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

Area
Total: 181.3 km²
Land: 181.3 km²
Comparative: slightly larger than Washington, DC
Comparative 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
Extremes lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
Extremes highest point: unnamed location on Likiep 10 m

Natural resources:

Land use
Arable land: 0%
Permanent crops: 60%
Permanent pastures: 0%
Forests and woodland: 0%
Other: 40%

Irrigated land: NA

Major rivers

Major watersheds area km²

Total water withdrawal

Total renewable water resources

Natural hazards

Geography


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Population:
Growth rate:

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:
15-64 years:
65 years and over:

Dependency ratios

Median age

Population growth rate:

Birth rate:

Death rate:

Net migration rate:

Population distribution

Urbanization

Major urban areas

Environment
Current issues: inadequate supplies of potable water
Current issues Natural hazards: occasional typhoons
International agreements: party to_Biodiversity, Climate Change, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution
International agreements note: Two archipelagic island chains of 30 atolls and 1,152 islands; Bikini and Eniwetak are former U.S. nuclear test sites; Kwajalein, the famous World War II battleground, is now used as a U.S. missile test range

Air pollutants

Sex ratio
At birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
Under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.88 male(s)/female
All ages:

Mothers mean age at first birth

Maternal mortality ratio

Infant mortality rate

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 63.81 years (1996 est.), 63.49 years (1995 est.)
Male: 62.25 years 91,996 est.), 61.94 years (1995 est.)
Female: 65.45 years (1996 est.), 65.11 years (1995 est.)

Total fertility rate:

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
Definition: age 15 and over that 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 U.S.; 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 NA 1979) was elected for a four-year term by the Nitijela from among its own members; election last held 20 November 1995 (next to be held NA 1999); results_President Amata KABUA was reelected
Cabinet: Cabinet; president selects from the parliament

Legislative branch: Unicameral Parliament (Nitijela):Elections last held 20 November 1995 (next to be held NA November 1999; results_percent of vote NA; seats_(33 total) seats by party NA

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, UNESCO, WHO

Diplomatic representation

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 government is drafting economic reforms designed to increase revenue and compensate for reductions in US Government grants_in 1994, the US Government provided grants of $50 million, equal to 55% of the Marshall Islands' GDP. About 25% of the government's 1995/96 budget is devoted to debt repayment.

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, pigs, chickens

Industries:

Industrial production growth rate: 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: $67.2 million (FY94/95 est.), $106 million (1993)
Expenditures: $79.6 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (FY94/95 est.), $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:
Commodities:
Partners:

Imports
Total value:
Commodities:
Partners:

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

Debt external: $170 million (1994)

Stock of direct foreign investment at home

Stock of direct foreign investment abroad

Exchange rates: U.S. currency is used


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Electricity
Capacity: 42,000 kW
Production: 80 million kWh
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: 800 telephones (1988 est.)
Domestic: islands interconnected by shortwave radio (used mostly for government purposes)
International: 2 INTELSAT (Pacific Ocean) earth stations; U.S. 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
15-24 to 2437 m: 1
914 to 1523 m: 6
Under 914 m: 5

Heliports

Pipelines

Railways

Roadways

Waterways

Merchant marine
Total: 78 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 3,068,782 GRT/5,073,125 DWT
Ships by type: bulk carrier 43, cargo 4, combination ore/oil 1, container 17, oil tanker 11, refrigerated cargo 1, vehicle carrier 1 (1995 est.)

Ports and terminals


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Disputes international

Refugees and internally displaced persons

Illicit drugs