Tropical paradise on the edge of the Mariana Trench. Mariana Islands

Citizens of Russia and Belarus visa to the northern Mariana Islands not needed in 2019. At the same time, you can stay here no more than 45 days, and the purpose of the visit should be tourism or a guest visit.

The following documents must be presented at the point of arrival:

international passport
return flights
a completed migration card (forms I-94 and I-736), forms are usually issued on the plane. Here you can download

Issuance of an entry permit

This entry permit is no longer required in 2019. It was required several years ago until January 15, 2012, after which it was abolished, now the tourist only needs to show a return ticket at the border control, a valid passport and

To travel to the islands, the tourist had to obtain an entry permit in advance. If you went on a tour, then the travel agency was engaged in this. If the tourist was traveling on his own, then he had to submit documents to the Department of Immigration of the Northern Mariana Islands.

Long-term stay in the Mariana Islands

The Northern Mariana Islands are under the jurisdiction of the United States, for a longer stay on their territory, the Russians will need.

Also, during a visa-free stay on the islands, it is forbidden to enter other US territories, with the exception of Guam.

Ukrainians need to obtain a US visa to visit the archipelago for any period, there is no visa-free entry for them.

The Mariana Trench and Everest - most people remember these names from the school geography course. The first is the most deep point on the planet, the second is the most high mountain. Height and depth are measured from ocean level. In absolute terms, the most deep depression overtakes the highest peak by a significant margin.

The Mariana Trench on the world map should be looked for in the Pacific Ocean northeast of the Philippine archipelago (southeast of the Japanese Islands), it is a semicircular trench about 1,500 km long, directed by its convex part to the east. The deepest point of the trough is called "Challenger Abyss" and is 10,994 meters deep.

The Mariana Trench is named after the adjacent Mariana Islands, which stretch along the western part of the trench. Guam Island, the closest to the Challenger Deep, is located 340 km northeast of it. Coordinates of the deepest point of the oceans: 11°22’23.9″N, 142°35’30.1″E.

The trench is located at the junction of two tectonic plates, and its relief is a relatively flat bottom strip no wider than 5 km between two steep slopes. In places along its length, the bottom has a stepped structure and mountain ranges. The water pressure at the lowest point is approximately 108 MPa, which is 1,072 times the normal atmospheric pressure.

The hollow was first discovered by the English sailing and steam corvette Challenger during the world's first integrated oceanographic expedition in 1875. The depth was then determined twice with the results of 8,367 m and 8,184 m, which made it possible to call this depression the deepest on the planet. In 1951, the British scientific vessel Challenger II conducted an ocean survey in these places.

With the help of an echo sounder, a depth of 10,899 m was recorded. This point was given the name of the ship. Over the following years, new measurements were taken, the depth was corrected several times in both directions, the last value of 10,994 m was recorded in 2011.

The difficulty of measuring the depth of such scales with an echo sounder lies in the dependence of the speed of sound waves in water, on its properties (density, temperature, chemical composition, impurities). These properties are different depending on the depth. To obtain accurate values, it is necessary to take water samples from different depths, analyze them and take into account the data in subsequent measurements.

For the first time, the bathyscaphe Trieste sank to the bottom of the depression (10,915 m) in 1960 with two researchers on board (US Navy Lieutenant Don Walsh and Swiss oceanologist Jacques Picard). Then, several times, autonomous dives were made by unmanned vehicles, and the Japanese Kaiko probe in 1995 took the first soil samples from a depth of 10911 m.

In 2012, the famous director James Cameron for the first time in history alone made a dive to the bottom, having been there for a total of 6 hours. Subsequently, a 3D film about the history of this dive called "Challenge to the Abyss" was released. It is worth mentioning that famous traveler Fedor Konyukhov in 2019 also announced his intention to dive to the bottom of this depression.

Fauna of the Mariana Trench

Sunlight cannot penetrate to a depth of more than 1000 m, eternal darkness reigns there. Along with the colossal pressure, this makes living conditions in the abyss extremely difficult. Nevertheless, the Mariana Trench is inhabited. The bottom is covered with silt, which, as shown by the first samples taken, is saturated with shell organisms; huge armored amoebae (up to 10 cm in diameter) were also found here.

In addition to the simplest barophilic bacteria, crayfish, gastropods, holothurians, and fish live here. Even during the first visual observations from the Trieste bathyscaphe, small fish resembling a flounder were seen. The specifics of the conditions make the appearance of many local fish amazing: they have huge teeth, eyes rotating in different directions (or their absence), instead of fins there are sharp spikes.

Worms up to 2 m long, not yet identified, are also found here. There are no algae at such depths, and the food source for protozoa is the remains falling to the bottom (detritus). Recent studies have shown that the bodies of local small crustaceans contain many heavy metals that are extremely toxic to ordinary living cells.

In general, the fauna of the Mariana Trench is poorly studied, many scientists believe that species that have long been extinct on Earth can be found there.

For example, the teeth of a giant shark, the megalodon, were recently found. It is believed that these monsters, which weighed up to 100 tons, died out about 2 million years ago, while the age of the teeth found is from 11 to 24 thousand years.

Research was constantly accompanied by various mysterious stories: obscure huge shadows resembling dragons appeared on the monitors, a loud metal rattle was heard, and once, according to the team of the German deep-sea apparatus Highfish, they saw a creature on the infrared camera monitor, clinging its teeth to a bathyscaphe, it had to scare away with an electric shock.

major islands there are 15, there are also some small rocks and reefs. The population is about 215,000 people. The nationality of the indigenous people is the Chamorro, and their language is also called. It is believed that the Chamorros are descendants of ancient settlers from the Philippines. Currently, there are practically no true representatives of this people; everyone who calls themselves Chamorro is mestizo.

The state affiliation of the Mariana Islands is not as easy to determine as it might seem. The southernmost island, Guam, has an independent status, it is an unincorporated organized territory of the United States, that is, the island is not included in the United States, but its territory is considered American, and the islanders (more than 180,000 people) have US citizenship. The capital is the city of Hagatna, located on the western coast.

The Northern Mariana Islands constitute a separate administrative entity - the Commonwealth, the state status is completely similar to Guam (freely associated with the United States). main island- Saipan, the capital is called the same.

The first Europeans to discover these lands were members of Magellan's team, who anchored here in 1521. The meeting with the natives ended in the loss of the ship's boat. Frustrated, Magellan gave the archipelago the name "Islands of Thieves" (de los Ladrones, Ladrones), which existed until the beginning of the 20th century.

The islands were immediately declared the property of Spain. A few decades later, colonialists began to come here. As was often the case, the missionaries arrived first. It was they who gave the territories modern name in honor of the Spanish Queen Marianna, since then the Mariana Islands on the map have been called that way. Colonization did not go smoothly. As a result of armed clashes and prolonged repressions, the indigenous population decreased 30 times 200 years after visiting Magellan.

In 1899, the Northern Mariana Islands were sold to Germany, and at the beginning of the First World War, Japan occupied the entire archipelago. In 1944, US troops landed on the island of Saipan, long bloody battles began with numerous casualties, only local residents about 40,000 people died.

The Americans equipped a military base on the island of Tinian, from which bombers took off, dropping atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. After the end of the war, the archipelago was for some time under the control of the UN, and in 1947 it was transferred to the custody of the United States.

US citizens do not need a visa to visit the Mariana Islands, and the presence of an American visa in the passport serves as a pass to these territories for citizens of other countries.

The monetary currency is the US dollar.

Mariana (Ladron) Islands - an archipelago located in Micronesia, in the west Pacific Ocean, consisting of 15 large and several small islands and reefs. The island of Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands have the status of unincorporated organized territories of the United States. The Mariana Islands have maritime borders with the Philippines, Japan, the Marshall Islands, and the Caroline Islands.

There are about 50 underwater volcanoes and 11 island volcanoes in the area of the archipelago. The highest point is 965 meters. The Mariana Trench is the deepest fault point in the earth's crust with a depth of 11,775 meters.

Total area - 1018 sq. km, the population is about 215,000 people, among which 56% are Asians, 36% are the peoples of Oceania, the rest are of mixed origin. Of the religions, Roman Catholic Christianity prevails, local religions and cults are widespread. The official languages are English, Chamorro, Caroline.

The administrative center is Garapan (Saipan Island).

Cities of the Mariana Islands

Saipan is the most suitable island for historical tourism. The infrastructure is well developed here, there are golf courses, conditions for diving and swimming. Saipan has the most even weather in the world - year-round here +27 degrees.

Garapan is the administrative center of the Mariana Islands, where popular tourist places are Sugar-King-Park and Shops duty free. Not far from Garapan, the American Memorial Park and the World War II Museum are of interest. On the territory of the park, in addition to historical sights, you can see natural mangrove forests with a large number of rare birds, as well as sports and stage venues (where local festivals and concerts are held).

Managaha Island - the oldest and most picturesque - with beautiful coral reefs and exotic fish. Historically memorable places on the island are the cliffs of Banzai - Cliff and Suiside - Cliff, the Korean Peace Park.

Tinian Island is the most peaceful, with one village of San Jose. A fashionable hotel, casino, shops and restaurants harmoniously fit into the measured life of the island. The attraction here is the accumulation of ritual stones of ancient peoples - Latte - Stone - Site.

The highest point of the island of Rota rises almost 500 meters above the sea. Places of attraction for tourists here are the Toga limestone cave, replete with stalactites and stalagmites, Mount Taipingo, an old Japanese locomotive, Chugai rocks with ancient petroglyphs and a bird sanctuary.

Agrihan Island is the peak of a young volcano almost 1000 meters above sea level and the highest point in Micronesia. There is almost no flora and fauna on the island, and perhaps only extreme people come here - divers and fishermen.

The most popular islands of the Northern Group are the Anatahan volcano, the Asuncion volcano, Pagan, Farallion - de - Pajaros, the Maug Islands.

How to get to the Mariana Islands

There is no direct air connection between Belarus and the Mariana Islands.

The best option would be a flight from Moscow with a connection in Tokyo, Shanghai or Seoul. Travel time excluding connections will be about 16 hours.

The climate of the Marianas

The territory of the Mariana Islands is influenced by a tropical trade wind climate.

Throughout the calendar year, the air temperature in the archipelago averages +27 degrees, water - +25 degrees.

The annual rainfall is 1800 - 2000 mm per year. Humidity can reach 82%. The rainy season usually falls between June and November. And from August to December, strong winds and storms are possible.

The best time to travel around the archipelago is from December to March and from May to June.

The hotel base of the Mariana Islands is represented by both hotels belonging to world-famous chains and local 3 * - 4 * hotels that provide guests with decent service and comfortable accommodation. The average cost of living is from 90 to 300 US dollars per night.

Private boarding houses and motels can be called as economy accommodation options. An overnight stay here will cost from 35 to 65 US dollars. There are no hostels in the Marianas.

The beaches of the Mariana Islands

The islands of the Southern group have beaches with fine white sand, the Northern - with black volcanic.

The best and most beloved beaches of the Mariana Islands are Micro - Beach, Lao - Lao - Bay, Lader - Beach, Paupau - Beach. But lovers of secluded relaxation will always find a wild beach nearby to enjoy the sea, sun and beautiful nature to their fullest.

On the island of Tiniana, Tachona Beach attracts attention, on Rota - Corell - Gardens, Teteto - Beach.

On the island of Saipan on Micro Beach, there are excellent conditions for windsurfing.

When swimming in the open sea, be careful.

Banks, money, exchange offices

The Marian currency is the US dollar, which is equal to 100 cents. Circulation has paper bills in denominations of 1,2,5,10,20,50,100 dollars and coins in denominations of 1 dollar, penny (1 cent), nickel (5 cents), dime (10 cents), quarter (25 cents), half - dollar (50 cents). Most islands also accept Japanese yen and Korean won.

Banking hours:

From Monday to Thursday - from 10.00 to 15.00

Fridays - from 10.00 to 18.00

Credit cards of the world's major payment systems (preferably Master Card and Visa) are accepted for settlements almost everywhere. ATMs are located in many banks and shopping centers. Travel - checks (preferably in US dollars) are also accepted for settlements almost everywhere, except for the most distant islands.

There are no commercial taxes on the islands, the hotel tax is 10%.

Tipping in the archipelago is 10 - 15% of the total cost of services.

Tourist safety

The Mariana Islands are a safe zone for tourists. Only elementary rules should be followed:

Valuables, large sums of money and documents should be left in the hotel safe
In crowded places, it is not recommended to leave personal belongings unattended.
It is not recommended to walk alone at night in deserted places.
Do not take pictures of local residents without their permission
Before going outside, be sure to use sunscreen, wear UV-blocking sunglasses, and light clothing with long sleeves.
Before leaving, you should take preventive measures against diseases of hepatitis B and dengue fever
It is recommended to use only bottled water for drinking, brushing teeth and making ice
Meat, fish and seafood are recommended to be consumed only thermally processed.
Vegetables and fruits should be thoroughly washed, vegetables should be pre-cooked, and fruits should be peeled beforehand.
When swimming in the sea, be careful because of the so-called "reverse currents"
When moving along many coasts, special shoes are required due to coral rubble and volcanic rocks

Transport

The most common mode of transport in the Mariana Islands is by plane and helicopter.

There is no rail service public transport not very well developed, but tourist buses run between hotels, shops and restaurants.

You can also use taxi services.

The car rental service (from $20 per day with an international driver's license and credit card), motorcycle (from $10 per day), mountain bike (from $2 per day) is popular in the archipelago. Movement is right-handed.

Entertainment, excursions, attractions

The main attraction of the island of Guam is its main street - Chamorro, where every evening you can watch the locals singing and dancing, who, in addition, prepare dishes. national cuisine. By the way, Chamorro is the name of the locals. There is something for divers to do on Guam - Fort Apugan is fraught with many mysteries.

On the islands of Saipan, Tinian and Rota come lovers of trekking - hiking.

Saipan also has interesting cave Grotto with underground lakes 15 meters deep and tunnels going straight into the sea.

Cuisine and restaurants

The national cuisine of the Mariana Islands is a mixture of traditions of many peoples.

The most popular dishes local cuisine are:

"lemai" - breadfruit, fried in oil
fried bananas
shrimp and shellfish patties
fried lamb or beef ribs
"haole" - beef, pork, chicken or fish dishes with a sauce of lime juice, soy sauce, garlic, pepper, sesame oil
"kelagen - benadu" - venison with sauce
"kadu" - various soups (for example, from poultry, potatoes, spinach and beer)
fish cooked in all sorts of ways
specially prepared eggplant with coconut milk and spices
all kinds of exotic fruits

For dessert - shortbread cookies, puff pastries, banana donuts, chocolate bananas, coconut oatmeal

From alcoholic beverages– local coconut wine “Tuba” (naturally fermented young coconut juice)

Shopping and shops

Shop opening hours:

On weekdays - from 8.00 to 12.00 and from 13.30 to 17.00

Saturdays - from 8.00 to 13.00

Private - on an individual schedule

Day off - Sunday (except for large supermarkets and Duty Free shops)

Most often, souvenirs made from sea shells and coconuts, hats and bags from the leaves of tropical plants, textiles, jewelry made from agate, corals and pearls are brought from the Mariana Islands.

The Marianas are famous for their duty-free shops, the prices of which are quite reasonable.

Customs

You can import and export national and foreign currencies without restrictions in cash, traveller's checks, credit cards. An amount in excess of $10,000 and gold must be declared.

Allowed to import:

Up to 600 US or 200 other cigarettes, up to 454g cigars
Up to 1 bottle of strong alcohol, up to 1 bottle of wine, up to 1 case of beer (for persons over 21 years old)
Perfumes and personal items - in reasonable quantities

It is forbidden to import:

Perishable products
Drugs and narcotic medications
Mango fruit from the Philippines
Meat and meat products (except those made in the USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and the Hawaiian Islands)
"dry" foods (such as instant noodles)
parrots

When importing pets, an international veterinary certificate is required. For cats and dogs, a rabies vaccination record must be made at least 30 and no more than 90 days before departure.

If you didn’t find a suitable vacation option - transfer the hassle of organizing a trip to our professional managers by filling out and they will promptly contact you! We can send you anywhere in the world!

Perhaps one of the most mysterious places on the earth map Mariana Islands. This place, which is sometimes referred to as one of the best preserved mysterious corners of America, attracts hundreds of thousands of tourists with its unique nature and many historical sites.

Mariana Islands on the world map

Remoteness of the Mariana Islands from « mainland» makes them a unique place where an atmosphere of peace and absolute carelessness reigns. real paradise for lovers of magnificent panoramas, unique sunsets and crystal clear air.

Where are they?

The Mariana Islands are a small Island state, whose territory covers 15 islands of the archipelago of the same name. They are located at the western end of the Pacific Ocean, in a region called micronesia.

Most travelers come here in search of solitude from the noise of megacities and in order to see with their own eyes the monuments of the "Battle of the Pacific" during the Second World War.

The islands of the archipelago are located in such a way that they form two chains with a total length of more than 700 kilometers.

Due to the characteristics of its geographical location The Mariana archipelago does not have clear borders with neighboring states. To the south of it are caroline islands (Federated States Micronesia). The conditional natural boundary separating the Philippine Sea from the Pacific Ocean passes at the location of the Mariana Islands.

Relief

Mariana archipelago consists of two chains located from the north and south. In the northern chain, most of the islands are formed as a result of volcanic activity cones over 900 meters high. It is noteworthy that some of them are small active volcanoes. The islands in the southern chain are partly volcanic, partly formed by corals.

The nature of the Mariana Islands is typical for the region of the tropics, there are many places where the human foot has hardly set foot. The coral reefs of the Marianas amaze with their splendor and fantastic shapes, and deepest place on the planet - 11-kilometer Mariana Trench is located just a few tens of kilometers from the archipelago.

The coastal waters abound with fish, the beaches stretch for thousands of meters, and the rich undersea world and strives to show all its splendor to lovers of diving and snorkeling.

Climate

The climate of the Mariana Islands is characterized as humid, tropical ocean.

The average air temperature in the daytime fluctuates around +28/+33 degrees Celsius, and at night it drops by only a few degrees to +23/+25 degrees.

Humidity quite high and reaches 75-85%. Two seasons are clearly distinguished: in the period from to the wind season begins in this area, and from to the time of typhoons begins.

How to get from Russia?

The easiest way to get here is from some countries in Asia (, Japan, South Korea) or from , therefore, among vacationers in the Mariana Islands, Japanese And Americans.

Due to the remoteness of the Mariana Islands from no direct flights in this direction.

To the airport of the main island of the archipelago - Saipan– can be reached by plane of Asian airlines. Transfers to flights in this direction are carried out in Shanghai, Tokyo or. The duration of such a flight will be about 16 hours, and this is without taking into account flight connections.

Choose plane tickets using this search form. Enter departure and arrival cities, date, number of passengers.

State structure

Picturesque coral reefs, offshore fishing, surfing and diving are all available today in abundance. But not all the time, life seemed like a fairy tale to the inhabitants of the Mariana Islands.

History

The development of the Northern Mariana Islands took place many centuries ago - around 500 AD, the first settlers appeared here - Chamorro tribes having some kinship with the modern peoples of Polynesia. They were experienced sailors, actively explored the Pacific islands and left behind commemorative signs- the famous latte stones, the height of which could reach 6 meters.

It is curious that some historians see in the latte stones some analogy with the mysterious statues of Easter Island.

European influence on the Mariana Islands began thanks to the legendary navigator Ferdinand Magellan, who was the first European to discover these lands during circumnavigation in 1521. On his ship, he passed through the southern group of islands of the archipelago and named them "Isla de los Ladrones", which in translation meant "Islands of thieves."

The name has been changed to "Las Marianas" in the middle of the 17th century, when the Spanish priest Luis Diego Sanvitores, who found himself in these parts, named them in honor of Queen Anna Maria of Austria.

In 1668, missionaries of the Jesuit order, led by Sanvitores, organized the first mission on the islands, with the advent of which conflicts began between the local population and European colonists. The war lasted two decades, and its result was the eviction of most of the natives on the island of Guam.

In the 19th century resettlement began Spaniards and settlers from the Caroline Islands to the Mariana Islands, gradually began to show interest in the archipelago and. In 1899, Spain sold the Northern Mariana Islands to the German government, which hoped to organize the industrial production of coconut pulp here. However, these plans were corrected by the outbreak of the First World War, and Japan, which turned out to be stronger and more interested, captured the islands.

The Japanese began to grow sugar cane on the islands, cutting down tropical forests and thickets of coconut palms. In the 1930s, the Mariana cane plantations guaranteed the lion's share of Japan's profits.

Dramatic events unfolded in the area of the archipelago in the years World War II when the archipelago became the site of one of the fiercest and bloodiest battles in the Pacific. US military forces landed on the coast of Saipan in the summer of 1944 and simultaneously attacked the Japanese flotilla.

Thousands of soldiers of both armies became victims of the battle, but the civilian population of the islands suffered the maximum damage.

Subsequently, the United States set up a military airfield here, which was destined to go down in history. It was from this base that two heavy bombers took off into the sky, dropping atomic charges on the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. With the end of the war, peace came to the islands, they were subordinate to the United Nations, and since 1947 they were influenced by the USA.

Politics

The Mariana Islands are a community with internal self-government. Since 1986, the status of the state has been in effect, "freely joined" to the United States, thanks to which the islands gained local self-government. The United States Custody ended in 1993. The state and the government are simultaneously headed by a governor elected by the population.

On the islands representative presidential democratic system. The main person in the state is the governor. The Marianas are in political union with the United States, and the general funds are managed by a special department within the US Department of the Interior.

Most likely, such an unpleasant ailment as acclimatization will overtake the Mariana Islands. Get ready for it with .

Population

The population of the Mariana Islands archipelago is approximately 700 thousand people. Among them are representatives of different nationalities:

The vast majority of residents are Filipino ethnicity — 34%;
The second place is occupied by the nationality chamorro -30%;
On the third Chinese — 12%;
Close the list micronesians — 8%;
And people from caroline islands — 5%.

In addition, on the islands of the archipelago live Americans, Japanese, Koreans, Australians.

Religion and language

The official language of the Commonwealth is English. In second place is language of the Chamorro people, as well as an important role caroline, Philippine, Japanese, Korean And Chinese languages.

In the Mariana Archipelago, representatives of each religious group have their own organization and premises for the implementation of rituals.

Main religious movements:

Catholicism;
Protestantism;
Islam;
local religions and cults.

Numerous activities are taking place here. sects ranging from Mormons to Seventh Day Adventists.

Map of Mariana Islands with cities

Of the 17 islands of the archipelago, only 4 are inhabited: Saipan, Tinian, Rota and Guam.

Capital

The capital of the Mariana Islands is city of Susupe located on the island of Saipan. It is very popular among tourists from and Japan, who come here in large numbers.

Susupe attracts with its unhurried, measured rhythm, the absence of cataclysms and upheavals, which is so important for a modern person.

You can enjoy warm summer in Susupa all year round and completely forget about all the worries.

Big cities

The largest city in the archipelago Garapan located in the western part of the island of Saipan. Most of the administrative buildings on the islands are concentrated here. The city is unique in that its boundaries are not clearly defined, and almost everywhere west coast the island stretches a chain of small villages and residential buildings surrounded by farms and lush gardens.
big village Songsong- the biggest locality on the island of Rota. It is located in the southwestern part of the island. The usual city rules do not apply here - residents do just fine without traffic lights and shopping centers. At almost every step you can see all kinds of stones, which are used not only for construction, but also perform the function of marking.
City hagatna is the administrative center of the island of Guam. It is located on a narrow isthmus that separates the Philippine Sea and the Pacific Ocean. The city was founded in 1668 by the Spaniards, who established the first Jesuit mission on the island. Here you can admire beautiful landscapes and vivid historical monuments.

Watch an informative video about the Mariana Islands:

The Mariana Islands share the Pacific Ocean and the Philippine Sea. This is a classic island arc of the Pacific Ring of Fire zone, formed by active subduction (subduction of the edge of a relatively thin oceanic crust under the base of a thick continental-type crust) of tectonic plates. To the south and east of the chain of islands lies the world's deepest Mariana Trench, up to 11,775 meters deep (according to other sources - 11,022 meters), which is precisely the visible expression of the plate collision zone. In geological terms, the Marianas are part of a chain of underwater volcanoes known as the Izu-Bonin-Mariana arc, consisting of almost fifty underwater active volcanoes and 11 old volcanic peaks, whose peaks form the islands of the group.

The northern group of islands (Faralion de Pajaros (Huracas), Asuncion, Pagan, Sarigan and others) is geologically young - most of these islands formed over the past 5 million years and continue to grow today. Young cones of these islands are high and still active - not uncommon volcanic eruptions and earthquakes of magnitude up to 7 on the Richter scale. The steep slopes of the volcanoes run down to the almost reef-free waters of the surrounding ocean, forming typical volcanic landscapes with numerous lava fields and tongues. Vegetation and animal world are scarce, there are also few natural sources of water (with the exception of quite numerous fumaroles and mini-geysers, which annually throw thousands of tons of highly mineralized water into the ocean).

The southern chain of islands (Saipan, Tinian, Agrihan, Rota, etc.) are older volcanic formations, whose age reaches 42 million years. They are also based on the tops of underwater volcanoes that fell asleep many millions of years ago. Here is the highest point of the country - the volcano Agrihan, or Agrigan (965 m). Over the subsequent time, the underwater slopes of the once formidable volcanoes were actively "developed" by corals, multi-meter strata of which, raised by tectonic processes above sea level, formed the surface part of the islands of the southern group. Today, almost all the islands of the southern chain are powerful massifs of coral limestone lying on a volcanic base. Numerous coastal terraces and high cliffs mark the level of the ocean at different stages of island formation, and the coasts are mostly lined with young coral reefs that form marginal lagoons.

The natural vegetation of the islands is not rich. The main plant is the coconut palm. Copra and palm oil were the most important export commodity and the main source of income for many islanders. Coconut provides food and drinks (besides coconut milk itself, even flowers are used, ropes are twisted from palm fiber, wood is used for building materials, branches for weaving baskets and mats, and charcoal is made from husks of nuts and cake). Equally important is the fire tree (Brachychiton acerifolius), brought from other islands of Oceania (however, recently its role has been more decorative), as well as the coleus (Coleus), caladium (Caladium) and philodendron (Araceae). But various fruit species, introduced by man, grow here in large quantities.

The only endemic mammals on the islands are fruit bats, although they have almost disappeared due to the popularity of their meat in the cuisine of the local Chamorro people. Sambar deer can also be found on Rota, and skinks and geckos live almost everywhere. But the bird community is quite diverse - about 70 species of birds are found in the Mariana Islands, including the gray-throated fantail (Rhipidura dahli), honeyeater (Meliphaga), Australian tern (Sterna nereis) and the endangered salangana (Collocalia). And the waters around the islands are literally teeming with marine life.

Official name - Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands(Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands).

Located in the Western Pacific Ocean. The area is 477 km2, the population of the Mariana Islands is 80 thousand people. (2003). The official language is English. The administrative center of the Mariana Islands is the island of Saipan (over 50 thousand people, 2003). Public holiday - Commonwealth Day January 8 (1978). The monetary unit of the Mariana Islands is the US dollar.

Member of the Pacific Community (formerly UTK, since 1983).

The Mariana Islands are located between 13° and 31° north latitude and 144° and 146° east longitude on 14 islands of the Mariana archipelago, stretching for 685 km from north to south. It borders on the south with Guam (the 15th island in the Mariana ridge, turning into the deepest Mariana Trench on the planet - 10,900 m).

All islands are volcanic and mountainous. The length of the coastline is 1482 km. The northern islands (9) are younger. Active volcanoes remain on Pagan and Agrikhan (unnamed peak 965 m - highest point Micronesia). Ma-ug and Guguan - nature reserves wildlife, thousands of seabirds nest in the trees on the tops of the cliffs. Sarigan is rich in tropical vegetation, home to a large colony of wild goats. The southern islands (5), including the largest ones (Saipan, 125 km2, Tinian, 105 km2 and Rota, 101 km2), are older. On calcareous soils, coconut palms, heat-resistant cereals, sugar cane, etc. grow there. Saipan has 6 different landscapes, from volcanic hills to wet lowlands and sandy beaches.

Natural resources: fish stocks in the 200-mile economic zone.

The climate of the Mariana Islands is tropical, even throughout the year, the average temperature is + 30 ° C, drier than in other parts of Micronesia. The amount of precipitation is low - within 250 mm per year. Rainy season: July - November. At this time there are typhoons.

The population of the Mariana Islands is growing rapidly (3-4% per year), incl. through immigration. Most of the population is made up of Micronesian peoples (Chamorro, Carolinians, etc.), there are Europeans, Japanese, Chinese, Filipinos and Koreans. Chamorro (mostly oral) and Caroline are widely spoken. Less than 15% of the population speak English in families. Most Chamorrans speak some Japanese to communicate with tourists. Competently 97% of the adult population of the Mariana Islands. Life expectancy for men is 73 years, for women - 79 years. Infant mortality 5.5 pers. per 1000 newborns.

Most of the population of the Mariana Islands is concentrated on the island of Saipan, 5 more islands are inhabited.

The Catholic religion dominates, combined with adherence to traditional legends, beliefs and taboos.

In 1521 F. Magellan discovered the Mariana Islands. Their colonization in the 17th century. was accompanied by armed clashes between the Spaniards and the indigenous people - the Chamorros, most of whom were exterminated. They got their name in honor of Marianne of Austria - the widow of the Spanish king Philip IV. In 1899 Spain sold them to Germany. After the 1st World War, under the mandate of the League of Nations, the islands came under the control of Japan. In 1947, the United States received Mariana as one of the United Nations Trust Territories. Access to the islands was restricted due to US military installations. Most of Tinian (from where the B-29 aircraft took off for the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki) is still reserved for the use of the US Armed Forces. In 1972, negotiations began between representatives of the islands and the US government on the future status of the Marian. In 1975, they signed an Agreement establishing the Commonwealth of the Mariana Islands, which are "in political union" with the United States. Since 1978, after approval by referendum, the Marian Constitution came into effect, on the basis of which the first elections of legislative and executive power were held. In 1986, the aforementioned Agreement entered into force. In 1990, the UNCT abolished the status of a mandated territory in relation to the Commonwealth of the Mariana Islands.

The Marianas is a self-governing Commonwealth "in political alliance" with the United States, which controls foreign relations and defense. The head of state is the President of the United States. The indigenous population has American citizenship, but does not participate in American elections. Federal financing of the Marian economy is the responsibility of the US Department of the Interior.

The country does not have an administrative division, but there are 4 municipalities ( northern islands, Saipan, Tinian and Rota).

Executive power is exercised by the governor (Juan N. Wabauta) and the lieutenant governor (Diego T. Venevente), elected by direct universal suffrage for 4 years. The next elections are in 2005. The bicameral Legislative Assembly has 9 senators (elected for 4 years) and 18 members of the House of Representatives (for 2 years). The population of the islands also elects a "permanent representative" in the United States with residence in Washington (unlike Guam, which has its own delegate to the US House of Representatives).

Political parties: by analogy with the United States - Republican (its members are the current governor and permanent representative in Washington, 4 senators and 16 deputies of the lower house) and Democratic (3 senators and a deputy), Reform Party (senator), Agreement Party (deputy).

The Mariana Islands do not have diplomatic relations with the Russian Federation.

GDP per capita 12.5 thousand US dollars. The main sectors of the economy are the rapidly growing clothing industry and tourism. About 50% of the workforce is employed in the tourism industry (25% of GDP), another 35% (mostly Chinese) in the clothing industry. The number of foreign workers is more than 4 times higher than the number of local workers, among whom unemployment is high - 30%.

Role Agriculture small. Coconut palm, breadfruit, vegetables and fruits are grown on small farms. Cattle are bred on the ranch. Fishing and processing of fish (mainly tuna) are of certain importance.

length highways- about 400 km. 2 seaports on Saipan and Tinian. Of the 6 airports, 3 have paved runways and a helipad.

The islands are visited annually by 500,000 or more foreign tourists (the Japanese predominate, the Marianas are the Pacific islands closest to them and memorable places battles of World War II).

US financial aid is important to the Marian economy, but its share of the country's budget has been declining in recent years as the local revenue base has grown.

The main export item is garments. Food, fuel, construction materials and equipment are imported. The main partners are the USA and Japan.

The school system includes public (primary and secondary schools) and private schools. You can continue your education at the Northern Marian College, as well as at educational institutions in the United States.