Marshall Islands 



Facts
Population:
70,822 (July 2001 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years:
49.29% (male 17,808; female 17,101)
15-64 years:
48.61% (male 17,573; female 16,853)
65 years and over:
2.1% (male 707; female 780) (2001 est.)
Population growth rate:
3.88% (2001 est.)
Birth rate:
45.07 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)
Death rate:
6.23 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.)
Net migration rate:
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth:
1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years:
1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years:
1.04 male(s)/female
65 years and over:
0.91 male(s)/female
total population:
1.04 male(s)/female (2001 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
39.82 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population:
65.84 years
male:
64.04 years
female:
67.73 years (2001 est.)
Total fertility rate:
6.55 children born/woman (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
NA%
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
NA
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
NA
Nationality:
noun:
Marshallese (singular and plural)
adjective:
Marshallese
Ethnic groups:
Micronesian
Religions:
Christian (mostly Protestant)
Languages:
English (universally spoken and is the official language), two major Marshallese dialects from the Malayo-Polynesian family, Japanese
Literacy:
definition:
age 15 and over can read and write
total population:
93%
male:
100%
female:
88% (1980 est.)
GDP:
purchasing power parity - $105 million (1998 est.), supplemented by approximately $65 million annual US aid
GDP - real growth rate:
-5% (1998 est.)
GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $1,670 (1998 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture:
15%
industry:
13%
services:
72% (1995)
Population below poverty line:
NA%
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%:
NA%
highest 10%:
NA%
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
5% (1997)
Labor force:
NA
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture NA%, industry NA%, services NA%
Unemployment rate:
16% (1991 est.)
Budget:
revenues:
$80.1 million
expenditures:
$77.4 million, including capital expenditures of $19.5 million (FY95/96 est.)
Industries:
copra, fish, tourism, craft items from shell, wood, and pearls, offshore banking (embryonic)
Industrial production growth rate:
NA%
Electricity - production by source:
fossil fuel:
NA%
hydro:
NA%
nuclear:
NA%
other:
NA%
Agriculture - products:
coconuts, tomatoes, melons, cacao, taro, breadfruit, fruits; pigs, chickens
Exports:
$28 million (f.o.b., 1997 est.)
Exports - commodities:
fish, coconut oil, trochus shells
Exports - partners:
US, Japan, Australia
Imports:
$58 million (f.o.b., 1997 est.)
Imports - commodities:
foodstuffs, machinery and equipment, fuels, beverages and tobacco
Imports - partners:
US, Japan, Australia, NZ, Guam, Singapore
Debt - external:
$125 million (FY96/97 est.)
Economic aid - recipient:
approximately $65 million annually from the US
Currency:
US dollar (USD)
Currency code:
USD
Exchange rates:
the US dollar is used
Fiscal year:
1 October - 30 September
Statistics: CIA World Factbook.
Marshall Islands in the News
A reporter observes the terrible conditions the people of Kwajelain Atoll have to endure.