Demographics of the Marshall Islands
Encyclopedia
This article is about the demographic
features of the population
of the Marshall Islands
, including population density
, ethnicity
, education level, health of the populace, economic status, religious affiliations and other aspects of the population.
The people of the Marshall Islands
are of Micronesia
n origin, which is traced to a combination of peoples who emigrated from Southeast Asia
in the remote past. The matrilineal Marshallese culture revolves around a complex system of clans and lineages tied to land ownership.
Virtually all Marshallese are Christian
, most of them Protestant
(see Religion in the Marshall Islands
). Other Christian denominations include Roman Catholicism, the Seventh-day Adventist Church
, Latter-day Saints (Mormon
), Salvation Army
, and Jehovah's Witness. There is also a small presence of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community
and the Bahá'í Faith
.
Both Marshallese
and English
are official languages. Marshallese is spoken by most of the urban population. Both the Nitijela (parliament) and national radio use Marshallese.
The public school system provides education
through grade 12, although admission to secondary school
is selective. The elementary program employs a bilingual/bicultural curriculum. English is introduced in the first grade. There is one post-secondary institution in the Marshall Islands -- the College of the Marshall Islands
.
The following demographic statistics are from the CIA World Factbook, unless otherwise indicated.
0-14 years:
50% (male 17,204; female 16,521)
15-64 years:
48% (male 16,826; female 16,111)
65 years and over:
2% (male 693; female 771) (2000 est.)
at birth:
1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years:
1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years:
1.04 male(s)/female
65 years and over:
0.9 male(s)/female
total population:
1.04 male(s)/female (2000 est.)
total population:
65.5 years
male:
63.72 years
female:
67.36 years (2000 est.)
English (official), widely spoken as a second language
definition:
age 15 and over can read and write
total population:
93%
male:
100%
female:
88% (1980 est.)
Demographics
Demographics are the most recent statistical characteristics of a population. These types of data are used widely in sociology , public policy, and marketing. Commonly examined demographics include gender, race, age, disabilities, mobility, home ownership, employment status, and even location...
features of the population
Population
A population is all the organisms that both belong to the same group or species and live in the same geographical area. The area that is used to define a sexual population is such that inter-breeding is possible between any pair within the area and more probable than cross-breeding with individuals...
of the Marshall Islands
Marshall Islands
The Republic of the Marshall Islands , , is a Micronesian nation of atolls and islands in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, just west of the International Date Line and just north of the Equator. As of July 2011 the population was 67,182...
, including population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
, ethnicity
Ethnic group
An ethnic group is a group of people whose members identify with each other, through a common heritage, often consisting of a common language, a common culture and/or an ideology that stresses common ancestry or endogamy...
, education level, health of the populace, economic status, religious affiliations and other aspects of the population.
The people of the Marshall Islands
Marshall Islands
The Republic of the Marshall Islands , , is a Micronesian nation of atolls and islands in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, just west of the International Date Line and just north of the Equator. As of July 2011 the population was 67,182...
are of Micronesia
Micronesia
Micronesia is a subregion of Oceania, comprising thousands of small islands in the western Pacific Ocean. It is distinct from Melanesia to the south, and Polynesia to the east. The Philippines lie to the west, and Indonesia to the southwest....
n origin, which is traced to a combination of peoples who emigrated from Southeast Asia
Southeast Asia
Southeast Asia, South-East Asia, South East Asia or Southeastern Asia is a subregion of Asia, consisting of the countries that are geographically south of China, east of India, west of New Guinea and north of Australia. The region lies on the intersection of geological plates, with heavy seismic...
in the remote past. The matrilineal Marshallese culture revolves around a complex system of clans and lineages tied to land ownership.
Virtually all Marshallese are Christian
Christianity
Christianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus as presented in canonical gospels and other New Testament writings...
, most of them Protestant
Protestantism
Protestantism is one of the three major groupings within Christianity. It is a movement that began in Germany in the early 16th century as a reaction against medieval Roman Catholic doctrines and practices, especially in regards to salvation, justification, and ecclesiology.The doctrines of the...
(see Religion in the Marshall Islands
Religion in the Marshall Islands
Major religious groups in the Republic of the Marshall Islands include the United Church of Christ , with 51.5 percent of the population; the Assemblies of God, 24.2 percent; and the Roman Catholic Church, 8.4 percent...
). Other Christian denominations include Roman Catholicism, the Seventh-day Adventist Church
Seventh-day Adventist Church
The Seventh-day Adventist Church is a Protestant Christian denomination distinguished by its observance of Saturday, the original seventh day of the Judeo-Christian week, as the Sabbath, and by its emphasis on the imminent second coming of Jesus Christ...
, Latter-day Saints (Mormon
Mormon
The term Mormon most commonly denotes an adherent, practitioner, follower, or constituent of Mormonism, which is the largest branch of the Latter Day Saint movement in restorationist Christianity...
), Salvation Army
Salvation Army
The Salvation Army is a Protestant Christian church known for its thrift stores and charity work. It is an international movement that currently works in over a hundred countries....
, and Jehovah's Witness. There is also a small presence of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community
Ahmadiyya Muslim Community
The Ahmadiyya Muslim Community is the larger of two communities that arose from the Ahmadiyya movement founded in 1889 in India by Mirza Ghulam Ahmad of Qadian . The original movement split into two factions soon after the death of the founder...
and the Bahá'í Faith
Bahá'í Faith
The Bahá'í Faith is a monotheistic religion founded by Bahá'u'lláh in 19th-century Persia, emphasizing the spiritual unity of all humankind. There are an estimated five to six million Bahá'ís around the world in more than 200 countries and territories....
.
Both Marshallese
Marshallese language
The Marshallese language is a Malayo-Polynesian language of the Marshall Islands, and the principal language of the country...
and English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
are official languages. Marshallese is spoken by most of the urban population. Both the Nitijela (parliament) and national radio use Marshallese.
The public school system provides education
Education
Education in its broadest, general sense is the means through which the aims and habits of a group of people lives on from one generation to the next. Generally, it occurs through any experience that has a formative effect on the way one thinks, feels, or acts...
through grade 12, although admission to secondary school
Secondary school
Secondary school is a term used to describe an educational institution where the final stage of schooling, known as secondary education and usually compulsory up to a specified age, takes place...
is selective. The elementary program employs a bilingual/bicultural curriculum. English is introduced in the first grade. There is one post-secondary institution in the Marshall Islands -- the College of the Marshall Islands
College of the Marshall Islands
The College of the Marshall Islands is a regionally accredited autonomous community college offering associate degree programs in liberal arts & sciences, business and information technology, elementary education, and nursing. It also offers high school equivalency, community extension, student...
.
CIA World Factbook demographic statistics
Age structure
0-14 years:
50% (male 17,204; female 16,521)
15-64 years:
48% (male 16,826; female 16,111)
65 years and over:
2% (male 693; female 771) (2000 est.)
Sex ratio
at birth:
1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years:
1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years:
1.04 male(s)/female
65 years and over:
0.9 male(s)/female
total population:
1.04 male(s)/female (2000 est.)
Life expectancy at birth
total population:
65.5 years
male:
63.72 years
female:
67.36 years (2000 est.)
Languages
Marshallese (official) 98.2%, other languages 1.8% (1999 census)English (official), widely spoken as a second language
Literacy
definition:
age 15 and over can read and write
total population:
93%
male:
100%
female:
88% (1980 est.)