es: English, Chamorro, Carolinian
note: 86% of population speaks a language other than English at home

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 97%
male: 97%
female: 96% (1980 est.)

@Northern Mariana Islands:Government

Country name:
conventional long form: Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands
conventional short form: Northern Mariana Islands

Data code: CQ

Dependency status: commonwealth in political union with the US;
federal funds to the Commonwealth administered by the US Department of
the Interior, Office of Insular Affairs

Government type: commonwealth; self-governing with locally elected
governor, lieutenant governor, and legislature

National capital: Saipan

Administrative divisions: none

Independence: none (commonwealth in political union with the US)

National holiday: Commonwealth Day, 8 January (1978)

Constitution: Covenant Agreement effective 4 November 1986 and the
Constitution of the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands

Legal system: based on US system except for customs, wages,
immigration laws, and taxation

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal; indigenous inhabitants are US
citizens but do not vote in US presidential elections

Executive branch:
chief of state: President of the US William Jefferson CLINTON (since
20 January 1993); Vice President Albert GORE, Jr. (since 20 January
1993)
head of government: Governor Pedro P. TENORIO (since NA January 1998)
and Lieutenant Governor Jesus R. SABLAN (since NA January 1998)
cabinet: NA
elections: governor and lieutenant governor elected on the same ticket
by popular vote for four-year terms; election last held in NA November
1997 (next to be held NA November 2001)
election results: Pedro P. TENORIO elected governor of Northern
Mariana Islands in three-way race; percent of vote-Pedro P. TENORIO
(Republican) 47%

Legislative branch: bicameral Legislature consists of the Senate (9
seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve four-year
staggered terms) and the House of Representatives (18 seats; members
are elected by popular vote to serve two-year terms)
elections: Senate-last held NA November 1997 (next to be held NA
November 1999); House of Representatives-last held NA November 1997
(next to be held NA November 1999)
election results: Senate-percent of vote by party-NA; seats by
party-NA (Republicans retained a majority of the seats); House of
Representatives-percent of