Saipan ( IPA : ( saÉ ` pÃ n ) , ( saÉ ` pÉ ` n ) , or ( ` saÉ pÃ n ) in English ) is the largest island and capital of the United States Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands ( CNMI ) , a chain of 15 tropical islands which are part of the Marianas archipelago in the western Pacific Ocean ( 15 Â 10 â 51 â N , 145 Â 45 â 21 â E ) with a total area of 115.39 kmÂ ( 44.55 sq mi ) . The 2000 census population was 62,392 . Saipan is the largest island of the United States Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands ( CNMI ) , a chain of 15 tropical islands belonging to the Marianas archipelago in the western Pacific Ocean ( 15 Â 10 â 51 â N , 145 Â 45 â 21 â E ) with a total area of 44.55 s. The 2000 census population was 62,392 .