1998 Edition

Area

total: 181.3 sq km land: 181.3 sq km water: 0 sq km note: includes the atolls of Bikini, Enewetak, and Kwajalein

Area-comparative

about the size of Washington, DC

Climate

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

Coastline

370.4 km

Elevation extremes

lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: unnamed location on Likiep 10 m

Environment-current issues

inadequate supplies of potable water

Environment-international agreements

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution signed, but not ratified: Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol

Geographic coordinates

9 00 N, 168 00 E

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

Irrigated land

NA sq km

Land boundaries

0 km

Land use

arable land: NA% permanent crops: 60% permanent pastures: NA% forests and woodland: NA% other: 40%

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 hazards

occasional typhoons

Natural resources

phosphate deposits, marine products, deep seabed minerals

Terrain

low coral limestone and sand islands

Age structure

0-14 years: 50% (male 16,073; female 15,432) 15-64 years: 48% (male 15,408; female 14,695) 65 years and over: 2% (male 669; female 754) (July 1998 est.)

Birth rate

45.39 births/1,000 population (1998 est.)

Death rate

6.9 deaths/1,000 population (1998 est.)

Ethnic groups

Micronesian

Infant mortality rate

44.54 deaths/1,000 live births (1998 est.)

Languages

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

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 64.48 years male: 62.89 years female: 66.14 years (1998 est.)

Literacy

definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 93% male: 100% female: 88% (1980 est.)

Nationality

noun: Marshallese (singular and plural) adjective: Marshallese

Net migration rate

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1998 est.)

Population

63,031 (July 1998 est.)

Population growth rate

3.85% (1998 est.)

Religions

Christian (mostly Protestant)

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: 0.89 male(s)/female (1998 est.)

Total fertility rate

6.72 children born/woman (1998 est.)

Administrative divisions

none

Constitution

1 May 1979

Country name

conventional long form: Republic of the Marshall Islands conventional short form: Marshall Islands former: Marshall Islands District (Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands)

Data code

RM

Executive branch

chief of state: President Imata KABUA (since 14 January 1997); note-the president is both the chief of state and head of government head of government: President Imata KABUA (since 14 January 1997); 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 14 January 1997 (next to be held NA January 2000); note-Imata KABUA elected to succeed and complete the term of the late President Amata KABUA election results: Imata KABUA elected president; percent of Parliament vote-63%

FAX

[1] (202) 232-3236 consulate(s) general: Honolulu Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Joan M. PLAISTED 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

[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

Government type

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

Independence

21 October 1986 (from the US-administered UN trusteeship)

International organization participation

AsDB, ESCAP, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IFC, IMF, Intelsat (nonsignatory user), Interpol, ITU, Sparteca, SPC, SPF, 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

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-Our Islands Party, leader NA, and Ralik/Ratak Democratic Party (RRDP), Ramsey REIMERS

Legal system

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

Legislative branch

unicameral Parliament or Nitijela (33 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms) elections: last held 20 November 1995 (next to be held NA 2000; note-new elections will be held upon the completion of the term of the late President Amata KABUA) 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

National capital

Majuro

National holiday

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

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Agriculture-products

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

Budget

revenues: $80.1 million expenditures: $77.4 million, including capital expenditures of $19.5 million (FY95/96 est.)

Currency

1 United States dollar (US$) = 100 cents

Debt-external

$128 million (FY95/96)

Economic aid

recipient: under the terms of the Compact of Free Association, the US is to provide approximately $68 million in aid annually

Economy-overview

US Government assistance is the mainstay of the economy, constituting an important supplement to GDP. Agricultural production is concentrated on small farms, and the most important commercial crops are coconuts, tomatoes, melons, and breadfruit. Small-scale industry is limited to handicrafts, fish 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. The government is drafting economic reforms designed to increase revenue and compensate for reductions in US Government grants-in FY95/96, the US Government provided grants of $68 million, equal to roughly 70% of the country's GDP. More than 25% of the government's FY95/96 budget was devoted to debt repayment. In 1996, efforts to stabilize the economy included a 27% reduction in the government's work force and a 10% cut in the budget.

Electricity-capacity

16,000 kW (1994)

Electricity-consumption per capita

NA kWh

Electricity-production

57 million kWh (1994)

Exchange rates

US currency is used

Exports

total value: $17.5 million (f.o.b., 1996 est.) commodities: fish, coconut oil, fish, trochus shells partners: US, Japan, Australia

Fiscal year

1 October-30 September Communications

GDP

purchasing power parity-$98 million (1996 est.)

GDP-composition by sector

agriculture: 15% industry: 13% services: 72% (1995)

GDP-per capita

purchasing power parity-$1,680 (1996 est.)

GDP-real growth rate

2% (1996 est.)

Imports

total value: $71.8 million (c.i.f., 1996 est.) commodities: foodstuffs, machinery and equipment, fuels, beverages and tobacco partners: US, Japan, Australia, NZ

Industrial production growth rate

NA%

Industries

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

Inflation rate-consumer price index

4% (FY95/96)

Labor force

total: 4,800 (1986) by occupation: NA

Radio broadcast stations

AM 1, FM 2, shortwave 1

Radios

NA

Telephone system

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

Telephones

2,000 (1997 est.)

Television broadcast stations

1

Televisions

NA

Unemployment rate

16% (1991 est.)

Airports

16 (1997 est.) Airports-with paved runways: total: 4 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (1997 est.) Airports-with unpaved runways: total: 12 914 to 1,523 m: 7 under 914 m: 5 (1997 est.)

Highways

total: NA km paved: NA km unpaved: NA km note: paved roads on major islands (Majuro, Kwajalein), otherwise stone-, coral-, or laterite-surfaced roads and tracks Ports and harbors: Majuro

Merchant marine

total: 128 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 6,274,057 GRT/10,641,686 DWT ships by type: bulk 57, cargo 5, chemical tanker 1, combination ore/oil 1, container 25, oil tanker 36, roll-on/roll-off cargo 2, vehicle carrier 1 note: a flag of convenience registry; includes the ships of Canada 1, China 1, Germany 1, Japan 1, and US 7 (1997 est.)

Railways

0 km

Military branches

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

Military-note

defense is the responsibility of the US

Disputes-international

claims US territory of Wake Island (overseas department of France)