Northern Mariana Islands

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	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	southern islands are limestone with level terraces and fringing coral reefs; northern islands are volcanic
Elevation extremes	lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: unnamed elevation on Agrihan 965 m
Natural resources	arable land, fish
Land use	arable land: 13.04% permanent crops: 4.35% other: 82.61% (2005)
Irrigated land	1 sq km
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