Fact Island Marshall

U.S. Department of StateBackground Notes: Marshall Islands, May 1996Bureau of East Asian and Pacific AffairsPrepared and released by the Bureau of East Asian and Pacific Affairs, Office of Pacific Island AffairsMay 1996Official Name: Republic of the Marshall IslandsPROFILEGeographyArea: 181 sq. km. (approximately 70 sq. mi.) of islands scattered over 500,000 sq. mi. of the Western Pacific; slightly larger than Washington, DC.Cities: Capital--Majuro (pop. 225000). Other cities--Ebeye, Jaluit.Terrain: 29 low-lying coral atolls and islands.Climate: Tropical with a wet season from May to November.PeopleNationality: Noun and adjective--Marshallese.Population (1996 est.): 56,000.Annual growth rate: 4%.Ethnic groups: 90% Marshallese, 10% U.S., Filipino, Chinese, New Zealander, and Korean.Religions: Christian, mostly Protestant.Languages: English; two major Marshallese dialects from Malayo-Polynesian family; Japanese.Education: Literacy (1995)--60%.Health: Infant mortality rate-- ... [Read More]

Department of State Washington File: Text: U.S. Committed to Helping Developing Pacific Island Nations

The United States is also working closely with Pacific Island Nations, as we are with many other developing nations, on the climate change issue. For example, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) assists the overall Global Climate Observation System (GCOS) effort in the Pacific Islands with training and infrastructure support, capacity-building among meteorologists in the region to improve predictions and related climate change risk management and adaptation strategic planning. In addition, the U.S. will be collaborating under the Climate Action Partnership, a new arrangement with Australia, to cooperate with developing countries in the Pacific Island region to build their capacity to address climate change. Initial projects under this activity will establish and maintain robust climate monitoring and data management systems in the Pacific, and will assist Pacific Island countries in accessing and applying climate and oceanographic information more effectively ... [Read More]

Department of State Washington File: Text: U.S. Seeks to Amend Compact with Micronesia, Marshall Islands

Thank you for this opportunity to testify on the Administration's progress in Compact negotiations with the Federated States of Micronesia (FSM) and the Republic of the Marshall Islands (RMI). ...

The Bush administration is seeking to amend the Compact of Free Association with the Federated States of Micronesia (FSM) and the Republic of the Marshall Islands (RMI). ...

The annual grants to the FSM and RMI will be targeted to sectors most in need of assistance: (a) education, (b) health, and (c) infrastructure. Other areas of special need include capacity building, the environment, and private sector development. The U.S. also proposes to provide an additional $4.1 million per year to the RMI for the special needs of Ebeye (the main island community housing the U.S. defense sites' Marshallese work force) and other Kwajalein atoll communities. ... [Read More]

Department of State Washington File: Text: GAO Calls for Accountability over Funds to Island Nations

I am pleased to be here today to provide information you requested regarding economic assistance provided by the United States from 1987 through 1998, under the Compact of Free Association, to the Federated States of Micronesia and the Republic of the Marshall Islands. In 1986, the U.S. government entered into an international agreement, the Compact of Free Association, with each nation. This Compact represents a continuation of U.S. financial support that had been supplied to these areas for almost 40 years after World War II under the United Nations Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands. Specifically, my testimony will address (1) the use of Compact funding by the Federated States of Micronesia and the Republic of the Marshall Islands, (2) the progress made by both nations in advancing economic self-sufficiency, (3) the role of Compact funds in supporting economic progress, and (4) the amount of accountability over Compact expenditures. My statement will be accompanied by photog ... [Read More]

Department of State Washington File: Text: State's Daley Stresses Mutual Interests of U.S., Pacific Island Nations

The Pacific island nations include the Federated States of Micronesia, the Republic of the Fiji Islands, the Republic of Kiribati, the Republic of the Marshall Islands, the Republic of Nauru, the Republic of Palau, Papua New Guinea, the Independent State of Samoa, the Solomon Islands, the Kingdom of Tonga, Tuvalu, and the Republic of Vanuatu. ...

I am pleased and honored to be here tonight to deliver the Peter Tali Coleman Lecture. Beyond being a four-time governor of his native American Samoa, Peter Coleman also served as administrator of the Marshall and Mariana Islands, and Deputy High Commissioner of the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands. His decades of service to both the United States and the peoples of the Pacific islands should be a model for us all. ... [Read More]

South Pacific Nuclear Free Zone Treaty

Micronesia---Fiji8/6/8510/4/8512/11/86Kiribati8/6/8510/28/8612/11/86Marshall Islands, Rep.---Nauru7/17/864/13/874/13/87New Zealand8/6/8511/13/8612/11/86Niue8/6/855/12/86 [Read More]

Embassy of the United States in Manila

-- Ambassador-Designate Morris Discusses Marshall Island Policy (Text: Morris's June 18 statement to Senate Foreign Relations panel) ...

(Text: USTR Fact Sheet on U.S. trade capacity building efforts, September 8) (9/12/2003) ...

(Text: USTR Fact Sheet on U.S. Farm Bill) (9/12/2003) ... [Read More]

Department of State Washington File: Text: State's Stayman June 28 on Micronesia, Marshall Islands

Congress has previously authorized and funded the use of trust funds to achieve similar objectives, including one established under the Compact with the Republic of Palau, and three established in the Marshall Islands as a part of the United States' compensation for the damages resulting from the U.S. nuclear weapons testing program. ...

Thank you for this opportunity to testify on the Compact of Free Association with the Federated States of Micronesia (FSM) and the Republic of the Marshall Islands (RMI). ... [Read More]

Advancing Economic Freedom a U.S. Priority at U.N. - US Department of State

The following is one of a series of seven fact sheets describing U.S. goals at the 59th session of the United Nations General Assembly: ...

Too often, debates in the United Nations focus heavily on foreign aid as the solution to development. However, foreign aid needs a proper enabling environment to support sustained growth. The U.S. has increased development assistance by 50 percent in the past four years, and is finding ways to foster an enabling environment for growth. For example, the U.S. has taken a leading role in liberalizing trade in the World Trade Organization and in numerous bilateral agreements. The U.S. Millennium Challenge Account is President Bush's initiative to support those countries that rule justly, invest in their people, and encourage economic freedom. If fully funded, it would represent the largest increase in U.S. assistance since the Marshall Plan. Where countries demonstrate the will to reduce corruption, invest in their people, and enable entrepreneurial activity, foreign aid can help. ... [Read More]

Synopsis of Public-Private Partnerships for Mine Action

The following organizations are working in partnership with the U.S. Government to enable citizens of mine-affected nations "to walk the earth in safety."The United Nations Association of the United States of America (UNA-USA) and its Adopt-A-Minefield™ program have raised more than $2.9 million, including contributions from the U.S. Department of State’s Office of Humanitarian Demining Programs, since March 1999 to clear minefields in Afghanistan, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Cambodia, Croatia, and Mozambique. To learn more about Adopt-A-Minefield™ and how you can personally contribute to mine action, go to www.landmines.org, email info@landmines.org, telephone (212) 907-1300, or fax (212) 682-9185.Warner Bros. has committed the use of its "Looney Tunes" characters to produce animated public service announcements for broadcast around the world to teach mine awareness and acceptance of landmine survivors to children i ... [Read More]