Map of Marshall Islands | Geography | People | Government | Economy | Energy | Communication
Military | Transportation | Transnational Issues | Year: Guide1989199019911992199319941995199619971998199920002001200220032004200520062007200820092010201120122013201420152016201720182019202020212022202320242025 | More stats

top of page


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 atolls between 1947 and 1962. The Marshall Islands hosts the US Army Kwajalein Atoll Reagan Missile Test Site a key installation in the US missile defense network. Kwajalein also hosts one of four dedicated ground antennas (the others are on Ascension (Saint Helena Ascension and Tristan da Cunha) Diego Garcia (British Indian Ocean Territory) and at Cape Canaveral Florida (US)) that assist in the operation of the Global Positioning System (GPS) navigation system.


top of page


Location: Oceania two archipelagic island chains of 29 atolls each made up of many small islets and five single islands in the North Pacific Ocean about halfway between Hawaii and Australia

Geographic coordinates: 9 00 N 168 00 E

Map reference: Oceania

Area
Total: 181 km²
Land: 181 km²
Water: 0 km²
Note: the archipelago includes 11,673 km² of lagoon waters and encompasses the atolls of Bikini Enewetak Kwajalein Majuro Rongelap and Utirik
Rank: 217
Comparative: about the size of Washington DC

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 370.4 km

Maritime claims
Territorial sea: 12 nm
Contiguous zone: 24 nm
Exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

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

Terrain: low coral limestone and sand islands

Elevation
Mean elevation: 2 m
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m: highest point: East-central Airik Island Maloelap Atoll 14 m

Natural resources: coconut products marine products deep seabed minerals

Land use
Agricultural land: 50.7%
Forest: 49.3%
Other: 0%

Irrigated land: 0 km² (2012)

Major rivers

Major watersheds area km²

Total water withdrawal

Total renewable water resources

Natural hazards: infrequent typhoons

Geography
Note: the islands of Bikini and Enewetak are former US nuclear test sites; Kwajalein atoll famous as a World War II battleground surrounds the world's largest lagoon and is used as a US missile test range; the island city of Ebeye is the second largest settlement in the Marshall Islands after the capital of Majuro and one of the most densely populated locations in the Pacific


top of page


Population
Distribution: most people live in urban clusters found on many of the country's islands; more than two-thirds of the population lives on the atolls of Majuro and Ebeye: 74,539 (July 2017 est.)
Rank: 201
Growth rate: 1.55% (2017 est.)
Growth rate rank: 74
Below poverty line: NA%

Nationality
Noun: Marshallese
Adjective: Marshallese

Ethnic groups: Marshallese 92.1% mixed Marshallese 5.9% other 2% (2006)

Languages: Marshallese (official) 98.2% other languages 1.8% (1999 census)
Note: English widely spoken as a second language

Religions: Protestant 54.8% Assembly of God 25.8% Roman Catholic 8.4% Bukot nan Jesus 2.8% Mormon 2.1% other Christian 3.6% other 1% none 1.5% (1999 census)

Demographic profile

Age structure
0-14 years: 34.89%
15-24 years: 18%
25-54 years: 37.28%
55-64 years: 5.82%
65 years and over: 4.02% (2017 est.)

Dependency ratios

Median age
Total: 22.9 years
Male: 22.8 years
Female: 23 years
Rank: 171

Population growth rate: 1.55% (2017 est.)
Rank: 74

Birth rate: 24.4 births/1000 population (2017 est.)
Rank: 51

Death rate: 4.2 deaths/1000 population (2017 est.)
Rank: 208

Net migration rate: -4.7 migrant(s)/1000 population (2017 est.)
Rank: 188

Population distribution: most people live in urban clusters found on many of the country's islands; more than two-thirds of the population lives on the atolls of Majuro and Ebeye

Urbanization
Urban population: 73.2% of total population
Rate of urbanization: 1.07% annual rate of change

Major urban areas
Population: MAJURO (capital) 31,000 (2014)

Environment
Current issues: inadequate supplies of potable water; pollution of Majuro lagoon from household waste and discharges from fishing vessels
International agreements party to: Biodiversity Climate Change Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol Desertification Hazardous Wastes Law of the Sea Ozone Layer Protection Ship Pollution Wetlands Whaling
International agreements signed but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Air pollutants

Sex ratio
At birth: 1.05 male/female
0-14 years: 1.04 male/female
15-24 years: 1.03 male/female
25-54 years: 1.04 male/female
55-64 years: 1.04 male/female
65 years and over: 0.97 male/female
Total population: 1.04 male/female

Mothers mean age at first birth: 20.7 years
Note: median age at first birth among women 25-29

Maternal mortality ratio

Infant mortality rate
Total: 19.3 deaths/1000 live births
Male: 21.8 deaths/1000 live births
Female: 16.7 deaths/1000 live births
Rank: 83

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 73.4 years
Male: 71.2 years
Female: 75.7 years
Rank: 137

Total fertility rate: 3.03 children born/woman (2017 est.)
Rank: 54

Contraceptive prevalence rate: 44.6% (2007)

Drinking water source:

Current health expenditure

Physicians density: 0.46 physicians/1000 population (2012)

Hospital bed density: 2.7 beds/1000 population (2010)

Sanitation facility access:

Hiv/Aids
Adult prevalence rate: NA
People living with hivaids: NA
Deaths: NA

Major infectious diseases
Note: active local transmission of Zika virus by Aedes species mosquitoes has been identified in this country ; it poses an important risk (a large number of cases possible) among US citizens if bitten by an infective mosquito; other less common ways to get Zika are through sex via blood transfusion or during pregnancy in which the pregnant woman passes Zika virus to her fetus (2016)

Obesity adult prevalence rate: 52.9% (2016)
Rank: 4

Alcohol consumption

Tobacco use

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

Education expenditures

Literacy
Definition: age 15 and over can read and write
Total population: 98.3%
Male: 98.3%
Female: 98.2%

School life expectancy primary to tertiary education

Youth unemployment


top of page


Country name
Conventional long form: Republic of the Marshall Islands
Conventional short form: Marshall Islands
Local long form: Republic of the Marshall Islands
Local short form: Marshall Islands
Abbreviation: RMI
Former: Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands Marshall Islands District
Etymology: named after British Captain John MARSHALL who charted many of the islands in 1788

Government type: presidential republic in free association with the US

Capital
Name: Majuro; note - the capital is an atoll of 64 islands; governmental buildings are housed on three fused islands: Djarrit Uliga and Delap
Geographic coordinates: 7 06 N 171 23 E
Time difference: UTC+12

Administrative divisions: 24 municipalities; Ailinglaplap Ailuk Arno Aur Bikini & Kili Ebon Enewetak & Ujelang Jabat Jaluit Kwajalein Lae Lib Likiep Majuro Maloelap Mejit Mili Namdrik Namu Rongelap Ujae Utrik Wotho Wotje

Dependent areas

Independence: 21 October 1986 (from the US-administered UN trusteeship)

National holiday: Constitution Day 1 May (1979)

Constitution: effective 1 May 1979; amended several times last in 1995 (2016)

Legal system: mixed legal system of US and English common law customary law and local statutes

International law organization participation: accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

Citizenship
Citizenship by birth: no
Citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of the Marshall Islands
Dual citizenship recognized: no
Residency requirement for naturalization: 5 years

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch
Chief of state: President Hilda C. HEINE ; note - the president is both chief of state and head of government
Head of government: President Hilda C. HEINE
Cabinet: Cabinet nominated by the president from among members of the Nitijela appointed by Nitijela speaker
Electionsappointments: president indirectly elected by the Nitijela from among its members for a 4-year term ; election last held on 27 January 2016 (next to be held in 2020)
Election results: Hilda C. HEINE elected president on 27 January 2016; Parliament vote - Hilda C. HEINE 24 she was the only candidate
Note: Hilda C. HEINE is the first female elected head of state of any Pacific island nation

Legislative branch
Description: bicameral legislature consists of the Council of Iroij and the National Parliament or Nitijela (33 seats; members directly elected by simple majority vote to serve 4-year terms); note - the Council of Iroij advises the Presidential Cabinet and reviews legislation affecting customary law or any traditional practice)
Elections: last held on 16 November 2015
Election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - independent 33

Judicial branch
Highest court: Supreme Court
Judge selection and term of office: judges appointed by the Cabinet on the recommendation of the Judicial Service Commission and upon the approval of the Nitijela; judges appointed until retirement normally at age 72
Subordinate courts: High Court; District Courts; Traditional Rights Court; Community Courts

Political parties and leaders: traditionally there have been no formally organized political parties; what has existed more closely resembles factions or interest groups because they do not have party headquarters formal platforms or party structures; the following two 'groupings' have competed in legislative balloting in recent years - Aelon Kein Ad Party [Michael KABUA] and United Democratic Party or UDP [Litokwa TOMEING]

International organization participation: ACP ADB AOSIS FAO G-77 IAEA IBRD ICAO ICCt IDA IFAD IFC ILO IMF IMO IMSO Interpol IOC IOM ITU OPCW PIF Sparteca SPC UN UNCTAD UNESCO WHO

Diplomatic representation
In the us chief of mission: Ambassador Gerald M. ZACKIOS
In the us chancery: 2,433 Massachusetts Avenue NW 1st Floor Washington DC 20,008
In the us telephone: [1] 234-5,414
In the us FAX: [1] 232-3,236
In the us consulate general: Honolulu Springdale
In the us consulate: Agana
From the us chief of mission: Ambassador Karen Brevard STEWART
From the us embassy: Oceanside Mejen Weto Long Island 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; a white star with four large rays and 20 small rays appears on the hoist side above the two stripes; blue represents the Pacific Ocean the orange stripe signifies the Ralik Chain or sunset and courage while the white stripe signifies the Ratak Chain or sunrise and peace; the star symbolizes the cross of Christianity each of the 24 rays designates one of the electoral districts in the country and the four larger rays highlight the principal cultural centers of Majuro Jaluit Wotje and Ebeye; the rising diagonal band can also be interpreted as representing the equator with the star showing the archipelago's position just to the north

National symbols: a 24-rayed star; national colors: blue white orange

National anthem
Name: 'Forever Marshall Islands'
Lyrics and music: Amata KABUA
Note: adopted 1981

National heritage


top of page


Economy overview:

Real gdp purchasing power parity:
Note: data are in 2016 dollars
Rank: 221

Real gdp growth rate:
Rank: 143

Real gdp per capita:
Note: data are in 2016 dollars
Rank: 188

Gross national saving

Gdp composition by end use

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Agriculture: 4.4%
Industry: 9.9%
Services: 85.7%

Agriculture products: coconuts tomatoes melons taro breadfruit fruits; pigs chickens

Industries: copra tuna processing tourism craft items (from seashells wood and pearls)

Industrial production growth rate: NA%

Labor force: 10,670 (2013 est.)
Rank: 218
By occupation agriculture: 11%
By occupation industry: 16.3%
By occupation services: 72.7%

Unemployment rate:
Rank: 209

Youth unemployment

Population below poverty line: NA%

Gini index

Household income or consumption by percentage share
Lowest 10: NA%
Highest 10: NA%

Distribution of family income gini index

Budget
Revenues: $116.7 million
Expenditures: $113.9 million
Surplus or deficit: 1.5% of GDP (2013 est.)
Surplus or deficit rank: 16

Taxes and other revenues: 63.8% of GDP (2013 est.)
Rank: 7

Public debt:
Rank: 153

Revenue

Fiscal year: 1 October - 30 September

Inflation rate consumer prices:
Rank: 83

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:
Rank: 56

Exports:
Rank: 202
Commodities: copra cake coconut oil handicrafts fish

Imports:
Rank: 213
Commodities: foodstuffs machinery and equipment fuels beverages tobacco

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

Debt external:
Rank: 194

Stock of direct foreign investment at home

Stock of direct foreign investment abroad

Exchange rates: the US dollar is used


top of page


Electricity
Access population without electricity: 30,084
Access electrification total population: 59%
Access electrification urban areas: 65%
Access electrification rural areas: 45%
Production: 620 million kWh (2015 est.)
Production rank: 164
Consumption: 576.6 million kWh (2015 est.)
Consumption rank: 171
Exports: 0 kWh (2016 est.)
Exports rank: 187
Imports: 0 kWh (2016 est.)
Imports rank: 191
Installed generating capacity: 52,000 kW (2015 est.)
Installed generating capacity rank: 190
Generation sources fossil fuels: 80.8% of total installed capacity (2015 est.)
Generation sources fossil fuels rank: 85
Generation sources nuclear: 0% of total installed capacity (2015 est.)
Generation sources nuclear rank: 171
Generation sources hydroelectricity: 19.2% of total installed capacity (2015 est.)
Generation sources hydroelectricity rank: 91
Generation sources other renewable sources: 0% of total installed capacity (2015 est.)
Generation sources other renewable sources rank: 202

Coal

Petroleum
Petroleum total petroleum production: 0 bbl/day (2016 est.)
Petroleum total petroleum production rank: 185
Crude oil exports: 0 bbl/day (2014 est.)
Crude oil exports rank: 180
Crude oil imports: 0 bbl/day (2014 est.)
Crude oil imports rank: 180
Crude oil proven reserves: 0 bbl (1 January 2017 es)
Crude oil proven reserves rank: 183

Crude oil

Refined petroleum
Products production: 0 bbl/day (2014 est.)
Products production rank: 189
Products consumption: 2000 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Products consumption rank: 194
Products exports: 0 bbl/day (2014 est.)
Products exports rank: 191
Products imports: 2,060 bbl/day (2014 est.)
Products imports rank: 188

Natural gas

Carbon dioxide emissions
From consumption of energy: 300,000 Mt (2013 est.)
From consumption of energy rank: 195

Energy consumption per capita


top of page


Telephones
Fixed lines total subscriptions: 2,361
Fixed lines subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 3
Fixed lines rank: 213
Mobile cellular total: 16,000
Mobile cellular subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 21
Mobile cellular rank: 212

Telephone system
General assessment: some telecom infrastructure improvements made in recent years; modern services include telex cellular Internet international calling caller ID and leased data circuits
Domestic: Majuro Atoll and Ebeye and Kwajalein islands have regular seven-digit direct-dial telephones; other islands interconnected by high frequency radiotelephone and mini-satellite telephones
International: country code - 692; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat ; US Government satellite communications system on Kwajalein (2016)

Broadcast media: no TV broadcast station; a cable network is available on Majuro with programming via videotape replay and satellite relays; 4 radio broadcast stations; American Armed Forces Radio and Television Service (AFRTS) provides satellite radio and television service to Kwajalein Atoll (2009)

Internet
Country code: .mh
Users total: 21,857
Users percent of population: 29.8%
Users rank: 210

Broadband fixed subscriptions


top of page


Military expenditures

Military and security forces

Military service age and obligation

Space program

Terrorist groups


top of page


National air transport system
Number of registered air carriers: 1
Inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 1
Annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers: 86,868
Annual freight traffic on registered air carriers: 0 mt-km

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix: V7 (2016)

Airports: 15 (2013)
Rank: 146
With paved runways total: 4
With paved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 3
With paved runways 914 to 1523 m: 1
With unpaved runways total: 11
With unpaved runways 914 to 1523 m: 10
With unpaved runways under 914 m: 1

Heliports

Pipelines

Railways

Roadways
Total: 2,028 km
Paved: 75 km
Note: roads are mostly unimproved
Rank: 175

Waterways

Merchant marine
Total: 1593
By type: barge carrier 1 bulk carrier 524 cargo 65 carrier 1 chemical tanker 351 container 226 liquefied gas 88 passenger 7 passenger/cargo 1 petroleum tanker 297 refrigerated cargo 13 roll on/roll off 9 vehicle carrier 10
Foreign owned: 1465 (2010)
Rank: 7

Ports and terminals
Major seaport: Enitwetak Island Kwajalein Majuro


top of page


Disputes international: claims US territory of Wake Island

Refugees and internally displaced persons

Illicit drugs
Rank: li>a href='../rankorder/rankorderguide.html'>Guide to Country Comparisons