Guide to Marshall Islands Introduction 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 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.
Geography Location: Oceania, group of atolls and reefs 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
Area - comparative: about the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries: 0 km
Coastline: 370.4 km
Maritime claims: territorial sea
Climate: tropical; hot and humid; wet season from May to November; islands border typhoon belt
Terrain: low coral limestone and sand islands
Elevation extremes: lowest point
Natural resources: coconut products, marine products, deep seabed minerals
Land use: arable land
Irrigated land: 0 sq km
Natural hazards: infrequent typhoons
Environment - current issues: inadequate supplies of potable water; pollution of Majuro lagoon from household waste and discharges from fishing vessels
Environment - international agreements: party to
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
People Population: 59,071 (July 2005 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years
Median age: total
Population growth rate: 2.27% (2005 est.)
Birth rate: 33.52 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Death rate: 4.88 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Net migration rate: -5.91 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Sex ratio: at birth
Infant mortality rate: total
Life expectancy at birth: total population
Total fertility rate: 3.93 children born/woman (2005 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: NA
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: NA
HIV/AIDS - deaths: NA
Nationality: noun
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 98.2%, other languages 1.8% (1999 census) note
Literacy: definition
Government Country name: conventional long form
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: 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: 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
Legislative branch: unicameral Parliament or Nitijela (33 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms) elections
Judicial branch: Supreme Court; High 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 - Kabua Party [Imata 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, Interpol, ITU, OPCW, PIF, Sparteca, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, WHO
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission
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 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 foreign investment due to the Asian financial difficulties, 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 - real growth rate: 1% (2001 est.)
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $1,600 (2001 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture
Labor force: 28,700 (1996 est.)
Labor force - by occupation: agriculture 21.4%, industry 20.9%, services 57.7%
Unemployment rate: 30.9% (1999 est.)
Population below poverty line: NA
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 2% (2001 est.)
Budget: revenues
Agriculture - products: coconuts, tomatoes, melons, taro, breadfruit, fruits; pigs, chickens
Industries: copra, tuna processing, tourism, craft items from shell, wood, and pearls
Industrial production growth rate: NA
Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel
Exports: $9 million f.o.b. (2000)
Exports - commodities: copra cake, coconut oil, handicrafts, fish
Exports - partners: US, Japan, Australia, China (2000)
Imports: $54 million f.o.b. (2000)
Imports - commodities: foodstuffs, machinery and equipment, fuels, beverages and tobacco
Imports - partners: US, Japan, Australia, NZ, Singapore, Fiji, China, Philippines (2000)
Debt - external: $86.5 million (FY99/00 est.)
Economic aid - recipient: more than $1 billion from the US, 1986-2002
Currency (code): US dollar (USD)
Currency code: USD
Exchange rates: the US dollar is the legal tender
Fiscal year: 1 October - 30 September
Communications Telephones - main lines in use: 4,500 (2003)
Telephones - mobile cellular: 600 (2002)
Telephone system: general assessment
Radio broadcast stations: AM 2, FM 1, shortwave 0 note
Radios: NA
Television broadcast stations: 2 (both are US military stations) (2002)
Televisions: NA
Internet country code: .mh
Internet hosts: 6 (2003)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 1 (2002)
Internet users: 1,400 (2003)
Transportation Highways: total
Ports and harbors: Majuro
Merchant marine: total
Airports: 15 (2004 est.)
Airports - with paved runways: total
Airports - with unpaved runways: total
Military Military branches: no regular military forces; Marshall Islands Police
Military expenditures - dollar figure: NA
Military expenditures - percent of GDP: NA
Military - note: defense is the responsibility of the US
Transnational Issues Disputes - international: claims US territory of Wake Island
Last updated: 20 October, 2005
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