The following outline is provided as an overview of and topical guide to the Northern Mariana Islands: The Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI) is an island country in the western North Pacific Ocean that maintains a political union with the United States. The Northern Mariana Islands comprise 15 islands about three-quarters of the way from Hawaii to the Philippines, at 15°1′2″N 145°4′5″E / 15.01722°N 145.06806°E. The United States Census Bureau reports the total land area of all islands as 179.01 sq mi (463.63 km2).