2024 Edition Primary

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

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 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 (2022)

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

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

21.2 births/1,000 population (2024 est.)

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

11.9% (2017)

Contraceptive prevalence rate

NA

Current health expenditure

13% of GDP (2020)

Currently married women (ages 15-49)

68.3% (2022 est.)

Death rate

4.3 deaths/1,000 population (2024 est.)

Dependency ratios

elderly dependency ratio

6.8

potential support ratio

14.7 (2021)

total dependency ratio

59.9

youth dependency ratio

53

Drinking water source

improved: rural

rural: 99.8% of population

improved: total

total: 100% of population

improved: urban

urban: 100% of population

unimproved: rural

rural: 0.2% of population

unimproved: total

total: 0% of population (2020 est.)

unimproved: urban

urban: 0% of population

Education expenditures

13.6% of GDP (2020 est.)

Ethnic groups

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

Gross reproduction rate

1.3 (2024 est.)

Hospital bed density

2.7 beds/1,000 population

Infant mortality rate

female

17.1 deaths/1,000 live births

male

24 deaths/1,000 live births

total

20.6 deaths/1,000 live births (2024 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.

note

note: English (official), widely spoken as a second language

Life expectancy at birth

female

77.5 years

male

73 years

total population

75.2 years (2024 est.)

Literacy

definition

age 15 and over can read and write

female

98.2% (2011)

male

98.3%

total population

98.3%

Major urban areas - population

31,000 MAJURO (capital) (2018)

Median age

female

25.6 years

male

25.4 years

total

25.5 years (2024 est.)

Nationality

adjective

Marshallese

noun

Marshallese (singular and plural)

Net migration rate

-4.3 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2024 est.)

Obesity - adult prevalence rate

52.9% (2016)

Physician density

0.42 physicians/1,000 population (2012)

Population

female

40,430 (2024 est.)

male

41,581

total

82,011

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

1.26% (2024 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: 65.4% of population

improved: total

total: 89.7% of population

improved: urban

urban: 96.6% of population

unimproved: rural

rural: 34.6% of population

unimproved: total

total: 10.3% of population (2020 est.)

unimproved: urban

urban: 3.4% 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

15-64 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

8.3% (2020 est.)

male

48.7% (2020 est.)

total

28.5% (2020 est.)

Total fertility rate

2.67 children born/woman (2024 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 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 (vacant); Chargé d’Affaires Lance POSEY (since 18 August 2023)

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 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) 162020: David KABUA elected president; National Parliament vote - David KABUA (independent) 20, Hilda C. HEINE (independent) 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 2 January 2023 (next to be held in 2027)

head of government

President Hilda C. HEINE (since 3 January 2023)

note

note: the president is both chief of state and head of government

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, 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 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

unicameral National Parliament or Nitijela (33 seats; members in 19 single- and 5 multi-seat constituencies directly elected by simple majority vote to serve 4-year terms)

election results

percent of vote by party - NA; seats by part - independent 33; composition - men 29, women 4, percent of women 12.1%

elections

last held on 20 November 2023 (next to be held in November 2027)

note

note: the Council of Iroij is a 12-member consultative group of tribal leaders that advises the Presidential Cabinet and reviews legislation affecting customary law or any traditional practice 

National anthem

lyrics/music

Amata KABUA

name

"Forever Marshall Islands"

note

note: adopted 1981

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; national colors: blue, white, orange

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 (2022)

note

note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage

Budget

expenditures

$177.91 million (2018 est.)

note

note: central government revenues (excluding grants) and expenses converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated

revenues

$186.971 million (2018 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.)

note

note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars

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.)

note

note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars

Exports - commodities

ships, refined petroleum, fish, coated flat-rolled iron, wood carpentry (2022)

note

note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars

Exports - partners

Germany 30%, Denmark 15%, UK 14%, Malta 6%, Indonesia 5% (2022)

note

note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports

GDP - composition, by end use

exports of goods and services

46.3% (2022 est.)

government consumption

57.4% (2022 est.)

household consumption

71.7% (2022 est.)

imports of goods and services

-73.7% (2022 est.)

investment in fixed capital

19.8% (2022 est.)

investment in inventories

0.3% (2022 est.)

note

note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection

GDP - composition, by sector of origin

agriculture

20.6% (2022 est.)

industry

10.3% (2022 est.)

note

note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data

services

68.7% (2022 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate)

$284 million (2023 est.)

note

note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income 2019

35.5 (2019 est.)

note

note: index (0-100) of income distribution; higher values represent greater inequality

Household income or consumption by percentage share

highest 10%

27.5% (2019 est.)

lowest 10%

2.8% (2019 est.)

note

note: % share of income accruing to lowest and highest 10% of population

Imports

Imports 2019

$129.682 million (2019 est.)

Imports 2020

$132.845 million (2020 est.)

Imports 2021

$206.025 million (2021 est.)

note

note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars

Imports - commodities

ships, refined petroleum, additive manufacturing machines, centrifuges, iron structures (2022)

note

note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars

Imports - partners

China 33%, South Korea 31%, Japan 12%, Taiwan 4%, Brazil 4% (2022)

note

note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports

Industrial production growth rate

10.24% (2022 est.)

note

note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency

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.)

Population below poverty line

7.2% (2019 est.)

note

note: % of population with income below national poverty line

Public debt

note

note: central government debt as a % of GDP

Public debt 2019

41.73% of GDP (2019 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity)

note

note: data in 2021 dollars

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2021

$276.583 million (2021 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2022

$274.715 million (2022 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2023

$283.577 million (2023 est.)

Real GDP growth rate

note

note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency

Real GDP growth rate 2021

1.11% (2021 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2022

-0.68% (2022 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2023

3.23% (2023 est.)

Real GDP per capita

note

note: data in 2021 dollars

Real GDP per capita 2021

$6,600 (2021 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2022

$6,600 (2022 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2023

$6,800 (2023 est.)

Remittances

note

note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities

Remittances 2021

13.36% of GDP (2021 est.)

Remittances 2022

3.23% of GDP (2022 est.)

Remittances 2023

10.56% of GDP (2023 est.)

Taxes and other revenues

17.23% (of GDP) (2020 est.)

note

note: central government tax revenue as a % of GDP

Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24)

female

14.2%

male

31%

total

26% (2019 est.)

Carbon dioxide emissions

293,700 metric tonnes of CO2 (2017 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 (2020 est.)

total

1,000 (2020 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% (2021 est.)

total

16,254 (2021 est.)

Telecommunication systems

domestic

fixed-line roughly 5 per 100 persons and mobile-cellular is nearly 38 per 100 persons (2021)

general assessment

the National Telecommunications Act, through Bill No. 66, ushered in a new era in telecommunications in the Marshall Islands; this will enable an open, competitive market for telecommunications that is regulated by a Telecommunications Commissioner; telecom officials announced that they would be able to offer satellite internet services beginning in mid-2023; the World Bank has been promoting telecommunications reform here for a decade and has a multi-million-dollar telecommunications reform grant program in progress (2022)

international

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

Telephones - fixed lines

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

5 (2014 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 (2024)

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)

National air transport system

annual freight traffic on registered air carriers

130,000 (2018) mt-km

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

key ports

Enitwetak Island, Kwajalein, Majuro Atoll

ports with oil terminals

2

total ports

3 (2024)

very small

3

Roadways

paved

75 km

total

2,028 km

unpaved

1,953 km (2007)

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, and its funding was renewed in 2003; the Marshall Islands hosts a US Army missile test site the Marshall Islands have 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 (2024)

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) are responsible for security; the MIPD and Sea Patrol report to the Ministry of Justice; local police report to their respective local government councils (2024)

Trafficking in persons

tier rating

Tier 2 Watch List — Tier 2 Watch List — the government did not demonstrate overall increasing efforts to eliminate trafficking compared with the previous reporting period, therefore Marshall Islands remained on Tier 2 Watch List for the second consecutive year; for more details, go to:  https://www.state.gov/reports/2024-trafficking-in-persons-report/marshall-islands/

Air pollutants

carbon dioxide emissions

0.14 megatons (2016 est.)

methane emissions

0.03 megatons (2020 est.)

particulate matter emissions

7.21 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 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.)

Revenue from forest resources

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

78.9% of total population (2023)

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.)