1990 Edition
CIA World Factbook 1990 (Project Gutenberg)
Geography
Climate
wet season May to November; hot and humid; islands border typhoon belt
Coastline
370.4 km
Comparative area
slightly larger than Washington, DC
Contiguous zone
24 nm;
Disputes
claims US-administered Wake Island
Environment
occasionally subject to typhoons; two archipelagic island chains of 30 atolls and 1,152 islands
Extended economic zone
200 nm;
Land boundaries
none
Land use
0% arable land; 60% permanent crops; 0% meadows and pastures; 0% forest and woodland; 40% other
Natural resources
phosphate deposits, marine products, deep seabed minerals
Note
located 3,825 km southwest of Honolulu in the North Pacific Ocean, about two-thirds of the way between Hawaii and Papua New Guinea; Bikini and Eniwetak are former US nuclear test sites; Kwajalein, the famous World War II battleground, is now used as a US missile test range
Terrain
low coral limestone and sand islands
Territorial sea
12 nm
Total area
181.3 km2; land area: 181.3 km2; includes the atolls of Bikini, Eniwetak, and Kwajalein
People and Society
Birth rate
39 births/1,000 population (1990)
Death rate
5 deaths/1,000 population (1990)
Ethnic divisions
almost entirely Micronesian
Infant mortality rate
43 deaths/1,000 live births (1990)
Labor force
4,800 (1986)
Language
English universally spoken and is the official language; two major Marshallese dialects from Malayo-Polynesian family; Japanese
Life expectancy at birth
70 years male, 75 years female (1990)
Literacy
90%
Nationality
noun--Marshallese; adjective--Marshallese
Net migration rate
- 1 migrant/1,000 population (1990)
Organized labor
none
Population
43,417 (July 1990), growth rate 3.2% (1990)
Religion
predominantly Christian, mostly Protestant
Total fertility rate
5.9 children born/woman (1990)
Government
Administrative divisions
none
Capital
Majuro
Communists
none
Constitution
1 May 1979
Diplomatic representation
Representative Wilfred I. KENDALL; Representative Office at Suite 1004, 1901 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Washington DC 20006; telephone (202) 223-4952; US--Representative Samuel B. THOMSEN; US Office at NA address (mailing address is P. O. Box 680, Majuro, Republic of the Marshall Islands 96960); telephone 692-9-3348
Elections
President--last held NA November 1987 (next to be held November 1991); results--President Amata Kabua was reelected; Parliament--last held NA November 1987 (next to be held November 1991); results--percent of vote NA; seats--(33 total)
Executive branch
president, Cabinet
Flag
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
Independence
21 October 1986 (from the US-administered UN trusteeship; formerly the Marshall Islands District of the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands)
Judicial branch
Supreme Court
Leaders
Chief of State and Head of Government--President Amata KABUA (since 1979)
Legal system
based on adapted Trust Territory laws, acts of the legislature, municipal, common, and customary laws
Legislative branch
unicameral Parliament (Nitijela)
Long-form name
Republic of the Marshall Islands
Member of
SPF, ESCAP (associate)
National holiday
Proclamation of the Republic of the Marshall Islands, 1 May (1979)
Political parties and leaders
no formal parties; President Kabua is chief political (and traditional) leader
Suffrage
universal at age 18
Type
constitutional government in free association with the US; the Compact of Free Association entered into force 21 October 1986
Economy
Agriculture
coconuts, cacao, taro, breadfruit, fruits, copra; pigs, chickens
Aid
under the terms of the Compact of Free Association, the US is to provide approximately $40 million in aid annually
Budget
revenues $55 million; expenditures NA, including capital expenditures of NA (1987 est.)
Currency
US currency is used
Electricity
12,000 kW capacity; 10 million kWh produced, 240 kWh per capita (1989)
Exchange rates
US currency is used
Exports
$2.5 million (f.o.b., 1985); commodities--copra, copra oil, agricultural products, handicrafts; partners--NA
External debt
$NA
Fiscal year
1 October-30 September
GDP
$63 million, per capita $1,500; real growth rate NA% (1989 est.)
Imports
$29.2 million (c.i.f., 1985); commodities--foodstuffs, beverages, building materials; partners--NA
Industrial production
growth rate NA%
Industries
copra, fish, tourism; craft items from shell, wood, and pearl; offshore banking (embryonic)
Inflation rate (consumer prices)
5.6% (1981)
Overview
Agriculture and tourism are the mainstays of the economy. Agricultural production is concentrated on small farms, and the most important commercial crops are coconuts, tomatoes, melons, and breadfruit. A few cattle ranches supply the domestic meat market. Small-scale industry is limited to handicrafts, fish processing, and copra. The tourist industry is the primary source of foreign exchange and employs about 10% of the labor force. The islands have few natural resources, and imports far exceed exports. In 1987 the US Government provided grants of $40 million out of the Marshallese budget of $55 million.
Unemployment rate
NA%
Communications
Airports
5 total, 5 usable; 4 with permanent-surface runways; 5 with runways 1,220-2,439 m
Highways
macadam and concrete roads on major islands (Majuro, Kwajalein), otherwise stone-, coral-, or laterite-surfaced roads and tracks
Merchant marine
3 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 475,968 GRT/949,888 DWT; includes 2 petroleum, oils, and lubricants (POL) tanker, 1 bulk carrier; note--a flag of convenience registry
Ports
Majuro
Telecommunications
telephone network--570 lines (Majuro) and 186 (Ebeye); telex services; islands interconnected by shortwave radio (used mostly for government purposes); stations--1 AM, 2 FM, 1 TV, 1 shortwave; 2 Pacific Ocean INTELSAT earth stations; US Government satellite communications system on Kwajalein
Military and Security
Note
defense is the responsibility of the US