Marshall Islands
Republic of the Marshall Islands
constitutional government in free association with the USIndependence 21 October 1986 (from the US-administered UN
Marshall Islands as the 1995 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 78 fields, one of 36 editions from 1990 to 2025.
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Geography
Oceania, group of atolls and reefs in the North Pacific | Ocean, about one-half of the way from Hawaii to Papua New Guinea
14 fieldsLand useshare of 181.3 sq km
Location
Oceania, group of atolls and reefs in the North Pacific Ocean, about one-half of the way from Hawaii to Papua New Guinea
Environment
- current issues:
- inadequate supplies of potable water
- natural hazards:
- occasional typhoons
- international agreements:
- party to - Biodiversity, Climate Change, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution
Note
- two archipelagic island chains of 30 atolls and 1,152 islands;
- Bikini and Eniwetak are former US nuclear test sites;
- Kwajalein, the famous World War II battleground, is now used as a US missile test range
People
15 fieldsPer 1,000 population(1995 est.)
Male · female(1995 est.)
Age structure
- 0-14 years:
- 51% (female 13,950; male 14,547)
- 15-64 years:
- 47% (female 12,801; male 13,470)
- 65 years and over:
- 2% (female 740; male 649) (July 1995 est.)
Languages
English (universally spoken and is the official language), two major Marshallese dialects from the Malayo-Polynesian family, Japanese
Government
Constitutional government in free association with the US
21 fieldsLegislature, 33 seatsone dot, one seat
Names
- conventional long form:
- Republic of the Marshall Islands
- conventional short form:
- Marshall Islands
- former:
- Marshall Islands District (Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands)
Type
constitutional government in free association with the US; the Compact of Free Association entered into force 21 October 1986
Legal system
based on adapted Trust Territory laws, acts of the legislature, municipal, common, and customary laws
Executive branch
- chief of state and head of government:
- President Amata KABUA (since 1979);
- election last held 6 January 1992 (next to be held NA);
- results - President Amata KABUA was reelected
- cabinet:
- Cabinet; president selects from the parliament
Parliament (Nitijela)
- elections last held 18 November 1991 (next to be held November 1995);
- results - percent of vote NA;
- seats - (33 total) independents 33
Political parties and leaders
no formal parties; President KABUA is chief political (and traditional) leader
Member of
AsDB, ESCAP, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IFC, IMF, INTELSAT (nonsignatory user), INTERPOL, SPARTECA, SPC, SPF, UN, UNCTAD, WHO
Diplomatic representation in US
- chief of mission:
- Ambassador Wilfred I. KENDALL
- chancery:
- 2433 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
- telephone:
- [1] (202) 234-5414
US diplomatic representation
- chief of mission:
- Ambassador David C. FIELDS
- embassy:
- address NA, Majuro
- mailing address:
- P. O. Box 1379, Majuro, Republic of the Marshall Islands 96960-1379
- telephone:
- [692] 247-4011
Flag
- 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
Agriculture and tourism are the mainstays of the economy. | Agricultural production is concentrated on small farms, and the most | important commercial crops are coconuts, tomatoes, melons, and | breadfruit.
18 fieldsInstalled generating capacity, 42,000 kW
Overview
Agriculture and tourism are the mainstays of the economy. Agricultural production is concentrated on small farms, and the most important commercial crops are coconuts, tomatoes, melons, and breadfruit. A few cattle ranches supply the domestic meat market. Small-scale industry is limited to handicrafts, fish processing, and copra.
The tourist industry is the primary source of foreign exchange and employs about 10% of the labor force. The islands have few natural resources, and imports far exceed exports. The US Government provides about 70% of the budget.
Exports
$3.9 million (f.o.b., 1992 est.)
- commodities:
- coconut oil, fish, live animals, trichus shells
- partners:
- US, Japan, Australia
Imports
$62.9 million (c.i.f., 1992 est.)
- commodities:
- foodstuffs, machinery and equipment, beverages and tobacco, fuels
- partners:
- US, Japan, Australia
Industries
- copra, fish, tourism;
- craft items from shell, wood, and pearls;
- offshore banking (embryonic)
Economic aid
recipient: under the terms of the Compact of Free Association, the US is to provide approximately $40 million in aid annually
Transportation
5 fieldsAirports by runway lengthpaved left, unpaved right · 16 in all
Highways
total: NA note: paved roads on major islands (Majuro, Kwajalein), otherwise stone-, coral-, or laterite-surfaced roads and tracks
Merchant marine
- total:
- 37 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 2,205,275 GRT/4,263,247 DWT
- ships by type:
- bulk carrier 23, cargo 1, combination ore/oil 1, oil tanker 12
Communications
3 fieldsTelephone system
570 telephones (Majuro) and 186 telephones (Ebeye); telex services
- local:
- NA
- intercity:
- islands interconnected by shortwave radio (used mostly for government purposes)
- international:
- 2 INTELSAT (Pacific Ocean) earth stations; US Government satellite communications system on Kwajalein
Defense Forces
No regular military forces; Police
2 fieldsCite this entry
Central Intelligence Agency. “Marshall Islands.” The World Factbook 1995. Archived by The Factbook, thefactbook.org/marshall-islands/1995.