Marshall Islands

Geography

Economics

Demographics

Military

Politics

Surface

Surface (in square kilometers)

Surface (in square miles)

Surface (water)

Water Surface (in square kilometers)

Water Surface (in square miles)

Share of water (%)

Temperature

Average temperature (in Celcius)

Average temperature (in Farenheit)

Average high temperature (in Celcius)

Average high temperature (in Farenheit)

Average low temperature (in Celcius)

Average low temperature (in Farenheit)

Rainfall

Average rainfall (mm)

Average rainfall (inch)

Distance to other capitals (kilometers)

Distance to other capitals (miles)

Proximity

Economic organizations

Gross Domestic Product (US$)

Gross Domestic Product per capita

Amount of memberships (economic organizations)

Absolute earnings for every 1$

Relative earnings

GDP in PPP per capita (in US$)

GDP in PPP per capita

Gross Domestic product (in million US$)

GDP per capita (in US$)

Surface GDP

GDP per square kilometer (in US$)

GDP per square mile(in US$)

Relative GDP in PPP

Population

Population density

Emigration

Immigration

Literacy

Health

Population density (in km2)

Population density (in mi2)

Religion

Christianity (share of the total population)

Islam (share of the total population)

Buddhism (share of the total population)

Hinduism (share of the total population)

Judaism (share of the total population)

Other religions (share of the total population)

Non-religious (share of the total population)

Military spending (in % of GDP)

Military spending

Because it does not have a standing army, it does not have a military budget.

The Marshall Islands does not have a standing military. In order to defend its borders, it relies on the military security that is provided by the United States.

Military membership

The Marshall Islands is a member of two international military organizations which makes it the 182nd most militarily connected state in the world. It is a member of the following organizations:

Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons
International Atomic Energy Agency

Military membership

International wars

Since its independence, the Marshall Islands has not partaken in any war.

Number of international wars fought

Military spending (in US$ million)

Membership (international political organizations)

It is a member of nine international political organizations which makes it the 159th most connected state in the world. It is a member of the following organizations:

Member state of the United Nations
International Labour Organization
Pacific Islands Forum
Pacific Regional Environment Programme
Pacific Community
International Criminal Court
Interpol
Alliance of Small Island States
Forum for India–Pacific Islands Cooperation

Political Membership

Democracy/dictatorship rating

Since its independence, the Marshall Islands has seen no infringements on its political stability.

Democracy/Dictatorship

The politics of the Marshall Islands takes place in the form of a parliamentary representative Republic where the president is head of state as well as head of government.

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If you want to know more about other states, click on the flag on the right to discover Mauritania.

Known for having a diverse marine life as well as being one of the most remote states in the world, the Marshall Islands has been a place of contests between large global powers. The Marshall Islands were inhabited by Micronesian people that first came into contact with European explorers in the 16th century. After being claimed by the Spanish at the end of the 16th century, the British named the island after the British sailor John William Marshall. After being annexed by Germany at the end of the 19th century, it was captured by the Japanese in 1914. At the end of the first world war, the territory was granted to Japan until the end of the second world war when the United States conquered the Marshall Islands and made it an overseas territory. During the Cold War, Bikini Atoll, one of the islands of the Marshall Islands was used for nuclear tests by the United States. This has led to large amounts of radioactive waste that has left a large impact on the health of the people of the Marshall Islands. After attempting to merge the Marshall Islands and Micronesia into one state, the Marshall Islands withdrew from the union in 1973 and became the Republic of the Marshall Islands in 1982. Since then, it has remained close ties with the United States and has remained politically stable.

The Marshall Islands consists of more than 1100 islands and atolls which are located in the Pacific Ocean. Most of its terrain rises just above sea level and consists of sandy beaches with trees scattered along these islands.

The Marshall Islands has a total surface area of 182 square kilometers or 70 square miles. This makes it the 188th largest state in the world being slightly larger than Liechtenstein and slightly smaller than St. Kitts and Nevis.

The Marshall Islands has 11,731 square kilometers or 4530 square miles of surface water which makes it the 43rd state with the highest amount of surface water. Most of its surface water consists of water that is encapsulated in one of its many lagoons.

Below, a graph is shown which displays the absolute amount of water of each state in square kilometers and square miles.

Because of its lack of elevation as well as natural rivers and lakes, most of fresh water in the Marshall Islands is considered to be scarce. The majority of its drinking water is retrieved from captured rainwater.

The Marshall Islands has a tropical climate which is considered to be hot and humid all year round. Its average temperature is 27.4 degrees Celsius or 81.3 degrees Fahrenheit. This makes Marshall Islands the 11th warmest state in the world.

Its average high temperature is 29.6 degrees Celsius or 85.3 degrees Fahrenheit.

Its average low temperature is 24.7 degrees Celsius or 76.5 degrees Fahrenheit.

Because of its location to the equator, the Marshall Islands is subjected to a high amount of rainfall. With an annual average of 257 centimetres or 101 inches per year, it is the 13th state with the highest amount of rainfall. Most of its rainfall occurs between the months of December and April and is unevenly spread out throughout the Marshall Islands with its southern part receiving two times as much rainfall compared to its northern part.

The capital of the Marshall Islands, Majuro, is a home to 23,000 people. The capital that is closest located to Majuro is South Tarawa of Kiribati with a distance of 654 kilometers or 406 miles. The capital that is furthest removed from Majuro is Monrovia Liberia with a distance of 18,532 kilometers or 11,560 miles.

Because of its lack in size, the economy of the Marshall Islands is mainly focused on the export of fish and boats. However, the main source of income comes in the form of financial aid from the United States which accounts for more than 50 percent of its GDP. In return for this aid, the Marshall Islands leases part of its land to the military of the United States.

The Marshall Islands is a member of five international economic organizations which makes it the 190th economically interconnected state in the world. It is a member of the following organizations:

Asian Development Bank
International Monetary Fund
World Bank Group
Organization of African, Caribbean and Pacific States
International Renewable Energy Agency

Its GDP of US$222 million is the 191st highest in the world.

Its GDP per surface area is the 61st highest in the world and stands at US$1.2 million per square kilometer or US$3.2 million per square mile.

Its GDP per capita is the 120th highest in the world with 3804 US dollars.

The absolute earnings (GDP per capita) reflect the average yearly income. The figure below shows how much, on average, an inhabitant of another state earns for every $1 earned by a citizen of this state.

Its purchasing power per capita is 127th highest in the world with US$5083.

The relative Gross Domestic Product in Purchasing Power Parity compares the purchasing power of this state with that of the rest of the world. The graph on the left shows how much purchasing power of 1$ compared to the purchasing power of other states

The population of the Marshall Islands is the 187th highest in the world and is approximately 58,000 people. Around 75 percent of the population of the Marshall Islands is located on just two of its largest islands. With a large majority of its population being Micronesian's, Marshallese is spoken by nearly all of its population. Aside from Marshallese, a large portion of the population also speaks English because of the presence of the United States.

Its population density is the 30th highest in the world with 320 people per square kilometer or 826 people per square mile.

Approximately 14.3 percent, or less than 10,000 people have migrated from the Marshall Islands. This makes Marshall Islands the 187th state with the highest number of migrants. Because of its close ties to the United States, the majority of migrants have migrated to the United States.

Less than 5000 people, or 3.6 percent of the population have migrated to the Marshall Islands. This makes the Marshall Islands the 153rd state with the highest number of immigrants representing 0.001 percent of total global immigration. The main states of origin are the United States and the Philippines.

Education is free and compulsory between the ages of six and 14. This has led to a literacy rate of 97.7 percent of the total population, making it the 60th most literate state in the world.

The health care system of the Marshall Islands is of relatively low standards. Due to the low funding as well as several health threats to the population from communicable as well as noncommunicable diseases, the government of the Marshall Islands has not succeeded in the implementation of standardized healthcare. The average life expectancy is 73.2 years which makes it the 72nd highest in the world. Women reach an average age of 76.5 years while men reach an average age of 71.8 years.

The government of the Marshall Islands provides freedom of religion towards all religions. This is generally being upheld by the governments as well as its population with no infringements on religious activities.

Christianity is the largest religion in the Marshall Islands and represents 81.3 percent of the total population which makes it the 45th most Christian state in the world. The largest denomination is Protestantism, which is followed by half of the population.

On the right, the global share of Christians per state is displayed

Less than 200 people in the Marshall Islands adhere to Islam which was introduced at the end of the 20th century. Since then, one mosque was created on the Marshall Islands.

There are no official Buddhist organizations in the Marshall Islands.

There are no official Hindu organizations in the Marshall Islands.

There are no official Jewish organizations in the Marshall Islands.

The Baha'i faith is considered to be the only other religion alongside Christianity and Islam and is represented by 0.72 percent of the population.

1.03 percent of the population considers themselves to be non-religious.