Statistical information Marshall Islands 1993

Marshall Islands in the World
top of pageBackground: 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.
top of pageLocation: Oceania, in the North Pacific Ocean, about two-thirds of the way between Hawaii and Papua New Guinea
Geographic coordinatesMap reference:
Oceania, Standard Time Zones of the WorldAreaTotal: 181.3 km²
Land: 181.3 km²
Land boundaries: 0 km
Coastline: 370.4 km
Contiguous zone: 24 nm
Exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Territorial sea: 12 nm
Maritime claimsClimate: wet season May to November; hot and humid; islands border typhoon belt
Terrain: low coral limestone and sand islands
ElevationNatural resources: phosphate deposits, marine products, deep seabed minerals
Land useArable land: 0%
Permanent crops: 60%
Meadows and pastures: 0%
Forest and woodland: 0%
Other: 40%
Irrigated land: NA km²
Major riversMajor watersheds area km²Total water withdrawalTotal renewable water resourcesNatural hazardsGeographytop of pagePopulationGrowth rate: 3.87% (1993 est.)
NationalityNoun: Marshallese (singular and plural)
Adjective: Marshallese
Ethnic groups: Micronesian
Languages: English (universally spoken and is the official language), two major Marshallese dialects from the Malayo-Polynesian family, Japanese
Religions: Christian (mostly Protestant)
Demographic profileAge structureDependency ratiosMedian agePopulation growth rate: 3.87% (1993 est.)
Birth rate: 46.65 births/1000 population (1993 est.)
Death rate: 7.91 deaths/1000 population (1993 est.)
Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1000 population (1993 est.)
Population distributionUrbanizationMajor urban areasEnvironmentCurrent issues: occasionally subject to typhoons; two archipelagic island chains of 30 atolls and 1,152 islands
Current issues note: Bikini and Eniwetok are former US nuclear test sites; Kwajalein, the famous World War II battleground, is now used as a US missile test range
Air pollutantsSex ratioMothers mean age at first birthMaternal mortality ratioInfant mortality rate: 50.5 deaths/1000 live births (1993 est.)
Life expectancy at birthTotal population: 62.79 years
Male: 61.27 years
Female: 64.38 years (1993 est.)
Total fertility rate: 6.99 children born/woman (1993 est.)
Contraceptive prevalence rateDrinking water sourceCurrent health expenditurePhysicians densityHospital bed densitySanitation facility accessHiv/AidsMajor infectious diseasesObesity adult prevalence rateAlcohol consumptionTobacco useChildren under the age of 5 years underweightEducation expendituresLiteracy: age 15 and over can read and write (1980)
Total population: 93%
Male: 100%
Female: 88%
School life expectancy primary to tertiary educationYouth unemploymenttop of pageCountry nameConventional long form: Republic of the Marshall Islands
Conventional short form: Marshall Islands
Former: Marshall Islands District (Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands)
Government type: constitutional government in free association with the US; the
Capital: Majuro
Administrative divisions: none
Dependent areasIndependence: 21 October 1986 (from the US-administered UN trusteeship)
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 participationCitizenshipSuffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch: president, Cabinet
Legislative branch: unicameral Nitijela (parliament)
Judicial branch: Supreme Court
Political parties and leadersInternational organization participation:
AsDB, ESCAP, IBRD, ICAO, IFC, IMF, INTERPOL, SPARTECA, SPC,
SPF, UN, UNCTAD, WHO
Diplomatic representationIn the us chief of mission: Ambassador Wilfred I. KENDALL
In the us chancery: 2,433 Massachusetts Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20,008
In the us telephone: (202) 234-5,414
From the us chief of mission: Ambassador David C. FIELDS
From the us embassy: NA address, Majuro
From the us mailing address: P. O. Box 1379, Majuro, Republic of the Marshall Islands 96,960-1379
From the us telephone: (011) 692-4,011
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 symbolsNational anthemNational heritagetop of pageEconomy 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 parityReal gdp growth rate: NA%
Real gdp per capita: $1,500 (1989 est.)
Gross national savingGdp composition by sector of origin
Gdp composition by end useGdp composition by sector of originAgriculture products: coconuts, cacao, taro, breadfruit, fruits, pigs, chickens
Industries: copra, fish, tourism; craft items from shell, wood, and pearls; offshore banking (embryonic)
Industrial production growth rate: growth rate NA%
Labor force: 4,800 (1986)
By occupation: NA
Unemployment rate: NA%
Youth unemploymentPopulation below poverty lineGini indexHousehold income or consumption by percentage shareDistribution of family income gini indexBudget: revenues $55 million; expenditures $NA, including capital expenditures of $NA (1987 est.)
Taxes and other revenuesPublic debtRevenueFiscal year: 1 October - 30 September
Inflation rate consumer pricesCentral bank discount rateCommercial bank prime lending rateStock of narrow moneyStock of broad moneyStock of domestic creditMarket value of publicly traded sharesCurrent account balanceExports: $2.5 million (f.o.b., 1985)
Commodoties: copra, copra oil, agricultural products, handicrafts
Partners: NA
Imports: $29.2 million (c.i.f., 1985)
Commodoties: foodstuffs, beverages, building materials
Partners: NA
Reserves of foreign exchange and goldDebt externalStock of direct foreign investment at homeStock of direct foreign investment abroadExchange ratestop of pageElectricityProduction: 42,000 kW capacity; 80 million kWh produced, 1,840 kWh per capita (1990)
CoalPetroleumCrude oilRefined petroleumNatural gasCarbon dioxide emissionsEnergy consumption per capitatop of pageTelephonesTelephone systemBroadcast mediaInternetBroadband fixed subscriptionstop of pageMilitary expendituresMilitary and security forcesMilitary service age and obligationSpace programTerrorist groupstop of pageNational air transport systemCivil aircraft registration country code prefixAirports: 16
Usable: 16
With permanentsurface runways: 4
With runways over 3659m: 0
With runways 2440-3659 m: 0
With runways 1220-2439 m: 8
HeliportsPipelinesRailwaysRoadwaysWaterwaysMerchant marine:
29 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 1,786,070
GRT/3,498,895 DWT; includes 2 cargo, 1 container, 9 oil tanker, 15 bulk carrier, 2 combination ore/oil; note - a flag of convenience registry
Ports and terminalstop of pageDisputes international: claims US territory of Wake Island
Refugees and internally displaced personsIllicit drugs