1996 Edition

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

Location

9 00 N, 168 00 E -- Oceania, group of atolls and reefs in the North Pacific Ocean, about one-half of the way from Hawaii to Papua New Guinea Flag ----

Area

comparative area

about the size of Washington, DC

land area

181.3 sq km

note

includes the atolls of Bikini, Enewetak, and Kwajalein

total area

181.3 sq km

Climate

wet season May to November; hot and humid; islands border typhoon belt

Coastline

370.4 km

Environment

current issues

inadequate supplies of potable water

international agreements

party to - Biodiversity, Climate Change, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution

natural hazards

occasional typhoons

Geographic coordinates

9 00 N, 168 00 E

Geographic 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

International disputes

claims US territory of Wake Island

Irrigated land

NA sq km

Land boundaries

0 km

Land use

arable land

0%

forest and woodland

0%

meadows and pastures

0%

other

40%

permanent crops

60%

Location

Oceania, group of atolls and reefs in the North Pacific Ocean, about one-half of the way from Hawaii to Papua New Guinea

Map references

Oceania

Maritime claims

contiguous zone

24 nm

exclusive economic zone

200 nm

territorial sea

12 nm

Natural resources

phosphate deposits, marine products, deep seabed minerals

Terrain

low coral limestone and sand islands

highest point

unnamed location on Likiep 10 m

lowest point

Pacific Ocean 0 m

Age structure

0-14 years: 51% (male 15,043; female 14,435) 15-64 years: 47% (male 14,084; female 13,399) 65 years and over: 2% (male 657; female 745) (July 1996 est.)

Birth rate

45.75 births/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Death rate

7.28 deaths/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Ethnic divisions

Micronesian

Infant mortality rate

46.9 deaths/1,000 live births (1996 est.)

Languages

English (universally spoken and is the official language), two major Marshallese dialects from the Malayo-Polynesian family, Japanese

Life expectancy at birth

female

65.45 years (1996 est.)

male

62.25 years

total population

63.81 years

Literacy

age 15 and over can read and write (1980 est.)

female

88%

male

100%

total population

93%

Nationality

adjective

Marshallese

noun

Marshallese (singular and plural)

Net migration rate

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Population

58,363 (July 1996 est.)

Population growth rate

3.85% (1996 est.)

Religions

Christian (mostly Protestant)

Sex ratio

all ages

1.04 male(s)/female (1996 est.)

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: 0.88 male(s)/female

Total fertility rate

6.83 children born/woman (1996 est.)

Administrative divisions

none

Capital

Majuro

Constitution

1 May 1979

Data code

RM

Diplomatic representation in US

chancery

2433 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

chief of mission

Ambassador (vacant)

telephone

[1] (202) 234-5414

Executive branch

cabinet

Cabinet; president selects from among the members of Parliament

chief of state and head of government

President Amata KABUA (since NA 1979) was elected for a four-year term by the Nitijela from among its own members; election last held 20 November 1995 (next to be held NA 1999); results - President Amata KABUA was reelected

FAX

[1] (202) 232-3236

[692] 247-4012

consulate(s) general

Honolulu and Los Angeles

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)

International organization participation

AsDB, ESCAP, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IFC, IMF, Intelsat (nonsignatory user), Interpol, Sparteca, SPC, SPF, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, WHO

Judicial branch

Supreme Court; High Court

Legal system

based on adapted Trust Territory laws, acts of the legislature, municipal, common, and customary laws

Legislative branch

unicameral

Name of country

conventional long form

Republic of the Marshall Islands

conventional short form

Marshall Islands

former

Marshall Islands District (Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands)

National holiday

Proclamation of the Republic of the Marshall Islands, 1 May (1979)

Parliament (Nitijela)

elections last held 20 November 1995 (next to be held NA November 1999); results - percent of vote NA; seats - (33 total) seats by party NA

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Type of government

constitutional government in free association with the US; the Compact of Free Association entered into force 21 October 1986

US diplomatic representation

chief of mission

Ambassador Joan PLAISTED

embassy

Oceanside, Long Island, Majuro

mailing address

P. O. Box 1379, Majuro, Republic of the Marshall Islands 96960-1379; Majuro, 20521-4380 (pouch)

telephone

[692] 247-4011

Agriculture

coconuts, cacao, taro, breadfruit, fruits; pigs, chickens

Budget

expenditures

$79.6 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (FY94/95 est.)

revenues

$67.2 million

Currency

1 United States dollar (US$) = 100 cents

Economic aid

recipient

under the terms of the Compact of Free Association, the US is to provide approximately $40 million in aid annually

Economic 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. The government is drafting economic reforms designed to increase revenue and compensate for reductions in US Government grants - in 1994, the US Government provided grants of $50 million, equal to 55% of the Marshall Islands' GDP. About 25% of the government's 1995/96 budget is devoted to debt repayment.

Electricity

capacity

42,000 kW

consumption per capita

1,840 kWh (1990)

production

80 million kWh

Exchange rates

US currency is used

Exports

$21.3 million (f.o.b., 1995 est.)

commodities

coconut oil, fish, live animals, trochus shells

partners

US, Japan, Australia

External debt

$170 million (1994)

Fiscal year

1 October - 30 September

GDP

purchasing power parity - $94 million (1995 est.)

GDP composition by sector

agriculture

NA%

industry

NA%

services

NA%

GDP per capita

$1,680 (1995 est.)

GDP real growth rate

1.5% (1995 est.)

Imports

$69.9 million (c.i.f., 1995 est.)

commodities

foodstuffs, machinery and equipment, beverages and tobacco, fuels

partners

US, Japan, Australia

Industrial production growth rate

NA%

Industries

copra, fish, tourism, craft items from shell, wood, and pearls, offshore banking (embryonic)

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

4% (1995 est.)

Labor force

4,800 (1986)

by occupation

NA

Unemployment rate

16% (1991 est.)

Branches

no regular military forces (a coast guard may be established); Police Force

Defense note

defense is the responsibility of the US

Radio broadcast stations

AM 1, FM 2, shortwave 1

Radios

NA

Telephone system

telex services

domestic

islands interconnected by shortwave radiotelephone (used mostly for government purposes)

international

satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean); US Government satellite communications system on Kwajalein

Telephones

800 (1988 est.)

Television broadcast stations

1

Televisions

NA Defense

Airports

total

16

with paved runways 1 524 to 2 437 m

3

with paved runways 914 to 1 523 m

1

with paved runways under 914 m

5

with unpaved runways 914 to 1 523 m

7 (1995 est.)

Highways

note

paved roads on major islands (Majuro, Kwajalein), otherwise stone-, coral-, or laterite-surfaced roads and tracks

paved

NA km

total

NA km

unpaved

NA km

Merchant marine

ships by type

bulk carrier 43, cargo 4, combination ore/oil 1, container 17, oil tanker 11, refrigerated cargo 1, vehicle carrier 1 (1995 est.)

total

78 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 3,068,782 GRT/5,073,125 DWT

Ports

Majuro

Railways

0 km