Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 11, Number 5, 1 May 1994 — Commonwealth -- Northern Marianas [ARTICLE]

Commonwealth -- Northern Marianas

A commonwealth ean be defined as any nation or state in whieh there is self-government. īt ean also be any state of the United States as termed so by charter. Some commonwealths, like that of the United Kingdom, include a large number of independent countries united, not by law, but by an informal political association. The Northem Marianas are part of the same volcanic ehain as Guam but are a separate polilieal entity.

Controlled by the Spanish, Germans, and Japanese in the past century, they became part of the U.S.-administered U.N. Trust Territory after the war and voted to become a commonwealth of the U.S. in the mid 1970s, officially becoming one in 1986. They did this largely to maintain the same development and lifestyle that close ties with the U.S. offers.

The majority of the 20,000 people on these islands are a mix of Chamom, Mexican, and Filipino blood. As part of the commonwealth of the United States the people of the Northern Marianas are full American citizens although there is eoneem that they do not enjoy all the rights of Mainland Americans. The loeal government has an elected governor and two-house legislature.

The political status of the Northem Marianas was negotiated and so, theoretically, represents a greater form of independence than that of a territory, although there is still significant amount of disagreement between the U.S. and the Northem Marianas over how mueh self-government exists. As a commonwealth the islands get more money from the U.S. than the territories and are considered a more stable area economically because investors ean use federal courts to settle claims.