2007 Edition

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

Age structure

0-14 years: 38.1% (male 11,720/female 11,295) 15-64 years: 59.2% (male 18,305/female 17,445) 65 years and over: 2.7% (male 801/female 856) (2006 est.)

Area

land

181.3 sq km

note

includes the atolls of Bikini, Enewetak, Kwajalein, Majuro, Rongelap, and Utirik

total

11,854.3 sq km

water

11,673 sq km (note - lagoon waters)

Area - comparative

about the size of Washington, DC

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 atolls between 1947 and 1962. The Marshall Islands hosts the US Army Kwajalein Atoll (USAKA) Reagan Missile Test Site, a key installation in the US missile defense network. Geography Marshall Islands

Birth rate

33.05 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Capital

geographic coordinates

7 05 N, 171 08 E

name

Majuro

time difference

UTC+12 (17 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

Climate

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

Coastline

370.4 km

Constitution

1 May 1979

Country name

abbreviation

RMI

conventional long form

Republic of the Marshall Islands

conventional short form

Marshall Islands

former

Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands, Marshall Islands District

local long form

Republic of the Marshall Islands

local short form

Marshall Islands

Death rate

4.78 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Elevation extremes

highest point

unnamed location on Likiep 10 m

lowest point

Pacific Ocean 0 m

Environment - current issues

inadequate supplies of potable water; pollution of Majuro lagoon from household waste and discharges from fishing vessels

Environment - international agreements

party to

Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling

signed, but not ratified

none of the selected agreements

Ethnic groups

Micronesian

Executive branch

chief of state

President Kessai Hesa NOTE (since 5 January 2004); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of

Geographic coordinates

9 00 N, 168 00 E

Geography - note

Bikini and Enewetak are former US nuclear test sites; Kwajalein, the famous World War II battleground, is used as a US missile test range; island city of Ebeye is the second largest settlement in the Marshall Islands, after the capital of Majuro, and one of the most densely populated locations in the Pacific People Marshall Islands

Government type

constitutional government in free association with the US; the Compact of Free Association entered into force 21 October 1986 and the Amended Compact entered into force in May 2004

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths

NA

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

NA

Independence

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

Infant mortality rate

female

24.76 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

male

31.93 deaths/1,000 live births

total

28.43 deaths/1,000 live births

Irrigated land

0 sq km

Land boundaries

0 km

Land use

arable land

11.11%

other

44.45% (2005)

permanent crops

44.44%

Languages

Marshallese 98.2%, other languages 1.8% (1999 census)

note

English widely spoken as a second language; both Marshallese and English are official languages

Legal system

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

Life expectancy at birth

female

72.39 years (2006 est.)

male

68.33 years

total population

70.31 years

Literacy

definition

age 15 and over can read and write

female

93.7% (1999) Government Marshall Islands

male

93.6%

total population

93.7%

Location

Oceania, two archipelagic island chains of 29 atolls, each made up of many small islets, and five single islands in the North Pacific Ocean, about one-half of the way from Hawaii to Australia

Map references

Oceania

Maritime claims

contiguous zone

24 nm

exclusive economic zone

200 nm

territorial sea

12 nm

Median age

female

20.3 years (2006 est.)

male

20.4 years

total

20.3 years

National holiday

Constitution Day, 1 May (1979)

Nationality

adjective

Marshallese

noun

Marshallese (singular and plural)

Natural hazards

infrequent typhoons

Natural resources

coconut products, marine products, deep seabed minerals

Net migration rate

-5.78 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Population

60,422 (July 2006 est.)

Population growth rate

2.25% (2006 est.)

Religions

Protestant 54.8%, Assembly of God 25.8%, Roman Catholic 8.4%, Bukot nan Jesus 2.8%, Mormon 2.1%, other Christian 3.6%, other 1%, none 1.5% (1999 census)

Sex ratio

at birth

1.05 male(s)/female

total population

1.04 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

under 15 years

1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.94 male(s)/female

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Terrain

low coral limestone and sand islands

Total fertility rate

3.85 children born/woman (2006 est.)

Agriculture - products

coconuts, tomatoes, melons, taro, breadfruit, fruits; pigs, chickens

Airports

15 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways

total

4 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2006)

Airports - with unpaved runways

total

11 914 to 1,523 m: 10

under 914 m

1 (2006)

Budget

expenditures

$40 million; including capital expenditures of $NA (1999)

revenues

$42 million

Currency (code)

US dollar (USD)

Currency code

USD

Debt - external

$86.5 million (FY99/00 est.)

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission

Ambassador Greta N. MORRIS

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

Diplomatic representation in the US

chancery

2433 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

chief of mission

Ambassador Banny DE BRUM

telephone

[1] (202) 234-5414

Disputes - international

claims US territory of Wake Island This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

Economic aid - recipient

$51.1 million more than $1 billion from the US, 1986-2002 (2004)

Economy - overview

US Government assistance is the mainstay of this tiny island economy. Agricultural production, primarily subsistence, is concentrated on small farms; the most important commercial crops are coconuts and breadfruit. Small-scale industry is limited to handicrafts, tuna 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 Amended Compact of Free Association, the US will provide millions of dollars per year to the Marshall Islands (RMI) through 2023, at which time a Trust Fund made up of US and RMI contributions will begin perpetual annual payouts. Government downsizing, drought, a drop in construction, the decline in tourism, and less income from the renewal of fishing vessel licenses have held GDP growth to an average of 1% over the past decade.

Electricity - production by source

fossil fuel

99%

hydro

0%

nuclear

0%

other

1% (solar)

Exchange rates

the US dollar is used

Exports

$9.1 million f.o.b. (2000)

Exports - commodities

copra cake, coconut oil, handicrafts, fish

Exports - partners

US, Japan, Australia, China (2004)

FAX

[1] (202) 232-3236

[692] 247-4012

consulate(s) general

Honolulu

Fiscal year

1 October - 30 September Communications Marshall Islands

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 Economy Marshall Islands

GDP - composition by sector

agriculture

31.7%

industry

14.9%

services

53.4% (2004 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP)

$2,900 (2005 est.)

GDP - real growth rate

3.5% (2005 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate)

$144 million (2005)

GDP (purchasing power parity)

$115 million (2001 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

highest 10%

NA%

lowest 10%

NA%

Imports

$54.7 million f.o.b. (2000)

Imports - commodities

foodstuffs, machinery and equipment, fuels, beverages and tobacco

Imports - partners

US, Japan, Australia, NZ, Singapore, Fiji, China, Philippines (2004)

Industrial production growth rate

NA%

Industries

copra, tuna processing, tourism, craft items from seashells, wood, and pearls

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

3% (2005 est.)

International organization participation

ACP, AsDB, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, IDA, IFC, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ITU, OPCW, PIF, Sparteca, SPC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, WHO

Internet country code

.mh

Internet hosts

6 (2006)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs)

1 (2002)

Internet users

2,000 (2005) Transportation Marshall Islands

Judicial branch

Supreme Court; High Court; Traditional Rights Court

Labor force

14,680 (2000)

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture

21.4%

industry

20.9%

services

57.7%

Legislative branch

unicameral legislature 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 17 November 2003 (next to be held by November 2007)

note

the Council of Chiefs or Ironij is a 12-member body comprised of tribal chiefs that advises on matters affecting customary law and practice

Manpower available for military service

males age 18-49

13,465 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service

males age 18-49

10,792 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually

males age 18-49

726 (2005 est.)

Merchant marine

by type

barge carrier 2, bulk carrier 178, cargo 53, chemical tanker 133, container 147, liquefied gas 25, passenger 7, petroleum tanker 234, refrigerated cargo 2, roll on/roll off 7, specialized tanker 2, vehicle carrier 5

foreign-owned

730 (Australia 2, Bermuda 4, Brazil 1, Canada 6, Chile 1, Croatia 2, Cyprus 15, Denmark 1, Finland 2, Germany 194, Greece 199, Hong Kong 7, Isle of Man 1, Italy 1, Japan 7, South Korea 1, Latvia 7, Monaco 8, Netherlands 1, Norway 65, Russia 1, Saudi Arabia 1, Singapore 6, Slovenia 3, Spain 3, Switzerland 13, Turkey 20, UAE 3, UK 12, US 143)

registered in other countries

1 (North Korea 1) (2006)

total

795 ships (1000 GRT or over) 30,772,611 GRT/50,987,293 DWT

Military - note

defense is the responsibility of the US Transnational Issues Marshall Islands

Military branches

no regular military forces; Marshall Islands Police

Military expenditures - dollar figure

NA

Military expenditures - percent of GDP

NA

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 - Aelon Kein Ad Party [Michael KABUA] and United Democratic Party or UDP [Litokwa TOMEING]

Political pressure groups and leaders

NA

Population below poverty line

NA%

Ports and terminals

Majuro Military Marshall Islands

Radio broadcast stations

AM 1, FM 3, shortwave 0

note

additionally, the US Armed Forces Radio and Television Services (Central Pacific Network) operate one FM and one AM station on Kwajalein (2005)

Radios

NA

Roadways

note

paved roads on major islands (Majuro, Kwajalein), otherwise stone-, coral-, or laterite-surfaced roads and tracks (2002)

paved

64.5 km

total

64.5 km

Telephone system

domestic

Majuro Atoll and Ebeye and Kwajalein islands have regular, seven-digit, direct-dial telephones; other islands interconnected by high frequency radiotelephone (used mostly for government purposes) and mini-satellite telephones

general assessment

digital switching equipment; modern services include telex, cellular, internet, international calling, caller ID, and leased data circuits

international

country code - 692; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean); US Government satellite communications system on Kwajalein (2001)

Telephones - main lines in use

5,510 (2004)

Telephones - mobile cellular

1,198 (2004)

Television broadcast stations

2 (both are US military stations)

note

Marshalls Broadcasting Service (cable company) operates on Majuro (2005)

Televisions

NA

Unemployment rate

30.9% (2000 est.)