Map of Marshall Islands | Geography | People | Government | Economy | Energy | Communication
Military | Transportation | Transnational Issues | Year: Guide198919901991199219931994199519961997199819992000200120022003200420052006200720082009201020112012201320142015201620172018201920202021202220232024 | More stats

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Background: After almost four decades under US administration as the easternmost part of the UN Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands the Marshall Islands attained independence in 1986 under a Compact of Free Association. Compensation claims continue as a result of US nuclear testing on some of the islands between 1947 and 1962.


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Location

Geographic coordinates

Map reference

Area

Land boundaries: none

Coastline: 370.4 km

Maritime claims
Contiguous zone: 12 nm
Continental shelf: 200 meters
Extended economic zone: 200 nm
Territorial sea: 12 nm

Climate: wet season May to November; hot and humid; islands border typhoon belt

Terrain: low coral limestone and sand islands

Elevation

Natural resources: phosphate deposits, marine products, deep seabed minerals

Land use: 0% arable land; 60% permanent crops; 0% meadows and pastures; 0% forest and woodland; 40% other

Irrigated land

Major rivers

Major watersheds area km²

Total water withdrawal

Total renewable water resources

Natural hazards

Geography
Note: defense is the responsibility of the US


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Population: 42,018 (July 1989), growth rate 3.4% (1989)

Nationality: noun - Marshallese; adjective - Marshallese

Ethnic groups: almost entirely Micronesian

Languages: English universally spoken and is the official language; two major Marshallese dialects from Malayo-Polynesian family; Japanese

Religions: predominantly Christian, mostly Protestant

Demographic profile

Age structure

Dependency ratios

Median age

Population growth rate

Birth rate: 39 births/1000 population (1989)

Death rate: 5 deaths/1000 population (1989)

Net migration rate: 1 migrant/1000 population (1989)

Population distribution

Urbanization

Major urban areas

Environment
Current issues: occasionally subject to typhoons; two archipelagic island chains of 30 atolls and 1,152 islands

Air pollutants

Sex ratio

Mothers mean age at first birth

Maternal mortality ratio

Infant mortality rate: 43 deaths/1000 live births (1989)

Life expectancy at birth: 70 years male, 75 years female (1989)

Total fertility rate: 5.9 children born/woman (1989)

Contraceptive prevalence rate

Drinking water source

Current health expenditure

Physicians density

Hospital bed density

Sanitation facility access

Hiv/Aids

Major infectious diseases

Obesity adult prevalence rate

Alcohol consumption

Tobacco use

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

Education expenditures

Literacy: 90%

School life expectancy primary to tertiary education

Youth unemployment


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Country name: conventional long form: Republic of the Marshall Islands

Government type: constitutional government in free association with the US; the Compact of Free Association entered into force 21 October 1986

Capital: Majuro

Administrative divisions: none

Dependent areas

Independence: 21 October 1986 (from the US-administered UN trusteeship; formerly the Marshall Islands District of the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands)

National holiday: Proclamation of the Republic of the Marshall Islands, 1 May (1979)

Constitution: 1 May 1979

Legal system: based on adapted Trust Territory laws, acts of the legislature, municipal, common, and customary laws

International law organization participation

Citizenship

Suffrage: universal over age 18

Executive branch: Chief of State and Head of Government - President Amata KABUA (since 1979)

Legislative branch: parliamentary type of government with legislative authority vested in the 33-member Nitijela (parliament) and a Council of Iroij (or chiefs), a consultative body; supreme court, high court

Judicial branch

Political parties and leaders

International organization participation: SPF, ESCAP (associate)

Diplomatic representation
In the us: Representative Wilfred I. KENDALL; Representative Office at Suite 1004, 1901 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Washington DC 20,006; telephone (202) 223-4,952; US - Representative Samuel B. THOMSEN; US Office at NA address (mailing address is P. O. Box 680, Majuro, Republic of the Marshall Islands 96,960; telephone 692-9-3,348

Flag description: blue with two stripes radiating from the lower hoist-side corner - orange (top) and white; there is a white star with four large rays and 20 small rays on the hoist side above the two stripes

National symbols

National anthem

National heritage


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Economy overview: Agriculture and tourism are the mainstays of the economy. Agricultural production is concentrated on small farms, and the most important commercial crops are coconuts, tomatoes, melons, and breadfruit. A few cattle ranches supply the domestic meat market. Small-scale industry is limited to handicrafts, fish processing, and copra. The tourist industry is the primary source of foreign exchange and employs about 10% of the labor force. The islands have few natural resources, and imports far exceed exports. In 1987 the US Government provided grants of $40 million out of the Marshallese budget of $55 million.

Real gdp purchasing power parity

Real gdp growth rate

Real gdp per capita

Gross national saving

Gdp composition by end use

Gdp composition by sector of origin

Agriculture products: coconuts, cacao, taro, breadfruit, fruits, copra; pigs, chickens

Industries: copra, fish, tourism; craft items from shell, wood, and pearl; offshore banking (embryonic)

Industrial production growth rate: NA%

Labor force: 4,800 (1986)

Unemployment rate: NA%

Youth unemployment

Population below poverty line

Gini index

Household income or consumption by percentage share

Distribution of family income gini index

Budget: revenues $55 million; expenditures NA, including capital expenditures of NA (1987 est.)

Taxes and other revenues

Public debt

Revenue

Fiscal year: 1 October-30 September

Inflation rate consumer prices

Central bank discount rate

Commercial bank prime lending rate

Stock of narrow money

Stock of broad money

Stock of domestic credit

Market value of publicly traded shares

Current account balance

Exports: $2.5 million (f.o.b., 1985)
Commodities: copra, copra oil, agricultural products, handicrafts
Partners: NA

Imports: $29.2 million (c.i.f., 1985)
Commodities: foodstuffs, beverages, building materials
Partners: NA

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

Debt external: $NA

Stock of direct foreign investment at home

Stock of direct foreign investment abroad

Exchange rates: US currency is used


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Electricity
Capacity: 12,000 kW capacity; 10 million kWh produced, 250 kWh per capita (1988)

Coal

Petroleum

Crude oil

Refined petroleum

Natural gas

Carbon dioxide emissions

Energy consumption per capita


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Telephones

Telephone system

Broadcast media

Internet

Broadband fixed subscriptions


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Military expenditures

Military and security forces

Military service age and obligation

Space program

Terrorist groups


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National air transport system

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

Airports: 5 total, 5 usable; 4 with permanent-surface runways; 5 with runways 1,220-2,439 m

Heliports

Pipelines

Railways

Roadways

Waterways

Merchant marine: 2 tankers (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 413,657 GRT/834,690 DWT; note - a flag of convenience registry

Ports and terminals


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Disputes international: claims US-administered Wake Island

Refugees and internally displaced persons

Illicit drugs