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212 lines
17 KiB
Plaintext
212 lines
17 KiB
Plaintext
NORTHERN MARIANA ISLANDS
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(commonwealth associated with the US)
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GEOGRAPHY
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Total area: 477 km2; land area: 477 km2; includes Saipan, Rota, and
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Tinian
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Comparative area: slightly more than 2.5 times the size of
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Washington, DC
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Land boundaries: none
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Coastline: 1,482 km
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Maritime claims:
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Contiguous zone: 12 nm;
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Continental shelf: 200 m (depth);
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Exclusive economic zone: 200 nm;
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Territorial sea: 3 nm
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Climate: tropical marine; moderated by northeast trade winds,
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little seasonal temperature variation; dry season December to July, rainy
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season July to October
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Terrain: southern islands are limestone with level terraces and
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fringing coral reefs; northern islands are volcanic; highest elevation is
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471 meters (Mt. Tagpochu on Saipan)
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Natural resources: arable land, fish
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Land use: arable land 1%; permanent crops NA%; meadows and pastures
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19%; forest and woodland NA%; other NA%
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Environment: Mt. Pagan is an active volcano (last erupted in
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October 1988); subject to typhoons during the rainy season
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Note: strategic location 5,635 km west-southwest of Honolulu in the
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North Pacific Ocean, about three-quarters of the way between Hawaii and
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the Philippines
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PEOPLE
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Population: 23,494 (July 1991), growth rate 3.4% (1991)
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Birth rate: 43 births/1,000 population (1991)
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Death rate: 6 deaths/1,000 population (1991)
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Net migration rate: - 3 migrants/1,000 population (1991)
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Infant mortality rate: 17 deaths/1,000 live births (1991)
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Life expectancy at birth: 65 years male, 70 years female (1991)
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Total fertility rate: 5.8 children born/woman (1991)
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Nationality: undetermined
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Ethnic divisions: Chamorro majority; Carolinians and other
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Micronesians; Spanish, German, Japanese admixtures
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Religion: Christian with a Roman Catholic majority, although
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traditional beliefs and taboos may still be found
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Language: English, but Chamorro and Carolinian are also spoken in
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the home and taught in school
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Literacy: 96% (male 97%, female 96%) age 15 and over can
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read and write (1980)
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Labor force: 12,788 local; 18,799 foreign workers (1990 est.)
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Organized labor: NA
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GOVERNMENT
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Long-form name: Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands
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Type: commonwealth associated with the US and administered by the
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Office of Territorial and International Affairs, US Department of the
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Interior
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Capital: Saipan
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Administrative divisions: none
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Independence: none (commonwealth associated with the US)
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Constitution: Covenant Agreement effective 3 November 1986
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Legal system: NA
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National holiday: Commonwealth Day, 8 January (1978)
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Executive branch: governor, lieutenant governor
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Legislative branch: bicameral Legislature consists of an upper
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house or Senate and a lower house or House of Representatives
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Judicial branch: Supreme Court
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Leaders:
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Chief of State--President George BUSH (since 20 January 1989);
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Vice President Dan QUAYLE (since 20 January 1989);
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Head of Government--Governor Lorenzo I. DeLeon GUERRERO
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(since NA 1990);
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Lieutenant Governor Benjamin T. MANGLONA (since NA 1990)
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Political parties and leaders: Republican Party, Alonzo IGISOMAR;
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Democratic Party, Felicidad OGUMORO
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Suffrage: universal at age 18; indigenous inhabitants are US
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citizens but do not vote in US presidential elections
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Elections:
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Governor--last held on NA November 1989 (next to be held
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November 1993);
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results--Lorenzo I. DeLeon GUERRERO, Republican Party, was elected
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governor;
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Senate--last held on NA November 1989 (next to be held November
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1991);
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results--percent of vote by party NA;
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seats--(9 total) number of seats by party NA;
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House of Representatives--last held on NA November 1989 (next to
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be held November 1991);
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results--percent of vote by party NA;
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seats--(15 total) number of seats by party NA;
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US House of Representatives--last held NA November 1989 (next to
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be held NA);
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results--percent of vote by party NA;
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seats--(1 total) party of nonvoting delegate NA
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Member of: ESCAP (associate), SPC
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Diplomatic representation: none
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Flag: blue with a white five-pointed star superimposed on the gray
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silhouette of a latte stone (a traditional foundation stone used in
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building) in the center
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ECONOMY
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Overview: The economy benefits substantially from financial
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assistance from the US. An agreement for the years 1986 to 1992 entitles
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the islands to $228 million for capital development, government
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operations, and special programs. Another major source of income is the
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tourist industry, which employs about 10% of the work force. The
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agricultural sector is made up of cattle ranches and small farms
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producing coconuts, breadfruit, tomatoes, and melons. Industry is small
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scale in nature--mostly handicrafts and fish processing.
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GNP: $165 million, per capita $9,170; real growth rate NA% (1982)
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Inflation rate (consumer prices): NA%
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Unemployment rate: NA%
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Budget: revenues $NA; expenditures $70.6 million, including capital
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expenditures of $NA (1987)
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Exports: $153.9 million (1989);
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commodities--manufactured goods, garments;
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partners--NA
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Imports: $313.7 million, a 43% increase over previous year (1989);
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commodities--NA;
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partners--NA
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External debt: none
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Industrial production: growth rate NA%
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Electricity: 25,000 kW capacity; 35 million kWh produced,
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1,540 kWh per capita (1990)
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Industries: tourism, construction, light industry, handicrafts
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Agriculture: coffee, coconuts, fruits, tobacco, cattle
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Economic aid: none
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Currency: US currency is used
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Exchange rates: US currency is used
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Fiscal year: 1 October-30 September
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COMMUNICATIONS
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Highways: 300 km total (53 km primary, 55 km secondary, 192 km
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local)
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Ports: Saipan, Rota, Tinian
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Airports: 6 total, 4 usable; 3 with permanent-surface runways;
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none with runways over 3,659 m; 1 with runways 2,440-3,659 m; 2 with
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runways 1,220-2,439 m
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Telecommunications: stations--2 AM, no FM, 1 TV; 2 Pacific Ocean
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INTELSAT earth stations
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DEFENSE FORCES
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Note: defense is the responsibility of the US
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