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 conducted on some of the atolls between 1947 and 1962 (67 tests total). 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 that assist in the operation of the Global Positioning System (GPS) navigation system (the others are at Cape Canaveral, Florida (US), on Ascension (Saint Helena, Ascension, and Tristan da Cunha), and at Diego Garcia (British Indian Ocean Territory)).

Geographic coordinates: 9 00 N, 168 00 E

Map reference: Oceania

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

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 370.4 km

Maritime claims
Territorial sea: 12 nm
Exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Contiguous zone: 24 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
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% (2011 est.)
Forest: 49.3% (2011 est.)
Other: 0% (2011 est.)

Irrigated land: 0 km² (2012)

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

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: 75,684 (July 2018 est.)
Rank: 201
Growth rate: 1.5% (2018 est.)
Growth rate rank: 72
Below poverty line note: NA

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

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

Languages:

Religions: Protestant 80.5% (United Church of Christ 47%, Assembly of God 16.2%, Bukot Nan Jesus 5.4%, Full Gospel 3.3%, Reformed Congressional Church 3%, Salvation Army 1.9%, Seventh Day Adventist 1.4%, Meram in Jesus 1.2%, other Protestant 1.1%), Roman Catholic 8.5%, Mormon 7%, Jehovah's Witness 1.7%, other 1.2%, none 1.1% (2011 est.)

Age structure
0-14 years: 34.26% (male 13,224 /female 12,706)
15-24 years: 18.49% (male 7,117 /female 6,875)
25-54 years: 37.15% (male 14,318 /female 13,800)
55-64 years: 5.86% (male 2,221 /female 2,215)
65 years and over: 4.24% (male 1580 /female 1628) (2018 est.)

Median age
Total: 23.1 years (2018 est.)
Male: 23 years
Female: 23.2 years
Rank: 176

Population growth rate: 1.5% (2018 est.)
Rank: 72

Birth rate: 23.8 births/1000 population (2018 est.)
Rank: 53

Death rate: 4.2 deaths/1000 population (2018 est.)
Rank: 207

Net migration rate: -4.6 migrant(s)/1000 population (2018 est.)
Rank: 190

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: 77.4% of total population
Note: (2015-20 est.)
Rate of urbanization: 0.61% annual rate of change

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, 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

Sex ratio
At birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
0-14 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-24 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
25-54 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
55-64 years: 1 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.97 male(s)/female
Total population: 1.03 male(s)/female (2018 est.)

Infant mortality rate
Total: 18.7 deaths/1000 live births (2018 est.)
Male: 21.1 deaths/1000 live births
Female: 16.1 deaths/1000 live births
Rank: 84

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 73.6 years (2018 est.)
Male: 71.4 years
Female: 76 years
Rank: 135

Total fertility rate: 2.98 children born/woman (2018 est.)
Rank: 53

Drinking water source
Urban: 6.5% of population
Rural: 2.4% of population
Total: 5.4% of population (2015 est.)

Current health expenditure: 23.3% (2016)

Physicians density: 0.46 physicians/1000 population (2012)

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

Sanitation facility access
Urban: 15.5% of population (2015 est.)
Rural: 43.8% of population (2015 est.)
Total: 23.1% of population (2015 est.)

Hivaids
Adult prevalence rate note: NA
People living with hivaids note: NA
Deaths note: NA

Major infectious diseases: note: active local transmission of Zika virus by Aedes species mosquitoes has been identified in this country (as of August 2016); 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

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

Children under the age of 5 years underweight: 11.9% (2017)
Rank: 55

Education expenditures
Note: NA

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

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: 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)

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

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 1995 (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 28 January 2016); note - the president is both chief of state and head of government
Head of government: President Hilda C. HEINE (since 28 January 2016)
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 (no term limits); election last held on 27 January 2016 (next to be held in 2020)
Election results: Hilda C. HEINE elected president; Parliament vote - Hilda C. HEINE 24 votes, 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:
Elections: last held on 16 November 2015 (next to be held by November 2019)
Election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - independent 33; composition - men 28, women 5, percent of women 15.2%

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; the following two 'groupings' have competed in legislative balloting in recent years - Aelon Kein Ad Party [Imata 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 chancery: 2,433 Massachusetts Avenue NW, 1st Floor, 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 consulate:
From the us chief of mission: Ambassador Karen Brevard STEWART (since 25 July 2016)
From the us telephone: [692] 247-4,011
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 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
Lyricsmusic: Amata KABUA: note: adopted 1981

Economy overview: US assistance and lease payments for the use of Kwajalein Atoll as a US military base are the mainstay of this small island country. Agricultural production, primarily subsistence, is concentrated on small farms; the most important commercial crops are coconuts and breadfruit. Industry is limited to handicrafts, tuna processing, and copra. Tourism holds some potential. The islands and atolls have few natural resources, and imports exceed exports.The Marshall Islands received roughly $1 billion in aid from the US during the period 1986-2001 under the original Compact of Free Association (Compact). In 2002 and 2003, the US and the Marshall Islands renegotiated the Compact's financial package for a 20-year period, 2004 to 2024. Under the amended Compact, the Marshall Islands will receive roughly $1.5 billion in direct US assistance. Under the amended Compact, the US and Marshall Islands are also jointly funding a Trust Fund for the people of the Marshall Islands that will provide an income stream beyond 2024, when direct Compact aid ends.

Real gdp purchasing power parity:
Rank: 221

Real gdp growth rate:
Rank: 130

Real gdp per capita:
Rank: 186

Gdp composition by end use
Government consumption: 50% (2016 est.)
Investment in fixed capital: 17.8% (2016 est.)
Investment in inventories: 0.2% (2016 est.)
Exports of goods and services: 52.9% (2016 est.)
Imports of goods and services: -102.3% (2016 est.)

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Agriculture: 4.4% (2013 est.)
Industry: 9.9% (2013 est.)
Services: 85.7% (2013 est.)

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
Note: NA

Labor force: 10,670 (2013 est.)
Rank: 217
By occupation agriculture: 11%
By occupation industry: 16.3%
By occupation services: 72.7% (2011 est.)

Unemployment rate:
Rank: 212

Population below poverty line
Note: NA

Budget
Revenues: 116.7 million (2013 est.)
Expenditures: 113.9 million (2013 est.)
Surplus or deficit: 1.3% (of GDP) (2013 est.)
Surplus or deficit rank: 26

Taxes and other revenues: 52.6% (of GDP) (2013 est.)
Rank: 13

Public debt:
Rank: 173

Fiscal year: 1 October - 30 September

Inflation rate consumer prices:
Rank: 11

Current account balance:
Rank: 68

Exports: $0 (2013 est.)
Rank: 223
Commodities: copra cake, coconut oil, handicrafts, fish

Imports:
Rank: 216
Commodities: foodstuffs, machinery and equipment, fuels, beverages, tobacco

Debt external:
Rank: 193

Exchange rates: the US dollar is used

Electricity
Access electrification total population: 93.1% (2016)
Access electrification urban areas: 94.6% (2016)
Access electrification rural areas: 89.1% (2016)
Production: 650 million kWh (2016 est.)
Production rank: 161
Consumption: 604.5 million kWh (2016 est.)
Consumption rank: 167
Exports: 0 kWh (2016 est.)
Exports rank: 168
Imports: 0 kWh (2016 est.)
Imports rank: 172
Installed generating capacity: 52,000 kW (2016 est.)
Installed generating capacity rank: 190
Generation sources fossil fuels: 81% of total installed capacity (2016 est.)
Generation sources fossil fuels rank: 81
Generation sources nuclear: 0% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)
Generation sources nuclear rank: 140
Generation sources hydroelectricity: 19% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)
Generation sources hydroelectricity rank: 90
Generation sources other renewable sources: 0% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)
Generation sources other renewable sources rank: 201

Petroleum
Petroleum total petroleum production: 0 bbl/day (2017 est.)
Petroleum total petroleum production rank: 172
Crude oil exports: 0 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Crude oil exports rank: 163
Crude oil imports: 0 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Crude oil imports rank: 163
Crude oil proven reserves: 0 bbl (1 January 2018 est.)
Crude oil proven reserves rank: 167

Refined petroleum
Products production: 0 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Products production rank: 175
Products consumption: 2000 bbl/day (2016 est.)
Products consumption rank: 195
Products exports: 0 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Products exports rank: 179
Products imports: 2,060 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Products imports rank: 190

Natural gas
Production: 0 m³ (2017 est.)
Production rank: 168
Consumption: 0 m³ (2017 est.)
Consumption rank: 173
Exports: 0 m³ (2017 est.)
Exports rank: 149
Imports: 0 m³ (2017 est.)
Imports rank: 155

Carbon dioxide emissions
From consumption of energy: 293,700 Mt (2017 est.)
From consumption of energy rank: 192

Telephones
Fixed lines total subscriptions: 2,361
Fixed lines subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 3 (July 2016 est.)
Fixed lines rank: 211
Mobile cellular total subscriptions: 16,000
Mobile cellular subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 21 (July 2016 est.)
Mobile cellular rank: 210

Telephone system
General assessment: 

some telecom infrastructure improvements made in recent years; modern services include fiber optic cable service, cellular, Internet, international calling, caller ID, and leased data circuits;  the US Government, World Bank, UN and International Telecommunication Union (ITU),  have aided in improvements and monetary aid to the islands telecom; mobile penetrations is around 30%; radio communication is especially vital to remote islands 

(2018)
Domestic: Majuro Atoll and Ebeye and Kwajalein islands have regular, seven-digit, direct-dial telephones; other islands interconnected by high frequency radiotelephone (used mostly for government purposes) and mini-satellite telephones; fixed-line 3 per 100 persons and mobile-cellular is 21 per 100 persons (2018)
International: country code - 692; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean); US Government satellite communications system on Kwajalein

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 (2019)

Internet
Country code: .mh
Users total: 21,857
Users percent of population: 29.8% (July 2016 est.)
Users rank: 204

Broadband fixed subscriptions
Total: 1000
Subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 1 (2017 est.)
Rank: 192

Military and security forces: no regular military forces; Marshall Islands Police Department (2019)

National air transport system
Number of registered air carriers: 1 (2015)
Inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 1 (2015)
Annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers: 86,868 (2015)
Annual freight traffic on registered air carriers: 0
Note: mt-km (2015)

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix: V7 (2016)

Airports: 15 (2013)
Rank: 147
With paved runways total: 4 (2017)
With paved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 3 (2017)
With paved runways 914 to 1523 m: 1 (2017)
With unpaved runways total: 11 (2013)
With unpaved runways 914 to 1523 m: 10 (2013)
With unpaved runways under 914 m: 1 (2013)

Roadways
Total: 2,028 km (2007)
Paved: 75 km (2007)
Unpaved: 1953 km
Rank: 167

Merchant marine
Total: 3,419
By type: bulk carrier 1437, container ship 256, general cargo 68, oil tanker 837, other 821 (2018)
Rank: 7

Ports and terminals
Major seaport: Enitwetak Island, Kwajalein, Majuro

Disputes international: claims US territory of Wake Island