Marshall Islands

Internet country code

.mh

Internet hosts

6 (2003)

Internet users

1,400 (2003)

Radio broadcast stations

AM 2, FM 1, shortwave 0 note: additionally, the US Armed Forces Radio and Television Services (Central Pacific Network) operate one FM and one AM station on Kwajalein (2002)

Telephone system

general assessment: digital switching equipment; modern services include telex, cellular, internet, international calling, caller ID, and leased data circuits 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: country code - 692; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean); US Government satellite communications system on Kwajalein (2001)

Telephones - main lines in use

4,500 (2003)

Telephones - mobile cellular

600 (2002)

Television broadcast stations

2 (both are US military stations) (2002)

Agriculture - products

coconuts, tomatoes, melons, taro, breadfruit, fruits; pigs, chickens

Budget

revenues: $42 million expenditures: $40 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1999)

Currency

US dollar (USD)

Currency code

USD

Debt - external

$86.5 million (FY99/00 est.)

Economic aid - recipient

more than $1 billion from the US, 1986-2002

Economy - overview

US Government assistance is the mainstay of this tiny island economy. Agricultural production is primarily subsistence and is concentrated on small farms; the most important commercial crops are coconuts and breadfruit. Small-scale industry is limited to handicrafts, tuna 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 has provided more than $1 billion in aid since 1986. Negotiations have continued for an extended agreement. Government downsizing, drought, a drop in construction, the decline in tourism and foreign investment due to the Asian financial difficulties, and less income from the renewal of fishing vessel licenses have held GDP growth to an average of 1% over the past decade.

Exchange rates

the US dollar is the legal tender

Exports

$9 million f.o.b. (2000)

Exports - commodities

copra cake, coconut oil, handicrafts, fish

Exports - partners

US, Japan, Australia, China (2000)

Fiscal year

1 October - 30 September

GDP

purchasing power parity - $115 million (2001 est.)

GDP - composition by sector

agriculture: 14% industry: 16% services: 70% (2000 est.)

GDP - per capita

purchasing power parity - $1,600 (2001 est.)

GDP - real growth rate

1% (2001 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

lowest 10%: NA highest 10%: NA

Imports

$54 million f.o.b. (2000)

Imports - commodities

foodstuffs, machinery and equipment, fuels, beverages and tobacco

Imports - partners

US, Japan, Australia, NZ, Singapore, Fiji, China, Philippines (2000)

Industrial production growth rate

NA

Industries

copra, fish, tourism, craft items from shell, wood, and pearls

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

2% (2001 est.)

Labor force

28,700 (1996 est.)

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture 21.4%, industry 20.9%, services 57.7%

Population below poverty line

NA

Unemployment rate

30.9% (1999 est.)

Area

total: 181.3 sq km land: 181.3 sq km water: 0 sq km note: includes the atolls of Bikini, Enewetak, Kwajalein, Majuro, Rongelap, and Utirik

Area - comparative

about the size of Washington, DC

Climate

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

Coastline

370.4 km

Elevation extremes

lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: unnamed location on Likiep 10 m

Environment - current issues

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

Environment - international agreements

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geographic coordinates

9 00 N, 168 00 E

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

Irrigated land

0 sq km

Land boundaries

0 km

Land use

arable land: 16.67% permanent crops: 38.89% other: 44.44% (2001)

Location

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

Map references

Oceania

Maritime claims

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

Natural hazards

infrequent typhoons

Natural resources

coconut products, marine products, deep seabed minerals

Terrain

low coral limestone and sand islands

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

Capital

Majuro

Constitution

1 May 1979

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)

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission: Ambassador Greta N. MORRIS 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 FAX: [692] 247-4012

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

Executive branch

chief of state: President Kessai Hesa NOTE (since 5 January 2004); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government head of government: President Kessai Hesa NOTE (since 5 January 2004); 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 17 November 2003 (next to be held NA November 2007) election results: Kessai Hesa NOTE elected president; percent of Parliament vote - 100%

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

Government type

constitutional government in free association with the US; the Compact of Free Association entered into force 21 October 1986 and the Amended Compact entered into force in May 2004

Independence

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

International organization participation

ACP, AsDB, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, IDA, IFC, IMF, IMO, Interpol, ITU, OPCW, PIF, Sparteca, 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 Parliament or Nitijela (33 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms) elections: last held 17 November 2003 (next to be held not later than November 2007) 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

National holiday

Constitution Day, 1 May (1979)

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]

Political pressure groups and leaders

NA

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Background

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 atolls between 1947 and 1962. The Marshall Islands hosts the US Army Kwajalein Atoll (USAKA) Reagan Missile Test Site, a key installation in the US missile defense network.

Military - note

defense is the responsibility of the US

Military branches

no regular military forces; Marshall Islands Police

Military expenditures - dollar figure

NA

Military expenditures - percent of GDP

NA

Age structure

0-14 years: 38.6% (male 11,347; female 10,934) 15-64 years: 58.7% (male 17,380; female 16,520) 65 years and over: 2.7% (male 748; female 809) (2004 est.)

Birth rate

33.88 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Death rate

4.94 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Ethnic groups

Micronesian

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths

NA

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

NA

Infant mortality rate

total: 30.5 deaths/1,000 live births male: 34.19 deaths/1,000 live births female: 26.61 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)

Languages

English (widely spoken as a second language, both English and Marshallese are official languages), two major Marshallese dialects from the Malayo-Polynesian family, Japanese

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 69.7 years male: 67.77 years female: 71.73 years (2004 est.)

Literacy

definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 93.7% male: 93.6% female: 93.7% (1999)

Median age

total: 19.6 years male: 19.6 years female: 19.6 years (2004 est.)

Nationality

noun: Marshallese (singular and plural) adjective: Marshallese

Net migration rate

-6.04 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Population

57,738 (July 2004 est.)

Population growth rate

2.29% (2004 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: 0.93 male(s)/female total population: 1.04 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Total fertility rate

4.02 children born/woman (2004 est.)

Disputes - international

claims US territory of Wake Island

Airports

15 (2003 est.)

Airports - with paved runways

total: 4 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways

total: 11 914 to 1,523 m: 10 under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Highways

total: NA km paved: 64.5 km unpaved: NA km note: paved roads on major islands (Majuro, Kwajalein), otherwise stone-, coral-, or laterite-surfaced roads and tracks (2002)

Merchant marine

total: 420 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 16,954,092 GRT/28,176,762 DWT by type: barge carrier 1, bulk 81, cargo 25, chemical tanker 41, combination bulk 4, combination ore/oil 7, container 77, liquefied gas 9, multi-functional large load carrier 5, passenger 6, petroleum tanker 149, refrigerated cargo 4, roll on/roll off 7, vehicle carrier 4 foreign-owned: Australia 2, Chile 3, Croatia 2, Cyprus 10, Denmark 2, Germany 119, Greece 82, Hong Kong 12, India 2, Japan 16, Monaco 18, Netherlands 6, New Zealand 1, Norway 5, Poland 11, Singapore 1, Slovenia 1, Switzerland 4, Thailand 2, Turkey 8, United Kingdom 10, United States 92 registered in other countries: 50 (2004 est.)

Ports and harbors

Majuro