Compare Northern Mariana Islands (2002) - Western Sahara (2006)

Compare Northern Mariana Islands (2002) z Western Sahara (2006)

	Northern Mariana Islands (2002)	Western Sahara (2006)

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; Northern Islands, Rota, Saipan, Tinian	none (under de facto control of Morocco)
Age structure	0-14 years: 23.4% (male 9,208; female 8,902) 15-64 years: 74.8% (male 27,041; female 30,781) 65 years and over: 1.8% (male 690; female 689) (2002 est.)	0-14 years: NA 15-64 years: NA 65 years and over: NA (2006 est.)
Agriculture - products	coconuts, fruits, vegetables; cattle	fruits and vegetables (grown in the few oases); camels, sheep, goats (kept by nomads); fish
Airports	6 (2001)	11 (2006)
Airports - with paved runways	total: 3 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 (2002)	total: 3 2,438 to 3,047 m: 3 (2006)
Airports - with unpaved runways	total: 3 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 under 914 m: 2 (2002)	total: 8 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 4 under 914 m: 3 (2006)
Area	total: 477 sq km land: 477 sq km water: 0 sq km note: includes 14 islands including Saipan, Rota, and Tinian	total: 266,000 sq km land: 266,000 sq km water: 0 sq km
Area - comparative	2.5 times the size of Washington, DC	about the size of Colorado
Background	Under US administration as part of the UN Trust Territory of the Pacific, the people of the Northern Mariana Islands decided in the 1970s not to seek independence but instead to forge closer links with the US. Negotiations for territorial status began in 1972. A covenant to establish a commonwealth in political union with the US was approved in 1975. A new government and constitution went into effect in 1978.	Morocco virtually annexed the northern two-thirds of Western Sahara (formerly Spanish Sahara) in 1976, and the rest of the territory in 1979, following Mauritania's withdrawal. A guerrilla war with the Polisario Front contesting Rabat's sovereignty ended in a 1991 UN-brokered cease-fire; a UN-organized referendum on final status has been repeatedly postponed.
Birth rate	20.29 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)	NA births/1,000 population
Budget	revenues: $193 million expenditures: $223 million, including capital expenditures of NA (FY 2001/02 est.)	revenues: $NA expenditures: $NA
Capital	Saipan	none time difference: UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Climate	tropical marine; moderated by northeast trade winds, little seasonal temperature variation; dry season December to June, rainy season July to October	hot, dry desert; rain is rare; cold offshore air currents produce fog and heavy dew
Coastline	1,482 km	1,110 km
Constitution	Covenant Agreement effective 4 November 1986 and the Constitution of the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands effective 1 January 1978	-
Country name	conventional long form: Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands conventional short form: Northern Mariana Islands former: Mariana Islands District (Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands)	conventional long form: none conventional short form: Western Sahara former: Spanish Sahara
Currency	US dollar (USD)	-
Death rate	2.42 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)	NA deaths/1,000 population
Debt - external	$NA	$NA
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	-
Diplomatic representation from the US	-	none
Diplomatic representation in the US	-	none
Disputes - international	none	Morocco claims and administers Western Sahara, whose sovereignty remains unresolved; UN-administered cease-fire has remained in effect since September 1991, administered by the UN Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO), but attempts to hold a referendum have failed and parties thus far have rejected all brokered proposals
Economic aid - recipient	extensive funding from US	$NA
Economy - overview	The economy benefits substantially from financial assistance from the US. The rate of funding has declined as locally generated government revenues have grown. The key tourist industry employs about 50% of the work force and accounts for roughly one-fourth of GDP. Japanese tourists predominate. Annual tourist entries have exceeded one-half million in recent years, but financial difficulties in Japan have caused a temporary slowdown. The agricultural sector is made up of cattle ranches and small farms producing coconuts, breadfruit, tomatoes, and melons. Garment production is by far the most important industry with employment of 17,500 mostly Chinese workers and sizable shipments to the US under duty and quota exemptions.	Western Sahara depends on pastoral nomadism, fishing, and phosphate mining as the principal sources of income for the population. The territory lacks sufficient rainfall for sustainable agricultural production, and most of the food for the urban population must be imported. All trade and other economic activities are controlled by the Moroccan Government. Moroccan energy interests in 2001 signed contracts to explore for oil off the coast of Western Sahara, which has angered the Polisario. Incomes and standards of living in Western Sahara are substantially below the Moroccan level.
Electricity - consumption	NA kWh	83.7 million kWh (2003)
Electricity - exports	-	0 kWh (2003)
Electricity - imports	-	0 kWh (2003)
Electricity - production	NA kWh	85 million kWh (2003)
Elevation extremes	lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: unnamed location on Agrihan 965 m	lowest point: Sebjet Tah -55 m highest point: unnamed location 463 m
Environment - current issues	contamination of groundwater on Saipan may contribute to disease; clean-up of landfill; protection of endangered species conflicts with development	sparse water and lack of arable land
Environment - international agreements	-	party to: none of the selected agreements signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Ethnic groups	Chamorro, Carolinians and other Micronesians, Caucasian, Japanese, Chinese, Filipino, Korean	Arab, Berber
Exchange rates	the US dollar is used	Moroccan dirhams per US dollar - 8.865 (2005), 8.868 (2004), 9.5744 (2003), 11.0206 (2002), 11.303 (2001)
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) head of government: Governor Juan N. BABAUTA (since NA January 2002); Lieutenant Governor Diego T. BENEVENTE (since NA January 2002) cabinet: NA elections: US president and vice president elected on the same ticket for four-year terms; governor and lieutenant governor elected on the same ticket by popular vote for four-year terms; election last held NA November 2001 (next to be held NA November 2005) election results: Juan N. BABAUTA elected governor in a four-way race; percent of vote - Juan N. BABAUTA (Republican Party) 49%	none
Exports	$NA	NA bbl/day
Exports - commodities	garments	phosphates 62%
Exports - partners	US	Morocco claims and administers Western Sahara, so trade partners are included in overall Moroccan accounts (2004)
Fiscal year	1 October - 30 September	calendar year
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	-
GDP	purchasing power parity - $900 million note: GDP numbers reflect US spending (2000 est.)	-
GDP - composition by sector	agriculture: NA% industry: NA% services: NA%	agriculture: NA% industry: NA% services: 40%
GDP - per capita	purchasing power parity - $12,500 (2000 est.)	-
GDP - real growth rate	NA%	NA%
Geographic coordinates	15 12 N, 145 45 E	24 30 N, 13 00 W
Geography - note	strategic location in the North Pacific Ocean	the waters off the coast are particularly rich fishing areas
Heliports	1 (2002)	-
Highways	total: 362 km paved: NA km unpaved: NA km (1991)	-
Household income or consumption by percentage share	lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%	lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%
Imports	$NA	NA bbl/day
Imports - commodities	food, construction equipment and materials, petroleum products	fuel for fishing fleet, foodstuffs
Imports - partners	US, Japan	Morocco claims and administers Western Sahara, so trade partners are included in overall Moroccan accounts (2004)
Independence	none (commonwealth in political union with the US)	-
Industrial production growth rate	NA%	NA%
Industries	tourism, construction, garments, handicrafts	phosphate mining, handicrafts
Infant mortality rate	5.61 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)	total: NA male: NA female: NA
Inflation rate (consumer prices)	1.2% (1997 est.)	NA%
International organization participation	ESCAP (associate), Interpol (subbureau), SPC	none
Internet Service Providers (ISPs)	1 (2001)	-
Irrigated land	NA sq km	NA
Judicial branch	Commonwealth Supreme Court; Superior Court; Federal District Court	-
Labor force	6,006 total indigenous labor force; 2,699 unemployed; 28,717 foreign workers (1995)	12,000
Labor force - by occupation	NA	agriculture: 50% industry and services: 50%
Land boundaries	0 km	total: 2,046 km border countries: Algeria 42 km, Mauritania 1,561 km, Morocco 443 km
Land use	arable land: 15.22% permanent crops: 6.52% other: 78.26% (1998 est.)	arable land: 0.02% permanent crops: 0% other: 99.98% (2005)
Languages	English, Chamorro, Carolinian note: 86% of population speaks a language other than English at home	Hassaniya Arabic, Moroccan Arabic
Legal system	based on US system, except for customs, wages, immigration laws, and taxation	-
Legislative branch	bicameral Legislature consists of the Senate (9 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve four-year staggered terms) and the House of Representatives (18 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve two-year terms) elections: Senate - last held 5 November 2001 (next to be held NA November 2003); House of Representatives - last held 5 November 2001 (next to be held NA November 2003) election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - Republican Party 4, Democratic Party 3, Reform Party 1, independent 1; House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - Republican Party 16, Democratic Party 1, Covenant Party 1 note: the Northern Mariana Islands does not have a nonvoting delegate in the US Congress; instead, it has an elected official or "resident representative" located in Washington, DC; seats by party - Republican Party 1 (Pedro A. TENORIO)	-
Life expectancy at birth	total population: 75.95 years male: 72.85 years female: 79.23 years (2002 est.)	total population: NA years male: NA years female: NA years
Literacy	definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 97% male: 97% female: 96% (1980 est.)	NA
Location	Oceania, islands in the North Pacific Ocean, about three-quarters of the way from Hawaii to the Philippines	Northern Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Mauritania and Morocco
Map references	Oceania	Africa
Maritime claims	exclusive economic zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM	contingent upon resolution of sovereignty issue
Merchant marine	none (2002 est.)	-
Military - note	defense is the responsibility of the US	-
Military expenditures - dollar figure	-	$992.2 million
National holiday	Commonwealth Day, 8 January (1978)	-
Nationality	noun: NA adjective: NA	noun: Sahrawi(s), Sahraoui(s) adjective: Sahrawi, Sahrawian, Sahraouian
Natural hazards	active volcanoes on Pagan and Agrihan; typhoons (especially August to November)	hot, dry, dust/sand-laden sirocco wind can occur during winter and spring; widespread harmattan haze exists 60% of time, often severely restricting visibility
Natural resources	arable land, fish	phosphates, iron ore
Net migration rate	17.02 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)	-
Political parties and leaders	Democratic Party [Dr. Carlos S. CAMACHO]; Republican Party [Benigno R. FITIAL]	-
Political pressure groups and leaders	NA	none
Population	77,311 (July 2002 est.)	273,008 (July 2006 est.)
Population below poverty line	NA%	NA%
Population growth rate	3.49% (2002 est.)	NA
Ports and harbors	Saipan, Tinian	-
Radio broadcast stations	AM 2, FM 3, shortwave 1 (1998)	AM 2, FM 0, shortwave 0 (1998)
Radios	NA	-
Railways	0 km	-
Religions	Christian (Roman Catholic majority, although traditional beliefs and taboos may still be found)	Muslim
Sex ratio	at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.88 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 1 male(s)/female total population: 0.92 male(s)/female (2002 est.)	NA
Suffrage	18 years of age; universal; indigenous inhabitants are US citizens but do not vote in US presidential elections	none; a UN-sponsored voter identification campaign not yet completed
Telephone system	general assessment: NA domestic: NA international: satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)	general assessment: sparse and limited system domestic: NA international: country code - 212; tied into Morocco's system by microwave radio relay, tropospheric scatter, and satellite; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) linked to Rabat, Morocco
Telephones - main lines in use	21,000 (1996)	about 2,000 (1999 est.)
Telephones - mobile cellular	1,200 (1995)	0 (1999)
Television broadcast stations	1 (on Saipan and one station planned for Rota; in addition, two cable services on Saipan provide varied programming from satellite networks) (1997)	NA
Terrain	southern islands are limestone with level terraces and fringing coral reefs; northern islands are volcanic	mostly low, flat desert with large areas of rocky or sandy surfaces rising to small mountains in south and northeast
Total fertility rate	1.76 children born/woman (2002 est.)	NA children born/woman
Unemployment rate	NA%	NA%
Waterways	none	-

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