Marshall Islands

• 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

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

highest point:

East-central Airik Island, Maloelap Atoll 14 m

lowest point:

Pacific Ocean 0 m

mean elevation:

2 m

• the islands of Bikini and Enewetak are former US nuclear test sites;
• Kwajalein atoll, famous as a World War II battleground, 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

noun:

Marshallese (singular and plural)

adjective:

Marshallese

at birth:

1.05 male(s)/female

0-14 years:

1.04 male(s)/female

15-24 years:

1.04 male(s)/female

25-54 years:

1.04 male(s)/female

55-64 years:

0.97 male(s)/female

65 years and over:

0.97 male(s)/female

total population:

1.03 male(s)/female (2020 est.)

degree of risk:

high (2020)

food or waterborne diseases:

bacterial diarrhea

vectorborne diseases:

malaria

• inadequate supplies of potable water;
• pollution of Majuro lagoon from household waste and discharges from fishing vessels;
• sea level rise

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

particulate matter emissions:

9.43 micrograms per cubic meter (2016 est.)

carbon dioxide emissions:

0.14 megatons (2016 est.)

methane emissions:

0.03 megatons (2020 est.)

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

urban population:

78.2% of total population (2021)

rate of urbanization:

0.61% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

degree of risk:

high (2020)

food or waterborne diseases:

bacterial diarrhea

vectorborne diseases:

malaria

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.)

conventional long form:

Republic of the Marshall Islands

conventional short form:

Marshall Islands

local long form:

Republic of the Marshall Islands

local short form:

Marshall Islands

former:

Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands, Marshall Islands District

abbreviation:

RMI

etymology:

named after British Captain John MARSHALL, who charted many of the islands in 1788

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

geographic coordinates:

7 06 N, 171 23 E

time difference:

UTC+12 (17 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

etymology:

Majuro means "two openings" or "two eyes" and refers to the two major northern passages through the atoll into the Majuro lagoon

history:

effective 1 May 1979

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

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

chief of state:

President David KABUA (since 13 January 2020); note - the president is both chief of state and head of government

head of government:

President David KABUA (since 13 January 2020)

cabinet:

Cabinet nominated by the president from among members of the Nitijela, appointed by Nitijela speaker

elections/appointments:

• president indirectly elected by the Nitijela from among its members for a 4-year term (no term limits);
• election last held on 6 January 2020 (next to be held in 2024)

election results:

David KABUA elected president; Parliament vote - David KABUA 20, Hilda C. HEINE 12

highest courts:

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

• 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

chief of mission:

Ambassador Gerald M. ZACKIOS (since 16 September 2016)

chancery:

2433 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone:

[1] (202) 234-5414

FAX:

[1] (202) 232-3236

email address and website:

[email protected]; https://www.rmiembassyus.org/

consulate(s) general:

Honolulu, Springdale (AR)

chief of mission:

Ambassador Roxanne CABRAL (since 6 February 2020)

embassy:

Mejen Weto, Ocean Side, Majuro

mailing address:

4380 Majuro Place, Washington DC 20521-4380

telephone:

[692] 247-4011

FAX:

[692] 247-4012

email address and website:

[email protected]; https://mh.usembassy.gov/

• 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

name:

Forever Marshall Islands

lyrics/music:

Amata KABUA

note: adopted 1981

agriculture:

11%

industry:

16.3%

services:

72.7% (2011 est.)

total:

26%

male:

31%

female:

14.2% (2019 est.)

lowest 10%:

NA

highest 10%:

NA

• 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)

number of registered air carriers:

1 (2020); inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 3

annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers:

24,313 (2018)

annual freight traffic on registered air carriers:

130,000 mt-km (2018)

total:

2,028 km (2007)

paved:

75 km (2007)

unpaved:

1,953 km

total:

3,817

by type:

bulk carrier 1,733, container ship 248, general cargo 66, oil tanker 970, other 800 (2021)

• no regular military forces;
• the national police (Marshall Islands Police Department, MIPD), local police forces, and the Sea Patrol (maritime police) maintain internal security;
• the MIPD and Sea Patrol report to the Ministry of Justice;
• local police report to their respective local government councils

current situation:

• The Marshall Islands are a destination country for women from East Asia subjected to sex trafficking;
• foreign women are reportedly forced into prostitution in bars frequented by crew members of fishing vessels;
• some Chinese women are recruited to the Marshall Islands with promises of legitimate work and are subsequently forced into prostitution;
• wealthy or powerful families use traditional cultural practices to exploit impoverished Marshallese from outer islands as indentured laborers on their property;
• Marshallese children are transported to the United States and subjected to sexual abuse

tier rating:

• Tier 2 Watch List — the Marshall Islands does not fully comply with the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking but is making significant efforts to do so;
• efforts include its first trafficking prosecution since 2011 and opening an investigation into an immigration official for alleged trafficking complicity;
• however, no efforts were made to identify trafficking victims and no assistance was provided to victims;
• the government has not convicted any traffickers since 2011 (2020)