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Marshall Islands flag

Marshall Islands

Capital:Majuro; note - the capital is an atoll of 64 islands; governmental buildings are housed on three fused islands on the eastern side of the atoll: Djarrit, Uliga, and Delap
Population:65,859
Currency:US Dollar (USD)
Language:English (widely spoken as a second language, both English and Marshallese are official languages), two major Marshallese dialects from the Malayo-Polynesian family, Japanese
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Quick Look Factsheet

A multi-page overview of Marshall Islands.

Marshall Islands Factsheet

Customs and Culture

About the People

The people of the Marshall Islands are Micronesians, a dark-skinned people with wavy or woolly hair. They are noted for their handicrafts. During the 1940's the United States took possession of the islands and used some of the islands for nuclear weapons testing. As a result of the tests the people of the Marshall Islands have the highest rates in the world for some types of cancer.

Cultural Attributes

The people of the Marshall Islands are Micronesians, a dark-skinned people with wavy or woolly hair. They are noted for their handicrafts. During the 1940's the United States took possession of the islands and used some of the islands for nuclear weapons testing. As a result of the tests the people of the Marshall Islands have the highest rates in the world for some types of cancer.

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School Kids

Holidays

  • Constitution Day

    5/1

    Independence

Dates of Interest

  • May 1st

What should travelers know before visiting the Marshall Islands?

The people of the Marshall Islands are Micronesians, a dark-skinned people with wavy or woolly hair, noted for their handicrafts.

Good to know

  • The United States took possession of the islands in the 1940s and used some islands for nuclear weapons testing
  • As a result of the tests, the people of the Marshall Islands have the highest rates in the world for some types of cancer
  • Marshallese are known for their handicrafts

Last updated: 2026-07-12 · Sources: CountryReports

Photos of Marshall Islands

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Travel and Tourism

Travel Alert Status
Level 3: Reconsider Travel
Currency
US dollar (USD)
Time Difference
UTC+12 (17 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
Climate
The climate of the Marshall Islands is tropical, with high humidity, and an average year”‘round temperature of 81°F. Trade winds pick up in October or November and blow strongly from January through April, with winds varying from 12 to 22 knots. The trades, often bringing overcast skies, have a cooling effect, although the lagoon can become rough, compared to the placid days of glassy water, so frequent in summer. Typhoon (tropical hurricane) season is from December through March. Tropical depressions form in the Marshall Islands and increase to typhoon strength as they move further west with the prevailing trade winds, making the Marshall Islands less susceptible to a full strength typhoon than most islands in the Pacific. In Majuro, January, February, and March are traditionally the driest months, with rainfall averaging 6-8 inches a month. September through December are the wettest months, with 12-14 inches of average monthly rainfall. The temperature remains stable year-round, averaging 84°F in the day and 76°F at night. The Marshall Islands enjoy clean air, clear ocean water, sunshine, and adequate amounts of rainfall, with the exception of the heavily populated areas of Majuro and Ebeye, where city living has taken its toll on the environment. Water shortages occur at any time when rainfall has been below normal, but in Majuro, shortages will occur most toward the end of the dry season in March. The use of water catchment devices is being promoted throughout the Marshall Islands. The outer islands rely more on a subsistence economy, occasionally experiencing food shortages due to seasonal variation.
Airports
15
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Recipes

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Juk-Juk (Sticky Coconut and Rice Balls)

Side Dish

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History

Historical Eras

  1. Micronesian Settlement

    1000 BCE – 1529

    Successive waves of Austronesian migrants from Southeast Asia settled the low-lying atolls of the Marshall Islands roughly 3,000 years ago, establishing a society governed by Iroij (high chiefs) within a sophisticated clan-based hierarchy. These navigators developed advanced canoe-building and open-ocean wayfinding techniques suited to the vast distances between atolls. Spanish explorer Álvaro de Saavedra made the first recorded European contact in 1529.

  2. Early European Contact

    1529 – 1885

    European engagement remained sporadic for centuries after Saavedra's arrival; English captain John Marshall lent the islands their modern name following his visit in 1788. American and European Protestant missionaries arrived by the 1850s, profoundly reshaping Marshallese society and language. Spain asserted a formal claim over the islands in 1874, though it lacked the presence to enforce colonial authority.

  3. German Protectorate

    1885 – 1914

    Germany established a formal protectorate in 1885, centering its administration at Jaluit Atoll and exploiting the lucrative copra trade through commercial stations on Jaluit and Ebon. The colonial administration ruled indirectly, permitting Marshallese Iroij to retain customary authority over their communities. A trading company, Jaluit Gesellschaft, dominated the economic life of the islands throughout this period.

  4. Japanese Mandate

    1914 – 1944

    Japan seized the Marshall Islands at the outset of World War I and received a League of Nations mandate over Micronesia in 1920. Japanese settlers arrived in significant numbers, and the islands were heavily fortified in the 1930s as Japan militarized the Pacific. Intense U.S. amphibious assaults on Kwajalein and Enewetak atolls in early 1944 ended Japanese control at considerable cost to both sides and to Marshallese civilians.

  5. US Trust Territory

    1944 – 1986

    The United States administered the Marshall Islands as part of the UN Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands from 1947, using the strategic location for military purposes including extensive nuclear weapons testing at Bikini and Enewetak atolls between 1946 and 1962. Residents of Bikini and Rongelap were displaced by fallout from the 1954 Castle Bravo hydrogen bomb test, generating lasting health and compensation disputes. A locally drafted constitution was recognized by the United States on May 1, 1979, paving the way for self-governance.

  6. Independence & Modern Era

    1986 – present

    The Republic of the Marshall Islands entered into a Compact of Free Association with the United States in 1986, achieving full sovereignty while retaining close defense and economic ties with Washington. The nation faces persistent challenges including ongoing nuclear compensation claims, economic dependence on U.S. assistance, and existential threats from rising sea levels that imperil the low-lying atolls. Kwajalein Atoll continues to host a major U.S. Army installation central to missile defense testing.

Overview

Little is clearly understood about the prehistory of the Marshall Islands. Researchers agree on little more than that successive waves of migratory peoples from Southeast Asia spread across the Western Pacific about 3,000 years ago and that some of them landed on and remained on these islands. The Spanish explorer de Saavedra landed there in 1529. They were named for English explorer John Marshall, who visited them in 1799. The Marshall Islands were claimed by Spain in 1874.

Germany established a protectorate in 1885 and set up trading stations on the islands of Jaluit and Ebon to carry out the flourishing copra (dried coconut meat) trade. Marshallese Iroij (high chiefs) continued to rule under indirect colonial German administration.

At the beginning of World War I, Japan assumed control of the Marshall Islands. Their headquarters remained at the German center of administration, Jaluit. U.S. Marines and Army troops took control from the Japanese in early 1944, following intense fighting on Kwajalein and Enewetak atolls. In 1947, the United States, as the occupying power, entered into an agreement with the UN Security Council to administer Micronesia, including the Marshall Islands, as the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands.

On May 1, 1979, in recognition of the evolving political status of the Marshall Islands, the United States recognized the constitution of the Marshall Islands and the establishment of the Government of the Republic of the Marshall Islands. The constitution incorporates both American and British constitutional concepts.

Timeline of Key Events

  1. 500

    http://www.rmiembassyus.org/History.htm

    500 BC - 2000 BC (approx.) - The first Micronesian navigators arrive in the Marshalls, calling the atolls Aelon Kein Ad (Our Islands). Dates and origins of the settlers are still uncertain. While controversial, archeological finds on Bikini Atoll in the late 1980s were carbon dated to 2000 years BC, suggesting that people may have settled the Marshalls as long as 4,000 years ago.

  2. 1494

    http://www.rmiembassyus.org/History.htm

    The Treaty of Tordesillas cedes ownership of all of Micronesia to Spain

  3. 1529

    http://www.rmiembassyus.org/History.htm

    Seeking a western route to the “Spice Islands,” Spaniard Alvaro Saavedra becomes the first European to “discover” the Marshalls.

  4. 1788

    http://www.rmiembassyus.org/History.htm

    The area now known as the RMI was given its name by British Naval Captain William Marshall, who sailed through the area on the Scarborough while transporting convicts for New South Wales between Botany Bay and Cathay.

  5. 1857

    http://www.rmiembassyus.org/History.htm

    Rev. Hiram Bingham, Jr. of the American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions (ABCFM) creates missionary outpost on Ebon

  6. 1860

    http://www.rmiembassyus.org/History.htm

    Adolph Capelle builds first large-scale trading company in the Marshalls. Several German trading firms begin operations in the Marshalls soon thereafter.

  7. 1878

    http://www.rmiembassyus.org/History.htm

    Captain von Werner of the German Navy enters into a treaty with inhabitants of the Ralik chain, granting special trade privileges.

View full timeline (33 events)
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Interesting Facts

  • For almost 40 years the islands were under U.S. administration as the easternmost part of the United Nation's Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands.

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Geography and Environment

The Marshall Islands are located in the eastern part of the geographic region known as Micronesia, or *quot;Little Islands," a myriad of more than 2,100 coral atolls and volcanic islands scattered across 3 million square miles of the western Pacific Ocean. The Marshall Islands lie between latitude 4-14°N. and longitude 160-173°E. The 29 coral atolls and 5 single islands of the Marshall Islands form two parallel groups extending northwest and southeast-the Ratak ("Sunrise") Chain and Ralik ("Sunset") chain. Total land area of all of the Marshall Islands is 70 square miles. Marine resources are abundant, but poor soil provides little opportunity for agriculture, except for the harvesting and drying of coconut meat into copra, the only revenue opportunity for outer islanders. Each atoll is a cluster of small, low‑lying islands, none more than a few meters above sea level, circling a lagoon. The development of a coral atoll begins with coral growth around the edge of a high, often volcanic mountain. Growth continues as the mountain slowly sinks beneath the sea, leaving behind a circular reef that grows into small islands, islets, and open reef surrounding a lagoon. Most atolls have free‑flowing water across most of the reef, with one or two openings for boats to enter the lagoon. The islands of most atolls are not contiguous, with stretches of open reef extending for miles between islands. As the distances between islands in an atoll can be many miles, travel from island to island within an atoll can be difficult. Linking the islands of the southern side of Majuro Atoll runs the longest paved road in Micronesia, the islands having been artificially joined over the years by a 32‑mile continuous road.
Terrain
low coral limestone and sand islands
Climate
The climate of the Marshall Islands is tropical, with high humidity, and an average year‑round temperature of 81°F. Trade winds pick up in October or November and blow strongly from January through April, with winds varying from 12 to 22 knots. The trades, often bringing overcast skies, have a cooling effect, although the lagoon can become rough, compared to the placid days of glassy water, so frequent in summer. Typhoon (tropical hurricane) season is from December through March. Tropical depressions form in the Marshall Islands and increase to typhoon strength as they move further west with the prevailing trade winds, making the Marshall Islands less susceptible to a full strength typhoon than most islands in the Pacific. In Majuro, January, February, and March are traditionally the driest months, with rainfall averaging 6–8 inches a month. September through December are the wettest months, with 12‑14 inches of average monthly rainfall. The temperature remains stable year‑round, averaging 84°F in the day and 76°F at night. The Marshall Islands enjoy clean air, clear ocean water, sunshine, and adequate amounts of rainfall, with the exception of the heavily populated areas of Majuro and Ebeye, where city living has taken its toll on the environment. Water shortages occur at any time when rainfall has been below normal, but in Majuro, shortages will occur most toward the end of the dry season in March. The use of water catchment devices is being promoted throughout the Marshall Islands. The outer islands rely more on a subsistence economy, occasionally experiencing food shortages due to seasonal variation
Natural Hazards
infrequent typhoons
Current Environmental Issues
inadequate supplies of potable water; pollution of Majuro lagoon from household waste and discharges from fishing vessels
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People & Demographics

Languages Spoken

English (widely spoken as a second language, both English and Marshallese are official languages), two major Marshallese dialects from the Malayo-Polynesian family, Japanese

  • English
  • Japanese
  • Marshallese

Population

Population
65,859
Population in Major Urban Areas
MAJURO (capital) 31,000
Nationality Noun
Marshallese (singular and plural)
Ethnic Groups
Micronesian

Education

Literacy Definition
age 15 and over can read and write
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Government & Politics

Country Identity

Country Name
MarshallIslands
Full Country Name
Republic of the Marshall Islands
Former Name
Marshall Islands District (Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands)

Government Structure

Government Type
constitutional government in free association with the US; the Compact of Free Association entered into force 21 October 1986
Legal System
based on adapted Trust Territory laws, acts of the legislature, municipal, common, and customary laws
Executive Branch
chief of state: President Hilda C. Heine (since 3 January 2024); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government head of government: President Hilda C. Heine (since 3 January 2024); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government cabinet: Cabinet selected by the president from among the members of Parliament elections: president elected by Parliament from among its own members for a four-year term; election last held 3 January 2024 (next to be held in 2028) election results: Hilda C. Heine elected president by Parliament, defeating incumbent David Kabua; Heine previously served as president from 2016 to 2020, making her the first female head of state in the Pacific Islands region
Legislative Branch
unicameral Parliament or Nitijela (33 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms) elections: last held 17 November 2003 (next to be held by November 2007) election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - NA note: the Council of Chiefs is a 12-member body that advises on matters affecting customary law and practice
Judicial Branch
Supreme Court; High Court
Suffrage
18 years of age; universal
Constitution
1-May-79
Independence
21 October 1986 (from the US-administered UN trusteeship)
National Holiday
Constitution Day, 1 May (1979)

Capital City

Capital Name
Majuro; note - the capital is an atoll of 64 islands; governmental buildings are housed on three fused islands on the eastern side of the atoll: Djarrit, Uliga, and Delap
Capital - geographic coordinate
7 06 N, 171 23 E
Capital Time Difference
UTC+12 (17 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

Majuro means "two openings" or "two eyes" and refers to the two major northern passages through the atoll into the Majuro lagoon

Military

Branches: no regular military forces; Marshall Islands Police

Embassy / Diplomatic Mission

The U.S. Embassy in Majuro

(no street address)

Located on the ocean-side of the island's major road, approximately two miles east of the airport.

P.O. Box 1379

Majuro, MH 96960-1379

Telephone: (692) 247-4011

Facsimile: (692) 247-4012

Email: MAJConsular@state.gov

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Economy

US government assistance remains the mainstay of this small island economy. Agricultural production is primarily subsistence-based and concentrated on small farms, with coconuts, breadfruit, and copra serving as the most important commercial crops. Small-scale industry is limited to handicrafts, tuna processing, and copra production. Tourism is a modest source of foreign exchange, employing a small share of the labor force and continuing to offer potential for future growth, though the sector was significantly disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic and has been slow to recover. The islands have few natural resources, and imports vastly exceed exports.

Under the Compact of Free Association, originally signed in 1986 and renewed in 2004, the United States has provided several billion dollars in economic assistance, defense guarantees, and access to various federal programs. In 2024, the US Congress approved a new 20-year Compact agreement providing approximately $2.3 billion in additional funding through 2043, securing the Marshall Islands' fiscal outlook for the coming decades.

Key economic challenges include vulnerability to climate change and sea-level rise, heavy dependence on imports, limited private sector development, outmigration of skilled workers, and reliance on revenue from fishing license fees, ship registry services, and US transfers. GDP growth has been modest and uneven, averaging roughly 2–3% annually in recent years, with the economy gradually recovering from pandemic-related contractions. The government has also pursued initiatives in digital currency and maritime services to diversify revenue, though these remain limited in scale.

Snapshot

Currency Name and Code
US Dollar (USD)
GDP Real Growth Rate
1%

Banknotes

Marshall Islands Money - Front
Marshall Islands Money - Front
Marshall Islands Money - Back
Marshall Islands Money - Back

Budget & Public Finance

Fiscal Year
1 October - 30 September
Annual Budget
$40,000,000 (USD)
External Debt
$86,500,000 (USD)
Economic Aid
$1,000,000,000 (USD)

Labor, Industry & Trade

Labor Force by Occupation
agriculture 21.4%; industry 20.9%; services 57.7%
Industries
copra, fish, tourism, craft items from shell, wood, and pearls
Agriculture Products
coconuts, tomatoes, melons, taro, breadfruit, fruits; pigs, chickens
Export Commodities
copra cake, coconut oil, handicrafts, fish
Export Partners
US, Japan, Australia, China
Import Commodities
foodstuffs, machinery and equipment, fuels, beverages and tobacco
Import Partners
US, Japan, Australia, NZ, Singapore, Fiji, China, Philippines

Energy

Oil Production
0 bbl/day
Oil Consumption
0 bbl/day
Oil Reserves
0 bbl/day
Natural Gas Production
0 cu m
Natural Gas Consumption
0 cu m
Natural Gas Imports
0 cu m
Natural Gas Exports
0 cu m
Natural Gas Reserves
0 cu m

Communications

Telephone System
general assessment: digital switching equipment; modern services include telex, cellular, Internet, international calling, caller ID, and leased data circuits domestic: Majuro Atoll and Ebeye and Kwajalein islands have regular, seven-digit, direct-dial telephones; other islands interconnected by high frequency radiotelephone (used mostly for government purposes) and mini-satellite telephones international: country code - 692; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean); US Government satellite communications system on Kwajalein
Internet Country Code
.mh

News & Weather

Current Weather

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Climate Overview

The climate of the Marshall Islands is tropical, with high humidity, and an average year”‘round temperature of 81°F. Trade winds pick up in October or November and blow strongly from January through April, with winds varying from 12 to 22 knots. The trades, often bringing overcast skies, have a cooling effect, although the lagoon can become rough, compared to the placid days of glassy water, so frequent in summer.

Typhoon (tropical hurricane) season is from December through March. Tropical depressions form in the Marshall Islands and increase to typhoon strength as they move further west with the prevailing trade winds, making the Marshall Islands less susceptible to a full strength typhoon than most islands in the Pacific.

In Majuro, January, February, and March are traditionally the driest months, with rainfall averaging 6-8 inches a month. September through December are the wettest months, with 12-14 inches of average monthly rainfall. The temperature remains stable year-round, averaging 84°F in the day and 76°F at night.

The Marshall Islands enjoy clean air, clear ocean water, sunshine, and adequate amounts of rainfall, with the exception of the heavily populated areas of Majuro and Ebeye, where city living has taken its toll on the environment. Water shortages occur at any time when rainfall has been below normal, but in Majuro, shortages will occur most toward the end of the dry season in March. The use of water catchment devices is being promoted throughout the Marshall Islands. The outer islands rely more on a subsistence economy, occasionally experiencing food shortages due to seasonal variation.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the population of Marshall Islands?
The population of Marshall Islands is approximately 65,859.
What should travelers know before visiting the Marshall Islands?
The people of the Marshall Islands are Micronesians, a dark-skinned people with wavy or woolly hair, noted for their handicrafts. The United States took possession of the islands in the 1940s and used some islands for nuclear weapons testing As a result of the tests, the people of the Marshall Islands have the highest rates in the world for some types of cancer Marshallese are known for their handicrafts
What is the capital of the Marshall Islands?
Majuro is the capital of the Marshall Islands, itself an atoll composed of 64 islands. Governmental functions are concentrated on three fused islands on the atoll's eastern side — Djarrit, Uliga, and Delap — which together form the administrative core of the nation. Majuro also serves as the country's main commercial and population hub, and its sheltered lagoon is one of the largest in the Pacific.
Where is the Marshall Islands located?
The Marshall Islands lies in Micronesia, in the central Pacific Ocean, forming part of the broader Oceania region. The nation consists of two parallel chains of low-lying coral atolls and islands — the Ratak (Sunrise) Chain to the east and the Ralik (Sunset) Chain to the west — scattered across roughly two million square kilometers of ocean. It sits northeast of Australia and southeast of Japan, placing it at a historically strategic crossroads of the Pacific.
What ocean surrounds the Marshall Islands?
The Marshall Islands is entirely surrounded by the Pacific Ocean, as it is an island nation with no land borders. The atolls are bounded to the east by the open Pacific and to the west by waters approaching the Philippine Sea. The nation's vast exclusive economic zone encompasses a marine area far exceeding its tiny land mass, making oceanic resources central to its sovereignty and economy.
What currency is used in the Marshall Islands?
USD, the United States Dollar, is the official currency of the Marshall Islands. The country adopted the US Dollar as a result of its close political and economic relationship with the United States, formalized through the Compact of Free Association signed in 1986 when the islands attained independence. This arrangement also means Marshallese citizens have certain rights to live and work in the United States.
What languages are spoken in the Marshall Islands?
Marshallese and English are both official languages of the Marshall Islands. Marshallese belongs to the Malayo-Polynesian language family and is spoken in two major dialects corresponding broadly to the two island chains. English functions widely as a second language and is used in government, education, and commerce. Some Japanese vocabulary persists as a linguistic legacy of the Japanese administration of the islands prior to World War II.
What is the geography of the Marshall Islands like?
The Marshall Islands consists of 29 atolls and five isolated islands, all of which are coral formations of extremely low elevation — most land rises no more than two meters above sea level. This flat, narrow terrain makes the nation acutely vulnerable to storm surges and the long-term effects of rising sea levels. The total land area is modest, dispersed across a vast expanse of the central Pacific, with lagoons that are often far larger than the strips of land enclosing them.
What is the Marshall Islands known for?
The Marshall Islands is known internationally for being the site of extensive US nuclear weapons testing conducted on Bikini and Enewetak Atolls between 1947 and 1962, which displaced communities and left a lasting health legacy — including some of the world's highest rates of certain cancers among its population. The islands are also recognized for the masterful outrigger canoe navigation traditions of their Micronesian people, intricate handicrafts, and the presence of US Army Base Kwajalein (USAKA), a major missile-testing facility that has operated since 1964.
What is the political relationship between the Marshall Islands and the United States?
The Marshall Islands has been in free association with the United States since independence in 1986, following nearly four decades as the easternmost part of the UN Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands administered by the US. Under this Compact of Free Association, the US provides financial assistance and defense guarantees, while Marshallese citizens may serve in the US military and live in the United States. Compensation claims related to nuclear testing conducted under US administration remain an ongoing and unresolved dimension of the relationship.

Last reviewed 2026

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