Comprehensive information and links about Marshall Islands

Marshall Islands (RMIMarshall Islands is a Micronesian island nation in the western Pacific Ocean, located north of Nauru and Kiribati, east of the Federated States of Micronesia and south of the U.S. territory of Wake Island.

table border="1" align="right" cell

While settled by Micronesians in the 2nd millennium BC, little is known of the early history of the islands. Spanish explorer Alonso de Salazar was the first European to sight the Marshalls, but the islands remained virtually unvisited by Europeans for several more centuries, before being visited by English captain John Marshall in 1788; the islands owe their name to him.

A German trading company settled on the islands in 1885, and they became part of the protectorate of German New Guinea some years later. Japan conquered the islands in World War I, and administered them as a League of Nations mandate.

In World War II, the United States invaded the islands (1944), and they were added to the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands (including several more island groups in the South Sea).

In 1979 the Republic of the Marshall Islands was established and a Compact of Free Association with the U.S. government was signed, becoming effective in 1986. The independence was formally completed under international law in 1990, when the UN officially ended the trust given to the USA.

The Marshallese president is both head of state and head of government. The president, who is elected by and from the members of the (parliament), appoints his own cabinet.

Elections for the parliament, which has 33 seats, are held every four years.

The Marshall Islands are divided into 24 legislative districts, which correspond to the inhabited islands and atolls of the country. See Geography.

The country consists of 29 atolls and 5 isolated islands. The most important atolls and islands form two groups: the Ratak Chain and the Ralik Chain (meaning "sunrise" and "sunset" chains). Two-thirds of the nation's population lives on Majuro (which is also the capital) and Ebeye. The outer islands are sparsely populated due to lack of employment opportunities and economic development. Life on the outer atolls is generally still fairly traditional, and the nutrition of the rural population, being grown and caught, is superior that of most of the urban residents, who rely considerably on white rice.

The climate is hot and humid, with a wet season from May to November. The islands occasionally suffer from typhoons.

United States Government assistance is the mainstay of this tiny island economy. Agricultural production is concentrated on small farms, and the most important commercial crops are coconuts, tomatoes, melons, and breadfruit. Small-scale industry is limited to handicrafts, fish processing, and copra. The tourist industry, now a small source of foreign exchange employing less than 10% of the labor force, remains the best hope for future added income. The islands have few natural resources, and imports far exceed exports. Around 1999 a tuna loining plant was built and employed upwards to 400 people, mostly women. After absorbing significant training costs and lack of government assistance the plant was closed in 2005. Although providing almost $6 million into the economy, and a significant number of jobs that previoulsy had not existed, the government let the plant close and chose to not provide any incentives to the owners to keep it open. Under the terms of the Compact of Free Association, the US provides roughly $65 million in annual aid. Negotiations were under way in 1999 for an extended agreement. Government downsizing, drought, a drop in construction, and the decline in tourism and foreign investment due to the Asian financial difficulties caused GDP to fall in 1996-98.

The United States also maintains The U.S. Army's Reagan Test Site (RTS) on Kwajalein Atoll. It is an important aspect of the Marshallese economy, as the Marshallese land owners receive rent for the base, and a large number of Marshallese work at the base.

The Marshallese are of Micronesian origin and migrated from Asia several thousand years ago. Although English is an official language and is spoken widely, although not fluently, Marshallese is used by the government. Japanese is also occasionally spoken in some areas of Marshall Islands.

Virtually all Marshallese are Christian, most of them Protestant.

Although now in decline, the Marshallese were once able navigators, using the stars and stick and shell charts. They are also experienced in canoe building and still hold annual competitions involving the unique Oceanic sailing canoe, the proa.

Nuclear Testing

Between 1946 and 1958 the USA tested 67 nuclear weapons in the Marshall Islands, including the largest nuclear test the US ever conducted, Castle Bravo, which resulted in the radiation poisoning of 236 Marshallese. In 1994 documents were released which suggested this act was premeditated by the Atomic Energy Commission in human radiation experiments known as Project 4.1.[1]

Nuclear Claims between the United States and the Marshall Islands are ongoing, and health effects still linger from these tests.

Western New Guinea (part of Indonesia) · New Caledonia · Papua New Guinea · Solomon Islands · Vanuatu: American Samoa · Cook Islands · French Polynesia · Hawaii · New Zealand · Niue · Pitcairn · Samoa · Tokelau · Tonga · Tuvalu · Wallis and Futuna