Compare Marshall Islands (2004) - British Indian Ocean Territory (2003)

Compare Marshall Islands (2004) z British Indian Ocean Territory (2003)

	Marshall Islands (2004)	British Indian Ocean Territory (2003)

Administrative divisions	33 municipalities; Ailinginae, Ailinglaplap, Ailuk, Arno, Aur, Bikar, Bikini, Bokak, Ebon, Enewetak, Erikub, Jabat, Jaluit, Jemo, Kili, Kwajalein, Lae, Lib, Likiep, Majuro, Maloelap, Mejit, Mili, Namorik, Namu, Rongelap, Rongrik, Toke, Ujae, Ujelang, Utirik, Wotho, Wotje	-
Age structure	0-14 years: 38.6% (male 11,347; female 10,934) 15-64 years: 58.7% (male 17,380; female 16,520) 65 years and over: 2.7% (male 748; female 809) (2004 est.)	-
Agriculture - products	coconuts, tomatoes, melons, taro, breadfruit, fruits; pigs, chickens	-
Airports	15 (2003 est.)	1 (2002)
Airports - with paved runways	total: 4 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2004 est.)	total: 1 over 3,047 m: 1 (2002)
Airports - with unpaved runways	total: 11 914 to 1,523 m: 10 under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.)	-
Area	total: 181.3 sq km land: 181.3 sq km water: 0 sq km note: includes the atolls of Bikini, Enewetak, Kwajalein, Majuro, Rongelap, and Utirik	total: 60 sq km land: 60 sq km water: 0 sq km note: includes the entire Chagos Archipelago
Area - comparative	about the size of Washington, DC	about 0.3 times the size of Washington, DC
Background	After almost four decades under US administration as the easternmost part of the UN Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands, the Marshall Islands attained independence in 1986 under a Compact of Free Association. Compensation claims continue as a result of US nuclear testing on some of the atolls between 1947 and 1962. The Marshall Islands hosts the US Army Kwajalein Atoll (USAKA) Reagan Missile Test Site, a key installation in the US missile defense network.	Established as a territory of the UK in 1965, a number of the British Indian Ocean Territory (BIOT) islands were transferred to the Seychelles when it attained independence in 1976. Subsequently, BIOT has consisted only of the six main island groups comprising the Chagos Archipelago. The largest and most southerly of the islands, Diego Garcia, contains a joint UK-US naval support facility. All of the remaining islands are uninhabited. Former agricultural workers, earlier residents in the islands, were relocated primarily to Mauritius but also to the Seychelles, between 1967 and 1973. In 2000, a British High Court ruling invalidated the local immigration order that had excluded them from the archipelago, but upheld the special military status of Diego Garcia.
Birth rate	33.88 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)	-
Budget	revenues: $42 million expenditures: $40 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1999)	-
Capital	Majuro	-
Climate	tropical; hot and humid; wet season from May to November; islands border typhoon belt	tropical marine; hot, humid, moderated by trade winds
Coastline	370.4 km	698 km
Constitution	1 May 1979	-
Country name	conventional long form: Republic of the Marshall Islands conventional short form: Marshall Islands former: Marshall Islands District (Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands)	conventional long form: British Indian Ocean Territory conventional short form: none abbreviation: BIOT
Currency	US dollar (USD)	-
Death rate	4.94 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)	-
Debt - external	$86.5 million (FY99/00 est.)	-
Dependency status	-	overseas territory of the UK; administered by a commissioner, resident in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in London
Diplomatic representation from the US	chief of mission: Ambassador Greta N. MORRIS embassy: Oceanside, Mejen Weto, Long Island, Majuro mailing address: P. O. Box 1379, Majuro, Republic of the Marshall Islands 96960-1379 telephone: [692] 247-4011 FAX: [692] 247-4012	none (overseas territory of the UK)
Diplomatic representation in the US	chief of mission: Ambassador Banny DE BRUM chancery: 2433 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 234-5414 FAX: [1] (202) 232-3236 consulate(s) general: Honolulu	none (overseas territory of the UK)
Disputes - international	claims US territory of Wake Island	Mauritius and Seychelles claim the Chagos Archipelago and its former inhabitants, who reside chiefly in Mauritius, but in 2001 were granted UK citizenship and the right to repatriation since eviction in 1965; repatriation is complicated by the US military lease of Diego Garcia, the largest island in the chain
Economic aid - recipient	more than $1 billion from the US, 1986-2002	-
Economy - overview	US Government assistance is the mainstay of this tiny island economy. Agricultural production is primarily subsistence and is concentrated on small farms; the most important commercial crops are coconuts and breadfruit. Small-scale industry is limited to handicrafts, tuna 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. Under the terms of the Compact of Free Association, the US has provided more than $1 billion in aid since 1986. Negotiations have continued for an extended agreement. Government downsizing, drought, a drop in construction, the decline in tourism and foreign investment due to the 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.	All economic activity is concentrated on the largest island of Diego Garcia, where joint UK-US defense facilities are located. Construction projects and various services needed to support the military installations are done by military and contract employees from the UK, Mauritius, the Philippines, and the US. There are no industrial or agricultural activities on the islands. When the Ilois return, they plan to reestablish sugarcane production and fishing.
Electricity - consumption	-	NA kWh
Electricity - production	-	NA kWh; note - electricity supplied by the US military
Elevation extremes	lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: unnamed location on Likiep 10 m	lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m highest point: unnamed location on Diego Garcia 15 m
Environment - current issues	inadequate supplies of potable water; pollution of Majuro lagoon from household waste and discharges from fishing vessels	NA
Environment - international agreements	party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements	-
Ethnic groups	Micronesian	-
Exchange rates	the US dollar is the legal tender	-
Executive branch	chief of state: President Kessai Hesa NOTE (since 5 January 2004); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government head of government: President Kessai Hesa NOTE (since 5 January 2004); 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 17 November 2003 (next to be held NA November 2007) election results: Kessai Hesa NOTE elected president; percent of Parliament vote - 100%	chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952) head of government: Commissioner Alan HUCKLE (since 2001); Administrator Louise SAVILL (since NA); note - both reside in the UK cabinet: NA elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; commissioner and administrator appointed by the monarch
Exports	$9 million f.o.b. (2000)	-
Exports - commodities	copra cake, coconut oil, handicrafts, fish	-
Exports - partners	US, Japan, Australia, China (2000)	-
Fiscal year	1 October - 30 September	-
Flag description	blue with two stripes radiating from the lower hoist-side corner - orange (top) and white; there is a white star with four large rays and 20 small rays on the hoist side above the two stripes	white with six blue wavy horizontal stripes; the flag of the UK is in the upper hoist-side quadrant; the striped section bears a palm tree and yellow crown centered on the outer half of the flag
GDP	purchasing power parity - $115 million (2001 est.)	-
GDP - composition by sector	agriculture: 14% industry: 16% services: 70% (2000 est.)	-
GDP - per capita	purchasing power parity - $1,600 (2001 est.)	-
GDP - real growth rate	1% (2001 est.)	-
Geographic coordinates	9 00 N, 168 00 E	6 00 S, 71 30 E
Geography - note	two archipelagic island chains of 30 atolls and 1,152 islands; Bikini and Enewetak are former US nuclear test sites; Kwajalein, the famous World War II battleground, is now used as a US missile test range	archipelago of 2,300 islands; Diego Garcia, largest and southernmost island, occupies strategic location in central Indian Ocean; island is site of joint US-UK military facility
Highways	total: NA km paved: 64.5 km unpaved: NA km note: paved roads on major islands (Majuro, Kwajalein), otherwise stone-, coral-, or laterite-surfaced roads and tracks (2002)	total: NA km paved: short section of paved road between port and airfield on Diego Garcia unpaved: NA km
Household income or consumption by percentage share	lowest 10%: NA highest 10%: NA	-
Imports	$54 million f.o.b. (2000)	-
Imports - commodities	foodstuffs, machinery and equipment, fuels, beverages and tobacco	-
Imports - partners	US, Japan, Australia, NZ, Singapore, Fiji, China, Philippines (2000)	-
Independence	21 October 1986 (from the US-administered UN trusteeship)	-
Industrial production growth rate	NA	-
Industries	copra, fish, tourism, craft items from shell, wood, and pearls	-
Infant mortality rate	total: 30.5 deaths/1,000 live births male: 34.19 deaths/1,000 live births female: 26.61 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)	-
Inflation rate (consumer prices)	2% (2001 est.)	-
International organization participation	ACP, AsDB, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, IDA, IFC, IMF, IMO, Interpol, ITU, OPCW, PIF, Sparteca, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, WHO	-
Internet Service Providers (ISPs)	-	1 (2000)
Irrigated land	0 sq km	0 sq km (1998 est.)
Judicial branch	Supreme Court; High Court	-
Labor force	28,700 (1996 est.)	-
Labor force - by occupation	agriculture 21.4%, industry 20.9%, services 57.7%	-
Land boundaries	0 km	0 km
Land use	arable land: 16.67% permanent crops: 38.89% other: 44.44% (2001)	arable land: NEGL permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (1998 est.)
Languages	English (widely spoken as a second language, both English and Marshallese are official languages), two major Marshallese dialects from the Malayo-Polynesian family, Japanese	-
Legal system	based on adapted Trust Territory laws, acts of the legislature, municipal, common, and customary laws	the laws of the UK, where applicable, apply
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 not later than 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	-
Life expectancy at birth	total population: 69.7 years male: 67.77 years female: 71.73 years (2004 est.)	-
Literacy	definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 93.7% male: 93.6% female: 93.7% (1999)	-
Location	Oceania, group of atolls and reefs in the North Pacific Ocean, about one-half of the way from Hawaii to Australia	archipelago in the Indian Ocean, south of India, about one-half the way from Africa to Indonesia
Map references	Oceania	Political Map of the World
Maritime claims	territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm	exclusive fishing zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 3 NM
Merchant marine	total: 420 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 16,954,092 GRT/28,176,762 DWT by type: barge carrier 1, bulk 81, cargo 25, chemical tanker 41, combination bulk 4, combination ore/oil 7, container 77, liquefied gas 9, multi-functional large load carrier 5, passenger 6, petroleum tanker 149, refrigerated cargo 4, roll on/roll off 7, vehicle carrier 4 foreign-owned: Australia 2, Chile 3, Croatia 2, Cyprus 10, Denmark 2, Germany 119, Greece 82, Hong Kong 12, India 2, Japan 16, Monaco 18, Netherlands 6, New Zealand 1, Norway 5, Poland 11, Singapore 1, Slovenia 1, Switzerland 4, Thailand 2, Turkey 8, United Kingdom 10, United States 92 registered in other countries: 50 (2004 est.)	-
Military - note	defense is the responsibility of the US	defense is the responsibility of the UK; the US lease on Diego Garcia expires in 2016
Military branches	no regular military forces; Marshall Islands Police	-
Military expenditures - dollar figure	NA	-
Military expenditures - percent of GDP	NA	-
National holiday	Constitution Day, 1 May (1979)	-
Nationality	noun: Marshallese (singular and plural) adjective: Marshallese	-
Natural hazards	infrequent typhoons	NA
Natural resources	coconut products, marine products, deep seabed minerals	coconuts, fish, sugarcane
Net migration rate	-6.04 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)	-
Political parties and leaders	traditionally there have been no formally organized political parties; what has existed more closely resembles factions or interest groups because they do not have party headquarters, formal platforms, or party structures; the following two "groupings" have competed in legislative balloting in recent years - Kabua Party [Imata KABUA] and United Democratic Party or UDP [Litokwa TOMEING]	-
Political pressure groups and leaders	NA	-
Population	57,738 (July 2004 est.)	no indigenous inhabitants note: approximately 1,200 former agricultural workers resident in the Chagos Archipelago, often referred to as Chagossians or Ilois, were relocated to Mauritius and the Seychelles in the 1960's and 1970's, in November 2000 they were granted the right of return by a British High Court ruling, though no timetable has been set; in 2001, there were approximately 1,500 UK and US military personnel and 2,000 civilian contractors living on the island of Diego Garcia (July 2003 est.)
Population below poverty line	NA	-
Population growth rate	2.29% (2004 est.)	-
Ports and harbors	Majuro	Diego Garcia
Radio broadcast stations	AM 2, FM 1, shortwave 0 note: additionally, the US Armed Forces Radio and Television Services (Central Pacific Network) operate one FM and one AM station on Kwajalein (2002)	AM 1, FM 2, shortwave 0 (1998)
Religions	Christian (mostly Protestant)	-
Sex ratio	at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.93 male(s)/female total population: 1.04 male(s)/female (2004 est.)	-
Suffrage	18 years of age; universal	-
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 shortwave radiotelephone (used mostly for government purposes) international: country code - 692; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean); US Government satellite communications system on Kwajalein (2001)	general assessment: separate facilities for military and public needs are available domestic: all commercial telephone services are available, including connection to the Internet international: international telephone service is carried by satellite (2000)
Telephones - main lines in use	4,500 (2003)	NA
Telephones - mobile cellular	600 (2002)	-
Television broadcast stations	2 (both are US military stations) (2002)	1 (1997)
Terrain	low coral limestone and sand islands	flat and low (most areas do not exceed four meters in elevation)
Total fertility rate	4.02 children born/woman (2004 est.)	-
Unemployment rate	30.9% (1999 est.)	-
Waterways	-	none

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