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World > Oceania > Northern Mariana Islands
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Northern Mariana Islands |
Introduction:
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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.
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| Official name: |
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands |
| Capital: |
name: Saipan
geographic coordinates: 15 12 N, 145 45 E
time difference: UTC+10 (15 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) |
| Government type: |
commonwealth; self-governing with locally elected governor, lieutenant governor, and legislature |
| Population: |
84,546 (July 2007 est.) |
| Languages: |
Philippine languages 24.4%, Chinese 23.4%, Chamorro 22.4%, English 10.8%, other Pacific island languages 9.5%, other 9.6% (2000 census) |
| Official Currency: |
US Dollar (USD)
Current US Dollar Exchange Rates
Historical US Dollar Exchange Rates
Chart US Dollar Exchange Rates |
| Currency code: |
USD |
| Area: |
total: 477 sq km
land: 477 sq km
water: 0 sq km
note: includes 14 islands including Saipan, Rota, and Tinian |
| Climate: |
tropical marine; moderated by northeast trade winds, little seasonal temperature variation; dry season December to June, rainy season July to October |
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Map of Northern Mariana Islands
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