Compare South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands (2003) - Northern Mariana Islands (2008)

Compare South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands (2003) z Northern Mariana Islands (2008)

	South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands (2003)	Northern Mariana Islands (2008)

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
Age structure	-	0-14 years: 18.9% (male 8,354/female 7,612) 15-64 years: 79.5% (male 27,334/female 39,860) 65 years and over: 1.6% (male 717/female 669) (2007 est.)
Agriculture - products	-	coconuts, fruits, vegetables; cattle
Airports	none (2002)	5 (2007)
Airports - with paved runways	-	total: 3 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2007)
Airports - with unpaved runways	-	total: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2007)
Area	total: 3,903 sq km land: 3,903 sq km water: 0 sq km note: includes Shag Rocks, Black Rock, Clerke Rocks, South Georgia Island, Bird Island, and the South Sandwich Islands, which consist of some nine islands	total: 477 sq km land: 477 sq km water: 0 sq km note: includes 14 islands including Saipan, Rota, and Tinian
Area - comparative	slightly larger than Rhode Island	2.5 times the size of Washington, DC
Background	The islands lie approximately 1,000 km east of the Falkland Islands and have been under British administration since 1908, except for a brief period in 1982 when Argentina occupied them. Grytviken, on South Georgia, was a 19th and early 20th century whaling station. Famed explorer Ernest SHACKLETON stopped there in 1914 en route to his ill-fated attempt to cross Antarctica on foot. He returned some 20 months later with a few companions in a small boat and arranged a successful rescue for the rest of his crew, stranded off the Antarctic Peninsula. He died in 1922 on a subsequent expedition and is buried in Grytviken. Today, the station houses scientists from the British Antarctic Survey. The islands have large bird and seal populations, and, recognizing the importance of preserving the marine stocks in adjacent waters, the UK, in 1993, extended the exclusive fishing zone from 12 NM to 200 NM around each island.	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, and came into force on 24 March 1976. A new government and constitution went into effect in 1978.
Birth rate	-	19.27 births/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Budget	-	revenues: $193 million expenditures: $223 million (FY01/02 est.)
Capital	-	name: Saipan geographic coordinates: 15 12 N, 145 45 E time difference: UTC+10 (15 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Climate	variable, with mostly westerly winds throughout the year interspersed with periods of calm; nearly all precipitation falls as snow	tropical marine; moderated by northeast trade winds, little seasonal temperature variation; dry season December to June, rainy season July to October
Coastline	NA km	1,482 km
Constitution	adopted 3 October 1985	Constitution of the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands effective 1 January 1978; Covenant Agreement fully effective 4 November 1986
Country name	conventional long form: South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands conventional short form: none	conventional long form: Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands conventional short form: Northern Mariana Islands abbreviation: CNMI former: Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands, Mariana Islands District
Death rate	-	2.29 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Debt - external	-	$NA
Dependency status	overseas territory of the UK, also claimed by Argentina; administered from the Falkland Islands by a commissioner, who is concurrently governor of the Falkland Islands, representing Queen ELIZABETH II; Grytviken, formerly a whaling station on South Georgia, is a scientific base	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 (overseas territory of the UK, also claimed by Argentina)	-
Diplomatic representation in the US	none (overseas territory of the UK, also claimed by Argentina)	-
Disputes - international	briefly occupied by military force in 1982 - claimed by Argentina in constitution but declares it will no longer seek settlement by force	none
Economic aid - recipient	-	extensive funding from US
Economy - overview	Some fishing takes place in adjacent waters. There is a potential source of income from harvesting finfish and krill. The islands receive income from postage stamps produced in the UK, sale of fishing licenses, and harbor and landing fees from tourist vessels. Tourism from specialized cruise ships is increasing rapidly.	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 the employment of 17,500 mostly Chinese workers and sizable shipments to the US under duty and quota exemptions.
Electricity - consumption	-	NA kWh
Electricity - exports	-	0 kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - imports	-	0 kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - production	-	NA kWh
Elevation extremes	lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: Mount Paget (South Georgia) 2,934 m	lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: unnamed location on Agrihan 965 m
Environment - current issues	NA	contamination of groundwater on Saipan may contribute to disease; clean-up of landfill; protection of endangered species conflicts with development
Ethnic groups	-	Asian 56.3%, Pacific islander 36.3%, Caucasian 1.8%, other 0.8%, mixed 4.8% (2000 census)
Exchange rates	-	the US dollar is used
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 Benigno R. FITIAL (since 9 January 2006); Lieutenant Governor Timothy P. VILLAGOMEZ (since 9 January 2006) 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 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; 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) 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%
Exports	-	$NA
Exports - commodities	-	garments
Exports - partners	-	US (2006)
Fiscal year	-	1 October - 30 September
Flag description	blue, with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant and the South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands coat of arms centered on the outer half of the flag; the coat of arms features a shield with a golden lion centered; the shield is supported by a fur seal on the left and a penguin on the right; a reindeer appears above the shield, and below it on a scroll is the motto LEO TERRAM PROPRIAM PROTEGAT (Let the Lion Protect its Own Land)	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 - composition by sector	-	agriculture: NA% industry: NA% services: NA%
GDP - real growth rate	-	NA%
Geographic coordinates	54 30 S, 37 00 W	15 12 N, 145 45 E
Geography - note	the north coast of South Georgia has several large bays, which provide good anchorage; reindeer, introduced early in the 21st century, live on South Georgia	strategic location in the North Pacific Ocean
Heliports	-	1 (2007)
Household income or consumption by percentage share	-	lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%
Imports	-	$214.4 million (2001)
Imports - commodities	-	food, construction equipment and materials, petroleum products
Imports - partners	-	US, Japan (2006)
Independence	-	none (commonwealth in political union with the US)
Industrial production growth rate	-	NA%
Industries	-	tourism, construction, garments, handicrafts
Infant mortality rate	-	total: 6.85 deaths/1,000 live births male: 6.8 deaths/1,000 live births female: 6.89 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices)	-	-0.8% (2000)
International organization participation	-	Interpol (subbureau), SPC, UPU
Irrigated land	0 sq km (1998 est.)	NA
Judicial branch	-	Commonwealth Supreme Court; Superior Court; Federal District Court
Labor force	-	44,470 total indigenous labor force; 2,699 unemployed; 28,717 foreign workers (2000)
Labor force - by occupation	-	agriculture: NA% industry: NA% services: NA%
Land boundaries	0 km	0 km
Land use	arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (largely covered by permanent ice and snow with some sparse vegetation consisting of grass, moss, and lichen) (1998 est.)	arable land: 13.04% permanent crops: 4.35% other: 82.61% (2005)
Languages	-	Philippine languages 24.4%, Chinese 23.4%, Chamorro 22.4%, English 10.8%, other Pacific island languages 9.5%, other 9.6% (2000 census)
Legal system	the laws of the UK, where applicable, apply; the senior magistrate from the Falkland Islands presides over the Magistrates Court	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 (20 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve two-year terms) 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) 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 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)
Life expectancy at birth	-	total population: 76.29 years male: 73.7 years female: 79.05 years (2007 est.)
Literacy	-	definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 97% male: 97% female: 96% (1980 est.)
Location	Southern South America, islands in the South Atlantic Ocean, east of the tip of South America	Oceania, islands in the North Pacific Ocean, about three-quarters of the way from Hawaii to the Philippines
Map references	Antarctic Region	Oceania
Maritime claims	exclusive fishing zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM	territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Military - note	defense is the responsibility of the UK	defense is the responsibility of the US
National holiday	Liberation Day, 14 June (1982)	Commonwealth Day, 8 January (1978)
Nationality	-	noun: NA (US citizens) adjective: NA
Natural hazards	the South Sandwich Islands have prevailing weather conditions that generally make them difficult to approach by ship; they are also subject to active volcanism	active volcanoes on Pagan and Agrihan; typhoons (especially August to November)
Natural resources	fish	arable land, fish
Net migration rate	-	7.64 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2007 est.)
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	-	NA
Population	no indigenous inhabitants note: the small military garrison on South Georgia withdrew in March 2001, to be replaced by a permanent group of scientists of the British Antarctic Survey, which also has a biological station on Bird Island; the South Sandwich Islands are uninhabited (July 2003 est.)	84,546 (July 2007 est.)
Population below poverty line	-	NA%
Population growth rate	-	2.461% (2007 est.)
Ports and harbors	Grytviken	-
Radio broadcast stations	0 (2003)	AM 1, FM 6, shortwave 1 (2005)
Religions	-	Christian (Roman Catholic majority, although traditional beliefs and taboos may still be found)
Sex ratio	-	at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.097 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.686 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 1.072 male(s)/female total population: 0.756 male(s)/female (2007 est.)
Suffrage	-	18 years of age; universal; indigenous inhabitants are US citizens but do not vote in US presidential elections
Telephone system	general assessment: NA domestic: NA international: coastal radiotelephone station at Grytviken	general assessment: NA domestic: NA international: country code - 1-670; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)
Telephones - main lines in use	-	21,000 (2000)
Telephones - mobile cellular	-	20,500 (2004)
Television broadcast stations	0 (2003)	1 (on Saipan; in addition, 2 cable services on Saipan provide varied programming from satellite networks) (2006)
Terrain	most of the islands, rising steeply from the sea, are rugged and mountainous; South Georgia is largely barren and has steep, glacier-covered mountains; the South Sandwich Islands are of volcanic origin with some active volcanoes	southern islands are limestone with level terraces and fringing coral reefs; northern islands are volcanic
Total fertility rate	-	1.21 children born/woman (2007 est.)
Unemployment rate	-	3.9% (2001)
Waterways	none	-

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