2020 Edition

Background

Humans arrived in the Marshall Islands in the first millennium B.C. and gradually created permanent settlements on the various atolls. The early inhabitants were skilled navigators who frequently traveled between atolls using stick charts to map the islands. Society became organized under two paramount chiefs, one each for the Ratak (Sunrise) Chain and the Ralik (Sunset) Chain. Spain formally claimed the islands in 1592. Germany established a supply station on Jaluit Atoll and bought the islands from Spain in 1884, although paramount chiefs continued to rule.  Japan seized the Marshall Islands in 1914 and was granted a League of Nations Mandate to administer the islands in 1920. The US captured the islands in heavy fighting during World War II, and the islands came under US administration as part of the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands (TTPI) in 1947. Between 1946 and 1958, the US resettled populations from Bikini and Enewetak Atolls and conducted 67 nuclear tests; people from Ailinginae, Rongelap, and Utrik Atolls were also evacuated because of nuclear fallout, and Bikini and Rongelap remain largely uninhabited. In 1979, the Marshall Islands drafted a constitution separate from the rest of the TTPI and declared independence under President Amata KABUA, a paramount chief. In 2000, Kessai NOTE became the first commoner elected president. In 2016, Hilda HEINE was the first woman elected president.

Area

land

181 sq km

total

181 sq km

water

0 sq km

Area - comparative

about the size of Washington, D.C.

Climate

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

Coastline

370.4 km

Elevation

highest point

East-central Airik Island, Maloelap Atoll 14 m

lowest point

Pacific Ocean 0 m

mean elevation

2 m

Geographic coordinates

9 00 N, 168 00 E

Geography - note

Kwajalein atoll surrounds the world's largest lagoon; the 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

Irrigated land

0 sq km (2022)

Land boundaries

total

0 km

Land use

agricultural land

38.9% (2023 est.)

agricultural land: arable land

arable land: 2.8% (2023 est.)

agricultural land: permanent crops

permanent crops: 36.1% (2023 est.)

agricultural land: permanent pasture

permanent pasture: 0% (2022 est.)

forest

53.9% (2023 est.)

other

7.2% (2023 est.)

Location

Oceania, consists of 29 atolls and five isolated islands in the North Pacific Ocean, about halfway between Hawaii and Australia; the atolls and islands are situated in two, almost-parallel island chains - the Ratak (Sunrise) group and the Ralik (Sunset) group; the total number of islands and islets is about 1,225; 22 of the atolls and four of the islands are uninhabited

Map references

Oceania

Maritime claims

contiguous zone

24 nm

exclusive economic zone

200 nm

territorial sea

12 nm

Natural hazards

infrequent typhoons

Natural resources

coconut products, marine products, deep seabed minerals

Population distribution

most people live in urban clusters on many of the country's islands; more than two thirds of the population lives on the atolls of Majuro and Ebeye

Terrain

low coral limestone and sand islands

Age structure

0-14 years

30% (male 12,538/female 12,072)

15-64 years

64.3% (male 26,750/female 25,944)

65 years and over

5.7% (2024 est.) (male 2,293/female 2,414)

Birth rate

20.81 births/1,000 population (2025 est.)

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

11.9% (2017 est.)

Currently married women (ages 15-49)

68.3% (2022 est.)

Death rate

4.37 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.)

Dependency ratios

elderly dependency ratio

8.9 (2024 est.)

potential support ratio

11.2 (2024 est.)

total dependency ratio

55.6 (2024 est.)

youth dependency ratio

46.7 (2024 est.)

Drinking water source

improved: rural

rural: 87.2% of population (2022 est.)

improved: total

total: 85.1% of population (2022 est.)

improved: urban

urban: 84.5% of population (2022 est.)

unimproved: rural

rural: 12.8% of population (2022 est.)

unimproved: total

total: 14.9% of population (2022 est.)

unimproved: urban

urban: 15.5% of population (2022 est.)

Education expenditure

Education expenditure (% GDP)

7.7% of GDP (2022 est.)

Education expenditure (% national budget)

11.3% national budget (2022 est.)

Ethnic groups

Marshallese 95.6%, Filipino 1.1%, other 3.3% (2021 est.)

Gross reproduction rate

1.28 (2025 est.)

Health expenditure

Health expenditure (as % of GDP)

12.5% of GDP (2021)

Health expenditure (as % of national budget)

6.7% of national budget (2022 est.)

Infant mortality rate

female

17.1 deaths/1,000 live births

male

24 deaths/1,000 live births

total

20.1 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.)

Languages

Languages

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

major-language sample(s)

Bok eo an Lalin kin Melele ko Rejimwe ej jikin ebōk melele ko raurōk. (Marshallese) The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.

Life expectancy at birth

female

77.5 years

male

73 years

total population

75.2 years (2024 est.)

Literacy

female

96.4% (2021 est.)

male

95.7% (2021 est.)

total population

95.8% (2021 est.)

Major urban areas - population

31,000 MAJURO (capital) (2018)

Maternal mortality ratio

155 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.)

Median age

female

25.6 years

male

25.4 years

total

25.9 years (2025 est.)

Nationality

adjective

Marshallese

noun

Marshallese (singular and plural)

Net migration rate

-4.2 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.)

Obesity - adult prevalence rate

52.9% (2016)

Physician density

0.47 physicians/1,000 population (2012)

Population

female

40,430

male

41,581

total

82,011 (2024 est.)

Population growth rate

1.22% (2025 est.)

Religions

Protestant 79.3% (United Church of Christ 47.9%, Assembly of God 14.1%, Full Gospel 5%, Bukot Nan Jesus 3%, Salvation Army 2.3%, Reformed Congressional Church 2.2%, Seventh Day Adventist 1.7%, New Beginning Church 1.4%, other Protestant 1.6%), Roman Catholic 9.3%, Church of Jesus Christ 5.7%, Jehovah's Witness 1.3%, other 3.3%, none 1.1% (2021 est.)

Sanitation facility access

improved: rural

rural: 70.4% of population (2022 est.)

improved: total

total: 88% of population (2022 est.)

improved: urban

urban: 92.8% of population (2022 est.)

unimproved: rural

rural: 29.6% of population (2022 est.)

unimproved: total

total: 12% of population (2022 est.)

unimproved: urban

urban: 7.2% of population (2022 est.)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

female

15 years (2022 est.)

male

14 years (2022 est.)

total

14 years (2022 est.)

Sex ratio

0-14 years

1.04 male(s)/female

15-64 years

1.03 male(s)/female

65 years and over

0.95 male(s)/female

at birth

1.05 male(s)/female

total population

1.03 male(s)/female (2024 est.)

Tobacco use

female

8.5% (2025 est.)

male

52.9% (2025 est.)

total

30.9% (2025 est.)

Total fertility rate

2.62 children born/woman (2025 est.)

Urbanization

rate of urbanization

0.61% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

urban population

78.9% of total population (2023)

Administrative divisions

24 municipalities; Ailinglaplap, Ailuk, Arno, Aur, Bikini & Kili, Ebon, Enewetak & Ujelang, Jabat, Jaluit, Kwajalein, Lae, Lib, Likiep, Majuro, Maloelap, Mejit, Mili, Namorik, Namu, Rongelap, Ujae, Utrik, Wotho, Wotje

Capital

etymology

Majuro means "two openings" or "two eyes" and refers to the two major passages through the atoll into the Majuro lagoon

geographic coordinates

7 06 N, 171 23 E

name

Majuro

time difference

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

Citizenship

citizenship by birth

no

citizenship by descent only

at least one parent must be a citizen of the Marshall Islands

dual citizenship recognized

no

residency requirement for naturalization

5 years

Constitution

amendment process

proposed by the National Parliament or by a constitutional convention; passage by Parliament requires at least two-thirds majority vote of the total membership in each of two readings and approval by a majority of votes in a referendum; amendments submitted by a constitutional convention require approval of at least two thirds of votes in a referendum

history

effective 1 May 1979

Country name

abbreviation

RMI

conventional long form

Republic of the Marshall Islands

conventional short form

Marshall Islands

etymology

named after British Captain John MARSHALL, who charted many of the islands in 1788

former

Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands, Marshall Islands District

local long form

Republic of the Marshall Islands

local short form

Marshall Islands

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission

Ambassador Laura M. STONE (since 12 July 2024)

email address and website

MAJConsular@state.gov https://mh.usembassy.gov/

embassy

Mejen Weto, Ocean Side, Majuro

FAX

[692] 247-4012

mailing address

4380 Majuro Place, Washington DC 20521-4380

telephone

[692] 247-4011

Diplomatic representation in the US

chancery

2433 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

chief of mission

Ambassador Charles Rudolph PAUL (since 27 February 2024)

consulate(s) general

Honolulu, Springdale (AR)

email address and website

info@rmiembassyus.org

FAX

[1] (202) 232-3236

telephone

[1] (202) 234-5414

Executive branch

cabinet

Cabinet nominated by the president from among members of the Nitijela, appointed by Nitijela speaker

chief of state

President Hilda C. HEINE (since 3 January 2023)

election results

2023: Hilda C. HEINE elected president; National Parliament vote - Hilda C. HEINE (independent) 17, David KABUA (independent) 16 2020: David KABUA elected president; National Parliament vote - David KABUA (independent) 20, Hilda C. HEINE (independent) 12

election/appointment process

president indirectly elected by the Nitijela from among its members for a 4-year term (no term limits)

expected date of next election

2027

head of government

President Hilda C. HEINE (since 3 January 2023)

most recent election date

2 January 2023

Flag

description: blue with an orange stripe and a white stripe radiating from the lower-left corner to the upper-right corner; a white star with four large rays and 20 small rays appears on the left side above the two stripes meaning: blue stands for the Pacific Ocean, orange for the Ralik Chain (or sunset and courage), and white for the Ratak Chain (or sunrise and peace); the star symbolizes the Christian cross, with a small ray for each electoral district and a larger ray for the principal cultural centers of Majuro, Jaluit, Wotje, and Ebeye; the diagonal stripes can also be interpreted as representing the equator, with the star showing the archipelago's position

Government type

mixed presidential-parliamentary system in free association with the US

Independence

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

International law organization participation

accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

International organization participation

ACP, ADB, AOSIS, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, IDA, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ITU, OPCW, PIF, Sparteca, SPC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHRC, WHO

Judicial branch

highest court(s)

Supreme Court (consists of the chief justice and 2 associate justices)

judge selection and term of office

judges appointed by the Cabinet on the recommendation of the Judicial Service Commission (consists of the chief justice of the High Court, the attorney general and a private citizen selected by the Cabinet) and upon approval of the Nitijela; the current chief justice, appointed in 2013, serves for 10 years; Marshallese citizens appointed as justices serve until retirement at age 72

subordinate courts

High Court; District Courts; Traditional Rights Court; Community Courts

Legal system

mixed system of US and English common law, customary law, and local statutes

Legislative branch

electoral system

plurality/majority

expected date of next election

November 2027

legislative structure

unicameral

legislature name

Parliament (Nitijela)

most recent election date

11/20/2023

number of seats

33 (all directly elected)

percentage of women in chamber

12.1%

scope of elections

full renewal

term in office

4 years

National anthem(s)

history

adopted 1981; words and music written by the first president of the Marshall Islands

lyrics/music

Amata KABUA

title

"Forever Marshall Islands"

National color(s)

blue, white, orange

National heritage

selected World Heritage Site locales

Bikini Atoll Nuclear Test Site

total World Heritage Sites

1 (cultural)

National holiday

Constitution Day, 1 May (1979)

National symbol(s)

a 24-rayed star

Political parties

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

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Agricultural products

coconuts (2023)

Budget

expenditures

$159.095 million (2020 est.)

revenues

$171.267 million (2020 est.)

Current account balance

Current account balance 2019

$86.133 million (2019 est.)

Current account balance 2020

$90.281 million (2020 est.)

Current account balance 2021

$76.263 million (2021 est.)

Economic overview

upper middle-income Pacific island economy; US aid reliance; large public sector; coconut oil production as diesel fuel substitute; growing offshore banking locale; fishing rights seller; import-dependent

Exchange rates

the US dollar is used

Exports

Exports 2019

$91.394 million (2019 est.)

Exports 2020

$88.042 million (2020 est.)

Exports 2021

$130.016 million (2021 est.)

Exports - commodities

ships, refined petroleum, fish, natural gas, stone processing machines (2023)

Exports - partners

UK 16%, Germany 13%, Denmark 10%, Ghana 9%, Cyprus 9% (2023)

GDP - composition, by end use

exports of goods and services

38.9% (2023 est.)

government consumption

53.5% (2023 est.)

household consumption

70.7% (2023 est.)

imports of goods and services

-71.2% (2023 est.)

investment in fixed capital

20.2% (2023 est.)

investment in inventories

-0.5% (2023 est.)

GDP - composition, by sector of origin

agriculture

19.5% (2023 est.)

industry

11.1% (2023 est.)

services

70.5% (2023 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate)

$280.358 million (2024 est.)

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income 2019

35.5 (2019 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

highest 10%

27.5% (2019 est.)

lowest 10%

2.8% (2019 est.)

Imports

Imports 2019

$129.682 million (2019 est.)

Imports 2020

$132.845 million (2020 est.)

Imports 2021

$206.025 million (2021 est.)

Imports - commodities

ships, refined petroleum, additive manufacturing machines, iron structures, crude petroleum (2023)

Imports - partners

China 47%, Japan 15%, Germany 5%, Brazil 4%, Cyprus 4% (2023)

Industrial production growth rate

-2.8% (2023 est.)

Industries

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2020

-0.7% (2020 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2021

2.6% (2021 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2022

6.2% (2022 est.)

Population below poverty line

7.2% (2019 est.)

Public debt

Public debt 2019

41.6% of GDP (2019 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2022

$274.3 million (2022 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2023

$263.507 million (2023 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2024

$270.809 million (2024 est.)

Real GDP growth rate

Real GDP growth rate 2022

-1.1% (2022 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2023

-3.9% (2023 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2024

2.8% (2024 est.)

Real GDP per capita

Real GDP per capita 2022

$6,800 (2022 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2023

$6,800 (2023 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2024

$7,200 (2024 est.)

Remittances

Remittances 2021

13.3% of GDP (2021 est.)

Remittances 2022

13.6% of GDP (2022 est.)

Remittances 2023

13.3% of GDP (2023 est.)

Taxes and other revenues

17.2% (of GDP) (2020 est.)

Electricity access

electrification - rural areas

100%

electrification - total population

100% (2022 est.)

electrification - urban areas

96.1%

Broadband - fixed subscriptions

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

2 (2022 est.)

total

1,000 (2022 est.)

Broadcast media

no TV broadcast station; a cable network is available on Majuro with programming via videotape replay and satellite relays; 4 radio broadcast stations; US Armed Forces Radio and Television Service (AFRTS) provides satellite radio and TV service to Kwajalein Atoll (2019)

Internet country code

.mh

Internet users

percent of population

66% (2023 est.)

Telephones - fixed lines

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

5 (2022 est.)

total subscriptions

2,000 (2014 est.)

Telephones - mobile cellular

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

38 (2021 est.)

total subscriptions

16,000 (2021 est.)

Airports

33 (2025)

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

V7

Merchant marine

by type

bulk carrier 1,939, container ship 277, general cargo 66, oil tanker 1039, other 859

total

4,180 (2023)

Ports

key ports

Enitwetak Island, Kwajalein, Majuro Atoll

large

0

medium

0

ports with oil terminals

2

small

0

total ports

3 (2024)

very small

3

Military - note

defense is the responsibility of the US; in 1982, the Marshall Islands signed a Compact of Free Association (COFA) with the US, which granted the Marshall Islands financial assistance and access to many US domestic programs in exchange for exclusive US military access and defense responsibilities; the COFA entered into force in 1986; the Marshall Islands hosts a US Army missile test site  the Marshall Islands has a "shiprider" agreement with the US, which allows local maritime law enforcement officers to embark on US Coast Guard (USCG) and US Navy (USN) vessels, including to board and search vessels suspected of violating laws or regulations within its designated exclusive economic zone (EEZ) or on the high seas; "shiprider" agreements also enable USCG personnel and USN vessels with embarked USCG law enforcement personnel to work with host nations to protect critical regional resources (2025)

Military and security forces

Marshall Islands Police Department (includes a Sea Patrol Division)

Refugees and internally displaced persons

IDPs

35 (2024 est.)

Carbon dioxide emissions

293,700 metric tonnes of CO2 (2017 est.)

Environmental issues

inadequate potable water; pollution of Majuro lagoon from household waste and discharges from fishing vessels; sea-level rise

International environmental agreements

party to

Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping-London Protocol, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling

signed, but not ratified

none of the selected agreements

Particulate matter emissions

7.2 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)

Waste and recycling

municipal solid waste generated annually

8,600 tons (2024 est.)

percent of municipal solid waste recycled

39.7% (2022 est.)