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 1998 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 91 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
18 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-international agreements
- party to:
- Biodiversity, Climate Change, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution
- signed, but not ratified:
- Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol
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 fieldsPer 1,000 population(1998 est.)
Male · female
Age structure
- 0-14 years:
- 50% (male 16,073; female 15,432)
- 15-64 years:
- 48% (male 15,408; female 14,695)
- 65 years and over:
- 2% (male 669; female 754) (July 1998 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:
- 0.89 male(s)/female (1998 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; President Imata KABUA (since 14 January 1997); President Imata KABUA (since 14 January 1997)
20 fieldsCountry 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
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 20 November 1995 (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
Diplomatic representation from the US
- chief of mission:
- Ambassador Joan M. PLAISTED
- embassy:
- Oceanside, Mejen Weto, Long Island, Majuro
- mailing address:
- P. O. Box 1379, Majuro, Republic of the Marshall Islands 96960-1379
- 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
28 fieldsGDP-composition by sector(1995)
Economy-overview
US Government assistance is the mainstay of the economy, constituting an important supplement to GDP. 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, now a small source of foreign exchange employing less than 10% of the labor force, 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 FY95/96, the US Government provided grants of $68 million, equal to roughly 70% of the country's GDP. More than 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.
Industries
copra, fish, tourism, craft items from shell, wood, and pearls, offshore banking (embryonic)
Exports
- total value:
- $17.5 million (f.o.b., 1996 est.)
- commodities:
- fish, coconut oil, fish, trochus shells
- partners:
- US, Japan, Australia
Imports
- total value:
- $71.8 million (c.i.f., 1996 est.)
- commodities:
- foodstuffs, machinery and equipment, fuels, beverages and tobacco
- partners:
- US, Japan, Australia, NZ
Economic aid
recipient: under the terms of the Compact of Free Association, the US is to provide approximately $68 million in aid annually
Telephone system
telex services
- domestic:
- Majuro Atoll and Ebeye and Kwajalein islands have regular, seven-digit, direct-dial telephones;
- other 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
Transportation
7 fieldsMerchant marine, 128 ships by typeships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 6,274,057 GRT/10,641,686 DWT
Highways
- total:
- NA km
- paved:
- NA km
- unpaved:
- NA km
note: paved roads on major islands (Majuro, Kwajalein), otherwise stone-, coral-, or laterite-surfaced roads and tracks
Military
No regular military forces (a coast guard may be | established); Police Force
2 fieldsTransnational Issues
1 fieldCite this entry
Central Intelligence Agency. “Marshall Islands.” The World Factbook 1998. Archived by The Factbook, thefactbook.org/marshall-islands/1998.