Nation at a Glance - Marshall Islands

History

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 Reagan Missile Test Site, a key installation in the US missile defense network. Kwajalein also hosts one of four dedicated ground antennas (the others are on Ascension (Saint Helena, Ascension, and Tristan da Cunha), Diego Garcia (British Indian Ocean Territory), and at Cape Canaveral, Florida (US)) that assist in the operation of the Global Positioning System (GPS) navigation system.

Location: Oceania, two archipelagic island chains of 29 atolls, each made up of many small islets, and five single islands in the North Pacific Ocean, about halfway between Hawaii and Australia

Border Countries: 0 km

Total Area: 181 sq km Land: 181 sq km Water: 0 sq km

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

Terrain: Low coral limestone and sand islands

Natural resources: Coconut products, marine products, deep seabed minerals

Land use: Agricultural land: 50.7% arable land 7.8%; permanent crops 31.2%; permanent pasture 11.7% Forest: 49.3% Other: 0% (2011 est.)

Ethnic groups: Marshallese 92.1%, mixed Marshallese 5.9%, Other 2% (2006)

Languages: Marshallese (official) 98.2%, Other languages 1.8% (1999 census)

Religions: Protestant 54.8%, Assembly of God 25.8%, Roman Catholic 8.4%, Bukot nan Jesus 2.8%, Mormon 2.1%, other Christian 3.6%, Other 1%, None 1.5% (1999 census)

Population: 73,376 (July 2016 est.)

Administrative divisions: 24 municipalities; Ailinglaplap, Ailuk, Arno, Aur, Bikini & Kili, Ebon, Enewetak & Ujelang, Jabat, Jaluit, Kwajalein, Lae, Lib, Likiep, Majuro, Maloelap, Mejit, Mili, Namdrik, Namu, Rongelap, Ujae, Utrik, Wotho, Wotje

Economy: US assistance and lease payments for the use of Kwajalein Atoll as a US military base are the mainstay of this small island country. Agricultural production, primarily subsistence, is concentrated on small farms; the most important commercial crops are coconuts and breadfruit. Industry is limited to handicrafts, tuna processing, and copra. Tourism holds some potential. The islands and atolls have few natural resources, and imports exceed exports.The Marshall Islands received roughly $1 billion in aid from the US during 1986-2001 under the original Compact of Free Association (Compact). In 2002 and 2003, the US and the Marshall Islands renegotiated the Compact's financial package for a 20-year period, from 2004 to 2024. Under the amended Compact, the Marshall Islands will receive roughly $1.5 billion in direct US assistance. Under the amended Compact, the US and Marshall Islands are also jointly funding a Trust Fund for the people of the Marshall Islands that will provide an income stream beyond 2024, when direct Compact aid ends.

Agriculture - products: Coconuts, tomatoes, melons, taro, breadfruit, fruits; pigs, chickens

Industries: Copra, tuna processing, tourism, craft items (from seashells, wood, and pearls)