Demographics of the Marshall Islands

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The demographics of the Marshall Islands include data such as population density, ethnicity, health of the populace, economic status, religious affiliations and other aspects of the population.

Contents

Historical population figures for the Marshall Islands are unknown. In 1862, the population of the islands was estimated at 10,000. [1] In 1960, the population of the Islands was approximately 15,000. The 2021 census counted 42,418 residents, 23,156 of whom (approximately 54.6%) lived on Majuro. 77.7% of the population lived in an urban setting on Majuro or Ebeye, the country's secondary urban center. The Marshallese census figures exclude Marshall Islanders who have relocated elsewhere; the Compact of Free Association allows them to freely relocate to the United States and obtain work there. [2] Approximately 4,300 Marshall Islands natives relocated to Springdale, Arkansas in the United States; this figure represents the largest population concentration of Marshall Islands natives outside their island home. [3]

Most residents of the Marshall Islands are Marshallese. Marshallese people are of Micronesian origin and are believed to have migrated from Asia to the Marshall Islands several thousand years ago. A minority of the Marshallese have Asian and European ancestry such as Japanese and German. A Majority have Polynesian and Melanesian ancestry. About one-half of the nation's population lives in Majuro and Ebeye Atolls. [4] [5] [6] [7]

The official languages of the Marshall Islands are English and Marshallese. Both languages are widely spoken. [8]

Vital statistics

Historical population
YearPop.±%
1920 9,800    
1925 9,644−1.6%
1930 10,412+8.0%
1935 10,446+0.3%
1958 13,928+33.3%
1967 18,925+35.9%
1973 24,135+27.5%
1980 30,873+27.9%
1988 43,380+40.5%
1999 50,840+17.2%
2011 53,158+4.6%
2021 42,418−20.2%
Source: [9] [10]

Births and deaths [9]

YearPopulationLive birthsDeathsNatural increaseCrude birth rateCrude death rateRate of natural increaseTFR
198843,3807.2
199950,8402,12541.84.936.95.71
201153,1581,64132.13.728.44.05
2021 [11] 42,4187043.4

Structure of the population

Population by Sex and Age Group (Census 03.IV.2011): [12]

Age GroupMaleFemaleTotal%
Total27 24325 91553 158100
0–44 0313 7127 74314.57
5–93 6223 3957 01713.20
10–143 3853 1086 49312.21
15–192 4172 3144 7318.90
20–242 6142 4805 0949.58
25–292 1592 2454 4048.28
30–341 8761 9133 7897.13
35–391 5871 5493 1365.90
40–441 4191 3662 7855.24
45–491 1891 1552 3444.41
50–541 0169141 9303.63
55–598157611 5762.96
60–645834691 0521.98
65-692842835220.98
70-741311192500.47
75-7962901520.29
80-843161920.17
85-892115360.07
90-94111120.02
95+0000
Age groupMaleFemaleTotalPercent
0–1411 03810 21521 25339.98
15–6415 67515 12130 79657.93
65+5305791 1092.09

Religion

Major religious groups in the Republic of the Marshall Islands include the United Church of Christ – Congregational in the Marshall Islands, with 51.5% of the population; the Assemblies of God, 24.2%; the Roman Catholic Church, 8.4%; [13] and The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormons), 8.3%. [13] Also represented are Bukot Nan Jesus (also known as Assembly of God Part Two), 2.2%; Baptist, 1.0%; Seventh-day Adventists, 0.9%; Full Gospel, 0.7%; and the Baháʼí Faith, 0.6%. [13] Persons without any religious affiliation account for a very small percentage of the population. [13] Islam is also present through Ahmadiyya Muslim Community which is based in Majuro, with the first mosque opening in the capital in September 2012. [14]

Health

During the Castle Bravo test of the first deployable thermonuclear bomb, a miscalculation resulted in the explosion being over twice as large as predicted. The nuclear fallout spread eastward onto the inhabited Rongelap and Rongerik Atolls. These islands were not evacuated before the explosion. Many of the Marshall Islands natives have since suffered from radiation burns and radioactive dusting, suffering the similar fates as the Japanese fishermen aboard the Daigo Fukuryū Maru , but have received little, if any, compensation from the federal government. [15]

CIA World Factbook demographic statistics

Demographics of the Marshall Islands, Data of FAO, year 2005; Number of inhabitants in thousands. Marshall Islands demography.png
Demographics of the Marshall Islands, Data of FAO, year 2005; Number of inhabitants in thousands.

Source: [16]

Population

Age structure

Population growth rate

Birth rate

Death rate

Net migration rate

Sex ratio

Infant mortality rate

Life expectancy at birth

Total fertility rate

Nationality

Ethnic groups

Religions

Languages

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References

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