Northern Mariana Islands - Government

Geography - People - Economy - Government - Communications - Transportation - Military - Transnational Issues

Northern Mariana Islands is located Oceania, islands in the North Pacific Ocean, about three-quarters of the way from Hawaii to the Philippines. The climate is tropical marine; moderated by northeast trade winds, little seasonal temperature variation; dry season December to June, rainy season July to October. The terrain is southern islands are limestone with level terraces and fringing coral reefs; northern islands are volcanic.

Country name

This entry includes all forms of the country's name approved by the US Board on Geographic Names (Italy is used as an example)
Country name - conventional long form : Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands
Country name - conventional short form : Northern Mariana Islands
Country name - abbreviation : CNMI
Country name - former : Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands, Mariana Islands District

Dependency status

This entry describes the formal relationship between a particular nonindependent entity and an independent state.
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

This entry gives the basic form of government. Definitions of the major governmental terms are as follows. (Note that for some countries more than one definition applies.)
Government type : commonwealth; self-governing with locally elected governor, lieutenant governor, and legislature

Capital

This entry gives the name of the seat of government, its geographic coordinates, the time difference relative to Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) and the time observed in Washington, DC, and, if applicable, information on daylight saving time (DST). Where appropriate, a special note has been added to highlight those countries that have multiple time zones.
Capital - name : Saipan
Capital - geographic coordinates : 15 12 N, 145 45 E
Capital - time difference : UTC+10 (15 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

Administrative divisions

This entry generally gives the numbers, designatory terms, and first-order administrative divisions as approved by the US Board on Geographic Names (BGN). Changes that have been reported but not yet acted on by the BGN are noted.
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

Independence

For most countries, this entry gives the date that sovereignty was achieved and from which nation, empire, or trusteeship. For the other countries, the date given may not represent "independence" in the strict sense, but rather some significant nationhood event such as the traditional founding date or the date of unification, federation, confederation, establishment, fundamental change in the form of government, or state succession. Dependent areas include the notation "none" followed by the nature of their dependency status. Also see the Terminology note.
Independence : none (commonwealth in political union with the US)

National holiday

This entry gives the primary national day of celebration - usually independence day.
National holiday : Commonwealth Day, 8 January (1978)

Constitution

This entry includes the dates of adoption, revisions, and major amendments.
Constitution : Constitution of the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands effective 1 January 1978; Covenant Agreement fully effective 4 November 1986

Legal system

This entry contains a brief description of the legal system's historical roots, role in government, and acceptance of International Court of Justice (ICJ) jurisdiction.
Legal system : based on US system, except for customs, wages, immigration laws, and taxation

Suffrage

This entry gives the age at enfranchisement and whether the right to vote is universal or restricted.
Suffrage : 18 years of age; universal; indigenous inhabitants are US citizens but do not vote in US presidential elections

Executive branch

This entry includes several subfields. Chief of state includes the name and title of the titular leader of the country who represents the state at official and ceremonial functions but may not be involved with the day-to-day activities of the government. Head of government includes the name and title of the top administrative leader who is designated to manage the day-to-day activities of the government. For example, in the UK, the monarch is the chief of state, and the prime minister is the head of government. In the US, the president is both the chief of state and the head of government. Cabinet includes the official name for this body of high-ranking advisers and the method for selection of members. Elections include the nature of election process or accession to power, date of the last election, and date of the next election. Election results includes the percent of vote for each candidate in the last election.
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)
Executive branch - head of government : Governor Benigno R. FITIAL (since 9 January 2006); Lieutenant Governor Timothy P. VILLAGOMEZ (since 9 January 2006)
Executive branch - cabinet : the cabinet consists of the heads of the 10 principal departments under the executive branch who are appointed by the governor with the advice and consent of the Senate; other members include Special Assistants to the governor and office heads appointed by and reporting directly to the governor
Executive branch - elections : under the US Constitution, residents of unincorporated territories, such as the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, do not vote in elections for US president and vice president; however, they may vote in the Democratic and Republican presidential primary elections; governor and lieutenant governor elected on the same ticket by popular vote for four-year terms (eligible for a second term); election last held 5 November 2005 (next to be held in November 2009)
Executive branch - election results : Benigno R. FITIAL elected governor in a four-way race; percent of vote - Benigno R. FITIAL 28.07%, Heinz HOFSCHNEIDER 27.34%, Juan BABAUTA 26.6%, Froilan TENORIO 17.99%

Legislative branch

This entry contains information on the structure (unicameral, bicameral, tricameral), formal name, number of seats, and term of office. Elections includes the nature of election process or accession to power, date of the last election, and date of the next election. Election results includes the percent of vote and/or number of seats held by each party in the last election.
Legislative branch - elections : Senate - last held 3 November 2007 (next to be held in November 2009); House of Representatives - last held 3 November 2007 (next to be held in November 2009)
Legislative branch - election results : Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - Covenant Party 3, Republican Party 3, Democratic Party 1, independents 2; House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - Republican Party 12, Covenant Party 4, Democratic Party 1, independents 3
Legislative branch - note : the Northern Mariana Islands does not have a nonvoting delegate in the US Congress; instead, it has an elected official or "resident representative" in Washington, DC; seats by party - Republican Party 1 (Pedro A. TENORIO)

Judicial branch

This entry contains the name(s) of the highest court(s) and a brief description of the selection process for members.
Judicial branch : Commonwealth Supreme Court; Superior Court; Federal District Court

Political parties and leaders

This entry includes a listing of significant political organizations and their leaders.
Political parties and leaders : Covenant Party [Benigno R. FITIAL]; Democratic Party [Dr. Carlos S. CAMACHO]; Republican Party [Juan S. REYES]

Political pressure groups and leaders

This entry includes a listing of a country's political, social, labor, or religious organizations that are involved in politics, or that exert political pressure, but whose leaders do not stand for legislative election. International movements or organizations are generally not listed.
Political pressure groups and leaders : NA

International organization participation

This entry lists in alphabetical order by abbreviation those international organizations in which the subject country is a member or participates in some other way.
International organization participation : SPC, UPU

Flag description

This entry provides a written flag description produced from actual flags or the best information available at the time the entry was written. The flags of independent states are used by their dependencies unless there is an officially recognized local flag. Some disputed and other areas do not have flags.
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

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