Marshall Islands
Republic of the Marshall Islands conventional short form: Marshall Islands former: Marshall Islands District (Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands)
constitutional government in free association with the US
Marshall Islands as the 2001 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 108 fields, one of 36 editions from 1990 to 2025.
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Introduction
1 fieldBackground
After almost four decades under US administration as the easternmost part of the UN Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands, the Marshall Islands attained independence in 1986 under a Compact of Free Association. Compensation claims continue as a result of US nuclear testing on some of the islands between 1947 and 1962.
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 fieldsLocation
Oceania, group of atolls and reefs in the North Pacific Ocean, about one-half of the way from Hawaii to Papua New Guinea
Area
total: 181.3 sq km land: 181.3 sq km water: 0 sq km note: includes the atolls of Bikini, Enewetak, and Kwajalein
Land use
arable land: 0% permanent crops: 60% permanent pastures: 0% forests and woodland: 0% other: 40%
Environment - international agreements
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, 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
18 fieldsPer 1,000 population(2001 est.)
Age structure
0-14 years: 49.29% (male 17,808; female 17,101) 15-64 years: 48.61% (male 17,573; female 16,853) 65 years and over: 2.1% (male 707; female 780) (2001 est.)
Sex ratio
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.91 male(s)/female total population: 1.04 male(s)/female (2001 est.)
Life expectancy at birth
total population: 65.84 years male: 64.04 years female: 67.73 years (2001 est.)
Languages
English (universally spoken and is the official language), two major Marshallese dialects from the Malayo-Polynesian family, Japanese
Literacy
definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 93% male: 100% female: 88% (1980 est.)
Government
Constitutional government in free association with the US; President Kessai Hesa NOTE (since 3 January 2000)
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
Administrative divisions
33 municipalities; Ailinginae, Ailinglaplap, Ailuk, Arno, Aur, Bikar, Bikini, Bokak, Ebon, Enewetak, Erikub, Jabat, Jaluit, Jemo, Kili, Kwajalein, Lae, Lib, Likiep, Majuro, Maloelap, Mejit, Mili, Namorik, Namu, Rongelap, Rongrik, Toke, Ujae, Ujelang, Utirik, Wotho, Wotje
Legal system
based on adapted Trust Territory laws, acts of the legislature, municipal, common, and customary laws
Executive branch
- chief of state:
- President Kessai Hesa NOTE (since 3 January 2000);
- note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government head of government: President Kessai Hesa NOTE (since 3 January 2000);
- 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 15 November 1999 (next to be held NA November 2003) election results: Kessai Hesa NOTE elected president;
- percent of Parliament vote - 100%
Legislative branch
- unicameral Parliament or Nitijela (33 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms) elections: last held 15 November 1999 (next to be held NA November 2003) 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 - Kabua Party [Imata KABUA] and United Democratic Party or UDP [Litokwa TOMEING]
International organization participation
ACP, AsDB, ESCAP, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IFC, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat (nonsignatory user), Interpol, ITU, OPCW, 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
US Government assistance is the mainstay of this tiny island economy.
28 fieldsEconomy - overview
US Government assistance is the mainstay of this tiny island 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, 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. Under the terms of the Compact of Free Association, the US provides roughly $65 million in annual aid.
Negotiations were underway in 1999 for an extended agreement. Government downsizing, drought, a drop in construction, and the decline in tourism and foreign investment due to the Asian financial difficulties caused GDP to fall in 1996-98.
GDP
purchasing power parity - $105 million (1998 est.), supplemented by approximately $65 million annual US aid
Budget
revenues: $80.1 million expenditures: $77.4 million, including capital expenditures of $19.5 million (FY95/96 est.)
Industries
copra, fish, tourism, craft items from shell, wood, and pearls, offshore banking (embryonic)
Communications
10 fieldsTelephone system
- general assessment:
- 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
8 fieldsHighways
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
Merchant marine
total: 212 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 9,768,406 GRT/16,242,699 DWT ships by type: bulk 63, cargo 9, chemical tanker 10, combination ore/oil 2, container 29, liquefied gas 10, multi-functional large-load carrier 1, petroleum tanker 87, vehicle carrier 1 note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience: Cyprus 1, Germany 1, Japan 1, US 6 (2000 est.)
Military
No regular military forces (a coast guard may be established); Police Force
4 fieldsTransnational Issues
1 fieldCite this entry
Central Intelligence Agency. “Marshall Islands.” The World Factbook 2001. Archived by The Factbook, thefactbook.org/marshall-islands/2001.