Local timeMajuro ·
Oceania / Micronesia · Card 011
Flag shown for Marshall Islands

Marshall Islands

Marshall Islands is a country in Micronesia. Its capital is Majuro.

Find Marshall Islands

MajuroMarshall Islands
● Capital · Gold highlights this card’s area.
Map: Natural Earth. Boundaries show geographic context, not a position on sovereignty. Small islands may use enlarged markers.

At a glance

Capital
Majuro
Language guide
Languages spoken & official status
Currency
United States dollar (USD)
Population
36,2822025 · World Bank
Area
181 km²69.88 square miles
Free association
1986Compact with the United States; UN trusteeship ended in 1990.
AustraliaNew ZealandPacific OceanIndian Ocean

Marshall Islands in context

Oceania and its surrounding regions. The dot marks Majuro; the mapped territory is highlighted in gold.

Natural Earth · locator map

Geography & environment

Landscape

The Marshall Islands consists of low coral atolls and separate reef islands in the Pacific. Most land occurs as narrow strips around lagoons, with deep ocean between the island groups. There are no high mountain interiors to collect rainfall.

Majuro is an inhabited atoll where settlement follows a narrow reef rim. Other atolls contain more scattered islands and extensive lagoon water. The geographic unit is therefore often the whole reef-and-lagoon system rather than one continuous island.

Climate & seasons

The islands have a warm, humid maritime climate. Rainfall varies seasonally and geographically, with northern atolls generally drier than southern ones.

Water & marine life

Rainfall and shallow groundwater are important freshwater sources. Coral reefs, seagrass and lagoon habitats support marine life. Low elevation makes drought, storm waves and saltwater intrusion important environmental concerns.

Flag shown for Marshall Islands

Flag

Blue with an orange stripe and a white stripe radiating from the lower-left corner to the upper-right corner; a white star with four large rays and 20 small rays appears on the left side above the two stripes

Sources: CIA World Factbook · archived profile

Languages

Public and official use

Marshallese and English are official languages. Marshallese is the main language of everyday communication.

Community and regional languages

Marshallese has major dialect groupings associated with the Rālik and Ratak island chains. English is important in education and international dealings, but the two languages are not equally used in every household.

Sources: CIA World Factbook · archived profile

History & status

After periods of German and Japanese rule, the islands became part of a US-administered UN trust territory after the Second World War. The United States conducted nuclear tests at Bikini and Enewetak from 1946 to 1958, causing displacement and lasting health and environmental concerns. A constitution established self-government in 1979, and a Compact of Free Association with the United States entered into force in 1986.

  1. US nuclear testing in the islands begins

  2. A constitution establishes self-government

  3. The Compact of Free Association with the United States enters into force

  4. The Marshall Islands joins the United Nations

Sources: CIA World Factbook · archived profile

Economy

Main activities

Fishing access, tuna-related activities, public services and support under the Compact of Free Association are important economic foundations. Copra production and small-scale farming and fishing support outer-island households. A narrow land base, high transport costs and exposure to coastal flooding constrain development.

Industry and production

Tuna-related activities, copra production, shipping services and the public sector.

Sources: CIA World Factbook · archived profile

Population & economic trends

Dated World Bank observations. Population uses selected years; real GDP uses all available annual observations.

Population, 1970–2025

Thousands of people
36.32025 · thousands of people
0.0030.060.022.5197030.8198044.6199050.7200052.0201042.7202036.32025

Population estimates may be revised. Selected years are shown.

Sources: World Bank · Population

View data table
Population: source values and plotted units
Year People Thousands of people
1970 22,530 22.530
1980 30,774 30.774
1990 44,629 44.629
2000 50,706 50.706
2010 52,044 52.044
2020 42,706 42.706
2025 36,282 36.282

Real GDP, 1990–2025

Billions of constant 2015 US dollars
0.222025 · billions of constant 2015 US dollars
0.000.150.3019902000201020202025

Constant prices adjust for inflation. This is total economic output, not current-dollar GDP or income per person. Missing years are left as gaps.

Sources: World Bank · Real GDP

View data table
Real GDP: source values and plotted units
Year Constant 2015 US$ Billions of constant 2015 US dollars
1990 140,496,545 0.140
1991 140,619,900 0.141
1992 150,661,400 0.151
1993 159,710,500 0.160
1994 169,097,800 0.169
1995 182,986,300 0.183
1996 164,133,300 0.164
1997 153,553,800 0.154
1998 152,518,700 0.153
1999 150,483,000 0.150
2000 154,176,500 0.154
2001 164,861,000 0.165
2002 170,855,000 0.171
2003 168,186,800 0.168
2004 167,500,000 0.168
2005 170,500,000 0.171
2006 170,800,000 0.171
2007 177,100,000 0.177
2008 163,700,000 0.164
2009 169,700,000 0.170
2010 179,100,000 0.179
2011 178,200,000 0.178
2012 175,900,000 0.176
2013 182,600,000 0.183
2014 180,300,000 0.180
2015 183,700,000 0.184
2016 188,300,000 0.188
2017 195,000,000 0.195
2018 205,700,000 0.206
2019 227,200,000 0.227
2020 220,900,000 0.221
2021 225,670,100 0.226
2022 224,089,100 0.224
2023 212,000,000 0.212
2024 219,000,000 0.219
2025 224,000,000 0.224

Human development

The Human Development Index combines health, education and income. Scores range from 0 to 1.

HDI · 20230.733High human developmentRank 108 of 193 · 2025 report

Human Development Index over time

20200.722
20230.733
66.9 yearsLife expectancy at birth
11.6 yearsMean schooling, adults aged 25+

The latest values refer to 2023. All historical scores use the same report edition. HDI does not describe every aspect of inequality or quality of life.

Sources: UNDP · Human Development Report 2025

Government

A republic with a parliamentary system. The Nitijela, the elected legislature, chooses a President from among its members. A Council of Iroij advises on customary matters. The sovereign country is in free association with the United States under a compact.

Sources: CIA World Factbook · archived profile

Knowledge check

Three questions about Marshall Islands.

QUESTION 1 OF 3

Which currency is listed for Marshall Islands?

Sources & notes

Sources: CIA World Factbook · archived profile

Prepared 24 September 2026. World Bank series: SP.POP.TOTL (persons) and NY.GDP.MKTP.KD (constant 2015 US dollars); downloaded 24 September 2026, provider update 13 July 2026. UNDP values use the 2025 report and 2023 observation year. These are dated statistical snapshots, not live population or economic counters.

Maps use Natural Earth geographic data. Background geography, flag descriptions and selected historical facts use archived public-domain CIA World Factbook profiles, supplemented by the sources linked above. The Factbook is no longer updated; dated statistics here come from the separately named providers.

MajuroMarshall Islands