Climate
Tropical marine; moderated by northeast trade winds, little seasonal temperature variation. Dry season December to June, rainy season July to October. The typhoon, or hurricane, season lasts several months and starts in late August to early September.
Understand
Tinian is a small island 50 miles 80 km north of Guam and about 5 miles 8 km southwest of its sister island, Saipan, from which it is separated by the Saipan Channel. The island has a land area of 39 sq.mi. 101.01 km².
Tinian is the least populated of the three main Mariana Islands that constitute the Commonwealth of the Northern Marianas Federated States of Micronesia.
A covenant to establish a Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands in political union with the United States of America formally defines the unique relationship between the Northern Mariana Islands and the United States, as two separate but equal sovereign entities, recognizing U.S. sovereignty but limiting in some respects the applicability of federal law.
The covenant was negotiated over the course of 27 months December 1972 to February 1975 by the Marianas Political Status Commission an organization representing the Northern Mariana Islands and a delegation representing the United States. The proposed Covenant was signed by negotiators on 15 February, 1975, in Saipan.
Some covenant provisions became effective on 24 March, 1976, the date of final approval. Remaining provisions took effect on 9 January, 1978, and 4 November, 1986, being the dates specified in Presidential proclamations. On the latter date, qualified residents of the Northern Mariana Islands became U.S. citizens. On 29 June, 2009 U.S. Immigration Laws were to take effect; however, they were delayed until 28 November, 2009.