Internet country code [time series]

.mp

Internet users (Internet hosts) [time series]

20 (2005)

Internet users [time series]

10,000 (2003)

Broadcast media (Radio broadcast stations) [time series]

AM 1, FM 6, shortwave 1 (2006)

Telecommunication systems (Telephone system) [time series]

general assessment: NA domestic: NA international: country code - 1-670; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)

Telephones - fixed lines (Telephones - main lines in use) [time series]

21,000 (2000)

Telephones - mobile cellular [time series]

20,500 (2004)

Broadcast media (Television broadcast stations) [time series]

1 (Low Power TV on Saipan; in addition, two cable services on Saipan provide varied programming from satellite networks) (2006)

Agricultural products (Agriculture - products) [time series]

coconuts, fruits, vegetables; cattle

Budget [time series]

revenues: $193 million expenditures: $223 million; including capital expenditures of $NA (FY01/02 est.)

Exchange rates (Currency (code)) [time series]

US dollar (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 the 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 (2004)

Fiscal year [time series]

1 October - 30 September

GDP (official exchange rate) [time series]

$633.4 million

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

$900 million note: 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 (PPP)) [time series]

$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]

$214.4 million $NA

Imports - commodities [time series]

food, construction equipment and materials, petroleum products

Imports - partners [time series]

US, Japan (2004)

Industrial production growth rate [time series]

NA%

Industries [time series]

tourism, construction, garments, handicrafts

Inflation rate (consumer prices) [time series]

-0.8% (2000)

Labor force [time series]

44,470 total indigenous labor force; 2,699 unemployed; 28,717 foreign workers (2000)

Labor force - by occupation [time series]

agriculture: NA% industry: NA% services: NA%

Population below poverty line [time series]

NA%

Unemployment rate [time series]

3.9% NA%

Area [time series]

total: 477 sq km land: 477 sq km water: 0 sq km note: includes 14 islands including Saipan, Rota, and Tinian

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

Land boundaries [time series]

0 km

Land use [time series]

arable land: 13.04% permanent crops: 4.35% other: 82.61% (2005)

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]

territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 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

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]

name: Saipan geographic coordinates: 15 12 N, 145 45 E time difference: UTC+10 (15 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

Constitution [time series]

Constitution of the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands effective 1 January 1978; Covenant Agreement fully effective 4 November 1986

Country name [time series]

conventional long form: Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands conventional short form: Northern Mariana Islands abbreviation: CNMI former: Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands, Mariana Islands District

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 Benigno R. FITIAL (since 9 January 2006); Lieutenant Governor Timothy P. VILLAGOMEZ (since 9 January 2006) cabinet: the cabinet consists of the heads of the 10 principal departments under the executive branch who are appointed by the governor with the advice and consent of the Senate; other members include Special Assistants to the governor and office heads appointed by and reporting directly to the governor elections: under the US Consitution, residents of unincorporated territories, such as the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, do not vote in elections for US president and vice president; governor and lieutenant governor elected on the same ticket by popular vote for four-year terms (eligible for a second term); election last held 5 November 2005 (next to be held November 2009) election results: Benigno R. FITIAL elected governor in a four-way race; percent of vote - Benigno R. FITIAL (Covenant Party) 28.07%, Heinz HOFSCHNEIDER (Independent) 27.34%, Juan BABAUTA (Republican) 26.6%, Froilan TENORIO (Democrat) 17.99%

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]

Interpol (subbureau), SPC, UPU

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) elections: Senate - last held 5 November 2005 (next to be held November 2009); House of Representatives - last held 5 November 2005 (next to be held November 2007) election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - Covenant Party 3, Republican Party 3, Democratic Party 2, independent 1; House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - Covenant Party 7, Republican Party 7, Democratic Party 2, independent 2 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)

National holiday [time series]

Commonwealth Day, 8 January (1978)

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

Covenant Party [Benigno R. FITIAL]; Democratic Party [Dr. Carlos S. CAMACHO]; Republican Party [Juan S. REYES]

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

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, and came into force on 24 March 1976. A new government and constitution went into effect in 1978.

Military - note [time series]

defense is the responsibility of the US

Age structure [time series]

0-14 years: 19.4% (male 8,350/female 7,623) 15-64 years: 79% (male 26,715/female 38,442) 65 years and over: 1.6% (male 679/female 650) (2006 est.)

Birth rate [time series]

19.43 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Death rate [time series]

2.29 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Ethnic groups [time series]

Asian 56.3%, Pacific islander 36.3%, Caucasian 1.8%, other 0.8%, mixed 4.8% (2000 census)

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: 6.98 deaths/1,000 live births male: 6.92 deaths/1,000 live births female: 7.03 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Languages [time series]

Philippine languages 24.4%, Chinese 23.4%, Chamorro 22.4%, English 10.8%, other Pacific island languages 9.5%, other 9.6% (2000 census)

Life expectancy at birth [time series]

total population: 76.09 years male: 73.5 years female: 78.83 years (2006 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: 29.5 years male: 31.7 years female: 28.5 years (2006 est.)

Nationality [time series]

noun: NA (US citizens) adjective: NA

Net migration rate [time series]

8.26 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Population [time series]

82,459 (July 2006 est.)

Population growth rate [time series]

2.54% (2006 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: 1.1 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.7 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 1.05 male(s)/female total population: 0.77 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Total fertility rate [time series]

1.24 children born/woman (2006 est.)

Disputes - international [time series]

none

Airports [time series]

5 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways [time series]

total: 3 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2006)

Airports - with unpaved runways [time series]

total: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2006)

Heliports [time series]

1 (2006)

Ports (Ports and terminals) [time series]

Saipan, Tinian

Roadways [time series]

total: 536 km (2004)