Northern Mariana Islands

The **Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands**, usually shortened to the **Northern Mariana Islands**, is a group of islands in the Pacific Ocean that are a political division controlled by the United States. Its capital is Saipan.

Spain owned the islands until 1899 and sold them to the German Empire. Germany lost them to Japan in World War I and the United States took them in World War II.

## Geography

The Northern Mariana Islands, together with Guam to the south, compose the Mariana Islands. The southern islands are limestone, with level terraces and fringing coral reefs. The northern islands are volcanic, with active volcanos on Anatahan, Pagan and Agrihan. The volcano on Agrihan has the highest elevation at .
Anatahan Volcano is a small volcanic island  north of Saipan. It is about  long and  wide. Anatahan began erupting suddenly from its east crater on May 10, 2003, at about 6 p.m. (0800 UTC). It has since alternated between eruptive and calm periods. On April 6, 2005, approximately  of ash and rock were ejected, causing a large, black cloud to drift south over Saipan and Tinian.

## People

In 2020, 47,329 people lived on the Northern Mariana Islands. This was down from 69,221 in 2000.

The official languages on the Northern Mariana Islands are English, Chamorro, and Carolinian. Only a few people speak the Tanapag language. Many people also speak Philippine languages, Chinese, and other Pacific island languages. Many people still have Spanish family names, but the people do not often speak Spanish, as they did in the past.

Most people in the Northern Mariana Islands are Roman Catholic. There are also communities of Buddhist and Protestant people. Many people have traditional beliefs, also referred to as folk religion.
According to the Pew Research Center, 2010:
- Roman Catholic 64.1%
- Protestants 16%
- Buddhists 10.6%
- Folk religions 5.3%
- Other Christians 1.2%
- Other religions 1.1%
- Unaffiliated 1.0%
- Eastern Orthodox <1%
- Hindu <1%
- Muslim <1%
- Jews <1%
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints reported 865 members in the Northern Mariana Islands.

## Other websites

- Northern Mariana Islands  _official government website_
- The CNMI Covenant
- The CNMI Constitution
- CNMI Office of Resident Representative Pedro A. Tenorio
- H.R. 873 - the Northern Mariana Islands Delegate Act
- H.R. 5550 - The United States-Commonwealth of the Northern Marianas Human Dignity Act
- _U.S. Census Bureau: Island Areas Census 2000_

## Infobox (political division)

- **name**: Northern Mariana Islands
- **official name**: Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands

- **settlement type**: Territories of the United States, United States territory
- **image flag**: Flag of the Northern Mariana Islands.svg
- **flag size**: 130px
- **flag link**: Flag of the Northern Mariana Islands
- **image seal**: Seal of the Northern Mariana Islands.svg
- **seal size**: 90px
- **seal type**: Seal
- **seal link**: Seal of the Northern Mariana Islands
- **anthem**:

(_"In the Middle of the Sea"_) (regional)<div style="display:inline-block;margin-top:0.4em;"></div>
"The Star-Spangled Banner" (official)

- **anthem link**: List of U.S. state songs
- **image map**: Northern Mariana Islands on the globe (Southeast Asia centered) (small islands magnified).svg
- **map alt**: Location of the Northern Mariana Islands
- **map caption**: Location of the Northern Mariana Islands
 (circled in red)
- **mapsize**: 250px
- **subdivision type**: Sovereign state
- **established title**: Before association with the United States
- **established date**: Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands
- **established title2**: #Political status, Commonwealth status
- **established date2**: January 9, 1978
- **established title3**: End of U.N. Trusteeship
- **established date3**: November 4, 1986
- **languages2**: Philippine languages
- **demonym**: Demographics of the Northern Mariana Islands, Northern Mariana Islander <small>(formal)</small>
Northern Marianan <small>(other)</small>
Marianan <small>(diminutive form)</small>
Chamorro <small>(colloquial)</small>
- **capital**: Saipan
- **largest city**: Saipan
- **ethnic groups year**: 2023
- **religion year**: 2010
- **government type**: Devolution, Devolved presidential constitutional Dependent territory, dependency
- **leader title1**: List of governors of the Northern Mariana Islands, Governor
- **leader name1**: David M. Apatang (Independent politician, I)
- **leader title2**: Lieutenant Governor of the Northern Mariana Islands, Lieutenant Governor
- **leader name2**: Dennis C. Mendiola (Republican Party (United States), R)
- **legislature**: Northern Mariana Islands Commonwealth Legislature, Commonwealth Legislature
- **upper house**: Northern Mariana Islands Senate, Senate
- **lower house**: Northern Mariana Islands House of Representatives, House of Representatives
- **national representation**: United States Congress
- **national representation type1**: United States congressional delegations from the Northern Mariana Islands, House delegate
- **national representation1**: Kimberlyn King-Hinds (Republican Party (United States), R)
- **area km2**: 464
- **area sq mi**: 179
- **elevation max m**: 965
- **elevation max ft**: 3,166
- **elevation max point**: Mount Agrihan
- **population census**: 47,329
- **population census year**: 2020
- **population estimate**: 55,650
- **population estimate year**: 2022
- **population estimate rank**: 209th
- **population density km2**: 113
- **population density sq mi**: 292.7
- **population density rank**: 97th
- **gdp ppp**: $1.24 billion
- **gdp ppp year**: 2016
- **gdp ppp per capita**: $25,516
- **gdp nominal**: $1.18 billion
- **gdp nominal year**: 2019
- **gdp nominal per capita**: $21,239
- **hdi**: 0.875
- **hdi year**: 2017
- **currency**: United States dollar (US$)
- **currency code**: USD
- **timezone**: Chamorro Standard Time, ChST
- **utc offset**: +10:00
- **date format**: mm/dd/yyyy
- **drives on**: right
- **calling code**: North American Numbering Plan, +1-Area code 670, 670
- **postal code type**: List of U.S. state abbreviations#Postal codes, USPS abbreviation
- **postal code**: MP
- **postal2 code type**: List of U.S. state abbreviations#Current use of traditional abbreviations, Trad. abbreviation
- **postal2 code**: CNMI
- **cctld**: .mp