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:
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

Area - comparative:
2.5 times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries:
0 km
[see also: Land boundaries country ranks ]

Coastline:
1,482 km
[see also: Coastline country ranks ]

Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Climate:
tropical marine; moderated by northeast trade winds, little seasonal temperature variation; dry season December to June, rainy season July to October

Terrain:
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

Elevation:
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

Natural resources:
arable land, fish

Land use:
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 ]

Irrigated land:
1 sq km (2012)
[see also: Irrigated land country ranks ]

Natural hazards:
active volcanoes on Pagan and Agrihan; typhoons (especially August to November)

Environment - current issues:
contamination of groundwater on Saipan may contribute to disease; clean-up of landfill; protection of endangered species conflicts with development

Geography - note:
strategic location in the North Pacific Ocean