Northern Mariana Islands
 

to 12 Feb 1899                  12 Feb 1899 - 14 Oct 1914               14 Oct 1914 - 19 Jun 1944                         Adopted 19 Jun 1944      18 Jul 1947 - 19 Aug 1965 Pacific Is.Trust Terr.       24 Oct 1962 - 31 Mar1972 Pacific Is.Trust Terr.                      31 Mar 1972 - 1 Jul 1989                           1 Jul 1989 - 1991                            1991 - 4 Jul 1995                           Adopted 4 Jul 1995   Map of the Northern Mariana Islands Hear National Anthem  "Star Spangled Banner" Text of Local Anthem "Gi Talo Gi Halom Tasi"/ "Satil Matawal Pacifico" (In the Middle of the Sea) Adopted 3 Oct 1996 Constitution (1 Jan 1978) Capital: Saipan Currency: US Dollar (USD) National Holiday: 4 Jul (1776) U.S. Independence Day -------------------------------------- Local  Holiday: 24 Mar (1976) Commonwealth Covenant Day Population: 86,616 (2008) GDP: $900 million (2000) Exports: $98.2 million (2008) Imports: $214 million (2001) Ethnic groups: Filipino 26.2%, Chinese 22.1%, Chamorro 21.3%, Carolinians 3.8%, Korean, Japanese, and other Asian 7.6%, other Pacific Islander 6.6%, white 1.8%, multi-ethnic and other 10.7% (2000) Total Police Forces: N/A Defense is the Responsibility of the U.S. Merchant marine: None (2008)  Religions: Roman Catholic 59.6%, Protestant 18.7%, other Christian 1.4%, other 20.3% (1995) International Organizations/Treaties:  Interpol (subbureau), PC, UPU Northern Mariana Islands Chronology  6 Mar 1521                Discovered by Ferdinand Magellan and claimed for                              Spain, named Las Isles de las Velas                               Latinas [Islands of the Latine Sails]).  9 Mar 1521                Renamed Las Islas de los Ladrones (Islands of                               the Thieves).  22 Jan 1565                Island reclaimed as a Spanish possession by                              Miguel López de Legazpi. 14 Jun 1668                Settlement begins, named Islas de las Marianas                              (see Guam); subordinated to New Spain (Mexico). 1817                       Subordinated to the Philippines. 12 Feb 1899                Sold to Germany by Spain (Marianen Inseln)                              from 1907 part of German New Guinea                               ([see under Papua New Guinea]; subordinated                              to district officers in Caroline Islands). 14 Oct 1914                Japanese occupation (see under Marshall Islands;                              from 28 Dec 1914 see under Palau). 17 Dec 1920                League of Nations mandate (from 1 Apr 1922 part                               of South Seas Agency [see under Palau]). 16 Jul 1944                U.S. occupation of Saipan (on Tinian from                               1 Aug 1944)(see under Micronesia). 18 Jul 1947                Japanese mandate formally revoked; part of the UN                              Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands (see                              under Micronesia).  9 Jan 1978                Commonwealth status.  4 Nov 1986                Trust territory dissolved. 22 Dec 1990                Security Council ratifies termination of                               trusteeship.

Governors 
16 Jun 1668 - 12 Feb 1899  the governors of Mariana Islands 
                            (see Guam)
12 Feb 1899 - 14 Oct 1914  the governors of German New Guinea
 1 Apr 1922 -  2 Feb 1944  the Administrators of South
                           Seas Agency (see Palau)
Bezirksamtmann (District commissioners)
17 Nov 1899 - Apr 1907     Georg Fritz (on Saipan)              (b. 1865 - d. 1944)
1904 - 1907                Volker Reichel (on Rota)
Stationsleiter (Station chiefs)
Apr 1907 - 1910            Karl Kirn (acting to 1908)
1910 - May 1911            Otto Paulisch (acting)
May 1911 - May 1914        Georg von Heynitz 
May 1914 - 14 Oct 1914     Walter Boehme (acting)
Resident Commissioner
 1 Apr 1976 -  9 Jan 1978  Erwin Dain Canham                   (b. 1904 - d. 1982)
Governors
 9 Jan 1978 - 11 Jan 1982  Carlos Sablan Camacho               (b. 1937)            Dem
11 Jan 1982 -  8 Jan 1990  Pedro Pangelinan Tenorio (1st time) (b. 1934)            Rep
 8 Jan 1990 - 10 Jan 1994  Lorenzo I. De Leon Guerrero         (b. 1935 - d. 2006)  Rep
10 Jan 1994 - 12 Jan 1998  Froilan Cruz Tenorio                (b. 1939)            Dem
12 Jan 1998 - 14 Jan 2002  Pedro Pangelinan Tenorio (2nd time) (s.a.)               Rep
14 Jan 2002 -  9 Jan 2006  Juan Nekai Babauta                  (b. 1953)            Rep
 9 Jan 2006 -              Benigno "Ben" Repeki Fitial         (b. 1945)            CP
 4 Oct 2006 - 23 Dec 2006  Timothy Pangelinan Villagomez       (b. 1962)            CP
                             (acting for Fitial)

Party abbreviations: CP = Covenant Party (populist, est.2001); Dem = Democratic Party (liberal, center-left);  Rep = Republican Party (conservative, center-right)