
Julian Assange is traveling to a courtroom on the Pacific island of Saipan, where he intends to enter a guilty plea to a single criminal charge as part of a plea agreement that will allow him to return home to Australia.
About Saipan Island:
- Located in the Western Pacific Ocean, Saipan serves as the capital of the Northern Mariana Islands (NMI).
- The NMI, a US commonwealth, stretches across 14 islands and begins approximately 70 km north of Guam.
- Saipan was colonized by Spain, Germany, and Japan before the United States took control during World War Two.
- Like other territories such as Guam or Puerto Rico, the Northern Mariana Islands are part of the US but do not have the full status of a state.
- In 1975, a vote by the territory's residents resulted in joining the United States as a territory. The territory has a permanent delegate in the US House of Representatives but cannot vote.
- Mount Tapochau is the highest point on Saipan.
- Tourism, particularly from Korean and Chinese visitors, is the cornerstone of the economy.
- Saipan is unique in the United States in that Chinese citizens can enter without a visa.
What is an Island?
- An island is any landmass smaller than a continent and completely surrounded by water.
- Islands can be found in oceans, seas, lakes, or rivers. A group of islands is known as an archipelago.