STATISTICS: MARSHALL ISLANDS

Marshall Islands Official name: Majol (Marshallese); Republic of the Marshall Islands (English). Form of government: unitary republic with two legislative houses (Council of Iroij {1}; Nitijela ). Head of state and government: President. Capital: Majuro (Dalap-Uliga-Darrit). Official languages: Marshallese (Kajin-Majol); English. Official religion: none. Monetary unit: 1 U.S. dollar (U.S.$) = 100 cents; valuation (Sept. 25, 1998) 1 = U.S.$1.70. Demography Population (1998): 62,800. Density (1998): persons per sq mi 897.1, persons per sq km 347.0. Urban-rural (1988): urban 64.5%; rural 35.5%. Sex distribution (1997): male 51.02%; female 48.98%. Age breakdown (1997): under 15, 50.2%; 15-29, 26.0%; 30-44, 13.9%; 45-59, 6.5%; 60-74, 2.6%; 75 and over, 0.8%. Population projection: (2000) 68,100; (2010) 91,400. Doubling time: 18 years. Ethnic composition (nationality; 1988): Marshallese 96.9%; other Pacific islanders 1.7%; Filipino 0.5%; all other 0.9%. Religious affiliation (1995): Protestant 62.8%; Roman Catholic 7.1%; Mormon 3.1%; Jehovah's Witness 1.0%; other (mostly nonreligious) 26.0%. Major cities (1995): Majuro (Dalap-Uliga-Darrit) 28,000; Ebeye 8,324{2}. Vital statistics Birth rate per 1,000 population (1997): 46.0 (world avg. 25.0). Death rate per 1,000 population (1997): 7.0 (world avg. 9.3). Natural increase rate per 1,000 population (1997): 39.0 (world avg. 15.7). Total fertility rate (avg. births per childbearing woman; 1997): 6.8. Life expectancy at birth (1997): male 62.6 years; female 65.8 years. Major causes of death per 100,000 population (1990-93){3}: infectious and parasitic diseases 169.9; circulatory diseases 155.1; respiratory diseases 105.1; malignant neoplasms (cancers) 68.4; digestive diseases 63.3; accidents, injuries, and violence 36.7. National economy Budget (1995-96). Revenue: U.S.$80,100,000 (U.S. government grants 59.7%, income tax 9.4%, import tax 8.5%, value-added and excise taxes 6.1%, fishing rights 3.0%, interest income 2.7%). Expenditures: U.S.$77,400,000 (debt service 10.2%, education 9.9%, health services 8.8%, public works and social programs 4.9%, internal security 2.1%). Production (metric tons except as noted). Agriculture, forestry, fishing (1991): copra 5,545, fruits 1,809 (of which pandanus 836, breadfruit 645, bananas 264, papaya 64), tubers 1,500 (of which taro 1,300, sweet potatoes 182), vegetables 136 (of which cabbage 36, pumpkins 36); livestock (number of live animals; 1994) 12,352 pigs, 59,086 chickens; roundwood, n.a.; fish catch (1995) 260. Mining and quarrying: high-grade phosphate mining on Ailinglaplap Atoll, quarrying of sand and aggregate for local construction only. Manufacturing (1995): copra 7,728; coconut oil and processed (chilled or frozen) fish are important products; the manufacture of handicrafts and personal items (clothing, mats, boats, etc.) by individuals is also significant. Construction (1994): value added U.S.$9,300,000. Energy production (consumption): electricity (kW-hr; 1994) 57,891,000 (57,891,000); coal, none (n.a.); gasoline, oil, and lubricants (barrels; 1988){4} n.a. (84,588). Public debt (external, outstanding; 1994-95): U.S.$141,200,000. Gross national product (1996): U.S.$96,000,000 (U.S.$1,600 per capita). Land use (1989){5}: forested 22.5%; meadows and pastures 13.5%; agricultural and under permanent cultivation 33.1%; other 30.9%. Household income and expenditure. Average household size (1988) 8.7; income per household (1979) U.S.$3,366; sources of income: n.a.; expenditure (1982): food 57.7%, housing 15.6%, clothing 12.0%, personal effects and other 14.7%. Population economically active (1988): total 11,488; activity rate of total population 26.5% (participation rates: over age 14, 54.1%; female 30.1%; unemployed 12.5%). Tourism (1994): receipts from visitors U.S.$2,000,000; expenditures by nationals abroad, n.a. Foreign trade Imports (1995): U.S.$75,100,000 (food, beverages, and tobacco 28.2%, machinery and transport equipment 24.6%, mineral fuels and lubricants 24.0%, manufactured goods 8.9%, chemical products 2.5%). Major import sources: U.S. 51.0%; Guam 14.5%; Japan 7.5%; Australia 1.9%; Hong Kong 1.7%. Exports (1995): U.S.$17,000,000 (chilled fish 38.8%, crude coconut oil 18.2%, pet fish 2.4%). Major export destinations: U.S. c. 80.0%; other c. 20.0%. Transport Transport. Vehicles (1994): passenger cars 1,418; trucks and buses 193. Merchant marine (1992): vessels (100 gross tons and over) 35; total deadweight tonnage 4,182,356. Air transport (1994): passenger-km 49,000,000{6}; metric ton-km cargo 30,433; airports (1997) with scheduled flights 25. Education and health Educational attainment (1988). Percentage of population age 25 and over having: no grade completed 5.1%; elementary education 43.2%; secondary 39.7%; higher 11.4%; not stated 0.6%. Literacy (latest): total population age 15 and over literate 19,377 (91.2%); males literate 9,993 (92.4%); females literate 9,384 (90.0%). Health (1995): physicians 17 (1 per 3,269 persons); hospital beds 108 (1 per 515 persons); infant mortality rate per 1,000 live births (1997) 45.7. Military Under the 1984 Compact of Free Association, the United States provides for the defense of the Republic of the Marshall Islands. {1} Council of Iroij is an advisory body only. {2} 1988. {3} Registered deaths only. {4} Import only. {5} Data are for the former Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands. {6} 1993.