Northern Mariana Islands Geography - 2023

GEOGRAPHICAL NAMES 

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

land: 464 sq km

water: 0 sq km

note: consists of 14 islands including Saipan, Rota, and Tinian

Area - comparative

2.5 times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries

total: 0 km

Coastline

1,482 km

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

highest point: Agrihan Volcano 965 m

lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m

Natural resources

arable land, fish

Land use

agricultural land: 6.6% (2018 est.)

arable land: 2.2% (2018 est.)

permanent crops: 2.2% (2018 est.)

permanent pasture: 2.2% (2018 est.)

forest: 65.5% (2018 est.)

other: 27.9% (2018 est.)

Irrigated land

1 sq km (2012)

Population distribution

approximately 90% of the population lives on the island of Saipan

Natural hazards

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

Geography - note

strategic location in the North Pacific Ocean

NOTE: The information regarding Northern Mariana Islands on this page is re-published from the 2023 World Fact Book of the United States Central Intelligence Agency and other sources. No claims are made regarding the accuracy of Northern Mariana Islands 2023 information contained here. All suggestions for corrections of any errors about Northern Mariana Islands 2023 should be addressed to the CIA or the source cited on each page.