The Northern Mariana Islands, officially the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, is an insular area and commonwealth of the United States consisting of 14 islands in the northwestern Pacific Ocean. The CNMI includes the 14 northernmost islands in the Mariana Archipelago except the southernmost island of the chain, Guam, which is a separate U.S. territory. The CNMI and Guam are the westernmost point and territory of the United States.
Politics of the Northern Mariana Islands takes place in a framework of a presidential representative democratic system, whereby the Governor is head of government, and of a pluriform multi-party system. The Northern Mariana Islands are a commonwealth in political union with the United States. Executive power is exercised by the governor. Legislative power is vested in the two chambers of the legislature. The judiciary is independent of the executive and the legislature. Local government is carried out through three regional mayors.
Territories of the United States are sub-national administrative divisions overseen by the federal government. They differ from U.S. states and Native American tribes, which have limited sovereignty. The territories are classified by incorporation and whether they have an "organized" government through an organic act passed by Congress.
In the terminology of the United States insular areas, a Commonwealth is a type of organized but unincorporated dependent territory. There are currently two United States insular areas with the status of commonwealth, the Northern Mariana Islands and Puerto Rico.
Pagan is a volcanic island in the Mariana Islands archipelago in the Pacific Ocean, belonging to the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands. Formerly inhabited, the inhabitants were evacuated due to volcanic eruptions in 1981.
Oceania is, like other regions, quite diverse in its laws regarding homosexuality. This ranges from significant rights granted to the LGBT community in New Zealand, Australia, Guam, Hawaii, the Northern Mariana Islands, Wallis and Futuna, New Caledonia, French Polynesia and the Pitcairn Islands to remaining criminal penalties for homosexual activity in 6 countries and one territory. Although acceptance is growing across the Pacific, violence and social stigma remain issues for LGBTI communities. This also leads to problems with healthcare, including access to HIV treatment in countries such as Papua New Guinea and the Solomon Islands where homosexuality is criminalised.
The Northern Mariana Islands Football Association is the governing body of football in the Northern Mariana Islands. It was founded in 2005 by US-Attorney Peter Coleman. The Association received full membership into the East Asian Football Federation in 2008. The association was admitted as a quasi-member of the Asian Football Confederation in July 2009.
Eulogio "Eloy" Songao Inos was an American politician in the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands. Inos, a member of the Republican Party, served as the eighth Governor of the Northern Mariana Islands from 2013 to 2015; he previously served as eighth Lieutenant Governor from 2009 to 2013.
James Curtis Wilder Jr. is a professional Canadian football running back for the Toronto Argonauts of the Canadian Football League (CFL). He played college football at Florida State, where he was part of the team that won the 2014 BCS Championship Game. He has also been a member of the Cincinnati Bengals and Buffalo Bills.
Joe Wang Miller is an association footballer who primarily plays as a forward but can also operate in midfield. Miller currently plays for Northern Mariana Championship champions MP United as well as the Northern Mariana Islands national football team.
The 2012 M*League Division 1 was the sixth season of top-flight football in Northern Marianas Islands. The league was divided into two parts, the Winter League and the Fall League. The Winter League was won by IFC Wild Bills, and the Fall League was won by Tan Holdings FC
General elections were held in the Northern Mariana Islands on November 4, 2014. Voters elected the Governor of the Northern Mariana Islands, the Lieutenant Governor, the Attorney General, the Delegate to the US Congress, the Senate, the House of Representatives, mayors, municipal councils and the Board of Education. Additionally, a referendum involving changes to the constitution was held.
The 2013 M*League Division 1 was the seventh season of top-flight football in Northern Marianas Islands. The Spring League was won by IFC Wild Bills.
Ralph Deleon Guerrero Torres is an American Republican politician from Saipan, Northern Mariana Islands. He has served as the ninth Governor of the Northern Mariana Islands since the death of Governor Eloy Inos on December 29, 2015. He previously served as the tenth Lieutenant Governor, which he was elected to in 2014.
Victor Borja Hocog is an American Republican politician from Rota, Northern Mariana Islands. He served as the 11th lieutenant governor of the Northern Mariana Islands from 2015 to 2019.
James Ada is an American politician who is Secretary of the Department of Public Works of the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI) and president of CNMI Republican Party.
