World Facts Index
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 of the Marshall Islands
|
Location:
|
Oceania, group of atolls
and reefs in the North Pacific Ocean, about one-half of the way from
Hawaii to Australia |
|
Coordinates:
|
9 00 N, 168 00 E |
|
Area:
|
total: 181.3 sq km
note: includes the atolls of Bikini, Enewetak, Kwajalein, Majuro,
Rongelap, and Utirik
water: 0 sq km
land: 181.3 sq km |
|
Area comparative:
|
about the size of
Washington, DC |
|
Land boundaries:
|
0 km |
|
Coastline:
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370.4 km |
|
Maritime claims:
|
contiguous zone: 24
NM
territorial sea: 12 NM
exclusive economic zone: 200 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
highest point: unnamed location on Likiep 10 m |
|
Natural resources:
|
coconut products, marine
products, deep seabed minerals |
|
Natural hazards:
|
infrequent typhoons |
|
Environment current issues:
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inadequate supplies of
potable water; pollution of Majuro lagoon from household waste and
discharges from fishing vessels |
|
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 of the Marshall Islands
|
Population:
|
63,174 (July 2008 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) |
|
Median age:
|
20.3 years |
|
Growth rate:
|
2.25% |
|
Infant mortality:
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28.43 deaths/1,000 live births |
|
Life expectancy at birth:
|
total population: 70.31 years
male: 68.33 years
female: 72.39 years |
|
Fertility rate:
|
3.85 children born/woman |
|
Nationality:
|
noun: Marshallese (singular and
plural)
adjective: Marshallese |
|
Ethnic groups:
|
Micronesian |
|
Religions:
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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% |
|
Languages:
|
English (widely spoken as a second
language, both English and Marshallese are official languages), two major Marshallese
dialects from the Malayo-Polynesian family, Japanese |
|
Literacy:
|
definition: age 15 and over can read
and write
total population: 93.7%
male: 93.6%
female: 93.7%
|
Government
|
Country name:
|
conventional long form: Republic of
the 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 and the Amended Compact
entered into force in May 2004 |
|
Capital:
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Majuro |
|
Administrative divisions:
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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:
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Constitution Day, 1 May (1979) |
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Constitution:
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1 May 1979 |
|
Legal system:
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based on adapted Trust Territory laws, acts
of the legislature, municipal, common, and customary laws |
|
Suffrage:
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18 years of age; universal |
|
Executive branch:
|
chief of state: President Litokwa TOMEING (since
7 January 2008); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of
government
head of government: President Litokwa TOMEING (since 7 January 2008)
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 7 January 2008. |
|
Legislative branch:
|
unicameral legislature or Nitijela (33 seats; members
elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)
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] |
Economy
US Government assistance is the mainstay of this tiny island economy. The
Marshall Islands received more than $1 billion in aid from the US from
1986-2002. 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:
|
$115 million (2001 est.) |
|
GDP growth rate:
|
2% (2001 est.) |
|
GDP per capita:
|
purchasing power parity -
$1,600 (2001 est.) |
|
GDP composition by sector:
|
agriculture: 14%
industry: 16%
services: 70% (2000 est.) |
|
Inflation rate:
|
2% (2001 est.) |
|
Labor force:
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28,698 |
|
Labor force - by occupation:
|
agriculture 21.4%, industry
20.9%, services 57.7% |
|
Unemployment:
|
30.9% (1999 est.) |
|
Budget:
|
revenues: $42
million
expenditures: $40 million |
|
Electricity production by source:
|
fossil fuel: 99%
hydro: 0%
nuclear: 0%
other: 1% (solar) |
|
Industries:
|
copra, tuna processing, tourism, craft items from
seashells, wood, and pearls |
|
Agriculture:
|
coconuts, tomatoes, melons,
taro, breadfruit, fruits; pigs, chickens |
|
Exports:
|
copra cake, coconut oil,
handicrafts, fish |
|
Export partners:
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US, Japan, Australia, China |
|
Imports:
|
foodstuffs, machinery and
equipment, fuels, beverages and tobacco |
|
Import partners:
|
US, Japan, Australia, NZ,
Singapore, Fiji, China, Philippines |
|
Currency:
|
US dollar (USD) |
SOURCES: The CIA World Factbook, U.S. Department of State, Area Handbook of the US Library of Congress
Copyright 2004 - 2008 worldfacts.us |