— tinian —
Tinian lies about 160km (100 miles) north of Guam and is 101km² in area, just a 10-minute commuter flight from Saipan.
Tinian is of volcanic origin, with Mount Kastiyu as its highest point at 187m. The island’s largest settlement is the village of San Jose, and it has a population of over 3,000. The Chamorro people, native to the island, speak English, Japanese, and their indigenous Chamorro language.
As one of the three principal islands of the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI), Tinian is a U.S. commonwealth. Alongside the uninhabited neighboring island of Aguiguan, it forms Tinian Municipality—one of four constituent municipalities of the Northern Marianas.
Tinian is home to 36 historical sites in the north and 15 in the south. The island also boasts nine hotels and numerous stunning beaches—nine on the northern side and seven on the southern side—making it an ideal destination for snorkeling, scuba diving, and fishing.
Among its cultural landmarks is the House of Taga, one of the most famous sites in the Pacific. Early island settlers built post-raised houses around 1500 BC, with later generations constructing massive stone-pillar homes by the 1600s. The remains of these structures still stand today.
Recent History
Before World War II, Tinian was under Japanese administration and was a significant sugarcane-growing and processing center. After U.S.-led Allied forces captured it in 1944, the island was converted into a major U.S. military air base.
In August 1945, two U.S. bombers based on Tinian dropped atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, marking the end of World War II. A large portion of the island remains under U.S. military lease.
On July 26, 2024, Tinian Mayor Edwin P. Aldan organized the 80th anniversary commemoration of the Battle of Saipan and Tinian, honoring World War II heroes and indigenous lives lost during the battle.
On September 23, 2024, Tinian and Aguiguan were officially designated as an American World War II Heritage City, joining 30 other recognized localities. This designation acknowledges the contributions of American towns, cities, and communities that played vital roles in the U.S. war effort.