Mariana Islands. Information for tourists. Mariana archipelago

The Northern Mariana Islands is a state in the Pacific Ocean, made up of several volcanic islands rising from the depths of the Pacific Ocean. Nearby is the world's deepest oceanic trench, the Mariana Trench, diving into the depths of eleven kilometers. In this trench, one lithospheric plate dives under another, being processed into magma, which will then pour out through volcanoes.

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The Mariana Islands were discovered by Magellan in 1521, however, despite the fact that he was greeted there very friendly, he sailed away from there very unhappy. The natives did not understand that it was impossible to take someone else's property and full hands everything they reached when they got on the ship. Yes, then they dragged the boat away, for which Magellan called these islands "the islands of thieves", and marked it on the map. The islands weren't too interesting Spanish crown that was the ruler of this territory, in fact, only nominally. Nevertheless, missionaries periodically came here, whom the local population did not like and merchants, whom they loved, even adored. And he strove to give the girl a prettier one, because the merchants always gave different gifts. useful things and children.

And everything would be fine, but they sold the islands to Germany. The Germans started, it was there to create a German order, but they quickly got bogged down in wars on the continent and no attention was left to the islands. During the Second World War, the islands were captured by the Japanese and immediately began to actively plant on them. And even more actively, to participate in the breeding program, forcibly marrying their colonists to the natives. However, this violence was forced - almost all the natives died out from simple European diseases, so many mestizos were required, resistant to diseases.

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Mariana Islands, traditional center tourism. Here they willingly spend honeymoon travel. It is easy to order a banquet on the honey mountain, which hints at Honeymoon. Of course, river cruises are not available here, due to the lack of more or less significant rivers, but you can easily arrange a boat rental, just pay for relaxation and increased exoticism.

Helpful answer?

Visa to the Northern Mariana Islands

The Northern Mariana Islands are located in the Western Pacific Ocean and are legally part of the United States. The islands have representation at all American embassies. For this reason, the presence of an American visa in the passport is automatically a pass to the territory of the islands.

For citizens of Ukraine, Belarus and Russia, a visa is not needed if the purpose of the trip is tourism, and the period of stay on the territory of the islands will be no more than 30 days, taking into account the dates of arrival and departure. If these deadlines are violated, foreign tourist will have to pay a fine for each day over 30 nee according to the established tariffs, and in the future the violator customs regulations It may be difficult to get a US visa. However, before going on vacation to the Northern Mariana Islands, a tourist will need to obtain an entry permit or Visitor Entry Permit in advance. The tourist will need a permit when passing through border control at the Northern airport Mariana Islands. You can get a document from the Department of Immigration of the Commonwealth of the Mariana Islands. The issuance of this permit is initiated by the host (hotel or official organization on the islands), the organizer tourist trip or tourist:

If the permit is issued by a hotel or travel agency, the tourist must provide them with a scanned first page of the passport, purchased airline tickets, a completed application form and a declaration of financial condition.

If permission is granted...

Official name - Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands(Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana islands).

Located in the Western Pacific Ocean. The area is 477 km2, the population of the Mariana Islands is 80 thousand people. (2003). Official language- English. The administrative center of the Mariana Islands is the island of Saipan (over 50 thousand people, 2003). Public Holiday- Commonwealth Day January 8 (1978). The monetary unit of the Mariana Islands is the US dollar.

Member of the Pacific Community (formerly UTK, since 1983).

The Mariana Islands are located between 13° and 31° north latitude and 144° and 146° east longitude on 14 islands of the Mariana archipelago, stretching for 685 km from north to south. It borders on the south with Guam (the 15th island in the Mariana ridge, turning into the deepest Mariana Trench on the planet - 10,900 m).

All islands are volcanic and mountainous. Length coastline- 1482 km. The northern islands (9) are younger. active volcanoes are preserved on Pagan and Agrihan (an unnamed peak 965 m - the highest point in Micronesia). Ma-ug and Guguan - nature reserves wildlife, thousands of seabirds nest in the trees on the tops of the cliffs. Sarigan is rich in tropical vegetation, home to a large colony of wild goats. The southern islands (5), including the largest ones (Saipan, 125 km2, Tinian, 105 km2 and Rota, 101 km2), are older. On calcareous soils, coconut palms, heat-resistant cereals, sugar cane, etc. grow there. Saipan has 6 different landscapes, from volcanic hills to wet lowlands and sandy beaches.

Natural resources: fish stocks in the 200-mile economic zone.

The climate of the Mariana Islands is tropical, even throughout the year, the average temperature is + 30 ° C, drier than in other parts of Micronesia. The amount of precipitation is low - within 250 mm per year. Rainy season: July - November. At this time there are typhoons.

The population of the Mariana Islands is growing rapidly (3-4% per year), incl. through immigration. Most of the population is made up of Micronesian peoples (Chamorro, Carolinians, etc.), there are Europeans, Japanese, Chinese, Filipinos and Koreans. Chamorro (mostly oral) and Caroline are widely spoken. Less than 15% of the population speak English in families. Most Chamorrans speak some Japanese to communicate with tourists. Competently 97% of the adult population of the Mariana Islands. Life expectancy for men is 73 years, for women - 79 years. Infant mortality 5.5 pers. per 1000 newborns.

Most of the population of the Mariana Islands is concentrated on the island of Saipan, 5 more islands are inhabited.

dominates catholic religion coupled with maintaining adherence to traditional legends, beliefs and taboos.

In 1521 F. Magellan discovered the Mariana Islands. Their colonization in the 17th century. was accompanied by armed clashes between the Spaniards and the indigenous people - the Chamorros, most of whom were exterminated. They got their name in honor of Marianne of Austria - the widow of the Spanish king Philip IV. In 1899 Spain sold them to Germany. After the 1st World War, under the mandate of the League of Nations, the islands came under the control of Japan. In 1947, the United States received Mariana as one of the United Nations Trust Territories. Access to the islands was restricted due to US military installations. Most of Tinian (from where the B-29 aircraft took off for the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki) is still reserved for the use of the US Armed Forces. In 1972, negotiations began between representatives of the islands and the US government on the future status of the Marian. In 1975, they signed an Agreement establishing the Commonwealth of the Mariana Islands, which are "in political union" with the United States. Since 1978, after approval by referendum, the Marian Constitution came into effect, on the basis of which the first elections of legislative and executive power were held. In 1986, the aforementioned Agreement entered into force. In 1990, the UNCT abolished the status of a mandated territory in relation to the Commonwealth of the Mariana Islands.

The Mariana Islands is a self-governing Commonwealth "in political union" with the United States, which controls external Relations and defense. The head of state is the President of the United States. Indigenous people has American citizenship, but does not participate in American elections. Federal financing of the Marian economy is the responsibility of the US Department of the Interior.

The country does not have an administrative division, but there are 4 municipalities ( northern islands, Saipan, Tinian and Rota).

Executive power is exercised by the governor (Juan N. Wabauta) and the lieutenant governor (Diego T. Venevente), elected by direct universal suffrage for 4 years. The next elections are in 2005. In a bicameral Legislative Assembly 9 senators (elected for 4 years) and 18 members of the House of Representatives (for 2 years). The population of the islands also elects a "permanent representative" in the United States with residence in Washington (unlike Guam, which has its own delegate to the US House of Representatives).

Political parties: by analogy with the United States - Republican (its members are the current governor and permanent representative in Washington, 4 senators and 16 deputies of the lower house) and Democratic (3 senators and a deputy), Reform Party (senator), Agreement Party (deputy).

The Mariana Islands do not have diplomatic relations with the Russian Federation.

GDP per capita 12.5 thousand US dollars. The main sectors of the economy are the rapidly growing clothing industry and tourism. About 50% of the workforce is employed in the tourism industry (25% of GDP), another 35% (mostly Chinese) in the clothing industry. The number of foreign workers is more than 4 times higher than the number of local workers, among whom unemployment is high - 30%.

The role of agriculture is small. Coconut palm, breadfruit, vegetables and fruits are grown on small farms. Cattle are bred on the ranch. Fishing and processing of fish (mainly tuna) are of certain importance.

length highways- about 400 km. 2 seaports on Saipan and Tinian. Out of 6 airports, 3 have runways with a hard surface, there is a helipad.

The islands are visited annually by 500,000 or more foreign tourists (the Japanese predominate, the Marianas are the Pacific islands closest to them and memorable places battles of World War II).

US financial assistance is important for the Marian economy, but its share in the country's budget is last years declined as the local revenue base increased.

The main export item is garments. Food, fuel, construction materials and equipment are imported. The main partners are the USA and Japan.

The school system includes public (primary and secondary schools) and private schools. You can continue your education at the Northern Marian College, as well as at educational institutions in the United States.

Mariana Islands - an archipelago of fifteen large and several small islands in the west of the central Pacific Ocean. Islands form northern part the Western Pacific subregion of Micronesia and consist of two political and administrative entities: Guam and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands. Both have the status of an unincorporated organized territory of the United States. This means that they are not part of the United States, but are their property, and the US Constitution has a limited effect here. Moreover, the US Congress forms the local government.
The archipelago is divided into two chains - northern and southern, formed about 20 million years ago. The appearance of both chains above the surface of the water was the result of the displacement of the Pacific plate under the Mariana plate. Along the islands in the zone of convergence of two plates formed - the deepest section of the bottom of the oceans. As of 2011, its depth is 10,994 ± 40 m below sea level.
The islands of the northern chain are represented by cones of volcanoes, among which some are active, up to 965 m high. In total, there are about 50 underwater volcanoes; 11 stratovolcanoes form the islands. The southern chain is represented by coral and tectonic volcanoes.
The Mariana Islands are in a zone of tectonic activity, and earthquakes are not uncommon here. In addition, the archipelago is located in the zone tropical climate, so typhoons often pass here.
Unlike many Pacific Islands, the Mariana Islands are covered with dense thickets of tropical forests; there are also areas of savannahs, the vegetation of which is represented by flowerless cryptogamous plants: ferns, horsetails.

Discovery history

The Mariana Islands, located on the edge of the abyss of the Mariana Trench, were inhabited, presumably, no later than 1500-1400. BC e. The first inhabitants of the islands of the archipelago were settlers who arrived from Philippine Islands.
The islands were discovered by Europeans in the 16th century. The discoverer of the archipelago was Ferdinand Magellan himself (1480-1521), a Spanish-Portuguese navigator. During his famous - and the very first in history - world travel March 6, 1521 Magellan saw a chain of islands in the ocean. It is believed that great traveler landed on the island of Guam, but it could also be a small island near Guam.
Magellan tried to start an exchange and trade with local residents, who called themselves tao-tao-tano, or "people of the earth", and received the name khachamori (chamorro) from Europeans. They were typical Micronesians, and even managed to create a semblance of civilization. Its remains have been preserved on the island of Tinian in the form of limestone latte columns dating back to the 9th century.
But Magellan failed to establish a dialogue with the natives: they stole a ship's boat from the Europeans, thus provoking a serious conflict. As a result, the sailors killed seven Chamorros, returned the boat, replenished their food supplies and left the island. Magellan, in memory of the tragic events, named the archipelago the Robber Islands (Islas de los Ladrones).
The Mariana Islands stretch from north to south. The island of Guam, which is a separate administrative unit, is the largest and most south island archipelago. Its area is 541.3 km 2 - 77.7 km 2 more than the total area of ​​the rest of the land, bearing the name of the Northern Mariana Islands.
The Mariana Islands served for many years as a transit point for the Manila galleons of Spain, and in the 20th century. acquired military value. It was from here that the bombers took off that destroyed Hiroshima and Nagasaki.
The islands got their current name in 1667, when Spain officially claimed the rights to them. In Spanish, it sounded "Las Marianas", in honor of the Spanish Queen Marianne of Austria (1634-1696).
From the second half of the XVII century. colonization of the islands began, missionaries were sent here. Local leaders prevented the spread of Catholicism, and attacks on members of the mission led to a war between the Spaniards and the natives, which broke out in 1672 and lasted 25 years.
In just a hundred years of colonization most of Chamorro died from diseases brought to the islands by the Spaniards. Those who managed to survive mingled with the Spaniards. Mestizos - descendants of mixed marriages - still live in the Mariana Islands.
For the Spaniards, the islands served as an intermediate stop for the so-called Manila galleons, which sailed between the Mexican and Philippine islands. The islands remained Spanish colony until the Spanish-American War (1898), as a result of which the Spaniards handed over Guam to the Americans. This year began the political separation of Guam from other islands of the archipelago. Under an 1899 treaty, the Spaniards sold the remaining Mariana Islands to Germany, which annexed them to their New Guinea protectorate.
In 1914, Japan occupied the Northern Mariana Islands, creating large plantations of sugar cane here. Later, already during the Second World War, the archipelago became the scene of fierce battles between the Japanese and the Americans. Especially bloody for the islands was 1944, when the Americans lost more than 2 thousand people dead and wounded, and over 40 thousand Japanese were killed or committed hara-kiri. At first, the Japanese even managed to capture American Guam.
However, the Americans regained Guam and captured the Northern Mariana Islands, subsequently using them as an airfield to bomb Japan. Both aircraft with atomic bombs (Enola Gay and Boxcar), which dropped cargo on Hiroshima and Nagasaki on August 6 and 9, 1945, took off from the "Northern Airfield" of Tinian Island in the Marianas.
After the end of the war, all the Mariana Islands came under the full control of the United States. America did not begin to unite them with Guam, but created a separate administrative territory Northern Mariana Islands, where the head of state is a US-appointed governor.
On the island of Guam - the largest of the Mariana Islands - the Americans have equipped the largest Pacific naval and air force bases, including Andersen and Apra Harbor. They are served by the majority of the island's population. Here, on Guam, the city of Hagatna is located - the main passenger and fishing port of the archipelago.
At present, the Marianas have become tourist center in the western Pacific. Actually, it was thanks to the American military that the Marianas earned the fame of one of the best resort areas Pacific Ocean.
The most ancient attraction of the archipelago is the preserved latte stone pillars. The origin and purpose of the pillars are unknown, there are only suggestions that they served for some mysterious cult purposes. There are about 500 of them in total, and they are often compared with stone statues on Easter Island.

general information

Islands: 15 major islands(Agihan, Agrihan, Alamagan, Anatahan, Asuncion, Guam, Guguan, Maug, Pagan, Rota, Saipan, Sarigan, Tinian, Farallion de Medinilla, Farallion de Pajaros) and several small islands and reefs.
Origin of the islands: tectonic, volcanic, coral.

Administrative affiliation: unincorporated organized territories of the United States.

Administrative-territorial division: Guam Island, Northern Mariana Islands.

Administrative center: Hagatna (Guam Island) - 1051 people, 2010; Saipan (Northern Mariana Islands) - 48,220 people, 2010

Languages: Guam Island - English (official), Chamorro, Filipino languages; Northern Mariana Islands - Chamorro, English (official), Filipino, Chinese.

Ethnic composition: Guam Island: Chamorro - 37.1%, Filipino - 26.3%, other Oceanian - 11.3%, white - 6.9%, other Asian - 6.3%, other ethnic groups - 2.3%, mestizo - 9.8%, 2000; Northern Mariana Islands: Asian 56.3%, Oceanian 36.3%, Mestizo 4.8%, White 1.8%, Other 0.8%, 2000

Religions: Catholicism, local beliefs.

Currency unit: U.S. dollar.
The most important port: Hagatna (Guam Island).

The most important airports: international Airport them. Antonio B. Won Pata (Guam Island), Saipan International Airport. Francisco Sea Ada (Saipan, Northern Mariana Islands).

Numbers

Length: 2519 km.

Distance: 2500 km from the Philippine Islands, 2500 km from the island of New Guinea.
Guam Island

Area: 541.3 km2.

Population: 160,378 (2013).

Population density: 296.3 people / km 2.

Urban population: 93% (2010).

125.5 km.
The most high point: Peak Lamlam (406 m).
Northern Mariana Islands

Area: 463.6 km2.

Population: 51,170 (2013).

Population density: 110.4 people / km 2.

Urban population: 91% (2010).

Coastline length: 1482 km.
highest point: Agrikhan volcano on the island of the same name (965 m).

Climate and weather

Rainy season: July-October.

Average annual rainfall: 1800-2300 mm.
Relative humidity: 78-82%.

Frequent typhoons.

Economy

GDP: Guam ($4.6 billion, per capita - $28,700, 2010), Northern Mariana Islands ($733 million, per capita - $13,600, 2010).

Agriculture: crop production (sugar cane, bananas, coffee, cotton, taro, citrus fruits, copra, vegetables, breadfruit), animal husbandry (poultry, pig breeding, dairy and meat animal husbandry).
Maintenance of US Air Force and Navy bases (Guam Island).
Industry: construction, food, textile.
Minerals: phosphorites, sulfur, iron and manganese ores.
Fishing (tuna).
Service sector: tourism, trade, financial.

Attractions

Curious facts

■ The Limestone Latte Columns on Tinian Island are massive columns made of fossilized coral and limestone, up to 2 m wide and up to 4.5 m high, with a rounded top. Ancient Spanish sources report that burial urns of the Chamorro people were embedded in the columns. Images of the latte column are present on the flag and coat of arms of the Northern Mariana Islands.
■ In 1899, the Spaniards sold the northern part of the Mariana Islands to Germany for 837,500 German gold marks, which is about $4.1 million at the current exchange rate.
■ During World War II, Guam became the first American territory to be occupied by the Japanese. Japan captured the island by attacking it on December 8, 1941, the same day that Pearl Harbor was raided. The Japanese actually attacked Pearl Harbor on December 7th, but the International Date Line in the Pacific must be taken into account.
■ Residents of the island of Guam are recognized as US citizens without the right to vote in national elections. Guam has one non-voting delegate, elected for two years, in the US House of Representatives.

Perhaps one of the most mysterious places on the earth map Mariana Islands. This place, which is sometimes referred to as one of the best preserved mysterious corners of America, attracts hundreds of thousands of tourists with its unique nature and many historical sites.

Mariana Islands on the world map

Remoteness of the Mariana Islands from « mainland» makes them unique place where an atmosphere of peace and absolute carelessness reigns. real paradise for lovers of magnificent panoramas, unique sunsets and crystal clear air.

Where are they?

The Mariana Islands are a small Island state, whose territory covers 15 islands of the archipelago of the same name. They are located at the western end of the Pacific Ocean, in a region called micronesia.

Most travelers come here in search of solitude from the noise of megacities and in order to see with their own eyes the monuments of the “Battle for Pacific Ocean' during World War II.

The islands of the archipelago are located in such a way that they form two chains with a total length of more than 700 kilometers.

Due to the characteristics of its geographical location Mariana archipelago has no clear boundaries neighboring states. To the south of it are caroline islands (Federated States Micronesia). The conditional natural boundary separating the Philippine Sea from the Pacific Ocean passes at the location of the Mariana Islands.

Relief

Mariana archipelago consists of two chains located from the north and south. In the northern chain, most of the islands are formed as a result of volcanic activity cones over 900 meters high. Note that some of them are small. active volcanoes. The islands in the southern chain are partly volcanic, partly formed by corals.

The nature of the Mariana Islands is typical for the region of the tropics, there are many places where the human foot has hardly set foot. The coral reefs of the Marianas amaze with their splendor and fantastic shapes, and deepest place on the planet - 11-kilometer Mariana Trench is located just a few tens of kilometers from the archipelago.

The coastal waters abound with fish, the beaches stretch for thousands of meters, and the rich undersea world and strives to show all its splendor to lovers of diving and snorkeling.

Climate

The climate of the Mariana Islands is characterized as humid, tropical ocean.

The average air temperature in the daytime fluctuates around +28/+33 degrees Celsius, and at night it drops by only a few degrees to +23/+25 degrees.

Humidity quite high and reaches 75-85%. Two seasons are clearly distinguished: in the period from to the wind season begins in this area, and from to the time of typhoons begins.

How to get from Russia?

The easiest way to get here is from some countries in Asia (, Japan, South Korea) or from , therefore, among vacationers in the Mariana Islands, Japanese And Americans.

Due to the remoteness of the Mariana Islands from no direct flights in this direction.

To the airport of the main island of the archipelago - Saipan– can be reached by plane of Asian airlines. Transfers to flights in this direction are carried out in Shanghai, Tokyo or. The duration of such a flight will be about 16 hours, and this is without taking into account flight connections.

Choose plane tickets using this search form. Enter departure and arrival cities, date, number of passengers.

State structure

Picturesque Coral reefs, opportunities for fishing on the high seas, surfing and diving - all this is available today in abundance. But not all the time, life seemed like a fairy tale to the inhabitants of the Mariana Islands.

Story

The development of the Northern Mariana Islands took place many centuries ago - around 500 AD, the first settlers appeared here - Chamorro tribes having some kinship with the modern peoples of Polynesia. They were experienced sailors, actively explored the Pacific islands and left behind commemorative signs- the famous latte stones, the height of which could reach 6 meters.

It is curious that some historians see in latte stones some analogy with mysterious statues Easter islands.

European influence on the Marianas began with the legendary navigator Ferdinand Magellan, who was the first European to discover these lands during circumnavigation in 1521. On his ship, he passed through the southern group of islands of the archipelago and named them "Isla de los Ladrones", which in translation meant "Islands of thieves."

The name has been changed to "Las Marianas" in the middle of the 17th century, when the Spanish priest Luis Diego Sanvitores, who found himself in these parts, named them in honor of Queen Anna Maria of Austria.

In 1668 missionaries of the Jesuit order, led by Sanvitores, organized the first mission on the islands, with the appearance of which between local population and European colonists began conflicts. The war lasted two decades, and its result was the eviction of most of the natives on the island of Guam.

In the 19th century resettlement began Spaniards and settlers from the Caroline Islands to the Mariana Islands, gradually began to show interest in the archipelago and. In 1899, Spain sold the Northern Mariana Islands to the German government, which hoped to organize the industrial production of coconut pulp here. However, these plans were corrected by the outbreak of the First World War, and Japan, which turned out to be stronger and more interested, captured the islands.

The Japanese began to grow sugar cane on the islands, cutting down rainforests and thickets of coconut palms. In the 1930s, the Mariana cane plantations guaranteed the lion's share of Japan's profits.

Dramatic events unfolded in the area of ​​the archipelago in the years Second World War when the archipelago became the site of one of the fiercest and bloodiest battles in the Pacific. US military forces landed on the coast of Saipan in the summer of 1944 and simultaneously attacked the Japanese flotilla.

Thousands of soldiers of both armies became victims of the battle, but the civilian population of the islands suffered the maximum damage.

Subsequently, the United States set up a military airfield here, which was destined to go down in history. It was from this base that two heavy bombers took off into the sky, dropping atomic charges on Japanese cities Hiroshima and Nagasaki. With the end of the war, peace came to the islands, they were subordinate to the United Nations, and since 1947 they were influenced by the USA.

Policy

The Mariana Islands are a community with internal self-government. Since 1986, the status of the state has been in effect, "freely joined" to the United States, thanks to which the islands gained local self-government. The United States Custody ended in 1993. The state and the government are simultaneously headed by a governor elected by the population.

On the islands representative presidential democratic system. The main person in the state is the governor. The Marianas are in political union with the United States, and the general funds are managed by a special department within the US Department of the Interior.

Most likely, such an unpleasant ailment as acclimatization will overtake the Mariana Islands. Get ready for it with .

Population

The population of the Mariana Islands archipelago is approximately 700 thousand people. Among them are representatives different nationalities:

1. The vast majority of residents are Filipino ethnicity — 34%;
2. The second place is occupied by the nationality chamorro -30%;
3. On the third Chinese — 12%;
4. Close the list micronesians — 8%;
5. And people from caroline islands — 5%.

In addition, on the islands of the archipelago live Americans, Japanese, Koreans, Australians.

Religion and language

The official language of the Commonwealth is English. In second place is language of the Chamorro people, as well as an important role caroline, Philippine, Japanese, Korean And Chinese languages.

In the Mariana Archipelago, representatives of each religious group have their own organization and premises for the implementation of rituals.

Main religious movements:

• Catholicism;
• Protestantism;
• Islam;
• local religions and cults.

Numerous activities are taking place here. sects ranging from Mormons to Seventh Day Adventists.

Map of Mariana Islands with cities

Of the 17 islands of the archipelago, only 4 are inhabited: Saipan, Tinian, Rota and Guam.

Capital

The capital of the Mariana Islands is city ​​of Susupe located on the island of Saipan. It is very popular among tourists from and Japan, who come here in large numbers.

Susupe attracts with its unhurried, measured rhythm, the absence of cataclysms and upheavals, which is so important for a modern person.

In Susupa, you can enjoy warm summers all year round and forget about all your worries.

Big cities

• The largest city in the archipelago Garapan located in the western part of the island of Saipan. Most of the administrative buildings on the islands are concentrated here. The city is unique in that its boundaries are not clearly defined, and almost everywhere west coast the island stretches a chain of small villages and residential buildings surrounded by farms and lush gardens.
• big village Songsong- the biggest locality on the island of Rota. It is located in the southwestern part of the island. The usual city rules do not apply here - residents do just fine without traffic lights and shopping centers. At almost every step you can see all kinds of stones, which are used not only for construction, but also perform the function of marking.
• City hagatna- This administrative center the islands of Guam. It is located on a narrow isthmus that separates the Philippine Sea and the Pacific Ocean. The city was founded in 1668 by the Spaniards, who established the first Jesuit mission on the island. Here you can admire beautiful scenery and striking historical monuments.

Watch an informative video about the Mariana Islands: