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North Mariana Islands

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Economy of North Mariana Islands

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 Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA highest 10%: 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.) Agriculture - products: coconuts, fruits, vegetables; cattle
Industries: tourism, construction, garments, handicrafts Industrial production growth rate: NA
Electricity - production: NA kWh Electricity - consumption: NA kWh
Electricity - exports: 0 kWh Electricity - imports: 0 kWh 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

Geography of North Mariana Islands

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 area: 477 sq km
land area: 477 sq km
comparative area: 2.5 times the size of Washington, DC
note: includes 14 islands including Saipan, Rota, and Tinian
Land boundaries: 0 km
Coastline: 1,482 km
Maritime claims:
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
territorial sea: 12 nm
International disputes: none
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
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: unnamed location on Agrihan 965 m
Natural resources: arable land, fish
Land use:
arable land: 5% on Saipan
permanent crops: NA%
meadows and pastures: 19%
forest and woodland: NA%
other: NA%
Irrigated land: NA sq km
Environment:
current issues: contamination of groundwater on Saipan by raw sewage contributes to disease
natural hazards: active volcanoes on Pagan and Agrihan; typhoons (especially August to November)
international agreements: NA
Geographic note: strategic location in the North Pacific Ocean

Government of North Mariana Islands

Country name: conventional long form: Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands conventional short form: Northern Mariana Islands Data code: CQ 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 National capital: Saipan Administrative divisions: none 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 Legal system: based on US system except for customs, wages, immigration laws, and taxation Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal; indigenous inhabitants are US citizens but do not vote in US presidential elections Executive branch: chief of state: President of the US William Jefferson CLINTON (since 20 January 1993); Vice President Albert GORE, Jr. (since 20 January 1993) head of government: Governor Pedro P. TENORIO (since NA January 1998) and Lieutenant Governor Jesus R. SABLAN (since NA January 1998) cabinet: NA elections: governor and lieutenant governor elected on the same ticket by popular vote for four-year terms; election last held in NA November 1997 (next to be held NA November 2001) election results: Pedro P. TENORIO elected governor of Northern Mariana Islands in three-way race; percent of vote-Pedro P. TENORIO (Republican) 47% 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) elections: Senate-last held NA November 1997 (next to be held NA November 1999); House of Representatives-last held NA November 1997 (next to be held NA November 1999) election results: Senate-percent of vote by party-NA; seats by party-NA (Republicans retained a majority of the seats); House of Representatives-percent of vote by party-NA; seats by party-NA (Republicans retained a majority of the seats) note: the Commonwealth does not have a nonvoting delegate in Congress; instead, it has an elected official or "resident representative" located in Washington, DC; seats by party-Republican 1 (Juan N. BABAUTA) Judicial branch: Commonwealth Supreme Court; Superior Court; Federal District Court Political parties and leaders: Republican Party, Benigno R. FITIAL, leader; Democratic Party, chairman (currently vacant) International organization participation: ESCAP (associate), SPC Flag description: 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

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History of North Mariana Islands

Information about the History of the Northern Mariana Islands is not available online at this time.

People of North Mariana Islands

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 male: 7.18 deaths/1,000 live births female: 7.32 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 75.67 years male: 73.11 years female: 78.38 years (2004 est.)
Total fertility rate: 1.33 children born/woman (2004 est.) 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.)