Northern Mariana Islands Government

Map showing the location of Northern Mariana Islands

The political system of the Northern Marianas Islands is considered a presidential democratic republic. The nation is considered a commonwealth of the United States with relative autonomy on domestic issues. The Governor of the Northern Marianas Islands is the official name of the head of government. Executive power is held by the governor and legislative power is vested in the parliament of the country. A Covenant Agreement was reached between the United States of America and the Northern Marianas Islands which supplies the islands with financial aid and protection if needed.

Elections in the nation take place every two years in the Northern Marianas Islands. Election results usually see two or three political parties gaining seats in parliament. Many residents of the country had been subjected to colonial rule from nations such as Germany, Spain, and Japan and were not prepared for democracy when the first elections were held in the 1980s. Local government is carried out by three mayors who have jurisdiction over the three major regions of the country. The political system of the Northern Marianas Islands is considered a presidential democratic republic. The nation is considered a commonwealth of the United States with relative autonomy on domestic issues.

The parliamentary chambers of the Northern Mariana Islands Commonwealth Legislature are known as the House of Representatives and the Senate. The House of Representatives has 20 members and the Senate has nine. Before 2009, the country had a sitting representative in Washington D.C but now has a non-voting delegate to the United States Congress. The parliament of the Northern Marianas Islands is located in the capital city of Saipan in the Capitol Hill suburb. The constitution of the country, enacted in 1978, provides the framework for the political process.

The Northern Mariana Islands has a multi-party system, with the major parties being the Covenant Party, the Democratic Party, the Reform Party, and the Republican Party.

This page was last modified on May 1st, 2018

More on Graphicmaps

Published on 2019-11-06


Capital	Saipan
Languages	Philippine languages 32.8%, Chamorro (official) 24.1%, English (official) 17%, other Pacific island languages 10.1%, Chinese 6.8%, other Asian languages 7.3%, other 1.9% (2010 est.)
Ethnic Groups	Asian 50% (includes Filipino 35.3%, Chinese 6.8%, Korean 4.2%, and other Asian 3.7%), Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander 34.9% (includes Chamorro 23.9%, Carolinian 4.6%, and other Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 6.4%), other 2.5%, two or more ethnicities or races 12.7% (2010 est.)
Religion	Christian (Roman Catholic majority, although traditional beliefs and taboos may still be found)
Government	Presidential democracy; a commonwealth in political union with the US
Independance	None (commonwealth in political union with the US)
Area	464.00 km²
Land Area	464.00 km²
Population	53,467.00
Location	Oceania, islands in the North Pacific Ocean, about three-quarters of the way from Hawaii to the Philippines
GDP(PPP)	$682,000,000.00 (USD)
GDP (Per Capita)	$13,300.00 (USD)
Export Commodities	Its main export is garments.
Import Commodities	Its major imports include food, construction equipment and materials.
Climate	Tropical marine; moderated by northeast trade winds, little seasonal temperature variation; dry season December to June, rainy season July to October
Terrain	The southern islands in this north-south trending archipelago are limestone, with fringing coral reefs; the northern islands are volcanic, with active volcanoes on several islands

Northern Mariana Islands Government

More on Graphicmaps

What is a Trade Embargo?

Which Two Countries Used to Have the Same Flag?

What Is the Only Two-Sided State Flag?

Which Country Flag Looks Like the Texas Flag?

Flags That Resemble the US Flag

What is Demography?