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EncyclopediaSaipanSaipan (sī'păn, sīpän') [key], volcanic island (2000 pop. 62,392), 47 sq mi (122 sq km), W Pacific, capital of the Northern Mariana Islands. It is mountainous; the highest peak is Mt. Tagpochau (1,526 ft/465 m). Clothing is the main export, but sugarcane, coffee, citrus fruits, and coconuts are grown, and the island has phosphate and manganese deposits. The main campus of Northern Marianas College is on the island. Saipan, with the other Marianas, was mandated to Japan in 1920 by the League of Nations. In World War II the island (site of a Japanese airbase) was taken by U.S. forces in 1944 and became a base for air attacks on the Japanese mainland. From 1953 to 1962 Saipan was used to train Nationalist Chinese guerrillas for infiltration of the Chinese mainland. The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, 6th ed. Copyright © 2007, Columbia University Press. All rights reserved. More on Saipan from Infoplease:
- Northern Mariana Islands - Information on Northern Mariana Islands — geography, history, politics, government, economy, population statistics, culture, religion, languages, largest cities.
- Saipan: meaning and definitions - Saipan: Definition and Pronunciation
- Suggestions for spelling of encyclopedia/saipan - The Infoplease spelling checker combines spelling help with our dictionary and thesaurus
- North Mariana Islands: meaning and definitions - North Mariana Islands: Definition and Pronunciation
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