Northern Mariana Islands, the official name is Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands), is a commonwealth in political union with the United States and strategically located in the western Pacific Ocean. It consists of 15 islands, located about three-quarters of the way from Hawaii to the Philippines. The United States Census Bureau reports the archipelago's total land area as 463.63 km² (179.01 sq mi).
The population of the archipelago is 80,362 (2005 estimate). The official 2000 United States Census put the number at 69,221[1]. Also note that the Mariana Islands have the highest male-to-female ratio in the world, with an average of 100 females for every 77 males.
overview
History
Occupied European countries
The first European exploration of the area was carried out by Ferdinand Magellan in 1521. He landed on nearby Guam and claimed the islands to Spain. After he met the natives and was given rest and food, in exchange the Chamorros natives voluntarily took a small canoe belonging to Magellan's fleet. This led to a cultural clash because in the ancient culture of the Chamorro there was little if nothing that was private and it was impossible to get what we needed like a boat to go fishing. consider it stealing in the eyes of the locals.
Due to a cultural misunderstanding, about six locals were murdered and a village with 40 houses burned before the canoe was recovered and the entire archipelago later had a ghastly name, Islas de los. Ladrones ("Island of Thieves").
The archipelago was later annexed by Spain and administered from the Philippines as part of the Spanish East Indies. The Spaniards built a Royal Palace at Guam for the Governor of the Islands (its traces are still visible in 2006).
Guam was an important stopover from Mexico for fleets of sailing ships carrying gold and other valuables between the Philippines and Spain. There are many Spanish sailing ships that have sunk without being recovered off the coast of Guam.
In 1668, the archipelago was renamed Las Marianas by Padre Diego Luis de Sanvitores, named after Mariana of Austria, the daughter of King Philip IV of Spain.
Nearly all of the natives of the islands died out under Spanish rule, but new settlers, mainly from the Philippines and the Caroline Islands, were introduced to increase the population of the archipelago. . However, the Chamorro population gradually increased and Chamorro, African and Caroline languages remain fundamentally different on the islands to this day.
The Marianas were briefly controlled by Germany when Spain sold them to Germany, with the exception of Guam. In 1919, Japan invaded and occupied the islands, and the League of Nations, the predecessor of the United Nations, entrusted the islands to Japan.
Colony of Japan
The Empire of Japan occupied Guam during World War II and moved Japanese rule to Guam. Japan annexed the Mariana Islands without the support of the island's inhabitants, and the Japanese military was accused of committing genocide during its occupation of the islands, including torture and atrocities. population on both Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands.
The United States possessed
In 1944, the United States Marines occupied Guam at a great cost in lives. From the sea, there were no defensive Japanese fortresses to be seen. The United States Marines were largely swept down by the Japanese defenders as they approached. However, the Marines succeeded and captured both Saipan and the islands further north. The Japanese commander wrote a letter to Emperor Hirohito apologizing for the loss of the islands and then committed suicide.
On June 15, 1944, the United States Marines landed on the islands and ultimately won the Battle of Saipan in three weeks of fierce fighting. The Marianas were the culmination of the final page of the war as Tinian provided the starting point for the bombing of Hiroshima.
And here's the unusual side note, with the signing of the armistice, the war isn't over for everyone. In 1972, Shoichi Yokoi, a Japanese soldier, has lived in hiding near the village of Talofofo since World War II. He was the last soldier still on active duty when the Japanese left Guam, and his family thought he died in action.
Commonwealth[edit]After Japan's defeat, the islands were administered by the United States as part of the United Nations Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands; As such, defense and foreign affairs are the responsibility of the United States. The inhabitants of the Northern Mariana Islands decided in 1970 not to gain independence but instead open a close link with the United States. Negotiations to find a territorial political status began in 1972. A treaty establishing a political union with the United States was approved in 1975. A new government and new constitution began. entered into force in 1978.
Geography and climate
The Mariana Islands, along with Guam to the south, form the Mariana Islands.
The southern islands are limestone islands with flat ground and surrounded by coral reefs. The western islands are volcanic islands, whose volcanoes are still active such as those on Anatahan, Pagan Island and Agrihan. The volcano on Agrihan is the highest point in the archipelago (965 meters). About one-fifth of the land is arable, one-tenth is natural grasslands. The main natural resource is fish, but it is also a source of conflict with the protection of rare animals. Previous developments created garbage areas that needed to be cleaned up and it also polluted the groundwater in Saipan, which could have brought disease.
Anatahan is a small volcanic island, 120 km (80 mi) north of Sapan Island and 320 km (200 mi) north of Guam. The island is about 9 km (5.6 mi) long and about 3 km (2 mi) wide. Anatahan suddenly spewed flames from the eastern crater on May 10, 2003 at 5:00 p.m. (17:00 h). Since then it has continued to alternate between the spray and the calm phase. On April 6, 2005, about 50,000 cubic meters of ash and rock were ejected, forming a large, black cloud that drifted south over Saipan and Tinian. The recent sprays caused many commercial flights to change routes.
The archipelago has a tropical marine climate moderated by the northeast monsoon, also known as the trade wind. There is little variation in temperature between seasons; dry season from December to June, and rainy season from July to October may have storms. The Guinness Book of World Records says that Saipan has the most uniform temperature in the world.
Arrive
Immigration to CNMI was transferred to the US federal government in 2009. US citizens can enter with proof of citizenship (or passport). Entry into the CNMI is permitted to all foreign nationals permitted to enter the rest of the United States: visa-waiver program visitors and valid visa holders.
In addition, CNMI (together with Guam) participates in the Guam-CNMI visa waiver program. This program allows visa-free entry of up to 45 days for citizens of Brunei, Malaysia, Nauru, Papua New Guinea, Taiwan (on direct flights from Taiwan only), and Hong Kong as long as they hold a valid passport, proof of onward or return travel, and is valid only for arrivals on regular, commercial flights. Citizens of certain countries that are eligible for the federal visa waiver program, Australia, Japan, New Zealand, South Korea, Singapore, and the United Kingdom, are also allowed entry and under the Guam-CNMI VWP and can be entered by either program. Travel to other parts of the United States outside of CNMI & Guam within Guam-CNMI VWP is not permitted. Residents of Hong Kong must present a valid Hong Kong identity card and be allowed to enter with either a Hong Kong Passport or a passport or a UK (overseas) passport. Residents of Taiwan must present a valid ROC ID along with a ROC passport. Citizens of Russia are eligible for parole (essentially the same as visa-free travel) to enter the Northern Marianas Islands (but not Guam). Because of differences in entry requirements, full immigration checks are carried out when traveling to/from Guam.
By plane
The main international gateway in the Mariana Islands is Saipan. There are regular flights from Japan, Korea and Taiwan, but visitors from the US will have to connect within Guam, transiting through the countries listed above.
By boat
There is no scheduled ferry service to the islands. Occasionally yachts, cruise ships, military ships or stop at the gate for a brief visit.