View source for Northern Islands Municipality, Northern Mariana Islands

{{Short description|Political division of the Northern Mariana Islands}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=December 2021}}
[[File:Mariany-admin-Northern Islands.png|thumb|Map of the four municipalities of the Northern Mariana Islands, with the Northern Islands Municipality (topmost) highlighted in red]]
'''Northern Islands Municipality''' is one of the four main political divisions of the [[Northern Mariana Islands|Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands]]. It consists of a long string of the northernmost [[islands]] of the Northern Marianas, including (from north to south) [[Farallon de Pajaros]], the [[Maug Islands]], [[Asuncion Island|Asuncion]], [[Agrihan]], [[Pagan Island|Pagan]], [[Alamagan]], [[Guguan]], [[Zealandia Bank]], [[Sarigan]], [[Anatahan]], and [[Farallon de Medinilla]]. The total land area of the islands, including offshore islets and rocks, is 154.755&nbsp;km<sup>2</sup> (59.75 sq mi).
==Population==
As of the [[United States Census, 2010|2010 census]], the municipality is reported to be uninhabited. Pagan and Agrihan are known to have seasonal populations. Many Northern Island inhabitants have secondary residences on [[Saipan]] due to economic, educational or other needs. Some islands had also been evacuated due to [[Volcano|volcanic activities]] such as in the case of Anatahan (2003) and Pagan (early 1980s).
The [[mayor]]'s office and municipality administration, traditionally in the [[village]] of Shomushon on [[Pagan Island|Pagan]], is now "in exile" on [[Saipan]]. In 2005 there were 99 votes cast in the [[municipality]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.saipantribune.com/newsstory.aspx?cat=1&newsID=52052|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110717082329/http://www.saipantribune.com/newsstory.aspx?cat=1&newsID=52052|url-status=dead|archive-date=2011-07-17|title=Saipan Tribune|date=2011-07-17|access-date=2018-07-12}}</ref>  For the [[Northern Mariana Islands House of Representatives|NMI House of Representatives]], Northern Islands voters are grouped with one of the Saipan districts.
==Transportation and communications==
Most of the Northern Islands can be reached only by boat, except for an airstrip that serves Pagan. There are no electricity or telephone systems, and residents rely on generators for electricity and radio for communications.
==Economy==
[[Agriculture]] and fishing are essentially the only economic activities, although on Pagan [[pozzolan]] mining became a small industry after the early-1980s volcanic eruptions.
==Education==
Previously [[Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands Public School System]] operated an elementary school on [[Pagan (island)|Pagan]]  prior to the 1981 eruptions. In 1977 the school had 13 students. Students from Pagan attending secondary school did so on Saipan.<ref>''Northern Mariana Islands Coastal Resources Management: Environmental Impact Statement''. [[National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration]], 1980. p. [https://books.google.com/books?id=kiM3AQAAMAAJ&pg=PA37 37].</ref>
==References==
{{reflist}}
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20101223043232/http://www.oceandots.com/pacific/mariana/alamagan.php Northern Mariana Islands and constituent municipalities, United States Census Bureau]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20140427193501/http://gaebler.info/sonstiges/marianen.htm Pascal Horst Lehne and Christoph Gäbler: ''Über die Marianen.'' Lehne-Verlag, Wohldorf in Germany 1972.]
==External links==
* [http://www.cnminorthernislands.com/ Official site of the Northern Islands]
{{Former German colonies}}
{{Northern Mariana Islands}}
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[[Category:Former German colonies]]
[[Category:Municipalities of the Northern Mariana Islands]]
[[Category:Government of the Northern Mariana Islands]]
{{NorthernMarianas-geo-stub}}