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.

Geographic coordinates: 9 00 N, 168 00 E

Map reference: Oceania

Area
Total: 181.3 km²
Land: 181.3 km²
Water: 0 km²
Note: includes the atolls of Bikini, Enewetak, and Kwajalein
Comparative: about the size of Washington, DC

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 from 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: phosphate deposits, marine products, deep seabed minerals

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

Irrigated land: NA km²

Natural hazards: occasional typhoons

Geography
Note: two archipelagic island chains of 30 atolls and 1,152 islands; Bikini and Enewetak are former US nuclear test sites; Kwajalein, the famous World War II battleground, is now used as a US missile test range

Population: 65,507 (July 1999 est.)
Growth rate: 3.86% (1999 est.)
Below poverty line: NA%

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: 50% (male 16,622; female 15,957)
15-64 years: 48% (male 16,106; female 15,386)
65 years and over: 2% (male 677; female 759) (1999 est.)

Population growth rate: 3.86% (1999 est.)

Birth rate: 45.31 births/1000 population (1999 est.)

Death rate: 6.73 deaths/1000 population (1999 est.)

Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1000 population (1999 est.)

Environment
Current issues: inadequate supplies of potable water
International agreements party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertication, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution
International agreements signed but not ratified: Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol

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: 0.89 male(s)/female
Total population: 1.04 male(s)/female (1999 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 43.38 deaths/1000 live births (1999 est.)

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 64.81 years
Male: 63.21 years
Female: 66.5 years (1999 est.)

Total fertility rate: 6.67 children born/woman (1999 est.)

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

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: 33 municipalities; Ailinginae, Ailinglaplap, Ailuk, Arno, Aur, Bikar, Bikini, Bokak, Ebon, Enewetak, Erikub, Jabat, Jaluit, Jemo, Kili, Kwajalein, Lae, Lib, Likiep, Majuro, Maloelap, Mejit, Mili, Namorik, Namu, Rongelap, Rongrik, Toke, Ujae, Ujelang, Utirik, Wotho, Wotje

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: President Imata KABUA (since 14 January 1997); note_the president is both the chief of state and head of government
Head of government: President Imata KABUA (since 14 January 1997); note_the president is both the chief of state and head of government
Cabinet: Cabinet selected by the president from among the members of Parliament
Elections: president elected by Parliament from among its own members for a four-year term; election last held 14 January 1997 (next to be held NA November 1999); note_Imata KABUA elected to succeed and complete the term of the late President Amata KABUA
Election results: Imata KABUA elected president; percent of Parliament vote_63%

Legislative branch: unicameral Parliament or Nitijela (33 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)
Elections: last held 20 November 1995 (next to be held NA November 1999)
Election results: percent of vote by party_NA; seats by party_NA
Note: the Council of Chiefs is a 12-member body that advises on matters affecting customary law and practice

Judicial branch: Supreme Court; High Court

International organization participation: AsDB, ESCAP, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IFC, IMF, Inmarsat, Intelsat (nonsignatory user), Interpol, ITU, OPCW, Sparteca, SPC, SPF, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, WHO

Diplomatic representation
In the us chief of mission: Ambassador Banny DE BRUM
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
From the us chief of mission: Ambassador Joan M. PLAISTED
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; there is a white star with four large rays and 20 small rays on the hoist side above the two stripes

Economy overview: US Government assistance is the mainstay of this tiny island economy. Agricultural production is concentrated on small farms, and the most important commercial crops are coconuts, tomatoes, melons, and breadfruit. Small-scale industry is limited to handicrafts, fish processing, and copra. The tourist industry, now a small source of foreign exchange employing less than 10% of the labor force, remains the best hope for future added income. The islands have few natural resources, and imports far exceed exports. Under the terms of the Compact of Free Association, the US provides roughly $65 million in annual aid, equal to about 70% of GDP. Negotiations will get underway in 1999 for an extended agreement. Government downsizing, drought, a drop in construction, and the decline in tourism and foreign investment due to the Asian financial difficulties have caused GDP to fall in 1996-98.

Real gdp growth rate: -5% (1998 est.)

Real gdp per capita: purchasing power parity: $1,450 (1998 est.)

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Agriculture: 15%
Industry: 13%
Services: 72% (1995)

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: NA
By occupation: NA

Unemployment rate: 16% (1991 est.)

Population below poverty line: NA%

Budget
Revenues: $80.1 million
Expenditures: $77.4 million, including capital expenditures of $19.5 million (FY95/96 est.)

Fiscal year: 1 October_30 September

Exports: $17.5 million (f.o.b., 1996 est.)
Commodities: fish, coconut oil, fish, trochus shells
Partners: US, Japan, Australia

Imports: $71.8 million (c.i.f., 1996 est.)
Commodities: foodstuffs, machinery and equipment, fuels, beverages and tobacco
Partners: US, Japan, Australia, NZ

Debt external: $125 million (FY96/97 est.)

Exchange rates: US currency is used

Electricity
Production: 57 million kWh (1994)
Production by source fossil fuel: NA%
Production by source hydro: NA%
Production by source nuclear: NA%
Production by source other: NA%
Consumption: 57 million kWh (1994)
Exports: 0 kWh (1994)
Imports: 0 kWh (1994)

Telephones: 2,000 (1997 est.)

Telephone system: telex services
Domestic: Majuro Atoll and Ebeye and Kwajalein islands have regular, seven-digit, direct-dial telephones; other islands interconnected by shortwave radiotelephone (used mostly for government purposes)
International: satellite earth stations_2 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean); US Government satellite communications system on Kwajalein

Airports: 16 (1998 est.)
With paved runways total: 4
With paved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 3
With paved runways 914 to 1523 m: 1 (1998 est.)
With unpaved runways total: 12
With unpaved runways 914 to 1523 m: 7
With unpaved runways under 914 m: 5 (1998 est.)

Railways: 0 km

Merchant marine
Total: 131 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 6,572,915 GRT/11,208,214 DWT
Ships by type: bulk 56, cargo 5, chemical tanker 3, container 20, liquefied gas tanker 2, oil tanker 42, roll-on/roll-off cargo 2, vehicle carrier 1
Note: a flag of convenience registry; includes the ships of Canada 1, China 1, Germany 1, Japan 1, and US 7 (1998 est.)

Disputes international: claims US territory of Wake Atoll