Northern Mariana Islands Geography - 2024

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