Marshall Islands

Republic of the Marshall Islands

constitutional government in free association withIndependence 21 October 1986 (from the US-administered UN

Marshall Islands as the 1997 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 91 fields, one of 36 editions from 1990 to 2025.

field in that editiontext changed from the edition beforenot in that editionthe open editionEach field below ends in its editions, 1990 to 2025. Point at a year above to follow it down.

CapitalMajuro

Position9 00 N, 168 00 E

Area181.3 sq km

LocationOceania, group of atolls and reefs in the North Pacific

1997

Every edition of Marshall Islands

Populationas each edition published it

60,652 people July 1997 est. · 43,417 in 1990

Population growth% a year

3.85% 1997 est. · 3.87% in 1993

Median ageyears

Not in this edition 19.3 yrs in 2003

Life expectancyyears at birth

64.14 years 1997 est. · 62.79 yrs in 1993

Fertility ratechildren per woman

6.78 children per woman 1997 est. · 5.9 in 1990

Infant mortalitydeaths per 1,000 live births

45.7 deaths per 1,000 live births 1997 est. · 43 in 1990

GDP per capitaeach edition's own dollars

$1,680 1995 est. · $1,500 in 1993

GDP real growth% a year

1.5% 1995 est. · 6% in 1994

Geography

Oceania, group of atolls and reefs in the North Pacific | Ocean, about one-half of the way from Hawaii to Papua New Guinea

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Land useshare of 181.3 sq km

permanent crops 60%other 40%arable land: NA% · permanent pastures : NA% · forests and woodland: NA%

Area

181.3sq km

land: 181.3 sq kmwater: 0 sq kmnote: includes the atolls of Bikini, Enewetak, and Kwajaleinabout the size of Washington, DC

Coastline

370.4km

land boundaries: 0 kmcontiguous zone: 24 nmexclusive economic zone: 200 nmterritorial sea : 12 nm

Highest point

10m

unnamed location on Likieplowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m

Location

Oceania, group of atolls and reefs in the North Pacific Ocean, about one-half of the way from Hawaii to Papua New Guinea

Climate

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

Natural resources

phosphate deposits, marine products, deep seabed minerals

Environment - international agreements

party to:: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution
signed, but not ratified:: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note

two archipelagic island chains of 30 atolls and 1,152 islands;
Bikini and Enewetak are former US nuclear test sites;
Kwajalein, the famous World War II battleground, is now used as a US missile test range

People

15 fields

Population

60,652

(July 1997 est.)growth rate: 3.85% (1997 est.)

Per 1,000 population(1997 est.)

Birth

45.54Death

7.07Net migration

Male · female

TotalMale · femaleLife expectancy years (1997 est.)64.14

62.57 · 65.79

TotalMale · femaleLiteracy (1980 est.)

100% · 88%

MaleFemaleLiteracy definition: age 15 and over can read and write · total population : 93%

Age structure

0-14 years:: 50% (male 15,550; female 14,926) 15-64 years : 48% (male 14,732; female 14,032)
65 years and over:: 2% (male 662; female 750) (July 1997 est.)

Sex ratio

at birth :: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years:: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years : 1.05 male(s)/female
65 years and over:: 0.88 male(s)/female
total population:: 1.04 male(s)/female (1997 est.)

Infant mortality rate

45.7 deaths/1,000 live births (1997 est.)

Nationality

noun:: Marshallese (singular and plural)
adjective:: Marshallese

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; President Imata KABUA (since 14 January 1997); President Imata KABUA (since 14 January 1997)

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Country name

conventional long form:: Republic of the Marshall Islands
conventional short form :: Marshall Islands
former:: Marshall Islands District (Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands)

Government type

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

Independence

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

National holiday

Proclamation of the Republic of the Marshall Islands, 1 May (1979)

Legal system

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

Executive branch

chief of state:: President Imata KABUA (since 14 January 1997); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government
head of government:: President Imata KABUA (since 14 January 1997); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government
cabinet:: Cabinet selected by the president from among the members of Parliament
elections:: president elected by Parliament from among its own members for a four-year term;
election last held 14 January 1997 (next to be held NA January 2000);
note - Imata KABUA elected to succeed and complete the term of the late President Amata KABUA
election results :: Imata KABUA elected president; percent of Parliament vote - 63%

Legislative branch

unicameral Parliament or Nitijela (33 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)

elections :: last held 14 January 1997 (next to be held NA 2000; note - new elections will be held upon the completion of the term of the late President Amata KABUA)
election results:: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NA

note : the Council of Chiefs is a 12-member body that advises on matters affecting customary law and practice

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 - Our Islands Party, leader NA, and Ralik/Ratak Democratic Party (RRDP), Ramsey REIMERS

International organization participation

AsDB, ESCAP, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IFC, IMF, Intelsat (nonsignatory user), Interpol, ITU, Sparteca, SPC, SPF, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, WHO

Diplomatic representation in the US

chief of mission :: Ambassador Banny DE BRUM
chancery:: 2433 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone:: [1] (202) 234-5414

FAX

[1] (202) 232-3236; consulate(s) general : Honolulu

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission:: Ambassador Joan M. PLAISTED
embassy:: Oceanside, Long Island, Majuro
mailing address:: P. O. Box 1379, Majuro, Republic of the Marshall Islands 96960-1379; Majuro, 20521-4380 (pouch)
telephone :: [692] 247-4011

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

Agriculture and tourism are the mainstays of the | economy.

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Real growth rate

1.5%

(1995 est.)industrial production growth: NA%

Inflation, consumer prices

(1995 est.)

Unemployment rate

16%

(1991 est.)

Labor force

4,800

(1986)by occupation: NA

GDP - composition by sector(1994)

agriculture 16%industry 14%services 70% (1994)

Budget

Revenues

$67.2 millionExpenditures

$79.6 million

expenditures including capital expenditures of $21.6 million (FY94/95 est.)

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. Small-scale industry is limited to handicrafts, fish processing, and copra. The tourist industry is the primary source of foreign exchange, employs about 10% of the labor force, and remains the best hope for future added income.

The islands have few natural resources, and imports far exceed exports. The government is drafting economic reforms designed to increase revenue and compensate for reductions in US Government grants - in 1994, the US Government provided grants of $50 million, equal to 55% of the Marshall Islands' GDP. About 25% of the government's FY95/96 budget was devoted to debt repayment. In 1996, efforts to stabilize the economy included a 27% reduction in the government's work force and a 10% cut in the budget.

GDP

purchasing power parity - $94 million (1995 est.)

GDP - per capita

purchasing power parity - $1,680 (1995 est.)

Industries

copra, fish, tourism, craft items from shell, wood, and pearls, offshore banking (embryonic)

Electricity - capacity

16,000 kW (1994)

Electricity - production

57 million kWh (1994)

Electricity - consumption per capita

NA kWh

Agriculture - products

coconuts, cacao, taro, breadfruit, fruits; pigs, chickens

Exports

total value:: $21.3 million (f.o.b., 1995 est.)
commodities:: fish, coconut oil, live animals, trochus shells
partners:: US, Japan, Australia

Imports

total value:: $69.9 million (c.i.f., 1995 est.)
commodities:: foodstuffs, machinery and equipment, fuels, beverages and tobacco
partners:: US, Japan, Australia

Debt - external

$170 million (1994)

Economic aid

recipient: under the terms of the Compact of Free Association, the US is to provide approximately $40 million in aid annually

Currency

1 United States dollar (US$) = 100 cents

Exchange rates

US currency is used

Fiscal year

1 October - 30 September

Communications

6 fields

Fixed lines

800

(1988 est.)

Telephone system

telex services

domestic:: islands interconnected by shortwave radiotelephone (used mostly for government purposes)
international:: satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean); US Government satellite communications system on Kwajalein