in the North Pacific Ocean, 5,635 km west-southwest of Honolulu, about three-quarters of the way between Hawaii and the Philippines

Map references [time series]

Oceania

Maritime claims [time series]

contiguous zone: 24 nm continental shelf: 200-m depth or to depth of exploitation exclusive economic zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 12 nm

Natural resources [time series]

arable land, fish

Note [time series]

strategic location in the North Pacific Ocean

Terrain [time series]

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

Administrative divisions [time series]

none

Capital [time series]

Saipan

Constitution [time series]

Covenant Agreement effective 3 November 1986 and the Constitution of the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands

Digraph [time series]

CQ

Executive branch [time series]

chief of state: President William Jefferson CLINTON (since 20 January 1993); Vice President Albert GORE, Jr. (since 20 January 1993) head of government: Governor Lorenzo I. DeLeon GUERRERO (since 9 January 1990); Lieutenant Governor Benjamin T. MANGLONA (since 9 January 1990); election last held in NA November 1989 (next to be held NA November 1993); results - Lorenzo I. DeLeon GUERRERO, Republican Party, was elected 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

Legislative branch (House of Representatives) [time series]

elections last held NA November 1991 (next to be held NA November 1993); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (18 total) Republicans 10, Democrats 6, Independent 2

Independence [time series]

none (commonwealth in political union with the US)

Judicial branch [time series]

Commonwealth Supreme Court, Superior Court, Federal District Court

Legal system [time series]

based on US system except for customs, wages, immigration laws, and taxation

Legislative branch [time series]

bicameral Legislature

International organization participation (Member of) [time series]

ESCAP (associate), SPC

Country name (Names) [time series]

conventional long form: Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands conventional short form: Northern Mariana Islands

National holiday [time series]

Commonwealth Day, 8 January (1978)

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

Republican Party, Governor Lorenzo GUERRERO; Democratic Party, Carlos SHODA, chairman

Legislative branch (Senate) [time series]

elections last held NA November 1991 (next to be held NA November 1993); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (9 total) Republicans 6, Democrats 3

Suffrage [time series]

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

Government type (Type) [time series]

commonwealth in political union with the US; self-governing with locally elected governor, lieutenant governor, and legislature; federal funds to the Commonwealth administered by the US Department of the Interior, Office of Territorial and International Affairs

Legislative branch (US House of Representatives) [time series]

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)

Birth rate [time series]

35.05 births/1,000 population (1994 est.)

Death rate [time series]

4.61 deaths/1,000 population (1994 est.)

Ethnic groups (Ethnic divisions) [time series]

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

Infant mortality rate [time series]

37.96 deaths/1,000 live births (1994 est.)

Labor force [time series]

7,476 total indigenous labor force, 2,699 unemployed; 21,188 foreign workers (1990) by occupation: NA

Languages [time series]

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

Life expectancy at birth [time series]

total population: 67.43 years male: 65.53 years female: 69.48 years (1994 est.)

Literacy [time series]

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

Nationality [time series]

noun: NA adjective: NA

Net migration rate [time series]

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1994 est.)

Population [time series]

49,799 (July 1994 est.)

Population growth rate [time series]

3.04% (1994 est.)

Religions [time series]

Christian (Roman Catholic majority, although traditional beliefs and taboos may still be found)

Total fertility rate [time series]

2.69 children born/woman (1994 est.)