In February 2016 the Marshall Islands declared a stateof national emergency because of a severe drought. InApril U.S. Pres. Barack Obama declared a disaster

there, allowing federal funds to be used to aid with theemergency. In August the Asian Development Bank esti-mated that as many as 37% of people in the MarshallIslands lived in poverty. A July U.S. government reporton human trafficking in the Pacific ranked the MarshallIslands among the worst countries as both a source of anddestination for traffickedwomen and children. Thecountry sent five athletes tothe Summer Olympics in Riode Janeiro.

DemographyPopulation (2016): 54,000.Density (2016)4: persons per sq mi770.8, persons per sq km 297.6.

Sex distribution (2015): male 50.87%;female 49.13%.

Population projection: (2020) 55,000;(2030) 57,100.

Major towns (1999): Majuro2

(2004) 20,800; Ebeye (2011;in Kwajalein Atoll) 9,614;Laura (in Majuro Atoll)2,256; Ajeltake (in MajuroAtoll) 1,170; Enewetak 823.

Urban-rural (2014):

Vital statisticsBirth rate per 1,000 pop-ulation (2015): 25.6(world avg. 19.5).

Death rate per 1,000population (2015): 4.2(world avg. 8.1).

Life expectancy at birth(2015): male 70.7 years;female 75.1 years.

Age breakdown (2015):

Ethnic composition (2006)8: Religious affiliation (1999):

Marshall Islands

Official name: Majol (Marshallese);(Republic of the Marshall Islands).

Form of government: unitary republicwith one legislative house1 (Nitijela, orParliament [33]).

Head of state and government: PresidentHilda C. Heine.

Capital: Majuro2.Official language: Marshallese3.Official religion: none.Monetary unit: U.S. dollar (U.S.$); valua-tion (Sept. 1, 2016) 1 U.S.$ = £0.75.

Area and populationarea population area population

2011 2011Atolls/Islands5 sq km census Atolls/Islands5 sq km census

Ailinglaplap 14.69 1,729Ailuk 5.36 339Arno 12.95 1,794Aur 5.62 499Bikini 6.01 9Ebon 5.75 706Enewetak 5.85 664Jabat 0.57 84Jaluit 11.34 1,788Kili 0.93 548Kwajalein 16.39 11,408Lae 1.45 347Lib 0.93 155Likiep 10.26 401

Majuro 9.71 27,797Maloelap 9.82 682Mejit 1.86 348Mili 15.93 738Namorik 2.77 508Namu 6.27 780Rongelap 7.95 79Ujae 1.86 364Ujelang 1.74 0Utirik 2.43 435Wotho 4.33 97Wotje 8.18 859Other atolls 10.46 0TOTAL 181.436, 7 53,158

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National economyBudget (2012–13). Revenue: U.S.$90,200,000 (U.S. government grants60.0%, tax revenue 32.2%, nontax revenue 7.8%).Expenditures: U.S.$91,600,000 (recurrent expendi-ture 97.8%, capital expenditure 2.2%).

Production (metric tons except as noted). Agriculture,forestry, fishing (2002–03): coconuts (2014) 23,810,copra (2008) 6,515, breadfruit 4,536, bananas 161,pandanus 114, taro 108; livestock (number of liveanimals) 12,900 pigs, 86,000 chickens; roundwood,n.a.; fisheries production (2014) 78,714 (from aqua-culture, negligible); black pearls harvested (2010)1,300. Mining and quarrying: for local constructiononly. Manufacturing (2008): copra 6,515; coconut oiland processed fish are important products; the man-ufacture of handicrafts and personal items (clothing,mats, boats, etc.) by individuals is also significant. Energy production(consumption): electricity (kW-hr; 2012) 114,000,000 (114,000,000);coal, none (none); petroleum products (metric tons; 2011) none(34,000).

Population economically active (2014): total 30,000; participation rates:age 15 and over, male 53.3%; female 29.0%; unemployed 4.7%.

Average household size (2007)11: 7.2.Gross national income (GNI; 2014): U.S.$232,000,000 (U.S.$4,390 per

capita); purchasing power parity GNI (U.S.$4,710 per capita).Public debt (external, outstanding; 2009): U.S.$89,900,000.Land use as % of total land area (2011): in temporary crops or left fal-low c. 11%, in permanent crops c. 44%, in pasture c. 17%, forest areac. 70%12.

Foreign trade10

Imports (2000): U.S.$54,700,000 (mineral fuels andlubricants 37.3%, machinery and transport equip-ment 15.0%, beverages and tobacco 11.0%). Major import sources (2006):

Exports (2006): U.S.$20,283,000 (frozen fish 44.5%,reexports of diesel fuel 41.2%, crude coconut oil9.9%, remainder 4.4%). Major export destinations(2009): mostly the U.S.

Transport and communicationsTransport. Roads (2007): 47 mi, 75 km13.Vehicles (2004): passenger cars 1,694;trucks and buses 602.

Education and healthLiteracy (2011): percentage of total populationage 15 and over literate, virtually 100%.

Health (2010): physicians 32 (1 per 1,701 per-sons); hospital beds 146 (1 per 373 persons);infant mortality rate (2011) 32.1; undernour-ished population, n.a.

MilitaryThe United States provides for the defenseof the Republic of the Marshall Islandsunder the 1984 and 2003 compacts of freeassociation; number of U.S. troops(January 2012) 17.15

1In addition, the Council of Iroij (Council of Chiefs), a 12-member body of tribal chiefs, serves in an advisory capacity. 2Local name of town is DUD(an acronym for Delap [Woja], Uliga, and Djarrit [Rita]—three small islands now merged by landfill). 3Language of the Nitijela, or Parliament.4Based on land area only. 5Four districts centred at Majuro, Ebeye, Wotje, and Jaluit make up the local government structure. 6Land area only;excludes lagoon area of 11,673 sq km (4,507 sq mi). 7Detail does not add to total given because of rounding. 8Based on the Marshall Islands 2006Community Survey, comprising 9,491 respondents in 1,205 households. 9Employed only. 10C.i.f. in commodities and trading partners. 11Based on the2007 Demographic and Health Survey, comprising 1,106 households. 12Forest area overlaps with other categories. 13Length of paved roads on Majuroand Kwajalein; other roads are coral surfaced. 14Subscribers. 15The U.S. Army’s premier ballistic missile test site is at Kwajalein.

Internet resource for further information:• Economic Policy, Planning and Statistics Office rmi.prism.spc.int

Structure of gross domestic product and labour force2010 2007–08

in value % of total labour % of labourU.S.$’000 value force9 force9

Agriculture, fishing 23,301 14.3 492 4.9Mining and quarrying — — — —Manufacturing 2,980 1.8 58 0.6Public utilities 6,860 4.2 286 2.8Construction 9,663 5.9 706 7.0Transp. and commun. 12,619 7.7 655 6.5Trade, restaurants, hotels 24,679 15.1 2,131 21.1Finance, insurance,real estate 20,159 12.4 430 4.3

Public administration 22,016 13.5 3,485 34.4Services 40,658 25.0 791 7.8Other 1,084 10.7TOTAL 162,9367 100.07 10,1177 100.07

Communications units unitsnumber per 1,000 number per 1,000

Medium date in ’000s persons Medium date in ’000s persons

TelephonesCellular 2015 15.514 29314

Landline 2014 2.4 45

Internet users 2009 2.2 36Broadband 2015 1.014 1914

}

Enewetak atoll is located in the Marshall Islands andwas the site of the first U.S. thermonuclear (or hydro-

gen) bomb detonation in 1952. The atoll, even after adecontamination program was completed in 1980, is stillconsidered to be radioactive and is not fit for people to liveon today.

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