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Republic of the Marshall Islands

The Republic of the Marshall Islands is a sovereign state in the Pacific made up of 2 archipelagic island chains of five islands and 29 atolls, each made up of many small islets. It is freely associated with the United States via a treaty, the Compact of Free Association States. It was formerly part of the UN Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands, administered by the United States. Its residents are citizens of the Republic of the Marshall Islands and the capital, Majuro, is located on an atoll of 64 islands, the Majuro Atoll. The Marshall Islands has a landmass of 181 square kilometers spread across 1,324,134 square kilometers of ocean, with a July 2017 estimated population of 75,684 (CIA, 2018).

The Marshall Islands has 2 hospitals, Leroj Atama Medical Center in Majuro and Leroj Kitlang Health Center in Ebeye, and has 58 health centers. According to the WHO Western Pacific Regional Office, in 2000 the Marshall Islands was served by 24 physicians, 4 dentists, 2 pharmacists, and 152 nurses.

For additional resources and information, see Pacific Territories, Commonwealth, and Freely Associated States.

Data Sources
CIA World Fact Book: Marshall Islands; Country Health Information Profile: Marshall Islands; RMI Ministry of Health Fiscal Year 2006 Annual Report; U.S. Affiliated Pacific Basin Jurisdictions: Legal, Geographic and Demographic Information


Last Reviewed: 11/23/2018