What are the Northern Mariana Islands?

The Northern Mariana Islands are a self-governing commonwealth associated with the United States, located in the western Pacific Ocean. This chain comprises 14 islands and islets and forms part of the Mariana Islands, which also include Guam. Saipan, Tinian, and Rota are the principal inhabited islands. The native people are Micronesians, with Chamorro being the primary language. Chamorro, Carolinian, and English are official languages. Tourism is the main economic activity, with tourists visiting luxury hotels on Saipan and Rota. The U.S. President serves as head of state, while a locally elected governor heads the government.

Where are the Northern Mariana Islands located in the Pacific Ocean?

The Northern Mariana Islands are a self-governing commonwealth associated with the United States, located in the western Pacific Ocean. They form part of the Mariana Islands, which are composed of 14 islands and islets. The island chain is about 1,500 miles (2,400 km) east of the Philippines. The islands are the highest points of an undersea mountain range, marking the boundary between the Philippine Sea and the Pacific Ocean. Guam is the southern extent of the Marianas, with the Northern Marianas extending approximately 450 miles (725 km) to its north.

How many main islands make up the Northern Mariana Islands?

The Northern Mariana Islands are a self-governing commonwealth associated with the United States and consist of 14 islands and islets in the western Pacific Ocean. They form part of the Mariana Islands, which are a chain of volcanic mountain peaks and uplifted coral reefs. The main islands are Saipan, Tinian, and Rota, which, along with Anatahan, Alamagan, and Agrihan, are inhabited. Pagan Island was inhabited until a severe volcanic eruption caused an evacuation in 1981.

What is the capital of the Northern Mariana Islands?

The capital of the Northern Mariana Islands is located on the island of Saipan . The executive and legislative branches are headquartered at Capital Hill, while the judiciary meets at Susupe. The Northern Mariana Islands are a self-governing commonwealth in association with the United States, consisting of 14 islands and islets in the western Pacific Ocean. The islands became a U.S. commonwealth in 1975, with full commonwealth status effective in 1986.

What is the climate like on the Northern Mariana Islands?

The climate on the Northern Mariana Islands is tropical, with consistently warm temperatures. The average yearly temperature on Saipan ranges from 79 to 82 °F (26 to 28 °C). The islands experience heavy rainfall, averaging around 70 inches (1,800 mm) annually, though the northernmost islands receive significantly less precipitation. Typhoons periodically affect the area. The islands themselves vary in composition; the southern islands are mainly limestone with rolling hills, while the northern islands are volcanic peaks. Mount Pagan and other volcanoes are active.

How do people live and work on the Northern Mariana Islands today?

Today, the people of the Northern Mariana Islands have a culturally diverse lifestyle that blends Spanish Roman Catholic traditions with American influences. Chamorro, Carolinian, and English are official languages, but Chinese and Filipino are also widely spoken. Tourism is the main economic driver, with Saipan and Rota offering luxury hotels that attract mostly Japanese and American tourists. Many islanders practice subsistence farming to supplement their income. While the garment industry was once a major economic component, it has faced challenges related to labor practices and competition from other countries.

Northern Mariana Islands

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Map of the Northern Mariana Islands, a U.S. territory in the western Pacific Ocean, showing the chain of islands including Saipan, Tinian, Rota, and several smaller northern islands. The map features major settlements, elevation points such as Mount Tapochao and Mount Pagan, and highlights the islands' locations relative to the Philippine Sea and Guam. An inset provides a close-up of Saipan Island with key towns and geographic features labeled.

Map of the western Pacific region highlighting the Northern Mariana Islands in orange. The map shows surrounding island nations and territories, including Guam, Palau, the Federated States of Micronesia, and the Marshall Islands, as well as larger landmasses such as Australia, Indonesia, and Papua New Guinea. The Pacific Ocean and several U.S., French, New Zealand, and U.K. territories are labeled.

Map of the Pacific Islands region showing political boundaries, major island groups, and countries such as Papua New Guinea, Fiji, Samoa, French Polynesia, and Kiribati. The map uses color shading to indicate elevation and ocean depth, with key islands and capitals labeled throughout the central and southwestern Pacific Ocean.

Population-density map of Pacific island countries and territories, with darker shading indicating more people per square kilometer. Naoero is the most densely populated, while many larger island groups, including Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands, Vanuatu, and French Polynesia, have lower densities.

Northern Mariana Islands: Ethnic composition

Northern Mariana Islands: Religious affiliation

At a Glance

Northern Mariana Islands summary

Northern Mariana Islands

islands, Pacific Ocean

Also known as: Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, Northern Marianas(Show More)

Written by

Dirk Anthony BallendorfAll

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Britannica Editors

Last updated

Nov. 13, 2026 •History

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A brewing Pacific storm could become one of the planet’s strongest this year • Oct. 15, 2026, 7:30 PM ET (Washington Post)

Northern Mariana Islands, a self-governing commonwealth in association with the United States. It is composed of 14 islands and islets in the western Pacific Ocean. The commonwealth is a part of the Mariana Islands, a chain of volcanic mountain peaks and uplifted coral reefs. (The Marianas chain also includes the politically separate island of Guam, to the south.)

National anthem of the Northern Mariana IslandsThe instrumental version of the national anthem of the Northern Mariana Islands.

Saipan (46.5 square miles [120 square km]), Tinian (39 square miles [101 square km]), and Rota (33 square miles [85 square km]) are the principal islands and, together with Anatahan, Alamagan, and Agrihan, are inhabited. Another island, Pagan, was evacuated in 1981 after a severe volcanic eruption there. The capital is on Saipan.

Quick Facts

Flag of Northern Mariana Islands

Head Of Government:: Governor: David M. Apatang

Population:: (2026 est.) 43,600

Currency Exchange Rate:: 1 US dollar equals 0.904 euro

Seat Of Government:: on Saipan²

Head Of State:: President of the United States: Donald Trump

Land

Rota, the southernmost island, consists of a volcanic base capped with coral limestone, giving it a terraced appearance. Four southern islands (Farallon de Medinilla, Saipan, Tinian, and Aguijan) are composed of limestone and have gently rolling elevations and few mountains. The islands farther north are volcanic peaks. Mount Pagan, one of the two volcanoes that make up Pagan Island, has erupted many times during recorded history; Farallon de Pajaros, the northernmost of the Marianas, and Asuncion are also active volcanoes. Agrihan volcano, the highest of the Northern Mariana group, rises to 3,166 feet (965 meters). Besides Guam, the nearest neighbors are the Bonin Islands (north) and the Federated States of Micronesia (Caroline Islands; southeast).

The climate is tropical, with average yearly temperatures on Saipan ranging between 79 and 82 °F (26 and 28 °C) and annual precipitation averaging about 70 inches (1,800 mm). Heavy rains are common, and typhoons strike the islands periodically. Precipitation is significantly less on the northernmost islands.

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The four limestone islands have tropical or scrub forests at higher elevations and coconut palms and casuarina trees along the coast, with the exception of Farallon de Medinilla, which is barren. Where level or gently sloping areas occur, cattle are grazed. The steep slopes of the volcanic islands from Guguan northward are mostly barren. The soils in these areas are generally shallow and low in fertility. The islands are major nesting sites for many types of migratory seabirds, including several endangered species.

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People

The native people of the Northern Mariana Islands are Micronesians. Only about one-fourth of the total population are Chamorros, descendants of the original inhabitants, who intermingled with Spaniards, Mexicans, Filipinos, and various other Europeans and Asians. About one-third of the people are Filipino, and there are smaller proportions of Chinese, Koreans, and other Pacific Islanders. There is also a small minority of Carolinians, descendants of people who migrated from the central Carolines during the 19th century. About two-fifths of the Northern Marianas population is native-born; small numbers come from Guam, the United States, or nearby island states. More than half of the people are nonresident aliens, or guest workers, mostly from Asia and largely employed in the garment industry. Since the late 1990s the government has attempted to control and reduce the number of nonresidents.

Having lost most of their original Pacific Islands culture, the people of the Northern Mariana Islands have a mode of life that is Spanish Roman Catholic but is influenced by American culture. Saipan has more than nine-tenths of the commonwealth’s total population. Chamorro, related to Indonesian, is the principal language. Chamorro, Carolinian, and English are official languages; Chinese and Filipino are also widely used. About nine-tenths of the population speaks a language other than English at home. Although Roman Catholicism predominates, there are significant minorities of independent Christians, Protestants, and Buddhists.

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