Filipinos outnumber locals, other Asians in the CNMI

In the last 20 years, Filipinos outnumbered any other ethnic group in the Northern Mariana Islands based on two consecutive decennial studies.

In the 2020 census, of the 47,329 total residents in the islands, there were 15,456 who identified as Filipinos; conversely, there were 12,001 Chamorros, and 2,271 Carolinians. In the vicissitudes of 10 years, the number of Filipinos has significantly dwindled from the 19,017 tally of the 2010 census. Local population, on the other hand, decreased by about 7.2%, from 12,902 Chamorros and 2,461 Carolinians based on 2010 census.

In the latest census sweep through the islands, there were more Asians (22,054) than indigenous Pacific Islanders (20,665). Filipinos comprised 70% of the 22,054 total Asians in the CNMI. Complementing this Filipino majority were 3,270 Chinese, 1,269 Koreans, 845 Bangladeshis, 434 Japanese, 163 Thais, and 31 Nepalese.

Meanwhile, within the islander populace of 20,665, distinct ethnic clusters emerged, with 12,001 identifying as Chamorros, 2,271 as Carolinian, 1,403 as Chuukese, 823 as Palauans, 428 as Pohnpeians, 276 as Yapese, 56 as Marshallese, 45 as Kosraeans, and an additional 3,362 categorized under ‘others.’

Remarkably, data from the U.S. Census Bureau underscores a 12.2% decline in population from the preceding 2010 census, which had tabulated a total of 53,383 individuals.

This demographic sea change echoes a trend observed in the 2010 census, wherein the presence of Asians had already surpassed that of indigenous islanders, signifying a continuing shift in the region’s ethnic landscape.

2010 Census

In the census data of 2010 for the Northern Mariana Islands, it was observed that the number of residents with Asian heritage surpassed those of Pacific Islander descent. Within the total populace of 53,883 individuals, 18,800 identified as Pacific Islanders, while 26,908 were of Asian origin.

Further examination revealed a diverse mix of ethnicities, with 55 African Americans, 54 Hispanic/Latinos, 1,117 Caucasians, 117 from other ethnic backgrounds, and 6,932 identifying with two or more ethnic origins.

Among the Pacific Islanders, there were notable populations of different groups, including 2,461 Carolinians, 12,902 Chamorros, 1,242 Chuukese, 37 Kosraeans, 68 Marshallese, 1,169 Palauans, 425 Pohnpeians, as well as smaller numbers of Yapese and Native Hawaiians.

Meanwhile, the Asian population was predominantly represented by Filipinos, totaling 19,017 individuals. They were followed by Chinese nationals (excluding Taiwanese) with 3,659, Koreans with 2,253, Japanese with 795, Bangladeshis with 501, Thais with 266, Nepalese with 227, and 190 from other Asian backgrounds.

The distribution of these populations across the islands varied, with the majority of Pacific Islanders and Native Hawaiians residing on Saipan, totaling 16,210, followed by 1,222 on Tinian, and 1,368 on Rota.

Delving into the specifics of residency patterns, on Saipan, for instance, the majority of Pacific Islanders lived in District 1, followed by District 3, District 5, District 2, and District 4 respectively.

Similarly, different ethnic groups within the Pacific Islander category showed distinct residency patterns. For example, Carolinians were mostly concentrated in District 3, Chamorros were spread across the districts, and Chuukese were predominantly found in Districts 1 and 3.

Filipinos constituted the largest proportion of the Asian population, making up 70.67% of the total Asian populace and 35.29% of the overall CNMI population in 2010. The majority of Filipinos resided on Saipan, with smaller numbers on Tinian and Rota, distributed across the districts of Saipan according to varied proportions.