Search results
People also ask
When did the Northern Mariana Islands become self governing?
How many islands are in the Northern Mariana Islands?
When did the Northern Mariana Islands become a US state?
What democratic system does the Northern Mariana Islands have?
The Northern Mariana Islands were listed by the United Nations as a non-self-governing territory until 1990. [ 12 ] During the colonial period, the Northern Marianas were variously under the control of the Spanish, German, and Japanese empires.
- Overview
- Land
- People
Northern Mariana Islands, a self-governing commonwealth in association with the United States. It is composed of 14 islands and islets in the western Pacific Ocean. The commonwealth is a part of the Mariana Islands, a chain of volcanic mountain peaks and uplifted coral reefs. (The Marianas chain also includes the politically separate island of Guam, to the south.)
Saipan (46.5 square miles [120 square km]), Tinian (39 square miles [101 square km]), and Rota (33 square miles [85 square km]) are the principal islands and, together with Anatahan, Alamagan, and Agrihan, are inhabited. Another island, Pagan, was evacuated in 1981 after a severe volcanic eruption there. The capital is on Saipan.
Rota, the southernmost island, consists of a volcanic base capped with coral limestone, giving it a terraced appearance. Four southern islands (Farallon de Medinilla, Saipan, Tinian, and Aguijan) are composed of limestone and have gently rolling elevations and few mountains. The islands farther north are volcanic peaks. Mount Pagan, one of the two volcanoes that make up Pagan Island, has erupted many times during recorded history; Farallon de Pajaros, the northernmost of the Marianas, and Asuncion are also active volcanoes. Agrihan volcano, the highest of the Northern Mariana group, rises to 3,166 feet (965 metres). Besides Guam, the nearest neighbours are the Bonin Islands (north) and the Federated States of Micronesia (Caroline Islands; southeast).
The climate is tropical, with average yearly temperatures on Saipan ranging between 79 and 82 °F (26 and 28 °C) and annual precipitation averaging about 70 inches (1,800 mm). Heavy rains are common, and typhoons strike the islands periodically. Precipitation is significantly less on the northernmost islands.
Britannica Quiz
Islands and Archipelagos
The native people of the Northern Mariana Islands are Micronesians. Only about one-fourth of the total population are Chamorros, descendants of the original inhabitants, who intermingled with Spaniards, Mexicans, Filipinos, and various other Europeans and Asians. About one-third of the people are Filipino, and there are smaller proportions of Chinese, Koreans, and other Pacific Islanders. There is also a small minority of Carolinians, descendants of people who migrated from the central Carolines during the 19th century. About two-fifths of the Northern Marianas population is native-born; small numbers come from Guam, the United States, or nearby island states. More than half of the people are nonresident aliens, or guest workers, mostly from Asia and largely employed in the garment industry. Since the late 1990s the government has attempted to control and reduce the number of nonresidents.
Are you a student? Get Britannica Premium for only 24.95 - a 67% discount!
Learn More
Having lost most of their original Pacific Islands culture, the people of the Northern Mariana Islands have a mode of life that is Spanish Roman Catholic but is influenced by American culture. Saipan has more than nine-tenths of the commonwealth’s total population. Chamorro, related to Indonesian, is the principal language. Chamorro, Carolinian, and English are official languages; Chinese and Filipino are also widely used. About nine-tenths of the population speaks a language other than English at home. Although Roman Catholicism predominates, there are significant minorities of independent Christians, Protestants, and Buddhists.
In 1975, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands became a self-governing territory. [7][8] In 1986, the Marianas came under the sovereignty of the United States when the trusteeship ended and US nationality and citizenship was conferred on the inhabitants of the territory. [9]
Oct 27, 2023 · The Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI) is a self-governing commonwealth of the United States. It includes the 14 northernmost islands in the Mariana archipelago - the...
Northern Mariana Islands, Self-governing commonwealth in political union with the U.S., in the western Pacific Ocean. Composed of 22 islands north of Guam, the Northern Marianas extend 450 mi (720 km). Area: 182 sq mi (472 sq km). Population: (2024 est.) 44,700.
Dec 6, 2023 · In 1978, the Northern Mariana Islands was granted self-government separate from the rest of the TTPI and in 1986, islanders were granted US citizenship and the territory came under US sovereignty as the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI).
Dec 6, 2023 · the Northern Mariana Islands directly elects 1 delegate to the US House of Representatives by simple majority vote to serve a 2-year term.
