1999 Edition
CIA World Factbook 1999 (Internet Archive)
Geography
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, Desertication, 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
People and Society
Age structure
0-14 years: 50% (male 16,622; female 15,957) 15-64 years: 48% (male 16,106; female 15,386) 65 years and over: 2% (male 677; female 759) (1999 est.)
Birth rate
45.31 births/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Death rate
6.73 deaths/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Ethnic groups
Micronesian
Infant mortality rate
43.38 deaths/1,000 live births (1999 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: 64.81 years male: 63.21 years female: 66.5 years (1999 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 (1999 est.)
Population
65,507 (July 1999 est.)
Population growth rate
3.86% (1999 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 total population: 1.04 male(s)/female (1999 est.)
Total fertility rate
6.67 children born/woman (1999 est.)
Government
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
Capital
Majuro
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 November 1999); 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%
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, Inmarsat, Intelsat (nonsignatory user), Interpol, ITU, OPCW, 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 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
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
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 November 1999) 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 holiday
Proclamation of the Republic of the Marshall Islands, 1 May (1979)
Suffrage
18 years of age; universal
Economy
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
$125 million (FY96/97 est.)
Economic aid--recipient
$NA; note?approximately $65 million annually from the US
Economy--overview
US Government assistance is the mainstay of this tiny island economy. 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. Under the terms of the Compact of Free Association, the US provides roughly $65 million in annual aid, equal to about 70% of GDP. Negotiations will get underway in 1999 for an extended agreement. Government downsizing, drought, a drop in construction, and the decline in tourism and foreign investment due to the Asian financial difficulties have caused GDP to fall in 1996-98.
Electricity--consumption
57 million kWh (1994)
Electricity--exports
0 kWh (1994)
Electricity--imports
0 kWh (1994)
Electricity--production
57 million kWh (1994)
Electricity--production by source
fossil fuel: NA% hydro: NA% nuclear: NA% other: NA%
Exchange rates
US currency is used
Exports
$17.5 million (f.o.b., 1996 est.)
Exports--commodities
fish, coconut oil, fish, trochus shells
Exports--partners
US, Japan, Australia
Fiscal year
1 October--30 September
GDP
purchasing power parity--$91 million (1998 est.)
GDP--composition by sector
agriculture: 15% industry: 13% services: 72% (1995)
GDP--per capita
purchasing power parity?$1,450 (1998 est.)
GDP--real growth rate
-5% (1998 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share
lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%
Imports
$71.8 million (c.i.f., 1996 est.)
Imports--commodities
foodstuffs, machinery and equipment, fuels, beverages and tobacco
Imports--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 prices)
5% (1997)
Labor force
NA
Labor force--by occupation
NA
Population below poverty line
NA%
Unemployment rate
16% (1991 est.)
Communications
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
3 (of which one is an independent station and two are US military stations) (1997)
Televisions
NA
Transportation
Airports
16 (1998 est.) Airports--with paved runways: total: 4 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (1998 est.) Airports--with unpaved runways: total: 12 914 to 1,523 m: 7 under 914 m: 5 (1998 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: 131 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 6,572,915 GRT/11,208,214 DWT ships by type: bulk 56, cargo 5, chemical tanker 3, container 20, liquefied gas tanker 2, oil tanker 42, 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 (1998 est.)
Railways
0 km
Military and Security
Military branches
no regular military forces (a coast guard may be established); Police Force
Military--note
defense is the responsibility of the US
Transnational Issues
Disputes--international
claims US territory of Wake Atoll