4.6% Refaluwasch 6.4% other Pacific Islander 3.78% other Asian 81.3% Christianity 5.3% folk religions 1.0% no religion The Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands , usually shortened to the Northern Mariana Islands , is a group of islands in the Pacific Ocean that are a political division controlled by the United States . Its capital is Saipan . Spain owned the islands until 1899 and sold them to the German Empire. Germany lost them to Japan in World War I and the United States took them in World War II . The Northern Mariana Islands, together with Guam to the south, compose the Mariana Islands . The southern islands are limestone , with level terraces and fringing coral reefs. The northern islands are volcanic, with active volcanos on Anatahan , Pagan and Agrihan . The volcano on Agrihan has the highest elevation at 3,166 feet (965 m) . Anatahan Volcano is a small volcanic island 80 miles (130 km) north of Saipan. It is about 6 miles (10 km) long and 2 miles (3 km) wide. Anatahan began erupting suddenly from its east crater on May 10, 2003, at about 6 p.m. (0800 UTC ). It has since alternated between eruptive and calm periods. On April 6, 2005, approximately 1,800,000 cubic feet (50,970 m 3 ) of ash and rock were ejected, causing a large, black cloud to drift south over Saipan and Tinian . In 2020, 47,329 people lived on the Northern Mariana Islands. This was down from 69,221 in 2000. [ 7 ] The official languages on the Northern Mariana Islands are English, Chamorro , and Carolinian . Only a few people speak the Tanapag language . Many people also speak Philippine languages , Chinese, and other Pacific island languages . Many people still have Spanish family names , but the people do not often speak Spanish , as they did in the past. [ 9 ] Most people in the Northern Mariana Islands are Roman Catholic . There are also communities of Buddhist and Protestant people. Many people have traditional beliefs, also referred to as folk religion . According to the Pew Research Center , 2010: [ 10 ] Roman Catholic 64.1% Protestants 16% Buddhists 10.6% Folk religions 5.3% Other Christians 1.2% Other religions 1.1% Unaffiliated 1.0% Eastern Orthodox <1% The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints reported 865 members in the Northern Mariana Islands. [ 11 ] ↑ "Northern Mariana Islands" . Britannica . Retrieved March 24, 2023 . ↑ "Northern Mariana Islands" . Pew Research Center . Retrieved December 12, 2022 . ↑ "AAPI – Asian American and Pacific Islander – Primer" . Environmental Protection Agency. June 28, 2006. Archived from the original on September 28, 2015 . Retrieved August 29, 2015 . 1 2 3 4 "Australia-Oceania :: Northern Mariana Islands (Territory of the US)" . The World Factbook . Central Intelligence Agency. September 25, 2023. Archived from the original on October 6, 2024 . Retrieved October 8, 2023 . ↑ Area:total: 464 sq km land: 464 sq km water: 0 sq km note: consists of 14 islands including Saipan, Rota, and Tinian ↑ "Our District" . Congressman Gregorio Kilili Camacho Sablan Representing the Northern Mariana Islands . Archived from the original on November 5, 2020. The U.S. Census Bureau reports the total land area of all islands as 179 square miles. 1 2 2020 Census Population of the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands: Municipality and Village , U.S. Census Bureau. ↑ "Northern Mariana Islands" . World Bank Open Data . Archived from the original on May 6, 2025 . Retrieved August 9, 2021 . ↑ Solenberger, Robert R. (1962). "The Social Meaning of Language Choice in the Marianas". Anthropological Linguistics . 4 (1): 59– 64. JSTOR 30022346 . ↑ "Religions in Northern Mariana Islands – PEW-GRF" . GlobalReligiousFutures.org . Archived from the original on 2019-04-21 . Retrieved 2022-09-20 . ↑ "Facts and Statistics: Statistics by Country: Northern Mariana Islands" , Newsroom , LDS Church , retrieved January 15, 2021 Media related to Northern Mariana Islands at Wikimedia Commons Wikimedia Atlas of Northern Mariana Islands Northern Mariana Islands travel guide from Wikivoyage Northern Mariana Islands Archived 2025-04-25 at the Wayback Machine official government website The CNMI Covenant Archived 2013-01-17 at the Wayback Machine The CNMI Constitution Archived 2008-10-05 at the Wayback Machine CNMI Office of Resident Representative Pedro A. Tenorio Archived 2007-05-23 at the Wayback Machine H.R. 873 - the Northern Mariana Islands Delegate Act Archived 2008-12-24 at the Wayback Machine H.R. 5550 - The United States-Commonwealth of the Northern Marianas Human Dignity Act Archived 2008-12-23 at the Wayback Machine U.S. Census Bureau: Island Areas Census 2000 "Northern Mariana Islands" . The World Factbook (2026 ed.). Central Intelligence Agency . Northern Mariana Islands at the Open Directory Project Economy Per capita income Per capita income Agrihan (Agrigan) Aguiguan (Aguijan) Farallon de Medinilla Farallon de Pajaros (Urracas) Maug Islands (Ma'ok) Northern Islands Oleai (San Jose) Carolinas Heights Marpo Heights II CNMIPSS Kagman HS (Saipan) Marianas HS (Saipan) Dr. Rita Hocog Inos Jr-Sr HS (Rota) Saipan Southern HS Tinian Jr-Sr HS

Kagman HS (Saipan) Marianas HS (Saipan) Dr. Rita Hocog Inos Jr-Sr HS (Rota) Saipan Southern HS Tinian Jr-Sr HS Saipan International Marianas Baptist Academy Grace Christian Academy Northern Marianas College Saipan International Airport Rota International Airport Tinian International Airport Campaneyan Kristo Rai Japanese 20mm Cannon Blockhouse Japanese Hospital Japanese Jail Historic and Archeological District Japanese Lighthouse Landing Beaches; Aslito/Isely Field; & Marpi Point Laulau Kattan Latte Site Suicide Cliff (Laderan Banadero) Unai Achugao Archaeological Site Unai Lagua Japanese Defense Pillbox Unai Obyan Latte Site Chudang Palii Japanese WWII Defensive Complex Chugai' Pictograph Site Commissioner's Office Dugi Archeological Site Japanese Coastal Defense Gun Japanese Hospital Nanyo Kohatsu Kabushiki Kaisha Sugar Mill Rota Latte Stone Quarry Nanyo Kohatsu Kabushiki Kaisha complex Unai Dangkulo Petroglyph Site Our Lady of Mount Carmel Cathedral Saipan Katori Shrine Marianas Variety Television stations NMI Museum of History and Culture Sugar King Park Sugar Dock (Saipan) Garapan Heritage Trail Battle of Saipan Battle of Tinian Naval Base Saipan Tinian Naval Base Northern Mariana Islands U.S. Virgin Islands MusicBrainz area Commons category link is on Wikidata Northern Mariana Islands Articles containing Chamorro-language text Articles containing Carolinian-language text Pages using gadget WikiMiniAtlas Webarchive template wayback links United States geography stubs