onomic zone: 200 nm
territorial sea: 12 nm

Climate: tropical marine; moderated by northeast trade winds, little
seasonal temperature variation; dry season December to June, rainy
season July to October

Terrain: southern islands are limestone with level terraces and
fringing coral reefs; northern islands are volcanic

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: unnamed location on Agrihan 965 m

Natural resources: arable land, fish

Land use:
arable land: 21%
permanent crops: 0%
permanent pastures: 19%
forests and woodland: 0%
other: 60%

Irrigated land: NA sq km

Natural hazards: active volcanoes on Pagan and Agrihan; typhoons
(especially August to November)

Environment - current issues: contamination of groundwater on Saipan
may contribute to disease; clean-up of landfill; protection of
endangered species conflicts with development

Geography - note: strategic location in the North Pacific Ocean

@Northern Mariana Islands:People

Population: 71,912 (July 2000 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 24% (male 8,652; female 8,377)
15-64 years: 75% (male 25,441; female 28,233)
65 years and over: 1% (male 591; female 618) (2000 est.)

Population growth rate: 3.75% (2000 est.)

Birth rate: 20.86 births/1,000 population (2000 est.)

Death rate: 2.41 deaths/1,000 population (2000 est.)

Net migration rate: 19.06 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2000 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.9 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.96 male(s)/female
total population: 0.93 male(s)/female (2000 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 5.79 deaths/1,000 live births (2000 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 75.54 years
male: 72.45 years
female: 78.82 years (2000 est.)

Total fertility rate: 1.76 children born/woman (2000 est.)

Nationality:
noun: NA
adjective: NA

Ethnic groups: Chamorro, Carolinians and other Micronesians,
Caucasian, Japanese, Chinese, Korean

Religions: Christian (Roman Catholic majority, although traditional
beliefs and taboos may still be found)

Languages: 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