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: Oceania, group of atolls and reefs in the North Pacific Ocean, about one-half of the way from Hawaii to Papua New Guinea

Geographic coordinates

Map reference: Oceania

Area
Total area total: 181.3 km²
Land: 181.3 km²
Comparative: slightly larger than Washington, DC
Note: includes the atolls of Bikini, Eniwetak, and Kwajalein

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 370.4 km

Maritime claims
Contiguous zone: 24 nm
Exclusive 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
Arable land: 0%
Permanent crops: 60%
Meadows and pastures: 0%
Forest and woodland: 0%
Other: 40%

Irrigated land: NA km²

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: 56,157 (July 1995 est.)
Growth rate: 3.86% (1995 est.)

Nationality
Noun: 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 profile

Age structure
0-14 years: 51% (female 13,950; male 14,547)
15-64 years: 47% (female 12,801; male 13,470)
65 years and over: 2% (female 740; male 649) (July 1995 est.)

Dependency ratios

Median age

Population growth rate: 3.86% (1995 est.)

Birth rate: 46.03 births/1000 population (1995 est.)

Death rate: 7.48 deaths/1000 population (1995 est.)

Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1000 population (1995 est.)

Population distribution

Urbanization

Major urban areas

Environment
Current issues: inadequate supplies of potable water
Current issues natural hazards: occasional typhoons
Current issues international agreements: party to - Biodiversity, Climate Change, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution

Air pollutants

Sex ratio

Mothers mean age at first birth

Maternal mortality ratio

Infant mortality rate: 48 deaths/1000 live births (1995 est.)

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 63.49 years
Male: 61.94 years
Female: 65.11 years (1995 est.)

Total fertility rate: 6.89 children born/woman (1995 est.)

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: age 15 and over can read and write (1980)
Total population: 93%
Male: 100%
Female: 88%

School life expectancy primary to tertiary education

Youth unemployment


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Country name
Conventional 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 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)

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: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch
Chief of state and head of government: President Amata KABUA (since 1979); election last held 6 January 1992 (next to be held NA); results - President Amata KABUA was reelected
Cabinet: Cabinet; president selects from the parliament

Legislative branch: unicameral
Parliament Nitijela: elections last held 18 November 1991 (next to be held November 1995); results - percent of vote NA; seats - (33 total) independents 33

Judicial branch: Supreme Court

Political parties and leaders

International organization participation: AsDB, ESCAP, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IFC, IMF, INTELSAT (nonsignatory user), INTERPOL, SPARTECA, SPC, SPF, UN, UNCTAD, WHO

Diplomatic representation
In 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: [1] (202) 234-5,414
In the us FAX: [1] (202) 232-3,236
In the us consulates general: Honolulu and Los Angeles
From the us chief of mission: Ambassador David C. FIELDS
From the us embassy: address NA, Majuro
From the us mailing address: P. O. Box 1379, Majuro, Republic of the Marshall Islands 96,960-1379
From the us telephone: [692] 247-4,011
From the us FAX: [692] 247-4,012

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. The US Government provides about 70% of the budget.

Real gdp purchasing power parity

Real gdp growth rate: 6% (1992)

Real gdp per capita: $1,500 (1992 est.)

Gross national saving

Gdp composition by end use

Gdp composition by sector of origin

Agriculture 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: NA%

Labor force: 4,800 (1986)
By occupation: NA

Unemployment rate: 16% (1991 est.)

Youth unemployment

Population below poverty line

Gini index

Household income or consumption by percentage share

Distribution of family income gini index

Budget
Revenues: $106 million
Expenditures: $128.7 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1993)

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: $3.9 million (f.o.b., 1992 est.)
Commodoties: coconut oil, fish, live animals, trichus shells
Partners: US, Japan, Australia

Imports: $62.9 million (c.i.f., 1992 est.)
Commodoties: foodstuffs, machinery and equipment, beverages and tobacco, fuels
Partners: US, Japan, Australia

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: 42,000 kW
Production: 80 million kWh
Production consumption per capita: 1,840 kWh (1990)

Coal

Petroleum

Crude oil

Refined petroleum

Natural gas

Carbon dioxide emissions

Energy consumption per capita


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Telephones

Telephone system: 570 telephones (Majuro) and 186 telephones (Ebeye); telex services
Local: NA
Intercity: islands interconnected by shortwave radio (used mostly for government purposes)
International: 2 INTELSAT (Pacific Ocean) earth stations; US Government satellite communications system on Kwajalein

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: 16
With paved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 3
With paved runways 914 to 1523 m: 1
With paved runways under 914 m: 5
With unpaved runways 15-24 to 2438 m: 1
With unpaved runways 914 to 1523 m: 6

Heliports

Pipelines

Railways

Roadways

Waterways

Merchant marine
Total: 37 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 2,205,275 GRT/4,263,247 DWT
Ships by type: bulk carrier 23, cargo 1, combination ore/oil 1, oil tanker 12

Ports and terminals


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Disputes international: claims US territory of Wake Island

Refugees and internally displaced persons

Illicit drugs