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PEOPLE OF THE MARSHALL ISLANDS
Name of the People: noun: Marshallese (singular and plural); adjective: Marshallese.
Ethnic Groups: Marshallese 92.1 percent, mixed Marshallese 5.9 percent, other 2 percent (2006 estimate). [Source: CIA World Factbook 2023]
Languages: Marshallese (official) 98.2 percent, other languages 1.8 percent (1999 estimate). English (official), widely spoken as a second language. Major-language sample: Bok eo an Lalin kin Melele ko Rejimwe ej jikin ebōk melele ko raurōk. (Marshallese)
Religions: Protestant 80.5 percent (United Church of Christ 47 percent, Assembly of God 16.2 percent, Bukot Nan Jesus 5.4 percent, Full Gospel 3.3 percent, Reformed Congressional Church 3 percent, Salvation Army 1.9 percent, Seventh Day Adventist 1.4 percent, Meram in Jesus 1.2 percent, other Protestant 1.1 percent), Roman Catholic 8.5 percent, Church of Jesus Christ 7 percent, Jehovah's Witness 1.7 percent, other 1.2 percent, none 1.1 percent (2011 estimate). [Source: CIA World Factbook 2023]
Population of the Marshall Islands
Population: 80,966 (2023 estimate); ranking compared to other countries in the world: 200. [Source: CIA World Factbook 2023]
Population Growth: 1.3 percent (2023 estimate); ranking compared to other countries in the world: 72; Birth rate: 21.61 births/1,000 population (2023 estimate); ranking compared to other countries in the world: 60; Death rate: 4.3 deaths per 1,000 population (2023 estimate); ranking compared to other countries in the world: 209; Net migration rate: -4.31 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2023 estimate); ranking compared to other countries in the world: 196. [Source: CIA World Factbook 2023]
Population Distribution: most people live in urban clusters found on many of the country's islands; more than two-thirds of the population lives on the atolls of Majuro and Ebeye. [Source: CIA World Factbook 2023]
Demography of the Marshall Islands
Age Structure: 0-14 years: 30.65 percent (male 12,642/female 12,175); 15-64 years: 63.83 percent (male 26,237/female 25,445); 65 years and over: 5.52 percent (2023 estimate) (male 2,187/female 2,280). [Source: CIA World Factbook 2023]
Dependency Ratios: total dependency ratio: 59.9; youth dependency ratio: 53; elderly dependency ratio: 6.8; potential support ratio: 14.7 (2021). [Source: CIA World Factbook 2023]
Median Age: total: 23.8 years; male: 23.6 years; female: 23.9 years (2020 estimate); ranking compared to other countries in the world: 173. [Source: CIA World Factbook 2023]
Urbanization: urban population: 78.9 percent of total population (2023); rate of urbanization: 0.61 percent annual rate of change (2020-25 estimate); Major Urban Areas (population): 31,000 MAJURO (capital) (2018)
Fertility, Birth Control, Marriage and Sex
Total Fertility Rate: 2.72 children born per woman (2023 estimate); ranking compared to other countries in the world: 58; Gross reproduction rate: 1.33 (2023 estimate). [Source: CIA World Factbook 2023]
Contraceptive Use: NA. [Source: CIA World Factbook 2023]
Married Women (ages 15-49): 68.3 percent (2022 estimate). [Source: CIA World Factbook 2023]
Sex Ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female; 0-14 years: 1.04 male(s)/female; 15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female; 65 years and over: 0.96 male(s)/female; total population: 1.03 male(s)/female (2023 estimate). [Source: CIA World Factbook 2023]
Health of the Marshallese People
Life Expectancy at Birth: total population: 74.92 years; male: 72.68 years; female: 77.26 years (2023 estimate); ranking compared to other countries in the world: population 134. [Source: CIA World Factbook 2023]
Infant Mortality Rate: total: 21.13 deaths per 1,000 live births; male: 24.56 deaths per 1,000 live births; female: 17.54 deaths per 1,000 live births (2023 estimate); ranking compared to other countries in the world: 77. [Source: CIA World Factbook 2023]
Obesity (prevalence rate among adults): 52.9 percent (2016); ranking compared to other countries in the world: 4. [Source: CIA World Factbook 2023]
Children Under the Age of Five Years That Are Underweight 11.9 percent (2017); ranking compared to other countries in the world: 48. [Source: CIA World Factbook 2023]
Percentage of Population That Uses Tobacco: total: 28.5 percent (2020 estimate); male: 48.7 percent (2020 estimate); female: 8.3 percent (2020 estimate); ranking compared to other countries in the world: 36. [Source: CIA World Factbook 2023]
Drinking Water Source: improved: urban: 100 percent of population; rural: 99.8 percent of population; total: 100 percent of population; unimproved: urban: 0 percent of population; rural: 0.2 percent of population; total: 0 percent of population (2020 estimate). [Source: CIA World Factbook 2023]
Image Sources:
Text Sources: CIA World Factbook, 2023; “Encyclopedia of World Cultures, Volume 2: Oceania,” edited by Terence E. Hays, 1991, Wikipedia, New York Times, Washington Post, Los Angeles Times, Times of London, Lonely Planet Guides, Library of Congress, The Guardian, National Geographic, Smithsonian magazine, The New Yorker, Reuters, Associated Press, AFP, BBC, CNN, and various books, websites and other publications.
Last updated August 2023