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.

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

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

Geography
Note: defense is the responsibility of the US

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)

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.)

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.)

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

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.)

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

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

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

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

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

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 growth rate: 6% (1992)

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

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.)

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

Fiscal year: 1 October - 30 September

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

Debt external: $NA

Exchange rates: US currency is used

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

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

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

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

Disputes international: claims US territory of Wake Island