Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands

Sankattan Siha Na Islas Mariånas Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands
Unincorporated territory of the ‌United States


Anthem Gi Talo Gi Halom Tasi Satil Matawal Pacifiko


Capital	Capital Hill

Government	Organized territory
Head of state
- From 2009	Barack Obama
Governor
- From 2011	Benigno R. Fitial

Legislature	Legislature
- Upper house	Senate
- Lower house	House of Representatives

History
- January 9, 1978	Established
- November 4, 1986	Trust territory dissolved
- December 22, 1990	Security Council ratifies termination of trusteeship

Area	463.63 km²

Population
- 2007	77,000
Density	166/km²

Currency	United States dollar

Pacific Islands
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The Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands is an unincorporated organized territory of the United States, located in Micronesia.

Background

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.^[1]

Economy

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.^[2]