Uncategorised
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08 May 2024
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Northern Mariana Islands
Officially known as the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, it consists of 14 islands on the Pacific Ocean.
Tourism and garment making are the mainstay of Northern Mariana Island’s economy. Although, products like tapioca, coconuts, breadfruits, melons, tomato, etc. are planted, agriculture does not add to the economy of the country.
The predominant religion on the islands is Christianity with 64% of the population adhering to Catholicism. About 16% are Protestants, and other Christian denominations make up about 1.2%. 10.6% are Buddhists and about 5.3% practice folk religion. Other religious groups take about 2% while 1% are not affiliated to any religion.
The official languages of the country are English, Chamorro, and Carolinian. Many Philippine languages are also spoken on the islands. Other languages include Chinese and Pacific Island languages.
Red rice made with achoti is a staple food and it is commonly served for special events. Fruits such as lemmai, mangga, niyok, and bilimbines are also eaten on the Island, Korean, Chinese, Japanese, and American cuisine are also commonly available. The Marianas are the world's foremost consumers, per capita, of Spam, with Guam at the top of the list.
There are several tourist attractions in Northern Mariana Islands some of which are;
- Bird Island: This is a home to different species of birds. Bird lovers will enjoy this place as it is where you will enjoy viewing birds. The best way to enjoy the view is by watching from afar.
- Grotto Dive site: This is one of the most popular places on the Island. The underwater cave was awarded the second best diving sites in the world. Divers would really love it here. Scuba diving, snorkeling, cliff diving, and free diving are the major activities here.
- Forbidden Island: This is another very interesting tourist center. It is known as a hiking spot on the island. To get there, one will have to trek for about 30 minutes down a steep path from the main road. It’s a must visit when you are on the islands.
There are no railways on the islands. Taxis operate especially in Saipan and car rental is the easiest way to explore most of the islands. There is also regular ferry service between the islands of Managaha and Saipan. Privately owned shuttle buses are the only major public transportation options on the islands. Many Saipan hotels also operate their own private bus tours to various island attractions.
The islands experience two climate seasons which are dry and rainy seasons. From December through to June, the weather is usually hot and dry while from July to November, there is rain with the wettest months being August, September, and October.
The best time to visit is from January to April when it is least hot and least rainy. The country records about 502,000 tourist visits annually.
There are over 30 hotels and apartments on the islands for one to lodge in during a visit.
