Country name
conventional long form: Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands
conventional short form: Northern Mariana Islands
former: Mariana Islands District (Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands)

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

Capital Saipan

Administrative divisions none (commonwealth in political union with the US); there are no first-order administrative divisions as defined by the US Government, but there are four municipalities at the second order; Northern Islands, Rota, Saipan, Tinian

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 effective 1 January 1978

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 George W. BUSH of the US (since 20 January 2001); Vice President Richard B. CHENEY (since 20 January 2001)
head of government: Governor Juan N. BABOUTA (since NA January 2002) and Lieutenant Governor Diego T. BENEVENTE (since NA January 2002)
cabinet: NA
elections: US president and vice president elected on the same ticket for four-year terms; governor and lieutenant governor elected on the same ticket by popular vote for four-year terms; election last held NA November 2001 (next to be held NA November 2005)
election results: Juan N. BABOUTA elected governor in a four-way race; percent of vote - Juan N. BABOUTA (Republican Party) 49%

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)
election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - Republican Party 4, Democratic Party 3, Reform Party 1, independent 1; House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - Republican Party 16, Democratic Party 1, Covenant Party 1
note: the Northern Mariana Islands does not have a nonvoting delegate in the US Congress; instead, it has an elected official or "resident representative" located in Washington, DC; seats by party - Republican Party 1 (Pedro A. TENORIO)
elections: Senate - last held 5 November 2001 (next to be held NA November 2003); House of Representatives - last held 5 November 2001 (next to be held NA November 2003)

Judicial branch Commonwealth Supreme Court; Superior Court; Federal District Court

Political parties and leaders Democratic Party [Dr. Carlos S. CAMACHO]; Republican Party [Benigno R. FITIAL]

Political pressure groups and leaders NA

International organization participation ESCAP (associate), Interpol (subbureau), SPC

Flag description blue, with a white, five-pointed star superimposed on the gray silhouette of a latte stone (a traditional foundation stone used in building) in the center, surrounded by a wreath

NOTE: The information regarding Northern Mariana Islands on this page is re-published from the 2002 World Fact Book of the United States Central Intelligence Agency. No claims are made regarding the accuracy of Northern Mariana Islands Government 2002 information contained here. All suggestions for corrections of any errors about Northern Mariana Islands Government 2002 should be addressed to the CIA.