| Introduction | 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 (USAKA) Reagan Missile Test Site, a key installation in the US missile defence network. |
| Population | Population: 65,859 Population growth rate: 2.023% Life expectancy: 71.48 years |
| Geography | The Marshall Islands are two archipelagic island chains of 29 atolls, each made up of many small islets, and five single islands in the North Pacific Ocean, about half way between Hawaii and Australia. They are low coral limestone and sand islands. |
| Religion | 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) |
| Government | Government type: republic Chief of state: President Jurelang ZEDKAIA (since 2 November 2009); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government Head of government: President Jurelang ZEDKAIA (since 2 November 2009) Cabinet: Cabinet selected by the president from among the members of the legislature Elections: president elected by Nitijela (legislature) from among its members for a four-year term; election last held on 7 January 2008 (next to be held in 2012) Election results: Litokwa TOMEING removed as president by no confidence vote on 21 October 2009; legislature elects ZEDKAIA president on 26 October 2009 |
| Economics | GDP (purchasing power parity) $133.5 million Gross national income (GNI) per capita $2,710 (Kiribati $880, United States $37,610) Monetary unit: US dollar. |
| Health | 'Lifestyle disorders' like diabetes and heart disease more common killers than infections. 1999 Pacific Human Development Report ranked Marshalls 8th out of 12 developing Pacific nations. Infant mortality 53 per 1,000 births (Kiribati 49, US 7). The Marshall Island's Millenium Development Goals 2009 Progress Report is available at: http://www.undp.org.fj/components/com_publications/pdfs/Marshall%20Islands%20MDG%20Report%2020091259784707.pdf (PDF 84 pages). |
| Legislation | http://www.paclii.org/databases.html#MH |
| Related Websites | The World Factbook - Marshall Islands UNICEF - Marshall Islands World Health Organization - Marshall Islands |