ARCHIVE // MH // 1999

Marshall Islands

1999 Edition — freely_associated

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Communications
Broadcast media (Radio broadcast stations) [time series]
AM 1, FM 2, shortwave 1
Radios [time series]
NA
Telecommunication systems (Telephone system) [time series]
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
Telephones - fixed lines (Telephones) [time series]
2,000 (1997 est.)
Broadcast media (Television broadcast stations) [time series]
3 (of which one is an independent station and two are US military stations) (1997)
Televisions [time series]
NA
Economy
Agricultural products (Agriculture--products) [time series]
coconuts, cacao, taro, breadfruit, fruits; pigs, chickens
Budget [time series]
revenues: $80.1 million expenditures: $77.4 million, including capital expenditures of $19.5 million (FY95/96 est.)
Exchange rates (Currency) [time series]
1 United States dollar (US$) = 100 cents
Debt - external (Debt--external) [time series]
$125 million (FY96/97 est.)
Economic aid (Economic aid--recipient) [time series]
$NA; note?approximately $65 million annually from the US
Economic overview (Economy--overview) [time series]
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, equal to about 70% of GDP. Negotiations will get 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 have caused GDP to fall in 1996-98.
Electricity - consumption (Electricity--consumption) [time series]
57 million kWh (1994)
Electricity - exports (Electricity--exports) [time series]
0 kWh (1994)
Electricity - imports (Electricity--imports) [time series]
0 kWh (1994)
Electricity - production (Electricity--production) [time series]
57 million kWh (1994)
Electricity - production by source (Electricity--production by source) [time series]
fossil fuel: NA% hydro: NA% nuclear: NA% other: NA%
Exchange rates [time series]
US currency is used
Exports [time series]
$17.5 million (f.o.b., 1996 est.)
Exports - commodities (Exports--commodities) [time series]
fish, coconut oil, fish, trochus shells
Exports - partners (Exports--partners) [time series]
US, Japan, Australia
Fiscal year [time series]
1 October--30 September
Real GDP (purchasing power parity) (GDP) [time series]
purchasing power parity--$91 million (1998 est.)
GDP - composition, by sector of origin (GDP--composition by sector) [time series]
agriculture: 15% industry: 13% services: 72% (1995)
Real GDP per capita (GDP--per capita) [time series]
purchasing power parity?$1,450 (1998 est.)
Real GDP growth rate (GDP--real growth rate) [time series]
-5% (1998 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share [time series]
lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%
Imports [time series]
$71.8 million (c.i.f., 1996 est.)
Imports - commodities (Imports--commodities) [time series]
foodstuffs, machinery and equipment, fuels, beverages and tobacco
Imports - partners (Imports--partners) [time series]
US, Japan, Australia, NZ
Industrial production growth rate [time series]
NA%
Industries [time series]
copra, fish, tourism, craft items from shell, wood, and pearls, offshore banking (embryonic)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) [time series]
5% (1997)
Labor force [time series]
NA
Labor force - by occupation (Labor force--by occupation) [time series]
NA
Population below poverty line [time series]
NA%
Unemployment rate [time series]
16% (1991 est.)
Geography
Area [time series]
total: 181.3 sq km land: 181.3 sq km water: 0 sq km note: includes the atolls of Bikini, Enewetak, and Kwajalein
Area - comparative (Area--comparative) [time series]
about the size of Washington, DC
Climate [time series]
wet season from May to November; hot and humid; islands border typhoon belt
Coastline [time series]
370.4 km
Elevation (Elevation extremes) [time series]
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: unnamed location on Likiep 10 m
Environment - current issues (Environment--current issues) [time series]
inadequate supplies of potable water
International environmental agreements (Environment--international agreements) [time series]
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertication, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution signed, but not ratified: Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol
Geographic coordinates [time series]
9 00 N, 168 00 E
Geography - note (Geography--note) [time series]
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 [time series]
NA sq km
Land boundaries [time series]
0 km
Land use [time series]
arable land: NA% permanent crops: 60% permanent pastures: NA% forests and woodland: NA% other: 40%
Location [time series]
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 [time series]
Oceania
Maritime claims [time series]
contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 12 nm
Natural hazards [time series]
occasional typhoons
Natural resources [time series]
phosphate deposits, marine products, deep seabed minerals
Terrain [time series]
low coral limestone and sand islands
Government
Administrative divisions [time series]
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 [time series]
Majuro
Constitution [time series]
1 May 1979
Country name [time series]
conventional long form: Republic of the Marshall Islands conventional short form: Marshall Islands former: Marshall Islands District (Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands)
Data code [time series]
RM
Diplomatic representation from the US [time series]
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
Diplomatic representation in the US [time series]
chief of mission: Ambassador Banny DE BRUM chancery: 2433 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 consulate(s) general: Honolulu
Executive branch [time series]
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 November 1999); 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%
Flag (Flag description) [time series]
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 [time series]
constitutional government in free association with the US; the Compact of Free Association entered into force 21 October 1986
Independence [time series]
21 October 1986 (from the US-administered UN trusteeship)
International organization participation [time series]
AsDB, ESCAP, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IFC, IMF, Inmarsat, Intelsat (nonsignatory user), Interpol, ITU, OPCW, Sparteca, SPC, SPF, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, WHO
Judicial branch [time series]
Supreme Court; High Court
Legal system [time series]
based on adapted Trust Territory laws, acts of the legislature, municipal, common, and customary laws
Legislative branch [time series]
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 November 1999) 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 [time series]
Proclamation of the Republic of the Marshall Islands, 1 May (1979)
Political parties (Political parties and leaders) [time series]
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
Suffrage [time series]
18 years of age; universal
Military
Military and security forces (Military branches) [time series]
no regular military forces (a coast guard may be established); Police Force
Military - note (Military--note) [time series]
defense is the responsibility of the US
People
Age structure [time series]
0-14 years: 50% (male 16,622; female 15,957) 15-64 years: 48% (male 16,106; female 15,386) 65 years and over: 2% (male 677; female 759) (1999 est.)
Birth rate [time series]
45.31 births/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Death rate [time series]
6.73 deaths/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Ethnic groups [time series]
Micronesian
Infant mortality rate [time series]
43.38 deaths/1,000 live births (1999 est.)
Languages [time series]
English (universally spoken and is the official language), two major Marshallese dialects from the Malayo-Polynesian family, Japanese
Life expectancy at birth [time series]
total population: 64.81 years male: 63.21 years female: 66.5 years (1999 est.)
Literacy [time series]
definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 93% male: 100% female: 88% (1980 est.)
Nationality [time series]
noun: Marshallese (singular and plural) adjective: Marshallese
Net migration rate [time series]
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Population [time series]
65,507 (July 1999 est.)
Population growth rate [time series]
3.86% (1999 est.)
Religions [time series]
Christian (mostly Protestant)
Sex ratio [time series]
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 total population: 1.04 male(s)/female (1999 est.)
Total fertility rate [time series]
6.67 children born/woman (1999 est.)
Transnational Issues
Disputes - international (Disputes--international) [time series]
claims US territory of Wake Atoll
Transportation
Airports [time series]
16 (1998 est.)
Airports - with paved runways (Airports--with paved runways) [time series]
total: 4 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (1998 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways (Airports--with unpaved runways) [time series]
total: 12 914 to 1,523 m: 7 under 914 m: 5 (1998 est.)
Roadways (Highways) [time series]
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 [time series]
total: 131 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 6,572,915 GRT/11,208,214 DWT ships by type: bulk 56, cargo 5, chemical tanker 3, container 20, liquefied gas tanker 2, oil tanker 42, roll-on/roll-off cargo 2, vehicle carrier 1 note: a flag of convenience registry; includes the ships of Canada 1, China 1, Germany 1, Japan 1, and US 7 (1998 est.)
Ports (Ports and harbors) [time series]
Majuro
Railways [time series]
0 km