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The Marshalls are comprised of 29 atolls and five major islands, which form two parallel groups--the "Ratak" (sunrise) chain and the "Ralik"(sunset) chain. Two-thirds of the nation's population lives in Majuro and Ebeye. The outer islands are sparsely populated due to lack of employment opportunities and economic development.
Location:
Oceania, group of atolls and reefs in the North Pacific Ocean, about one-half of the way from Hawaii to Papua New Guinea
Geographic coordinates:
9 00 N, 168 00 E
Map references:
Oceania
Area:
total:
181.3 sq km
land:
181.3 sq km
water:
0 sq km
note:
includes the atolls of Bikini, Enewetak, and Kwajalein
Area - comparative:
about the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries:
0 km
Coastline:
370.4 km
Maritime claims:
contiguous zone:
24 nm
exclusive economic zone:
200 nm
territorial sea:
12 nm
Climate:
wet season from May to November; hot and humid; islands border typhoon belt
Terrain:
low coral limestone and sand islands
Elevation extremes:
lowest point:
Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point:
unnamed location on Likiep 10 m
Natural resources:
phosphate deposits, marine products, deep seabed minerals
Land use:
arable land:
0%
permanent crops:
60%
permanent pastures:
0%
forests and woodland:
0%
other:
40%
Irrigated land:
NA sq km
Natural hazards:
occasional typhoons
Environment - current issues:
inadequate supplies of potable water
Environment - international agreements:
party to:
Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution
signed, but not ratified:
Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol
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
- See also : Marshall Islands
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