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.
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, and Tinian.
Population:
77,311 (July 2002 est.)
Languages:
English, Chamorro, Carolinian - 86% of population speaks a language other than English at home.
Geographic coordinates:
15° 12' N, 145° 45' E
Area total:
477 sq. km includes 14 islands including Saipan, Rota, and Tinian
Land area:
477 sq. km
Water area:
0 sq. km
Total land boundaries:
0 km
Coastline:
1,482 km
Elevation extremes:
Pacific Ocean 0 m - unnamed location on Agrihan 965 m
Internet country code:
.mp
Currency:
US dollar (USD)
Name - conventional long form:
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands
Name - conventional short form:
Northern Mariana Islands
Former name:
Mariana Islands District (Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands)
Independence:
none (commonwealth in political union with the US)
Constitution:
Covenant Agreement effective 4 November 1986 and the Constitution of the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands effective 1 January 1978.
Government type:
commonwealth, self-governing with locally elected governor, lieutenant governor, and legislature
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