Marshall Islands

Branches

no regular military forces (a coast guard may be established); Police Force

Defense note

defense is the responsibility of the US

Radio broadcast stations

AM 1, FM 2, shortwave 1

Radios

NA

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

Telephones

800 (1988 est.)

Television broadcast stations

1

Televisions

NA Defense

Agriculture

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

Budget

revenues: $67.2 million expenditures: $79.6 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (FY94/95 est.)

Currency

1 United States dollar (US$) = 100 cents

Economic aid

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

Economic 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 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 1995/96 budget is devoted to debt repayment.

Electricity

capacity: 42,000 kW production: 80 million kWh consumption per capita: 1,840 kWh (1990)

Exchange rates

US currency is used

Exports

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

External debt

$170 million (1994)

Fiscal year

1 October - 30 September

GDP

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

GDP composition by sector

agriculture: NA% industry: NA% services: NA%

GDP per capita

$1,680 (1995 est.)

GDP real growth rate

1.5% (1995 est.)

Imports

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

Industrial production growth rate

NA%

Industries

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

4% (1995 est.)

Labor force

4,800 (1986) by occupation: NA

Unemployment rate

16% (1991 est.)

Area

total area: 181.3 sq km land area: 181.3 sq km comparative area: about the size of Washington, DC note: includes the atolls of Bikini, Enewetak, and Kwajalein

Climate

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

Coastline

370.4 km

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

Geographic coordinates

9 00 N, 168 00 E

Geographic 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

International disputes

claims US territory of Wake Island

Irrigated land

NA sq km

Land boundaries

0 km

Land use

arable land: 0% permanent crops: 60% meadows and pastures: 0% forest and woodland: 0% other: 40%

Location

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

Map references

Oceania

Maritime claims

contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 12 nm

Natural resources

phosphate deposits, marine products, deep seabed minerals

Terrain

low coral limestone and sand islands lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: unnamed location on Likiep 10 m

Administrative divisions

none

Capital

Majuro

Constitution

1 May 1979

Data code

RM

Diplomatic representation in US

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

Executive branch

chief of state and head of government: President Amata KABUA (since NA 1979) was elected for a four-year term by the Nitijela from among its own members; election last held 20 November 1995 (next to be held NA 1999); results - President Amata KABUA was reelected cabinet: Cabinet; president selects from among the members of Parliament

FAX

[1] (202) 232-3236 consulate(s) general: Honolulu and Los Angeles

FAX

[692] 247-4012

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

Independence

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

International organization participation

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

Judicial branch

Supreme Court; High Court

Legal system

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

Legislative branch

unicameral

Name of country

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

National holiday

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

Parliament (Nitijela)

elections last held 20 November 1995 (next to be held NA November 1999); results - percent of vote NA; seats - (33 total) seats by party NA

Political parties and leaders

government: Our Islands Party, President Amata KABUA opposition: Ralik/Ratak Democratic Party (RRDP), Ramsey REIMERS

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Type of government

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

US diplomatic representation

chief of mission: Ambassador Joan 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

Age structure

0-14 years: 51% (male 15,043; female 14,435) 15-64 years: 47% (male 14,084; female 13,399) 65 years and over: 2% (male 657; female 745) (July 1996 est.)

Birth rate

45.75 births/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Death rate

7.28 deaths/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Ethnic divisions

Micronesian

Infant mortality rate

46.9 deaths/1,000 live births (1996 est.)

Languages

English (universally spoken and is the official language), two major Marshallese dialects from the Malayo-Polynesian family, Japanese

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 63.81 years male: 62.25 years female: 65.45 years (1996 est.)

Literacy

age 15 and over can read and write (1980 est.) total population: 93% male: 100% female: 88%

Nationality

noun: Marshallese (singular and plural) adjective: Marshallese

Net migration rate

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Population

58,363 (July 1996 est.)

Population growth rate

3.85% (1996 est.)

Religions

Christian (mostly Protestant)

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 all ages: 1.04 male(s)/female (1996 est.)

Total fertility rate

6.83 children born/woman (1996 est.)

Airports

total: 16 with paved runways 1 524 to 2 437 m: 3 with paved runways 914 to 1 523 m: 1 with paved runways under 914 m: 5 with unpaved runways 914 to 1 523 m: 7 (1995 est.)

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

Merchant marine

total: 78 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 3,068,782 GRT/5,073,125 DWT ships by type: bulk carrier 43, cargo 4, combination ore/oil 1, container 17, oil tanker 11, refrigerated cargo 1, vehicle carrier 1 (1995 est.)

Ports

Majuro

Railways

0 km