2000 Edition

Background

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 islands between 1947 and 1962.

Area

land

181.3 sq km

note

includes the atolls of Bikini, Enewetak, and Kwajalein

total

181.3 sq km

water

0 sq km

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

highest point

unnamed location on Likiep 10 m

lowest point

Pacific Ocean 0 m

Environment - current issues

inadequate supplies of potable water

Environment - international agreements

party to

Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, 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

0%

forests and woodland

0%

other

40%

permanent crops

60%

permanent pastures

0%

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 17,204; female 16,521) 15-64 years: 48% (male 16,826; female 16,111) 65 years and over: 2% (male 693; female 771) (2000 est.)

Birth rate

45.17 births/1,000 population (2000 est.)

Death rate

6.4 deaths/1,000 population (2000 est.)

Ethnic groups

Micronesian

Infant mortality rate

40.95 deaths/1,000 live births (2000 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

67.36 years (2000 est.)

male

63.72 years

total population

65.5 years

Literacy

definition

age 15 and over can read and write

female

88% (1980 est.)

male

100%

total population

93%

Nationality

adjective

Marshallese

noun

Marshallese (singular and plural)

Net migration rate

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2000 est.)

Population

68,126 (July 2000 est.)

Population growth rate

3.88% (2000 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: 1.04 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.9 male(s)/female

total population

1.04 male(s)/female (2000 est.)

Total fertility rate

6.61 children born/woman (2000 est.)

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

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

247-4011

Diplomatic representation in the US

chancery

2433 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

chief of mission

Ambassador Banny DE BRUM

telephone

(202) 234-5414

Executive branch

cabinet

Cabinet selected by the president from among the members of Parliament

chief of state

President Kessai Hesa NOTE (since 3 January 2000); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government

election results

Kessai Hesa NOTE elected president; percent of Parliament vote - 100%

elections

president elected by Parliament from among its own members for a four-year term; election last held 15 November 1999 (next to be held NA November 2003)

head of government

President Kessai Hesa NOTE (since 3 January 2000); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government

FAX

(202) 232-3236

247-4012

consulate(s) general

Honolulu

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, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat (nonsignatory user), Interpol, ITU, OPCW, 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 Parliament or Nitijela (33 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)

election results

percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NA

elections

last held NA November 1999 (next to be held NA November 2003)

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)

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 - Kabua Party and United Democratic Party or UDP [Litokwa TOMLING]

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Agriculture - products

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

Budget

expenditures

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

revenues

$80.1 million

Currency

1 United States dollar (US$) = 100 cents

Debt - external

$125 million (FY96/97 est.)

Economic aid - recipient

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. Negotiations were 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 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

$28 million (f.o.b., 1997 est.)

Exports - commodities

fish, coconut oil, fish, trochus shells

Exports - partners

US, Japan, Australia

Fiscal year

1 October - 30 September

GDP

purchasing power parity - $105 million (1998 est.), supplemented by approximately $65 million annual US aid

GDP - composition by sector

agriculture

15%

industry

13%

services

72% (1995)

GDP - per capita

purchasing power parity - $1,670 (1998 est.)

GDP - real growth rate

-5% (1998 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%

Imports

$58 million (f.o.b., 1997 est.)

Imports - commodities

foodstuffs, machinery and equipment, fuels, beverages and tobacco

Imports - partners

US, Japan, Australia, NZ, Guam, Singapore

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

agriculture NA%, industry NA%, services NA%

Population below poverty line

NA%

Unemployment rate

16% (1991 est.)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs)

NA

Radio broadcast stations

AM 3, FM 4, shortwave 0 (1998)

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 - main lines in use

3,000 (1994)

Telephones - mobile cellular

280 (1994)

Television broadcast stations

3 (of which two are US military stations) (1997)

Televisions

NA

Airports

16 (1999 est.)

Airports - with paved runways

total

4 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (1999 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways

total

12 914 to 1,523 m: 7 under 914 m: 5 (1999 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

note

a flag of convenience registry; includes the ships of Canada 1, China 1, Germany 1, Japan 1, and US 7 (1998 est.)

ships by type

bulk 48, cargo 8, chemical tanker 5, combination bulk 1, container 19, liquified gas 2, multi-functional large load carrier 1, petroleum tanker 58, vehicle carrier 1 (1999 est.)

total

143 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 6,801,336 GRT/11,785,065 DWT

Ports and harbors

Majuro

Railways

0 km

Military - note

defense is the responsibility of the US

Military branches

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

Military expenditures - dollar figure

$NA

Military expenditures - percent of GDP

NA%

Disputes - international

claims US territory of Wake Island

MARTINIQUE