Marshall Islands

§1. 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.

§2. Marshall Islands 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: 181.3 kmē
  land: 181.3 kmē
  water: 0 kmē
  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 kmē

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: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol,
    Desertification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer
    Protection, Ship Pollution
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

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 used as a US missile test range

§3. Marshall Islands People

Population:
  60,422 (July 2006 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 38.1% (male 11,720/female 11,295)
  15-64 years: 59.2% (male 18,305/female 17,445)
  65 years and over: 2.7% (male 801/female 856) (2006 est.)

Median age:
  total: 20.3 years
  male: 20.4 years
  female: 20.3 years (2006 est.)

Population growth rate:
  2.25% (2006 est.)

Birth rate:
  33.05 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Death rate:
  4.78 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Net migration rate:
  -5.78 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

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: 0.94 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.04 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 28.43 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 31.93 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 24.76 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 70.31 years
  male: 68.33 years
  female: 72.39 years (2006 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  3.85 children born/woman (2006 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 98.2%, other languages 1.8% (1999 census)
  note: English widely spoken as a second language; both Marshallese and
    English are official languages

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 93.7%
  male: 93.6%
  female: 93.7% (1999)

§4. Marshall Islands Government

Country name:
  conventional long form: Republic of the Marshall Islands
  conventional short form: Marshall Islands
  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:
  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: 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); 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 17 November 2003 (next to be held
    November 2007)
  election results: Kessai Hesa NOTE elected president; percent of Parliament
    vote - 100%

Legislative branch:
  unicameral Parliament 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 - 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

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, 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

§5. Marshall Islands 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 (official exchange rate):
  NA

GDP - real growth rate:
  1% (2001 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):
  $1,600 (2001 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
  agriculture: 14%
  industry: 16%
  services: 70% (2000 est.)

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%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  2% (2001 est.)

Budget:
  revenues: $42 million
  expenditures: $40 million; including capital expenditures of $NA (1999)

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:
  NA%

Exports:
  $9 million f.o.b. (2000)

Exports - commodities:
  copra cake, coconut oil, handicrafts, fish

Exports - partners:
  US, Japan, Australia, China (2004)

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 (2004)

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)

Exchange rates:
  the US dollar is used

Fiscal year:
  1 October - 30 September

§6. Marshall Islands Communications

Telephones - main lines in use:
  4,500 (2003)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  600 (2003)

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
    shortwave radiotelephone (used mostly for government purposes)
  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
  note: additionally, the US Armed Forces Radio and Television Services
    (Central Pacific Network) operate one FM and one AM station on Kwajalein
    (2005)

Television broadcast stations:
  2 (both are US military stations)
  note: Marshalls Broadcasting Service (cable company) operates on Majuro
    (2005)

Internet country code:
  .mh

Internet hosts:
  6 (2005)

Internet users:
  2,000 (2005)

§7. Marshall Islands Transportation

Airports:
  15 (2005)

Airports - with paved runways:
  total: 4
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 3
  914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2005)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
  total: 11
  914 to 1,523 m: 10
  under 914 m: 1 (2005)

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: 706 ships (1000 GRT or over) 28,268,511 GRT/47,217,632 DWT
  by type: barge carrier 3, bulk carrier 139, cargo 46, chemical tanker 110,
    combination ore/oil 10, container 116, liquefied gas 20, passenger 7,
    petroleum tanker 241, refrigerated cargo 3, roll on/roll off 7, vehicle
    carrier 4
  foreign-owned: 632 (Australia 2, Bermuda 4, Canada 6, Chile 1, Croatia 2,
    Cyprus 7, Denmark 1, Germany 157, Greece 179, Hong Kong 8, India 1, Italy
    1, Japan 5, Kazakhstan 1, Latvia 6, Monaco 8, Netherlands 5, NZ 1, Norway
    35, Portugal 2, Russia 1, Saudi Arabia 1, Singapore 5, Slovenia 2, Spain
    2, Sweden 1, Switzerland 11, Turkey 24, UAE 2, UK 20, US 131)
  registered in other countries: 4 (North Korea 2, Mongolia 1, Panama 1)
    (2005)

Ports and terminals:
  Majuro

§8. Marshall Islands 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

§9. Marshall Islands Transnational Issues

Disputes - international:
  claims US territory of Wake Island


<Factbook 2006>
