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
12,000 mostly Chinese workers and sizable shipments to the US under
duty and quota exemptions.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $900 million (2000 est.)

note: GDP numbers reflect US spending

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 (1995)

Labor force - by occupation: NA

Unemployment rate: NA%

Budget: revenues: $221 million

expenditures: $213 million, including capital expenditures of $17.7
million (1996)

Industries: tourism, construction, garments, handicrafts

Industrial production growth rate: NA%

Electricity - production: NA kWh

Electricity - consumption: NA kWh

Agriculture - products: coconuts, fruits, vegetables; cattle

Exports: $NA

Exports - commodities: garments

Exports - partners: US

Imports: $NA

Imports - commodities: food, construction equipment and materials,
petroleum products

Imports - partners: US, Japan

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

Northern Mariana Islands Communications

Telephones - main lines in use: 21,000 (1996)

Telephones - mobile cellular: 1,200 (1995)

Telephone system: general assessment: NA

domestic: NA

international: satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations: AM 2, FM 3, shortwave 1 (1998)

Radios: NA

Television broadcast stations: 1 (on Saipan and one station planned
for Rota; in addition, two cable services on Saipan provide varied
pr