ARCHIVE // MP // 2003

Northern Mariana Islands

2003 Edition — territory

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Communications
Internet users (Internet Service Providers (ISPs)) [time series]
1 (2001)
Internet country code [time series]
.mp
Internet users [time series]
NA
Broadcast media (Radio broadcast stations) [time series]
AM 2, FM 3, shortwave 1 (1998)
Telecommunication systems (Telephone system) [time series]
general assessment: NA domestic: NA international: satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)
Telephones - fixed lines (Telephones - main lines in use) [time series]
21,000 (1996)
Telephones - mobile cellular [time series]
1,200 (1995)
Broadcast media (Television broadcast stations) [time series]
1 (on Saipan and one station planned for Rota; in addition, two cable services on Saipan provide varied programming from satellite networks) (1997)
Economy
Agricultural products (Agriculture - products) [time series]
coconuts, fruits, vegetables; cattle
Budget [time series]
revenues: $193 million expenditures: $223 million, including capital expenditures of NA (FY 01/02 est.)
Exchange rates (Currency) [time series]
US dollar (USD)
Exchange rates (Currency code) [time series]
USD
Debt - external [time series]
$NA
Economic aid (Economic aid - recipient) [time series]
extensive funding from US
Economic overview (Economy - 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. 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.
Electricity - consumption [time series]
NA kWh
Electricity - exports [time series]
0 kWh
Electricity - imports [time series]
0 kWh
Electricity - production [time series]
NA kWh
Exchange rates [time series]
the US dollar is used
Exports [time series]
$NA
Exports - commodities [time series]
garments
Exports - partners [time series]
US (2000)
Fiscal year [time series]
1 October - 30 September
Real GDP (purchasing power parity) (GDP) [time series]
purchasing power parity - $900 million note: $900 million $900 million GDP estimate includes US subsidy (2000 est.)
GDP - composition, by sector of origin (GDP - composition by sector) [time series]
agriculture: NA% industry: NA% services: NA%
Real GDP per capita (GDP - per capita) [time series]
purchasing power parity - $12,500 (2000 est.)
Real GDP growth rate (GDP - real growth rate) [time series]
NA%
Household income or consumption by percentage share [time series]
lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%
Imports [time series]
$NA
Imports - commodities [time series]
food, construction equipment and materials, petroleum products
Imports - partners [time series]
US, Japan (2000)
Industrial production growth rate [time series]
NA%
Industries [time series]
tourism, construction, garments, handicrafts
Inflation rate (consumer prices) [time series]
1.2% (1997 est.)
Labor force [time series]
6,006 total indigenous labor force; 2,699 unemployed; 28,717 foreign workers
Labor force - by occupation [time series]
NA
Population below poverty line [time series]
NA%
Unemployment rate [time series]
NA%
Geography
Area [time series]
total: 477 sq km note: includes 14 islands including Saipan, Rota, and Tinian water: 0 sq km land: 477 sq km
Area - comparative [time series]
2.5 times the size of Washington, DC
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
Elevation (Elevation extremes) [time series]
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: unnamed location on Agrihan 965 m
Environment - current issues [time series]
contamination of groundwater on Saipan may contribute to disease; clean-up of landfill; protection of endangered species conflicts with development
Geographic coordinates [time series]
15 12 N, 145 45 E
Geography - note [time series]
strategic location in the North Pacific Ocean
Irrigated land [time series]
NA sq km
Land boundaries [time series]
0 km
Land use [time series]
arable land: 15.22% permanent crops: 6.52% other: 78.26% (1998 est.)
Location [time series]
Oceania, islands in the North Pacific Ocean, about three-quarters of the way from Hawaii to the Philippines
Map references [time series]
Oceania
Maritime claims [time series]
exclusive economic zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM
Natural hazards [time series]
active volcanoes on Pagan and Agrihan; typhoons (especially August to November)
Natural resources [time series]
arable land, fish
Terrain [time series]
southern islands are limestone with level terraces and fringing coral reefs; northern islands are volcanic
Government
Administrative divisions [time series]
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
Capital [time series]
Saipan
Constitution [time series]
Covenant Agreement effective 4 November 1986 and the Constitution of the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands effective 1 January 1978
Country name [time series]
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 [time series]
commonwealth in political union with the US; federal funds to the Commonwealth administered by the US Department of the Interior, Office of Insular Affairs
Executive branch [time series]
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%
Flag (Flag description) [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, surrounded by a wreath
Government type [time series]
commonwealth; self-governing with locally elected governor, lieutenant governor, and legislature
Independence [time series]
none (commonwealth in political union with the US)
International organization participation [time series]
ESCAP (associate), Interpol (subbureau), SPC
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 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 - Republican Party 4, Democratic Party 3, Reform Party 1, independent 1; 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 5 November 2001 (next to be held NA November 2003); House of Representatives - last held 1 November 2003 (next to be held NA November 2005)
National holiday [time series]
Commonwealth Day, 8 January (1978)
Political parties (Political parties and leaders) [time series]
Democratic Party [Dr. Carlos S. CAMACHO]; Republican Party [Benigno R. FITIAL]
Political parties (Political pressure groups and leaders) [time series]
NA
Suffrage [time series]
18 years of age; universal; indigenous inhabitants are US citizens but do not vote in US presidential elections
Introduction
Background [time series]
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.
Military
Military - note [time series]
defense is the responsibility of the US
People
Age structure [time series]
0-14 years: 23.3% (male 9,483; female 9,168) 15-64 years: 74.8% (male 27,839; female 32,041) 65 years and over: 1.8% (male 748; female 727) (2003 est.)
Birth rate [time series]
19.97 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Death rate [time series]
2.44 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Ethnic groups [time series]
Chamorro, Carolinians and other Micronesians, Caucasian, Japanese, Chinese, Filipino, Korean
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate [time series]
NA%
HIV/AIDS - deaths [time series]
NA
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS [time series]
NA
Infant mortality rate [time series]
total: 5.52 deaths/1,000 live births female: 4.37 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.) male: 6.6 deaths/1,000 live births
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: 76.16 years male: 73.06 years female: 79.44 years (2003 est.)
Literacy [time series]
definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 97% male: 97% female: 96% (1980 est.)
Median age [time series]
total: 30.4 years male: 31 years female: 30.1 years (2002)
Nationality [time series]
noun: NA adjective: NA
Net migration rate [time series]
16.11 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Population [time series]
80,006 (July 2003 est.)
Population growth rate [time series]
3.37% (2003 est.)
Religions [time series]
Christian (Roman Catholic majority, although traditional beliefs and taboos may still be found)
Sex ratio [time series]
at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.87 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 1.03 male(s)/female total population: 0.91 male(s)/female (2003 est.)
Total fertility rate [time series]
1.75 children born/woman (2003 est.)
Transnational Issues
Disputes - international [time series]
none
Transportation
Airports [time series]
6 (2002)
Airports - with paved runways [time series]
total: 3 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 (2002)
Airports - with unpaved runways [time series]
total: 3 under 914 m: 2 (2002) 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
Heliports [time series]
1 (2002)
Roadways (Highways) [time series]
total: 362 km paved: NA km unpaved: NA km (1991)
Merchant marine [time series]
none (2002 est.)
Ports (Ports and harbors) [time series]
Saipan, Tinian
Railways [time series]
0 km
Waterways [time series]
none