Northern Mariana Islands

The Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI) is a commonwelath of 15 islands that are in political union with the United States at a strategic location in the western Pacific Ocean. The 15 islands include Saipan and Tinian that were taken over by US forces from Japan in 1944. They are about three-quarters of the way from Hawaii to the Philippines.  In 2005, CMNI had a population of about 80,362. The total land area of all CMNI islands is 179.01 square miles. While not formally a state society, there is a small social community of CMNI expatriates living in Washington, DC that has participated twice with NCSS in the cherry blossom program since 2004.

Pictured here from left to right are Hon. Pete A. Tenorio, CMNI 2006 Cherry Blosson Princess Natalie P. Hill, 2006 Guam Princess Julie Schwab, and Guam Rep. Madeline Z. Bordallo.