The Marshall Islands, officially the Republic of the Marshall Islands, is an island country west of the International Date Line and north of the equator in the Micronesia region in the Northwestern Pacific Ocean. The territory consists of 29 coral atolls and five islands, divided across two island chains: Ratak in the east and Ralik in the west. 97.87% of its territory is water, the largest proportion of water to land of any sovereign state. The country shares maritime boundaries with Wake Island to the north, Kiribati to the southeast, Nauru to the south, and the Federated States of Micronesia to the west. The capital and largest city is Majuro, home to approximately half of the country's population.
The Republic of the Marshall Islands has established bilateral diplomatic relations with 111 countries. Regional cooperation, through membership in various regional and international organizations, is a key element in its foreign policy.
"Forever Marshall Islands", also known by its incipit, "Aelōn̄ Eo Ao", is the national anthem of the Marshall Islands. The lyrics were written by former President Amata Kabua, and the music was composed by Korean composer Gil ok-yun by the request of President Kabua. The song was finished and recorded at Oasis Records in Seoul. Kabua and Gil became acquaintances after Jiyong (池勇), an economic adviser for President Amata Kabua, introduced Gil Ok Yun to Kabua.
Amata Kabua was the first President of the Marshall Islands from 1979 until his death in 1996.
The music of the Marshall Islands has a long history. The Marshall Islands are an independent island chain, geographically and culturally part of the Micronesian area. It was part of the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands, governed by the United States, until independence in 1986.
Marshall Islands elects on the national level a head of state – the president – and a legislature. The president is elected for a four-year term by the parliament. The Legislature (Nitijela) has 33 members, elected for a four-year term in single-seat and five multi-seat constituencies. The Legislature was last elected in 2019 without the participation of parties, though part of the members could be members of the United Democratic Party. The Marshall Islands is a state in which political parties have not been active.
Aelon̄ Kein Ad, also called the Kabua Party, is a political party in the Marshall Islands, headed by David Kabua. It is a coalition of other parties, including the United People's Party led by former president Litokwa Tomeing. The party is led by traditional chiefs, the Iroij. At the last legislative elections, 17 November 2003, no parties participated, though part of the members could be members of either Aelon̄ Kein Ad or the United Democratic Party.
Iroijlaplap are the traditional paramount chiefs in the Marshall Islands. Ordinary chiefs bear the title of Iroij ; -ļapļap is a superlative suffix.
Kunio David Lemari was a Marshallese politician. He was the Minister of Justice from 1985 to 1987. He served as the acting President of the Marshall Islands from 20 December 1996 to 14 January 1997. He assumed office upon the death of the previous President, Amata Kabua, having previously served as the country's Minister of Transportation and Communications.
The Legislature of the Marshall Islands has 33 members, elected for a four-year term in nineteen single-seat and five multi-seat constituencies. The last election was November 18, 2019. Elections in the Marshall Islands are officially nonpartisan, but most members of the Nitijeļā are affiliated with one of the four active political parties in the Marshall Islands: Aelon Kein Ad (AKA), Kien Eo Am (KEA), United People's Party (UPP), and United Democratic Party (UDP).
The government of the Marshall Islands operates under a mixed parliamentary-presidential system as set forth in its Constitution. Elections are held every four years in universal suffrage, with each of the 24 constituencies electing one or more representatives (senators) to the lower house of RMI's unicameral legislature, the Nitijela. The President, who is head of state as well as head of government, is elected by the 33 senators of the Nitijela. Four of the five Marshallese presidents who have been elected since the Constitution was adopted in 1979 have been traditional paramount chiefs.
An indirect presidential election was held in the Marshall Islands on 7 January 2008. The parliament elected in November 2007 elected a new president after it formally convened. The opposition coalition elected a new president, Litokwa Tomeing, with a vote of 18 to 15 in favour, beating the incumbent president Kessai Note. A new Speaker from the opposition, Senator Jurelang Zedkaia, was also elected, defeating Senator Alvin Jacklick in another 18–15 vote. Senator Alik Alik from the United Democratic Party was elected as Vice-Speaker with 17 votes against 16 for Kaibuke Kabua.
Anjua Loeak was one of the Iroijlaplap of Ailinglaplap, and one of four paramount chiefs in the Ralik Chain. Loeak shared his domain with the Iroijlaplap of Kwajalein, formerly Imata Kabua.
Christopher Jorebon Loeak is a Marshallese politician who was the President of the Marshall Islands from 2012 to 2016. He was elected by parliament as President in January 2012, following the 2011 general election.
David Kabua is a Marshallese politician who has served as President of the Marshall Islands since 13 January 2020. He has represented Wotho Atoll in the Legislature of the Marshall Islands since 2008 and served terms as Minister of Health and Internal Affairs.
Hilda Cathy Heine is a Marshallese educator and politician, who served as the eighth president of the Marshall Islands. Prior to assuming office, she served as the Minister of Education. She was the first individual from the Marshall Islands to earn a doctorate degree, and the founder of the women's rights group Women United Together Marshall Islands (WUTMI).
General elections were held in the Marshall Islands on 18 November 2019. Opponents of President Hilda Heine won a majority of seats.
Events in the year 2020 in the Marshall Islands.
Kitlang Kabua is a Marshallese politician. She was elected to the Legislature of the Marshall Islands (Nitijeļā) for Kwajalein in the 2019 Marshallese general election, receiving 931 votes. She was 28 at the time of her election, making her the youngest person ever elected to the Nitijeļā. Kabua and former President Hilda Heine were the only two women who obtained a seat. She subsequently was appointed Minister of Education, Sports and Training in the cabinet of her uncle President David Kabua. Kabua took her oath of office on 13 January 2020. The formal inauguration of the cabinet took place on 20 January.
