The 'Marshall Islands', officially the 'Republic of the Marshall Islands' (RMI), 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, to which it lays claim.
History
Main articles: History of the Marshall Islands
Although they were 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 Marshall Islands in
1526, but the islands remained virtually unvisited by Europeans for several more centuries, before the arrival of
British 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 occupied the islands (
1944), and they were added to the
Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands (including several more island groups in the South Sea). Between 1946 and 1958 the United States tested 66
nuclear weapons in the Marshall Islands,
[1] including the largest
nuclear test the United States ever conducted,
Castle Bravo. Nuclear claims between the United States and the Marshall Islands are ongoing, and health effects still linger from these tests. (See
Rongelap.)
In
1979 the Government of the Marshall Islands was officially established and the country became self-governing. In
1986 the
Compact of Free Association with the United States entered into force, granting the Republic of the Marshall Islands (RMI) its sovereignty. The Compact provided for aid and U.S. defense of the islands in exchange for continued U.S. military use of the missile testing range at
Kwajalein Atoll. The independence was formally completed under international law in
1990, when the UN officially ended the Trusteeship status.
On
March 21 2007, the government of the Marshall Islands declared a state of emergency after water ran out amid a prolonged drought.
Government
Main articles: Politics of the Marshall Islands
The government of the Marshall Islands operates under a mixed parliamentary-presidential system. Elections are held every four years in
universal suffrage (for all citizens above 18 years of age) with each of the twenty-four constituencies (see below) electing one representative (senator) to the lower house of RMI’s
bicameral legislature, the 'Nitijela'. (
Majuro, the capital atoll, elects five senators.) The President, who is head of state as well as head of government, is elected in his turn by the 33 senators of the Nitijela.
Legislative power lies with the Nitijela. The upper house of Parliament, called the 'Council of Iroij', is an advisory body comprising twelve tribal chiefs.
The executive branch consists of the President and the Presidential Cabinet (ten ministers appointed by the President with the approval of the Nitijela.)
The twenty-four electoral districts into which the country is divided correspond to the inhabited islands and
atolls:
There are currently two political parties in the Marshall Islands: AKA stands for Ailin kein ad and UDP which stands for United Democratic Party.
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★ Ailinglaplap Atoll - ''Senator Christopher Loeak (AKA), Senator Ruben Zackhras (UDP)''
★ Ailuk Atoll - ''Senator Maynard Alfred (AKA)''
★ Arno Atoll - ''Senator Nidel Lorak (UDP), Senator Gerald M. Zackios (UDP)''
★ Aur Atoll - ''Senator Norman Matthew (UDP)''
★ Ebon Atoll - ''Senator John Silk (UDP)''
★ Enewetak Atoll - ''Senator Jack Ading (AKA)''
★ Jabat Island- 'President Kessai Note (UDP)'
★ Jaluit Atoll - ''Senator Rien R. Morris (UDP), Senator Alvin T. Jacklick (UDP)''
★ Kili Island - ''Senator Tomaki Juda (UDP)''
★ Kwajalein Atoll - ''Senator Michael Kabua (AKA), Senator Tony deBrum (AKA), Senator Jeban Riklon (AKA)''
★ Lae Atoll - ''Senator Rellong D. Lemari (AKA)''
★ Lib Island - ''Senator Irumne Bondrik (AKA)''
★ Likiep Atoll - ''Senator Donald Capelle (UDP)''
★ Majuro Atoll - ''Senator Alik Alik (UDP), Senator Wilfred I. Kendall (UDP), Senator Witten T. Philippo (UDP), Senator Brenson S. Wase (UDP), Senator Jurelang Zedkaia (AKA)''
★ Maloelap Atoll - ''Senator Michael Konelious (UDP)''
★ Mejit Island - ''Senator Helkena Anni (UDP)''
★ Mili Atoll - ''Senator Tadashi G. Lometo (UDP)''
★ Namdrik Atoll - ''Senator Mattlan Zackhras (UDP)''
★ Namu Atoll - ''Senator Kaibuke Kabua (AKA)''
★ Rongelap Atoll - ''Senator Abacca Anjain-Maddison (AKA)''
★ Ujae Atoll - ''Senator Kaios E. Lucky (AKA)''
★ Utirik (Utrik) Atoll - ''Senator Hiroshi Yamamura (AKA)''
★ Wotho Atoll - ''Senator Fountain Inok (AKA)''
★ Wotje Atoll - ''Senator Litokwa Tomeing (UDP)''
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Geography
Map of the Marshall Islands
Average monthly temperatures (red) and precipitation (blue) on
Majuro.
The country consists of twenty-nine
atolls and five 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, consuming food that is either grown or caught, is superior to that of most of the urban residents, who rely considerably on white rice. A majority of the islands' land mass is at sea level.
The uninhabited atolls are:
The climate is hot and humid, with a wet season from May to November. The islands occasionally suffer from
typhoons. Many Pacific typhoons start in the Marshall Islands region and grow stronger as they move west toward the Mariana Islands and the Philippines.
The
Marshall Islands also lays claim to
Wake Island, administered by the
United States.
Economy
Main articles: Economy of the Marshall Islands
United States government assistance is the mainstay of the 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. In 1999 a private company constructed a tuna loining plant, which employed upwards of 400 people, mostly women. The plant was closed in 2005, following a failed attempt to convert it from producing tuna loins to tuna steaks, a process that requires only half of the employee base. The owners noted that the plan would not be economically viable without government largesse and a reduction below the statutory minimum wage, neither of which the government cared to provide. As the guarantor of a $2 million loan to the business, the government took control of the plant facility following its closure, and is seeking to find another operator.
In 2005
Aloha Airlines canceled its flight services to the Marshall Islands as part of its withdrawal from several markets in the region. Though other international airlines still serve Majuro, the Aloha decision was a setback in the country's hopes of increased revenues from tourism.
Under the terms of the Amended
Compact of Free Association, the US will provide millions of dollars per year to the Marshall Islands (RMI) through 2023, at which time a trust fund made up of US and RMI contributions will begin perpetual annual payouts. Government downsizing, drought, a drop in construction, the decline in tourism and foreign investment due to Asian financial difficulties, and less income from the renewal of fishing vessel licenses have held GDP growth to an average of 1% over the past decade.
The 2007 edition of "Doing Business," prepared by the World Bank's private sector development department, has declared the Marshall Islands to be the world's "Best Performer" for its ease and low expense in hiring and firing employees. By the same token, the same study gave the Marshall Islands extremely low ratings for its protection of investors and contract enforcement.
Not being among the 179 member countries of the
ILO, the Marshall Islands is among the handful of countries not obliged to abide by the core labour standards (elimination of forced labour, child labour and discrimination, and respect for freedom of association and right to collective bargaining) as required of ILO members.
The United States maintains the U.S. Army's
Ronald Reagan Ballistic Missile Defense Test Site on
Kwajalein Atoll. It is important for the local economy, as the Marshallese land owners receive rent for the base, and a large number of Marshallese work at the base. Majuro Atoll also benefited from foreign assistance. The main airport was built by the Japanese during
World War II, and the only tarmac road of the capital was built partly by the Taiwanese and partly by the Americans.
Demographics
Main articles: Demographics of the Marshall Islands
The Marshallese are of
Micronesian origin and migrated from Asia several thousand years ago. Although
English is an official language and is spoken widely, though 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.
Culture
Main articles: Culture of the Marshall Islands
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.
See also
★
Communications in the Marshall Islands
★
Foreign relations of the Marshall Islands
★
Military of the Marshall Islands
★
Scouting in the Marshall Islands
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Transportation in the Marshall Islands
References
1. "Nuclear Weapons Test Map", ''Public Broadcasting Service''
External links
'Government'
★
Office of the President
★
Embassy of the Republic of the Marshall Islands Washington, DC official government site
'Overviews'
★
CIA World Factbook - ''Marshall Islands''
★
Digital Micronesia - ''Marshalls'' by
Dirk HR Spennemann, Associate Professor in Cultural Heritage Management
★
Plants & Environments of the Marshall Islands Book turned website by Dr. Mark Merlin of the University of Hawaii
★
Atomic Testing Information
★
Pictures of victims of US nuclear testing in the Marshall Islands on Nuclear Files.org
★ http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/4798243.stm
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