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 atolls between 1947 and 1962. The Marshall Islands hosts the US Army Kwajalein Atoll (USAKA) Reagan Missile Test Site, a key installation in the US missile defense network.
Location
Oceania, two archipelagic island chains of 29 atolls, each made up of many small islets, and five single islands in the North Pacific Ocean, about one-half of the way from Hawaii to Australia
Geographic coordinates
9 00 N, 168 00 E
Map references
Oceania
Area
total
11,854.3 sq km
land
181.3 sq km
water
11,673 sq km (note - lagoon waters)
note
includes the atolls of Bikini, Enewetak, Kwajalein, Majuro, Rongelap, and Utirik
Area - comparative
about the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries
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 extremes
lowest point
Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point
unnamed location on Likiep 10 m
Natural resources
coconut products, marine products, deep seabed minerals
Land use
arable land
11.11%
permanent crops
44.44%
other
44.45% (2005)
Irrigated land
0 sq km
Natural hazards
infrequent typhoons
Environment - current issues
Environment - 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
signed, but not ratified
none of the selected agreements
Geography - note
Bikini and Enewetak are former US nuclear test sites; Kwajalein, the famous World War II battleground, is used as a US missile test range; 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
61,815 (July 2007 est.)
Age structure
0-14 years
38.3% (male 12,061/female 11,622)
15-64 years
58.9% (male 18,634/female 17,775)
65 years and over
2.8% (male 832/female 891) (2007 est.)
Median age
total
20.7 years
male
20.7 years
female
20.7 years (2007 est.)
Population growth rate
2.207% (2007 est.)
Birth rate
32.37 births/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Death rate
4.66 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Net migration rate
-5.65 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Sex ratio
at birth
1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years
1.038 male(s)/female
15-64 years
1.048 male(s)/female
65 years and over
0.934 male(s)/female
total population
1.041 male(s)/female (2007 est.)
Infant mortality rate
total
27.3 deaths/1,000 live births
male
30.62 deaths/1,000 live births
female
23.82 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.)
Life expectancy at birth
total population
70.61 years
male
68.61 years
female
72.71 years (2007 est.)
Total fertility rate
3.76 children born/woman (2007 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate
NA
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS
NA
HIV/AIDS - deaths
NA
Nationality
noun
Marshallese (singular and plural)
adjective
Marshallese
Ethnic groups
Micronesian
Religions
Protestant 54.8%, Assembly of God 25.8%, Roman Catholic 8.4%, Bukot nan Jesus 2.8%, Mormon 2.1%, other Christian 3.6%, other 1%, none 1.5% (1999 census)
Languages
Marshallese (official) 98.2%, other languages 1.8% (1999 census)
note: English (official), widely spoken as a second language
Literacy
definition
age 15 and over can read and write
total population
93.7%
male
93.6%
female
93.7% (1999)
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
abbreviation
RMI
former
Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands, Marshall Islands District
Government type
constitutional government in free association with the US; the Compact of Free Association entered into force 21 October 1986 and the Amended Compact entered into force in May 2004
Capital
name
Majuro
geographic coordinates
7 05 N, 171 08 E
time difference
UTC+12 (17 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
21 October 1986 (from the US-administered UN trusteeship)
National holiday
Constitution Day, 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 Kessai Hesa NOTE (since 5 January 2004); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government
head of government
President Kessai Hesa NOTE (since 5 January 2004)
cabinet
Cabinet selected by the president from among the members of the legislature
elections
president elected by Parliament from among its members for a four-year term; election last held 17 November 2003 (next to be held in November 2007)
election results
Kessai Hesa NOTE elected president; percent of Parliament vote - 100%
Legislative branch
unicameral legislature or Nitijela (33 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 17 November 2003 (next to be held by November 2007)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - independents 33
note: the Council of Chiefs or Ironij is a 12-member body comprised of tribal chiefs that advises on matters affecting customary law and practice
Judicial branch
Supreme Court; High Court; Traditional Rights Court
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 [Michael KABUA] and United Democratic Party or UDP [Litokwa TOMEING]
Political pressure groups and leaders
NA
International organization participation
ACP, AsDB, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, IDA, IFC, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, ITU, OPCW, PIF, Sparteca, SPC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, WHO
Diplomatic representation in the US
chief of mission
Ambassador Banny DE BRUM
chancery
2433 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone
[1] (202) 234-5414
FAX
[1] (202) 232-3236
consulate(s) general
Honolulu
Diplomatic representation from the US
chief of mission
Ambassador Greta N. MORRIS
embassy
Oceanside, Mejen Weto, Long Island, Majuro
mailing address
P. O. Box 1379, Majuro, Republic of the Marshall Islands 96960-1379
telephone
[692] 247-4011
FAX
[692] 247-4012
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, primarily subsistence, is concentrated on small farms; the most important commercial crops are coconuts and breadfruit. Small-scale industry is limited to handicrafts, tuna 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 Amended Compact of Free Association, the US will provide millions of dollars per year to the Marshall Islands (RMI) through 2023, at which time a Trust Fund made up of US and RMI contributions will begin perpetual annual payouts. Government downsizing, drought, a drop in construction, the decline in tourism, and less income from the renewal of fishing vessel licenses have held GDP growth to an average of 1% over the past decade.
GDP (purchasing power parity)
$115 million (2001 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate)
$144 million (2005)
GDP - real growth rate
3.5% (2005 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP)
$2,900 (2005 est.)
GDP - composition by sector
agriculture
31.7%
industry
14.9%
services
53.4% (2004 est.)
Labor force
14,680 (2000)
Labor force - by occupation
agriculture
21.4%
industry
20.9%
services
57.7%
Unemployment rate
30.9% (2000 est.)
Population below poverty line
NA%
Household income or consumption by percentage share
lowest 10%
NA%
highest 10%
NA%
Inflation rate (consumer prices)
3% (2005 est.)
Budget
revenues
$42 million
expenditures
$40 million; including capital expenditures of $NA (1999)
$51.1 million more than $1 billion from the US, 1986-2002 (2004)
Currency (code)
US dollar (USD)
Currency code
USD
Exchange rates
the US dollar is used
Fiscal year
1 October - 30 September
Telephones - main lines in use
5,510 (2004)
Telephones - mobile cellular
1,198 (2004)
Telephone system
general assessment
digital switching equipment; modern services include telex, cellular, internet, international calling, caller ID, and leased data circuits
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
international
country code - 692; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean); US Government satellite communications system on Kwajalein (2001)
Radio broadcast stations
AM 1, FM 3, shortwave 0 (additionally, the US Armed Forces Radio and Television Services (Central Pacific Network) operate one FM and one AM station on Kwajalein) (2005)
Radios
NA
Television broadcast stations
2 (both are US military stations; Marshalls Broadcasting Service, a cable company, operates on Majuro) (2005)
Televisions
NA
Internet country code
.mh
Internet hosts
6 (2006)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs)
1 (2002)
Internet users
2,000 (2005)
Airports
15 (2006)
Airports - with paved runways
total
4
1,524 to 2,437 m
3
914 to 1,523 m
1 (2006)
Airports - with unpaved runways
total
11
914 to 1,523 m
10
under 914 m
1 (2006)
Roadways
total
64.5 km
paved
64.5 km
note
paved roads on major islands (Majuro, Kwajalein), otherwise stone-, coral-, or laterite-surfaced roads and tracks (2002)
Merchant marine
total
795 ships (1000 GRT or over) 30,772,611 GRT/50,987,293 DWT
by type
barge carrier 2, bulk carrier 178, cargo 53, chemical tanker 133, container 147, liquefied gas 25, passenger 7, petroleum tanker 234, refrigerated cargo 2, roll on/roll off 7, specialized tanker 2, vehicle carrier 5
foreign-owned
730 (Australia 2, Bermuda 4, Brazil 1, Canada 6, Chile 1, Croatia 2, Cyprus 15, Denmark 1, Finland 2, Germany 194, Greece 199, Hong Kong 7, Isle of Man 1, Italy 1, Japan 7, South Korea 1, Latvia 7, Monaco 8, Netherlands 1, Norway 65, Russia 1, Saudi Arabia 1, Singapore 6, Slovenia 3, Spain 3, Switzerland 13, Turkey 20, UAE 3, UK 12, US 143)
registered in other countries
1 (North Korea 1) (2006)
Ports and terminals
Majuro
Military branches
no regular military forces; Marshall Islands Police
