What are the Key Facts of the Marshall Islands?

Where is the Marshall Islands?

The Marshall Islands (whose official name is the Republic of the Marshall Islands) is an associated state of the United States. This island nation is part of Micronesia’s larger island group and is located near the equator in the Pacific Ocean. It is located halfway between Australia and Hawaii in the North Pacific Ocean.

What is the Geography of the Marshall Islands?

The Marshall Islands spreads across a total area of 181 sq. km (70 sq. mi). Out of the total area, 181 sq. km (70 sq. mi) is land, and 0 sq. km (0 sq. mi) is water.

There are five isolated islands and 29 atolls in Oceania. They are located in two parallel chains of islands: the Ratak (Sunrise) group of islands and the Ralik (Sunset) group of islands. There are around 1,225 islands and islets, out of which four islands and 22 atolls are uninhabited.

It is important to note that the archipelago consists of atolls such as Utirik, Rongelap, Majuro, Kwajalein, Enewetak, and Bikini. There are no land boundaries. However, it has a coastline of 370.4 km (143 sq mi).

The mean elevation of the country is 2 m (6.6 ft). While the highest point is East-central Airik Island, Maloelap Atoll at 14 m (45.9 ft), the lowest point is the Pacific Ocean at 0 m (0 ft). Marshall Islands’s terrain is characterized mainly by low coral limestone and sand islands.

The Marshall Islands is located on top of a group of ancient submerged volcanoes, which rises from the floor of the ocean. There are no notable rivers and lakes. The small size of the islands makes it incapable of supporting anything more extensive than small lagoons and ponds. There is 11,673 sq km of lagoon waters in the Marshall Islands archipelago. Many white sand beaches are present in this island country.

The flat land areas are not very fertile. They are capable of supporting trees such as bread-fruit, coconut palms, citrus trees, and pandanu. Coconut palms are planted across more than 20,000 acres of land.

What is the Climate of the Marshall Islands?

The Marshall Islands has a maritime tropical climate, which is predominantly hot and humid. Throughout the year, there is hardly any change in seasonal temperature. The lagoon waters usually have an average comfortable temperature of around 80 °F (26 °C). Tropical showers and mild winds characterize this region’s weather conditions.

It remains hot and humid across the year. December to April is usually the driest months. While the annual average high temperature revolves around the upper 80s °F (30-32 °C), the annual average low temperature revolves around the upper 70s °F (mid-20s °C). The lowest ever recorded temperature in the Marshall Islands is 71 °F (22 °C).

The wettest months are October and November. The per month average rainfall during the country’s wettest period hovers within 300-380 mm (12-15 in) per month. The amount of rain per month increases as you move from the north to the south. While southern atolls receive around 4,320 mm (170 in) of average annual rainfall, the northern atolls receive around 1,780 cm (70 in).

What is the Economy of the Marshall Islands?

The economy of the Marshall Islands is heavily dependent on government jobs. Reports say that over 30% of the workforce is employed by the Marshall Islands government since 1988. The GDP growth of the economy is derived mainly from the US’s payments as per the amended Compact of Free Association. Direct US aid accounts for around 60% of the GDP.

Marshall Islands’ GDP increased at a rate of 3.625% in 2018 to US$ 221,278,000. The GDP growth rate increased to 3.8% in 2019 but due to the COVID-19 pandemic, it is expected to nosedive to -5.5% in 2020 and -1.4% in 2021, as per the reports of Asian Development Bank (ADB). The country’s export and import of services in 2018 were US$ 661 million and US$5.6 billion, respectively. The economy has a trade deficit of -US$ 4.93 billion.

The major exports are Passenger and Cargo Ships, Non-fillet Frozen Fish, Recreational Boats, Scrap Plastic, and Refined Petroleum. The major imports of the Marshall Islands are Passenger and Cargo Ships, Refined Petroleum, Special Purpose Ships, Recreational Boats, and Planes, Helicopters, and/or Spacecraft.

As per the World Bank, the unemployment rate was 4.74% in 2011, a significant drop from 25.37% in 2005. As per ADB, 30% of the residents in the two urban areas of the Marshall Islands live below the basic-needs income line. In the outer islands, the percentage of residents living below the basic-needs income line is around 60%.

What is the Transportation System of the Marshall Islands?

The Marshall Islands has 15 airports, out of which just 4 have paved runways, and 11 have unpaved runways. Major airports of the country are Marshall Islands International Airport (Majuro Atoll), Bucholz Army Air Field (Kwajalein), and many more.

The total roadways in the Marshall Islands are 2,028 km (1,260.1 mi) long. While 75 km (46.6 mi) is paved, 1,953 km (1,213.5 mi) is unpaved. The Marshall Islands has no railway facility.

The three major seaports of the Marshall Islands are Majuro, Kwajalein, and Enitwetak. There are 3,537 merchant marine vessels in the country. Out of which 1,537 vessels are bulk carriers, 856 are oil tankers, 257 are container ships, 66 are general cargo, and 821 are other types of vessels.

What International Organizations is the Marshall Islands Part of?

IMF, UN, WHO, ACP, ADB, AOSIS, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, IDA, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ITU, OPCW, PIF, Sparteca, SPC, UNCTAD, UNESCO

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