Location:
Oceania, islands in the North Pacific Ocean, about three-quarters of the way from Hawaii to the Philippines
Geographic coordinates:
15 12 N, 145 45 E
Map references:
Oceania
Area: Area - comparative: Land boundaries: Coastline: Maritime claims: Climate: Terrain: Elevation: Natural resources: Land use: Irrigated land: Natural hazards: Environment - current issues: Geography - note:
total: 464 sq km
[see also: Area - total country ranks ]
land: 464 sq km
[see also: Area - land country ranks ]
water: 0 sq km
[see also: Area - water country ranks ]
note: consists of 14 islands including Saipan, Rota, and Tinian
country comparison to the world: 197
2.5 times the size of Washington, DC
0 km
[see also: Land boundaries country ranks ]
1,482 km
[see also: Coastline country ranks ]
territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
tropical marine; moderated by northeast trade winds, little seasonal temperature variation; dry season December to June, rainy season July to October
the southern islands in this north-south trending archipelago are limestone, with fringing coral reefs; the northern islands are volcanic, with active volcanoes on several islands
mean elevation: NA
[see also: Mean Elevation country ranks ]
elevation extremes: lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: unnamed elevation on Agrihan 965 m
arable land, fish
agricultural land: 6.6%
arable land 2.2%; permanent crops 2.2%; permanent pasture 2.2%
[see also: Land use - agricultural land country ranks ]
forest: 65.5%
[see also: Land use - forest country ranks ]
other: 27.9% (2011 est.)
[see also: Land use - other country ranks ]
1 sq km (2012)
[see also: Irrigated land country ranks ]
active volcanoes on Pagan and Agrihan; typhoons (especially August to November)
contamination of groundwater on Saipan may contribute to disease; clean-up of landfill; protection of endangered species conflicts with development
strategic location in the North Pacific Ocean