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

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Background: Humans arrived in the Marshall Islands in the first millennium B.C. and gradually created permanent settlements on the various atolls. The early inhabitants were skilled navigators who frequently traveled between atolls using stick charts to map the islands. Society became organized under two paramount chiefs, one each for the Ratak (Sunrise) Chain and the Ralik (Sunset) Chain. Spain formally claimed the islands in 1592. Germany established a supply station on Jaluit Atoll and bought the islands from Spain in 1884, although paramount chiefs continued to rule. Japan seized the Marshall Islands in 1914 and was granted a League of Nations Mandate to administer the islands in 1920. The US captured the islands in heavy fighting during World War II, and the islands came under US administration as part of the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands (TTPI) in 1947. Between 1946 and 1958, the US resettled populations from Bikini and Enewetak Atolls and conducted 67 nuclear tests; people from Ailinginae, Rongelap, and Utrik Atolls were also evacuated because of nuclear fallout, and Bikini and Rongelap remain largely uninhabited. In 1979, the Marshall Islands drafted a constitution separate from the rest of the TTPI and declared independence under President Amata KABUA, a paramount chief. In 2000, Kessai NOTE became the first commoner elected president. In 2016, Hilda HEINE was the first woman elected president.


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Location

Geographic coordinates

Map reference

Area
Total: 181 km²
Land: 181 km²
Water: 0 km²
Note: the archipelago includes 11,673 km² (4,507 sq mi) of lagoon and encompasses the atolls of Bikini, Enewetak, Kwajalein, Majuro, Rongelap, and Utirik
Comparative: about the size of Washington, D.C.

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

Land use
Agricultural land: 38.9% (2023 est.)
Arable land: 2.8% (2023 est.)
Permanent crops: 36.1% (2023 est.)
Permanent pasture: 0% (2022 est.)
Forest: 53.9% (2023 est.)
Other: 7.2% (2023 est.)

Irrigated land: 0 km² (2022)

Major rivers

Major watersheds area km²

Total water withdrawal

Total renewable water resources

Natural hazards: infrequent typhoons

Geography
Note: Kwajalein atoll surrounds the world's largest lagoon; 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
Total: 82,011 (2024 est.)
Male: 41,581
Female: 40,430
Distribution: most people live in urban clusters on many of the country's islands; more than two thirds of the population lives on the atolls of Majuro and Ebeye
Growth rate: 1.26% (2024 est.)

Nationality

Ethnic groups

Languages: Marshallese (official) 98.2%, other languages 1.8% (1999)
Major-language sample(s): ; Bok eo an Lalin kin Melele ko Rejimwe ej jikin ebōk melele ko raurōk. (Marshallese); The World Factbook, 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: 55.6 (2024 est.)
Youth dependency ratio: 46.7 (2024 est.)
Elderly dependency ratio: 8.9 (2024 est.)
Potential support ratio: 11.2 (2024 est.)

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

Population distribution: most people live in urban clusters 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

Air pollutants

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: 155 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.)

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

Drinking water source
Urban: 15.5% of population (2022 est.)
Rural: 12.8% of population (2022 est.)
Total: 14.9% of population (2022 est.)

Current health expenditure

Physicians density

Hospital bed density

Sanitation facility access
Urban: 7.2% of population (2022 est.)
Rural: 29.6% of population (2022 est.)
Total: 12% of population (2022 est.)

Hiv/Aids

Major infectious diseases

Obesity adult prevalence rate

Alcohol consumption

Tobacco use

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

Education expenditures

Literacy

School life expectancy primary to tertiary education

Youth unemployment


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Country name

Government type

Capital
Name: Majuro
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 passages through the atoll into the Majuro lagoon
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

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

National holiday

Constitution

Legal system: mixed 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

Suffrage

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
Election/appointment process: president indirectly elected by the Nitijela from among its members for a 4-year term (no term limits)
Most recent election date: 2 January 2023
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
Expected date of next election: 2,027
Note: the president is both chief of state and head of government

Legislative branch
Legislature name: Parliament (Nitijela)
Legislative structure: unicameral
Number of seats: 33 (all directly elected)
Electoral system: plurality/majority
Scope of elections: full renewal
Term in office: 4 years
Most recent election date: 11/20/2023
Percentage of women in chamber: 12.1%
Expected date of next election: November 2,027
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

Political parties and leaders

International organization participation

Diplomatic representation

Flag description: blue with an orange stripe and a white stripe radiating from the lower-left corner to the upper-right corner; a white star with four large rays and 20 small rays appears on the left side above the two stripes

National symbols

National anthem
Title: 'Forever Marshall Islands'
Lyrics/music: Amata KABUA
History: adopted 1981; words and music written by the first president of the Marshall Islands

National heritage
Total World Heritage Sites: 1 (cultural)
Selected World Heritage Site locales:


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Economy overview

Real gdp purchasing power parity

Real gdp growth rate: 2.8% (2024 est.); -3.9% (2023 est.); -1.1% (2022 est.)
Note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency

Real gdp per capita: 2.8% (2024 est.); -3.9% (2023 est.); -1.1% (2022 est.)
Note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency

Gross national saving

Gdp composition by end use
Household consumption: 70.7% (2023 est.)
Government consumption: 53.5% (2023 est.)
Investment in fixed capital: 20.2% (2023 est.)
Investment in inventories: -0.5% (2023 est.)
Exports of goods and services: 38.9% (2023 est.)
Imports of goods and services: -71.2% (2023 est.)
Note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Agriculture: 19.5% (2023 est.)
Industry: 11.1% (2023 est.)
Services: 70.5% (2023 est.)
Note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data

Agriculture products

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

Industrial production growth rate: -2.8% (2023 est.)
Note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency

Labor force

Unemployment rate

Youth unemployment

Population below poverty line

Gini index

Household income or consumption by percentage share

Distribution of family income gini index

Budget
Revenues: $171.267 million (2020 est.)
Expenditures: $159.095 million (2020 est.)
Note: central government revenues and expenses (excluding grants/extrabudgetary units/social security funds) converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated

Taxes and other revenues: 17.2% (of GDP) (2020 est.)
Note: central government tax revenue as a % of GDP

Public debt

Revenue

Fiscal year

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: $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
Commodities: ships, refined petroleum, fish, natural gas, stone processing machines (2023)
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
Commodities: ships, refined petroleum, additive manufacturing machines, iron structures, crude petroleum (2023)
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


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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 CO&sub2; (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 (2022 est.)
Mobile cellular total subscriptions: 16,000 (2021 est.)
Mobile cellular subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 38 (2021 est.)

Telephone system

Broadcast media

Internet
Users percent of population: 66% (2023 est.)

Broadband fixed subscriptions
Total: 1,000 (2022 est.)
Subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 2 (2022 est.)


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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: 33 (2025)

Heliports

Pipelines

Railways

Roadways

Waterways

Merchant marine
Total: 4,180 (2023)
By type: bulk carrier 1,939, container ship 277, general cargo 66, oil tanker 1039, other 859

Ports and terminals


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Disputes international

Refugees and internally displaced persons

Illicit drugs