US Postage Stamps // Philatelic Project // Unincorporated Territories

           

Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands
[Sankattan Siha Na Islas Mariånas]
Capitol Hill (Saipan), MP // Micronesia // Chamorro Time
First European exploration: March, 1521 by Ferdinand Magellan's
(* 1480, † 1521) Spanish expedition
Claimed for the Spanish Crown: 1565 by Miguel López de Legazpi
(* c. 1502, † 1572), Governor-General of
Spanish East Indies
Sold to the German Empire: February 12, 1899, German-Spanish Treaty
[View map]
Invaded by Imperial Japanese forces: October 10, 1914 (World War I)
Japanese administration: December 17, 1920
by League of Nations mandate
Invaded by US forces: June 15, 1944 (World War II)
UN TTPI(*): July 18, 1947 - December 22, 1990,
administered by the US until
November 3, 1986
US Commonwealth established: January 9, 1978
US citizenship granted: November 4, 1986
(*) United Nations Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands
View map of the Northern Marianas

#4313 // August 11, 2011
(self-adhesive coil definitive)
Flags of Our Nation Series

Flag of the Commonwealth of the
Northern Mariana Islands,
beach and palm trees
View Northern Marianas quarter

#2804 // November 4, 1993 // Saipan, MP

Latte stones
(limestone columns, once used by the Chamorro
culture to support their buildings),
native woman, palmtrees, and flag of the CNMI

The CNMI consists of a 300 mile [490 km] chain of 14 Micronesian islands north of Guam in the North Pacific Ocean along the Mariana Trench, the deepest part of the oceans. The main islands (permanently populated) are Saipan, Tinian, and Rota. On the uninhabited islands of Anatahan, Pagan, and Agrihan are active volcanoes located. The native ethnic group of the Chamorros settled the islands between 4000 BC to 2000 BC. The Refaluwasch (Carolinian) ethnic group came to the Marianas in the 1800s from the Caroline Islands. The ancient Chamorro left a number of Latte stones used as supports for buildings.

The archipelago was named in the 17th century after
Maria Anna of Austria (* 1634, † 1696), Queen consort of Spain
as the second wife of Spanish King Philip IV (* 1605, r. 1621, † 1665).

The official languages are English, Chamorro, and Carolinian.
Land Area
rounded mi2 [km2]
184 [475] 		Population
(census 2010)
53,833 		Population Density
per mi2 [km2] of land area
293 [113]
The CNMI is divided in four municipalities,
Saipan, Tinian (including Aguijan), Rota, and the ten islands north of Saipan.


Colonial German Empire
Mariana Islands
The German Empire purchased on February 12, 1899 (German-Spanish treaty) the Micronesian island groups of the Marianas (except Guam), Carolinas, and Palau from the Kindgom of Spain. The official German take over of the Mariana Islands took place on June 18, 1899. The flag of the German Empire was raised on Saipan Island on November 17, 1899 and a German post office was established on the next day. Japanese military forces conquered Saipan early in World War I (1914 - 1918) on October 10, 1914. After the war Japan administered the former German possessions in Micronesia by League of Nations mandate of December 17, 1920.

The German Reichspost (OPD Bremen) issued the following set of definitive stamps in January, 1901. The stamps feature the yacht "SMY Hohenzollern" of the last German Emperor and King of Prussia Wilhelm II. (* 1859, r. 1888-1918, † 1941).


        

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