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

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Background:


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Location: Oceania, consists of 29 atolls and five isolated islands in the North Pacific Ocean, about halfway between Hawaii and Australia; the atolls and islands are situated in two, almost-parallel island chains - the Ratak (Sunrise) group and the Ralik (Sunset) group; the total number of islands and islets is about 1,225; 22 of the atolls and four of the islands are uninhabited

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
Comparative: about the size of Washington, DC
Country comparison total: 0 km

Land boundaries
Total: 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
Highest point: East-central Airik Island, Maloelap Atoll 14 m
Lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
Mean elevation: 2 m

Natural resources: coconut products, marine products, deep seabed minerals

Land use
Agricultural land: 50.7% (2018 est.)
Agricultural land arable land: 7.8% (2018 est.)
Agricultural land permanent crops: 31.2% (2018 est.)
Agricultural land permanent pasture: 11.7% (2018 est.)
Agricultural land forest: 49.3% (2018 est.)
Agricultural land other: 0% (2018 est.)

Irrigated land: 0 km² (2022)

Major rivers

Major watersheds area km²

Total water withdrawal

Total renewable water resources: 0 m³ (2017 est.)

Natural hazards: infrequent typhoons

Geography
Note: the islands of Bikini and Enewetak are former US nuclear test sites; Kwajalein atoll 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


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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
Total: 82,011
Male: 41,581
Female: 40,430 (2024 est.)
Growth rate: 1.26% (2024 est.)
Below poverty line: 7.2% (2019 est.)
Below poverty line note: % of population with income below national poverty line

Nationality
Noun: Marshallese (singular and plural)
Adjective: Marshallese

Ethnic groups: Marshallese 95.6%, Filipino 1.1%, other 3.3% (2021 est.)

Languages: Marshallese (official) 98.2%, other languages 1.8% (1999)
Major-language samples: Bok eo an Lalin kin Melele ko Rejimwe ej jikin ebōk melele ko raurōk. (Marshallese); Gheos World Guide, the indispensable source for basic information.
Note: English (official), widely spoken as a second language

Religions: Protestant 79.3% (United Church of Christ 47.9%, Assembly of God 14.1%, Full Gospel 5%, Bukot Nan Jesus 3%, Salvation Army 2.3%, Reformed Congressional Church 2.2%, Seventh Day Adventist 1.7%, New Beginning Church 1.4%, other Protestant 1.6%), Roman Catholic 9.3%, Church of Jesus Christ 5.7%, Jehovah's Witness 1.3%, other 3.3%, none 1.1% (2021 est.)

Demographic profile

Age structure
0-14 years: 30% (male 12,538/female 12,072)
15-64 years: 64.3% (male 26,750/female 25,944)
65 years and over: 5.7% (2024 est.) (male 2,293/female 2,414)

Dependency ratios
Total dependency ratio: 59.9
Youth dependency ratio: 53
Elderly dependency ratio: 6.8
Potential support ratio: 14.7 (2021)

Median age
Total: 25.5 years (2024 est.)
Male: 25.4 years
Female: 25.6 years

Population growth rate: 1.26% (2024 est.)

Birth rate: 21.2 births/1,000 population (2024 est.)

Death rate: 4.3 deaths/1,000 population (2024 est.)

Net migration rate: -4.3 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2024 est.)

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: 78.9% of total population (2023)
Rate of urbanization: 0.61% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

Major urban areas
Population: 31,000 MAJURO (capital) (2018)

Environment
Current issues: inadequate supplies of potable water; pollution of Majuro lagoon from household waste and discharges from fishing vessels; sea level rise
International agreements party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping-London Protocol, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling
International agreements signed but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Air pollutants
Particulate matter emissions: 7.21 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)
Carbon dioxide emissions: 0.14 megatons (2016 est.)
Methane emissions: 0.03 megatons (2020 est.)

Sex ratio
At birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
0-14 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.95 male(s)/female
Total population: 1.03 male(s)/female (2024 est.)

Mothers mean age at first birth

Maternal mortality ratio

Infant mortality rate
Total: 20.6 deaths/1,000 live births (2024 est.)
Male: 24 deaths/1,000 live births
Female: 17.1 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 75.2 years (2024 est.)
Male: 73 years
Female: 77.5 years

Total fertility rate: 2.67 children born/woman (2024 est.)

Contraceptive prevalence rate: NA

Drinking water source
Improved urban: 100% of population
Unimproved rural: 0.2% of population
Unimproved total: 0% of population (2020 est.)
Unimproved urban: 0% of population

Current health expenditure

Physicians density

Hospital bed density: 2.7 beds/1,000 population

Sanitation facility access
Improved urban: 96.6% of population
Improved rural: 65.4% of population
Improved total: 89.7% of population
Unimproved urban: 3.4% of population
Unimproved rural: 34.6% of population
Unimproved total: 10.3% of population (2020 est.)

Hiv/Aids

Major infectious diseases

Obesity adult prevalence rate: 52.9% (2016)

Alcohol consumption

Tobacco use
Total: 28.5% (2020 est.)
Male: 48.7% (2020 est.)
Female: 8.3% (2020 est.)

Children under the age of 5 years underweight: 11.9% (2017)

Education expenditures: 13.6% of GDP (2020 est.)

Literacy
Definition: age 15 and over can read and write
Total population: 98.3%
Male: 98.3%
Female: 98.2% (2011)

School life expectancy primary to tertiary education
Total: 10 years
Male: 10 years
Female: 10 years (2019)

Youth unemployment
Rate ages 15 24 total: 26% (2019 est.)
Rate ages 15 24 male: 31%
Rate ages 15 24 female: 14.2%


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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
Former: Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands, Marshall Islands District; abbreviation: RMI
Etymology: named after British Captain John MARSHALL, who charted many of the islands in 1788

Government type: mixed presidential-parliamentary system 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 on the eastern side of the atoll: Djarrit, Uliga, and Delap
Geographic coordinates: 7 06 N, 171 23 E
Time difference: UTC+12 (17 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
Etymology: Majuro means 'two openings' or 'two eyes' and refers to the two major northern passages through the atoll into the Majuro lagoon

Administrative divisions: 24 municipalities; Ailinglaplap, Ailuk, Arno, Aur, Bikini & Kili, Ebon, Enewetak & Ujelang, Jabat, Jaluit, Kwajalein, Lae, Lib, Likiep, Majuro, Maloelap, Mejit, Mili, Namorik, 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
History: effective 1 May 1979
Amendments: proposed by the National Parliament or by a constitutional convention; passage by Parliament requires at least two-thirds majority vote of the total membership in each of two readings and approval by a majority of votes in a referendum; amendments submitted by a constitutional convention require approval of at least two thirds of votes in a referendum; amended several times, last in 2018

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 (since 3 January 2023)
Head of government: President Hilda C. HEINE (since 3 January 2023)
Cabinet: Cabinet nominated by the president from among members of the Nitijela, appointed by Nitijela speaker
Elections/appointments: president indirectly elected by the Nitijela from among its members for a 4-year term (no term limits); election last held on 2 January 2023 (next to be held in 2,027)
Election results: 2023: Hilda C. HEINE elected president; National Parliament vote - Hilda C. HEINE (independent) 17, David KABUA (independent) 16; 2020: David KABUA elected president; National Parliament vote - David KABUA (independent) 20, Hilda C. HEINE (independent) 12
Note: the president is both chief of state and head of government

Legislative branch
Description: unicameral National Parliament or Nitijela (33 seats; members in 19 single- and 5 multi-seat constituencies directly elected by simple majority vote to serve 4-year terms)
Elections: last held on 20 November 2023 (next to be held in November 2,027)
Elections results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by part - independent 33; composition - men 29, women 4, percent of women 12.1%
Note: the Council of Iroij is a 12-member consultative group of tribal leaders that advises the Presidential Cabinet and reviews legislation affecting customary law or any traditional practice

Judicial branch
Highest courts: Supreme Court (consists of the chief justice and 2 associate justices)
Judge selection and term of office: judges appointed by the Cabinet upon the recommendation of the Judicial Service Commission (consists of the chief justice of the High Court, the attorney general and a private citizen selected by the Cabinet) and upon approval of the Nitijela; the current chief justice, appointed in 2013, serves for 10 years; Marshallese citizens appointed as justices serve until retirement 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

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, UNHRC, WHO

Diplomatic representation
In the us: chief of mission: Ambassador Charles Rudolph PAUL (since 27 February 2024)
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 email address and website: info@rmiembassyus.org
In the us consulates general: Honolulu, Springdale (AR)
From the us chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Chargé d’Affaires Lance POSEY (since 18 August 2023)
From the us embassy: Mejen Weto, Ocean Side, Majuro
From the us mailing address: 4,380 Majuro Place, Washington DC 20,521-4,380
From the us telephone: [692] 247-4,011
From the us fax: [692] 247-4,012
From the us email address and website: MAJConsular@state.gov; [link]

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/music: Amata KABUA
Note: adopted 1981

National heritage
Total world heritage sites: 1 (cultural)
Selected world heritage site locales:


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Economy overview: upper middle-income Pacific island economy; US aid reliance; large public sector; coconut oil production as diesel fuel substitute; growing offshore banking locale; fishing rights seller; import-dependent

Real gdp purchasing power parity: $283.577 million (2023 est.); $274.715 million (2022 est.); $276.583 million (2021 est.)
Note: data in 2021 dollars

Real gdp growth rate: 3.23% (2023 est.); -0.68% (2022 est.); 1.11% (2021 est.)
Note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency

Real gdp per capita: $6,800 (2023 est.); $6,600 (2022 est.); $6,600 (2021 est.)
Note: data in 2021 dollars

Gross national saving

Gdp composition by end use
Household consumption: 71.7% (2022 est.)
Government consumption: 57.4% (2022 est.)
Investment in fixed capital: 19.8% (2022 est.)
Investment in inventories: 0.3% (2022 est.)
Exports of goods and services: 46.3% (2022 est.)
Imports of goods and services: -73.7% (2022 est.)
Note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Agriculture: 20.6% (2022 est.)
Industry: 10.3% (2022 est.)
Services: 68.7% (2022 est.)
Note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data

Agriculture products: coconuts (2022)
Note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage

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

Industrial production growth rate: 10.24% (2022 est.)
Note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency

Labor force

Unemployment rate

Youth unemployment
Rate ages 15 24 total: 26% (2019 est.)
Rate ages 15 24 male: 31%
Rate ages 15 24 female: 14.2%

Population below poverty line: 7.2% (2019 est.)
Note: % of population with income below national poverty line

Gini index

Household income or consumption by percentage share

Distribution of family income gini index

Budget
Revenues: $186.971 million (2018 est.)
Expenditures: $177.91 million (2018 est.)
Note: central government revenues (excluding grants) and expenses converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated

Taxes and other revenues: 17.23% (of GDP) (2020 est.)
Note: central government tax revenue as a % of GDP

Public debt: 41.73% of GDP (2019 est.)
Note: central government debt as a % of GDP

Revenue
From forest resources: 0% of GDP (2018 est.)

Fiscal year

Inflation rate consumer prices: 0% (2017 est.); -1.5% (2016 est.)

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: $76.263 million (2021 est.); $90.281 million (2020 est.); $86.133 million (2019 est.)
Note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars

Exports: $130.016 million (2021 est.); $88.042 million (2020 est.); $91.394 million (2019 est.)
Note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars
Partners: Germany 30%, Denmark 15%, UK 14%, Malta 6%, Indonesia 5% (2022)
Partners note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports
Commodities: ships, refined petroleum, fish, coated flat-rolled iron, wood carpentry (2022)
Commodities note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars

Imports: $206.025 million (2021 est.); $132.845 million (2020 est.); $129.682 million (2019 est.)
Note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars
Partners: China 33%, South Korea 31%, Japan 12%, Taiwan 4%, Brazil 4% (2022)
Partners note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports
Commodities: ships, refined petroleum, additive manufacturing machines, centrifuges, iron structures (2022)
Commodities note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

Debt external

Stock of direct foreign investment at home

Stock of direct foreign investment abroad

Exchange rates: the US dollar is used


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Electricity
Access electrification total population: 100% (2022 est.)
Access electrification urban areas: 96.1%
Access electrification rural areas: 100%

Coal

Petroleum

Crude oil

Refined petroleum

Natural gas

Carbon dioxide emissions: 293,700 metric tonnes of CO2 (2017 est.)

Energy consumption per capita


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Telephones
Fixed lines total subscriptions: 2,000 (2014 est.)
Fixed lines subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 5 (2014 est.)
Mobile cellular total subscriptions: 16,000 (2021 est.)
Mobile cellular subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 38 (2021 est.)

Telephone system

Broadcast media

Internet

Broadband fixed subscriptions


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Military expenditures

Military and security forces: no regular military forces; the national police (Marshall Islands Police Department, MIPD), local police forces, and the Sea Patrol (maritime police) are responsible for security; the MIPD and Sea Patrol report to the Ministry of Justice; local police report to their respective local government councils (2024)

Military service age and obligation

Space program

Terrorist groups


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National air transport system
Number of registered air carriers: 1 (2020)
Inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 3
Annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers: 24,313 (2018)
Annual freight traffic on registered air carriers: 130,000 (2018) mt-km

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix: V7

Airports: 33 (2024)

Heliports

Pipelines

Railways

Roadways
Total: 2,028 km
Paved: 75 km
Unpaved: 1,953 km (2007)

Waterways

Merchant marine

Ports and terminals


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Disputes international

Refugees and internally displaced persons

Illicit drugs