2021 Edition
CIA World Factbook 2021 (factbook.json @ e0d5604b9e27)
Introduction
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. The traditional hierarchy continued even after contact with Europeans in the early 1500s. Spain formally claimed the islands in 1592, but few other Europeans passed by the islands in the next two centuries. In 1788, British sea captain John MARSHALL undertook an exploratory voyage, and the islands were mapped in the early 1800s by Russian explorers. In the 1850s, US Protestant missionaries began arriving on the islands. 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. Japan built large military bases throughout the Marshall Islands, and during World War II, the US captured the bases on Kwajalein, Enewetak, and Majuro Atolls in Operations Flintlock and Catchpole. The Marshall 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 and Rongelap Atolls were also evacuated because of nuclear fallout, and all four atolls 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.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 and its funding was renewed in 2003. The Marshall Islands hosts the US Army Kwajalein Atoll Reagan Missile Test Site, a key installation in the US missile defense network. Kwajalein also hosts one of four dedicated ground antennas that assist in the operation of the Global Positioning System (GPS) navigation system (the others are at Cape Canaveral, Florida (US), on Ascension (Saint Helena, Ascension, and Tristan da Cunha), and at Diego Garcia (British Indian Ocean Territory)).
Geography
Area
- land
- 181 sq km
- note
- note: the archipelago includes 11,673 sq km of lagoon waters and encompasses the atolls of Bikini, Enewetak, Kwajalein, Majuro, Rongelap, and Utirik
- total
- 181 sq km
- water
- 0 sq km
Area - comparative
about the size of Washington, DC
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
the islands of Bikini and Enewetak are former US nuclear test sites; Kwajalein atoll, famous as a World War II battleground, surrounds the world's largest lagoon and is used as a US missile test range; 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 (2012)
Land boundaries
- total
- 0 km
Land use
- agricultural land
- 50.7% (2018 est.)
- agricultural land: arable land
- arable land: 7.8% (2018 est.)
- agricultural land: permanent crops
- permanent crops: 31.2% (2018 est.)
- agricultural land: permanent pasture
- permanent pasture: 11.7% (2018 est.)
- forest
- 49.3% (2018 est.)
- other
- 0% (2018 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 found 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
People and Society
Age structure
- 0-14 years
- 32.94% (male 13,090/female 12,575)
- 15-24 years
- 19.09% (male 7,568/female 7,308)
- 25-54 years
- 37.35% (male 14,834/female 14,270)
- 55-64 years
- 5.92% (male 2,269/female 2,341)
- 65 years and over
- 4.7% (male 1,805/female 1,857) (2020 est.)
Birth rate
22.42 births/1,000 population (2021 est.)
Children under the age of 5 years underweight
11.9% (2017)
Contraceptive prevalence rate
NA
Current Health Expenditure
17.6% (2018)
Death rate
4.25 deaths/1,000 population (2021 est.)
Dependency ratios
- elderly dependency ratio
- NA
- potential support ratio
- NA
- total dependency ratio
- NA
- youth dependency ratio
- NA
Drinking water source
- improved: rural
- rural: 99.7% of population
- improved: total
- total: 99.8% of population
- improved: urban
- urban: 99.8% of population
- unimproved: rural
- rural: 0.3% of population
- unimproved: total
- total: 0.2% of population (2017 est.)
- unimproved: urban
- urban: 0.2% of population
Education expenditures
9.6% of GDP (2019)
Ethnic groups
Marshallese 92.1%, mixed Marshallese 5.9%, other 2% (2006 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate
NA
HIV/AIDS - deaths
NA
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS
NA
Hospital bed density
2.7 beds/1,000 population
Infant mortality rate
- female
- 18.4 deaths/1,000 live births (2021 est.)
- male
- 25.83 deaths/1,000 live births
- total
- 22.2 deaths/1,000 live births
Languages
- Languages
- Marshallese (official) 98.2%, other languages 1.8% (1999 est.)
- 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.
- note
- note: English (official), widely spoken as a second language
Life expectancy at birth
- female
- 76.76 years (2021 est.)
- male
- 72.12 years
- total population
- 74.38 years
Literacy
- definition
- age 15 and over can read and write
- female
- 98.2% (2011)
- male
- 98.3%
- total population
- 98.3%
Major infectious diseases
- degree of risk
- high (2020)
- food or waterborne diseases
- bacterial diarrhea
- vectorborne diseases
- malaria
Major urban areas - population
31,000 MAJURO (capital) (2018)
Median age
- female
- 23.9 years (2020 est.)
- male
- 23.6 years
- total
- 23.8 years
Nationality
- adjective
- Marshallese
- noun
- Marshallese (singular and plural)
Net migration rate
-4.43 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2021 est.)
Obesity - adult prevalence rate
52.9% (2016)
Physicians density
0.42 physicians/1,000 population (2012)
Population
78,831 (July 2021 est.)
Population distribution
most people live in urban clusters found on many of the country's islands; more than two-thirds of the population lives on the atolls of Majuro and Ebeye
Population growth rate
1.37% (2021 est.)
Religions
Protestant 80.5% (United Church of Christ 47%, Assembly of God 16.2%, Bukot Nan Jesus 5.4%, Full Gospel 3.3%, Reformed Congressional Church 3%, Salvation Army 1.9%, Seventh Day Adventist 1.4%, Meram in Jesus 1.2%, other Protestant 1.1%), Roman Catholic 8.5%, Church of Jesus Christ 7%, Jehovah's Witness 1.7%, other 1.2%, none 1.1% (2011 est.)
Sanitation facility access
- improved: rural
- rural: 65.4% of population
- improved: total
- total: 89.1% of population
- improved: urban
- urban: 96.3% of population
- unimproved: rural
- rural: 34.6% of population
- unimproved: total
- total: 10.9% of population (2017 est.)
- unimproved: urban
- urban: 15.5% of population
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)
- female
- 10 years (2019)
- male
- 10 years
- total
- 10 years
Sex ratio
- 0-14 years
- 1.04 male(s)/female
- 15-24 years
- 1.04 male(s)/female
- 25-54 years
- 1.04 male(s)/female
- 55-64 years
- 0.97 male(s)/female
- 65 years and over
- 0.97 male(s)/female
- at birth
- 1.05 male(s)/female
- total population
- 1.03 male(s)/female (2020 est.)
Total fertility rate
2.81 children born/woman (2021 est.)
Unemployment, youth ages 15-24
- female
- 14.2% (2019 est.)
- male
- 31%
- total
- 26%
Urbanization
- rate of urbanization
- 0.61% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
- urban population
- 78.2% of total population (2021)
Government
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 northern passages through the atoll into the Majuro lagoon
- geographic coordinates
- 7 06 N, 171 23 E
- name
- Majuro; note - the capital is an atoll of 64 islands; governmental buildings are housed on three fused islands on the eastern side of the atoll: Djarrit, Uliga, and Delap
- 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
- amendments
- 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; amended several times, last in 2018
- 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 Roxanne CABRAL (since 6 February 2020)
- email address and website
- MAJConsular@state.govhttps://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 Gerald M. ZACKIOS (since 16 September 2016)
- consulate(s) general
- Honolulu, Springdale (AR)
- email address and website
- info@rmiembassyus.orghttps://www.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 David KABUA (since 13 January 2020); note - the president is both chief of state and head of government
- election results
- David KABUA elected president; Parliament vote - David KABUA 20, Hilda C. HEINE 12
- elections/appointments
- president indirectly elected by the Nitijela from among its members for a 4-year term (no term limits); election last held on 6 January 2020 (next to be held in 2024)
- head of government
- President David KABUA (since 13 January 2020)
Flag description
blue with two stripes radiating from the lower hoist-side corner - orange (top) and white; a white star with four large rays and 20 small rays appears on the hoist side above the two stripes; blue represents the Pacific Ocean, the orange stripe signifies the Ralik Chain or sunset and courage, while the white stripe signifies the Ratak Chain or sunrise and peace; the star symbolizes the cross of Christianity, each of the 24 rays designates one of the electoral districts in the country and the four larger rays highlight the principal cultural centers of Majuro, Jaluit, Wotje, and Ebeye; the rising diagonal band can also be interpreted as representing the equator, with the star showing the archipelago's position just to the north
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, WHO
Judicial branch
- highest courts
- Supreme Court (consists of the chief justice and 2 associate justices)
- judge selection and term of office
- judges appointed by the Cabinet upon 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 legal system of US and English common law, customary law, and local statutes
Legislative branch
- description
- bicameral National Parliament consists of:Council of Iroij, a 12-member group of tribal leaders advises the Presidential Cabinet and reviews legislation affecting customary law or any traditional practice); members appointed to serve 1-year termsNitijela (33 seats; members in 19 single- and 5 multi-seat constituencies directly elected by simple majority vote to serve 4-year terms); note - legislative power resides in the Nitijela
- election results
- percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - independent 33
- elections
- last held on 18 November 2019 (next to be held by November 2023)
National anthem
- lyrics/music
- Amata KABUA
- name
- Forever Marshall Islands
- note
- note: adopted 1981
National holiday
Constitution Day, 1 May (1979)
National symbol(s)
a 24-rayed star; national colors: blue, white, orange
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
Suffrage
18 years of age; universal
Economy
Agricultural products
coconuts
Budget
- expenditures
- 113.9 million (2013 est.)
- revenues
- 116.7 million (2013 est.)
Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-)
1.3% (of GDP) (2013 est.)
Current account balance
- Current account balance 2016
- $15 million (2016 est.)
- Current account balance 2017
- -$1 million (2017 est.)
Debt - external
- Debt - external 2008
- $87 million (2008 est.)
- Debt - external 2013
- $97.96 million (2013 est.)
Economic overview
US assistance and lease payments for the use of Kwajalein Atoll as a US military base are the mainstay of this small island country. Agricultural production, primarily subsistence, is concentrated on small farms; the most important commercial crops are coconuts and breadfruit. Industry is limited to handicrafts, tuna processing, and copra. Tourism holds some potential. The islands and atolls have few natural resources, and imports exceed exports.The Marshall Islands received roughly $1 billion in aid from the US during the period 1986-2001 under the original Compact of Free Association (Compact). In 2002 and 2003, the US and the Marshall Islands renegotiated the Compact's financial package for a 20-year period, 2004 to 2024. Under the amended Compact, the Marshall Islands will receive roughly $1.5 billion in direct US assistance. Under the amended Compact, the US and Marshall Islands are also jointly funding a Trust Fund for the people of the Marshall Islands that will provide an income stream beyond 2024, when direct Compact aid ends.
Exchange rates
the US dollar is used
Exports
- Exports 2018
- $130 million note: data are in current year dollars (2018 est.)
Exports - commodities
ships, fish, recreational boats, broadcasting equipment, coal tar oil (2019)
Exports - partners
Poland 28%, Denmark 19%, South Korea 13%, Indonesia 10%, Cyprus 6% (2019)
Fiscal year
1 October - 30 September
GDP - composition, by end use
- exports of goods and services
- 52.9% (2016 est.)
- government consumption
- 50% (2016 est.)
- imports of goods and services
- -102.3% (2016 est.)
- investment in fixed capital
- 17.8% (2016 est.)
- investment in inventories
- 0.2% (2016 est.)
GDP - composition, by sector of origin
- agriculture
- 4.4% (2013 est.)
- industry
- 9.9% (2013 est.)
- services
- 85.7% (2013 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate)
$222 million (2017 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share
- highest 10%
- NA
- lowest 10%
- NA
Imports
- Imports 2016
- $103.8 million (2016 est.)
- Imports 2018
- $170 million note: data are in current year dollars (2018 est.)
Imports - commodities
ships, refined petroleum, centrifuges, recreational boats, boat propellers (2019)
Imports - partners
South Korea 39%, China 27%, Japan 15% (2019)
Industrial production growth rate
NA
Industries
copra, tuna processing, tourism, craft items (from seashells, wood, and pearls)
Inflation rate (consumer prices)
- Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2016
- -1.5% (2016 est.)
- Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2017
- 0% (2017 est.)
Labor force
10,670 (2013 est.)
Labor force - by occupation
- agriculture
- 11%
- industry
- 16.3%
- services
- 72.7% (2011 est.)
Population below poverty line
NA
Public debt
- Public debt 2016
- 30% of GDP (2016 est.)
- Public debt 2017
- 25.5% of GDP (2017 est.)
Real GDP (purchasing power parity)
- note
- note: data are in 2017 dollars
- Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2017
- $219 million (2017 est.)
- Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2018
- $220 million note: data are in 2017 dollars (2018 est.)
- Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2019
- $240 million note: data are in 2017 dollars (2019 est.)
Real GDP growth rate
- Real GDP growth rate 2015
- 2% (2015 est.)
- Real GDP growth rate 2016
- 3.6% (2016 est.)
- Real GDP growth rate 2017
- 2.5% (2017 est.)
Real GDP per capita
- note
- note: data are in 2017 dollars
- Real GDP per capita 2017
- $3,776 (2017 est.)
- Real GDP per capita 2018
- $3,800 note: data are in 2017 dollars (2018 est.)
- Real GDP per capita 2019
- $4,000 note: data are in 2017 dollars (2019 est.)
Taxes and other revenues
52.6% (of GDP) (2013 est.)
Unemployment rate
- Unemployment rate 2000
- 30.9% (2000 est.)
- Unemployment rate 2006
- 36% (2006 est.)
Unemployment, youth ages 15-24
- female
- 14.2% (2019 est.)
- male
- 31%
- total
- 26%
Energy
Crude oil - exports
0 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Crude oil - imports
0 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Crude oil - production
0 bbl/day (2017 est.)
Crude oil - proved reserves
0 bbl (1 January 2018 est.)
Electricity - consumption
604.5 million kWh (2016 est.)
Electricity - exports
0 kWh (2016 est.)
Electricity - from fossil fuels
81% of total installed capacity (2016 est.)
Electricity - from hydroelectric plants
19% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)
Electricity - from nuclear fuels
0% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)
Electricity - from other renewable sources
0% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)
Electricity - imports
0 kWh (2016 est.)
Electricity - installed generating capacity
52,000 kW (2016 est.)
Electricity - production
650 million kWh (2016 est.)
Electricity access
- electrification - rural areas
- 98.4% (2018)
- electrification - total population
- 96.3% (2018)
- electrification - urban areas
- 95.7% (2018)
Natural gas - consumption
0 cu m (2017 est.)
Natural gas - exports
0 cu m (2017 est.)
Natural gas - imports
0 cu m (2017 est.)
Natural gas - production
0 cu m (2017 est.)
Refined petroleum products - consumption
2,000 bbl/day (2016 est.)
Refined petroleum products - exports
0 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Refined petroleum products - imports
2,060 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Refined petroleum products - production
0 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Communications
Broadband - fixed subscriptions
- subscriptions per 100 inhabitants
- 1.72 (2019 est.)
- total
- 1,000 (2017 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; American Armed Forces Radio and Television Service (AFRTS) provides satellite radio and television service to Kwajalein Atoll (2019)
Communications - note
Kwajalein hosts one of four dedicated ground antennas that assist in the operation of the Global Positioning System (GPS) navigation system (the others are at Cape Canaveral, Florida (US), on Ascension (Saint Helena, Ascension, and Tristan da Cunha), and at Diego Garcia (British Indian Ocean Territory))
Internet country code
.mh
Internet users
- percent of population
- 38.7% (2019 est.)
- total
- 23,000 (2021 est.)
Telecommunication systems
- 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; fixed-line 4 per 100 persons and mobile-cellular is 28 per 100 persons (2019)
- general assessment
- some telecom infrastructure improvements made in recent years; modern services include fiber optic cable service, cellular, Internet, international calling, caller ID, and leased data circuits; the US Government, World Bank, UN and International Telecommunication Union (ITU), have aided in improvements and monetary aid to the islands telecom; mobile penetrations is around 30%; radio communication is especially vital to remote islands (2018)
- international
- country code - 692; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean); US Government satellite communications system on Kwajalein
- note
- note: the COVID-19 pandemic continues to have a significant impact on production and supply chains globally; since 2020, some aspects of the telecom sector have experienced downturn, particularly in mobile device production; many network operators delayed upgrades to infrastructure; progress towards 5G implementation was postponed or slowed in some countries; consumer spending on telecom services and devices was affected by large-scale job losses and the consequent restriction on disposable incomes; the crucial nature of telecom services as a tool for work and school from home became evident, and received some support from governments
Telephones - fixed lines
- subscriptions per 100 inhabitants
- 4.13 (2018 est.)
- total subscriptions
- 2,361 (2018)
Telephones - mobile cellular
- subscriptions per 100 inhabitants
- 27.56 (2019 est.)
- total subscriptions
- 16,000 (2018)
Transportation
Airports
- total
- 15 (2013)
Airports - with paved runways
- 1,524 to 2,437 m
- 3
- 914 to 1,523 m
- 1 (2017)
- total
- 4
Airports - with unpaved runways
- 914 to 1,523 m
- 10
- total
- 11
- under 914 m
- 1 (2013)
Civil aircraft registration country code prefix
V7
Merchant marine
- by type
- bulk carrier 1,733, container ship 248, general cargo 66, oil tanker 970, other 800 (2021)
- total
- 3,817
National air transport system
- annual freight traffic on registered air carriers
- 130,000 mt-km (2018)
- annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers
- 24,313 (2018)
- inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers
- 3
- number of registered air carriers
- 1 (2020)
Ports and terminals
- major seaport(s)
- Enitwetak Island, Kwajalein, Majuro
Roadways
- paved
- 75 km (2007)
- total
- 2,028 km (2007)
- unpaved
- 1,953 km
Military and Security
Military - note
defense is the responsibility of the US
Military and security forces
no regular military forces; the national police (Marshall Islands Police Department, MIPD), local police forces, and the Sea Patrol (maritime police) maintain internal security; the MIPD and Sea Patrol report to the Ministry of Justice; local police report to their respective local government councils
Transnational Issues
Disputes - international
claims US territory of Wake Island
Trafficking in persons
- current situation
- The Marshall Islands are a destination country for women from East Asia subjected to sex trafficking; foreign women are reportedly forced into prostitution in bars frequented by crew members of fishing vessels; some Chinese women are recruited to the Marshall Islands with promises of legitimate work and are subsequently forced into prostitution; wealthy or powerful families use traditional cultural practices to exploit impoverished Marshallese from outer islands as indentured laborers on their property; Marshallese children are transported to the United States and subjected to sexual abuse
- tier rating
- Tier 2 Watch List — the Marshall Islands does not fully comply with the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking but is making significant efforts to do so; efforts include its first trafficking prosecution since 2011 and opening an investigation into an immigration official for alleged trafficking complicity; however, no efforts were made to identify trafficking victims and no assistance was provided to victims; the government has not convicted any traffickers since 2011 (2020)
Environment
Air pollutants
- carbon dioxide emissions
- 0.14 megatons (2016 est.)
- methane emissions
- 0.03 megatons (2020 est.)
- particulate matter emissions
- 9.43 micrograms per cubic meter (2016 est.)
Climate
tropical; hot and humid; wet season May to November; islands border typhoon belt
Environment - current issues
inadequate supplies of potable water; pollution of Majuro lagoon from household waste and discharges from fishing vessels; sea level rise
Environment - international 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
Land use
- agricultural land
- 50.7% (2018 est.)
- agricultural land: arable land
- arable land: 7.8% (2018 est.)
- agricultural land: permanent crops
- permanent crops: 31.2% (2018 est.)
- agricultural land: permanent pasture
- permanent pasture: 11.7% (2018 est.)
- forest
- 49.3% (2018 est.)
- other
- 0% (2018 est.)
Major infectious diseases
- degree of risk
- high (2020)
- food or waterborne diseases
- bacterial diarrhea
- vectorborne diseases
- malaria
Revenue from forest resources
- forest revenues
- 0% of GDP (2018 est.)
Total renewable water resources
0 cubic meters (2017 est.)
Urbanization
- rate of urbanization
- 0.61% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
- urban population
- 78.2% of total population (2021)
Waste and recycling
- municipal solid waste generated annually
- 8,614 tons (2013 est.)
- municipal solid waste recycled annually
- 2,653 tons (2007 est.)
- percent of municipal solid waste recycled
- 30.8% (2007 est.)