Demographics

The Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI) comprises 14 islands with a total land area of 176.5 square miles spread out of 264 000 square miles of the Pacific Ocean. The Commonwealth’s population lives primarily on three islands; Saipan, the largest and most populated island, is 12.5 miles long and 5.5 miles wide. The other two populated islands are Tinian and Rota and the nine far northern islands are very sparsely inhabited with a combined population of about six people.

Since the 1980s, the number of residents has more than quadrupled. In the 2000 census, the total population numbered 69 221, with approximately 90% living in Saipan and 5% each in Tinian and Rota. With an estimated growth rate of 3.2%, the total population figures were estimated in 2006 at 84 487 people.

Local residents are primarily Chamorros and Carolinians, the two indigenous ethnic groups. Additionally, the “Compacts of Free Association” permit the free movement of people between the freely associated states, flag territories, Hawaii and the mainland United States. These “Compact” islands include the Republic of Palau; the Republic of the Marshall Islands; and the islands comprising the Federated States of Micronesia, Kosrae, Chuuk, Pohnpei, and Yap. The Department of Public Health estimated in 1996 that it provided health care costing US$ 1480 000 to “Compact Impact” residents. The impact of meeting the chronic health care needs of these Micronesian residents within the struggling national health care system plays an important role in overwhelming the capacity of the system. Foreign contract workers from Asia (primarily Chinese and Filipino) represent almost half of the population, though a recent slowdown in the garment industry has resulted in a decline in contract workers. These contract labourers work in the private and public sector in difficult-to-fill positions.

Political situation

The Northern Mariana Islands is a commonwealth of the United States of America, formed in 1978, formerly of the United Nation’s Trust Territory of the Pacific region of Micronesia within Oceania. Negotiations for territorial status began in 1972 and a covenant to establish a commonwealth in political union with the United States of America was approved in 1975. Residents (excluding foreign contract workers) are United States citizens, but do not vote in federal elections and do not pay United States taxes.

It is important to note that the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, its governing system and its infrastructure as an independent entity within a commonwealth agreement with the United States is only approaching 30 years old.

The present administration was elected in November 2005, with the Honourable Governor Benigno Fitial taking office in January 2006 and appointing Joseph Kevin Villagomez as Secretary of Public Health. There are three branches of government: the executive, legislative and judicial. The Secretary of Public Health serves as an Executive Cabinet member and head of the Department of Public Health.

Socioeconomic situation

In addition to funds received from the United States, the economy largely depends on two major industries: tourism and garment manufacturing.

In a 2007 report by the United States Government Accountability Office, it was stated that “the CNMI’s (Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands) economic potential is constrained, in part, by its lack of diversification and faces serious challenges owing to declines in garment manufacturing and tourism, its two major industries. Among factors affecting the garment industry, liberalization in trade law in the early 2000s reduce the CNMI’s trade advantage relative to low-wage countries such as China, causing CNMI exports to fall. The CNMI’s tourism industry has been subject to fluctuations due to Asian economic trends in the late 1990s, as well as recent changes in airline practices. Until 2007, the CNMI’s workforce was subject to a minimum wage set by the CNMI Government that was lower than the U.S. mainland’s; however, Congress enacted a law in 2007 that applied the U.S. minimum wage to the CNMI and will gradually increase the CNMI minimum wage until it meets federal minimum wage requirements.”

Vulnerabilities and hazards

No available information.

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