:Geography of the Marshall Islands

{{Infobox islands

| name = Marshall Islands

| image_name =Marshall Islands location map.svg

| image_caption =Map of the Marshall Islands

| map_image =

| native_name =

| native_name_link =

| nickname =

| location = Oceania

| coordinates = {{coord|9|00|N|168|00|E|display=inline}}

| archipelago =

| total_islands =1,152

| major_islands =

| waterbody = Pacific Ocean

| area_km2 =181.3 | rank =

| length_km =

| width_km =

| coastline_km =370.4

| highest_mount =

| elevation_m =

| country = Marshall Islands

| country_admin_divisions_title =

| country_admin_divisions =

| country_admin_divisions_title_1 =

| country_admin_divisions_1 =

| country_admin_divisions_title_2 =

| country_admin_divisions_2 =

| country_largest_city = Majuro

| country_largest_city_population =

| population =

| population_as_of =

| density_km2 =

| ethnic_groups =

| additional_info =

| timezone1 = MHT

| utc_offset1 = +12

}}

The Marshall Islands consist of two archipelagic island chains of 30 atolls and 1,152 islands, which form two parallel groups—the "Ratak" (sunrise) chain and the "Ralik" (sunset) chain. The Marshalls are located in the North Pacific Ocean and share maritime boundaries with Micronesia and Kiribati. Two-thirds of the nation's population lives in the capital of Majuro and the settlement of Ebeye. The outer islands are sparsely populated due to lack of employment opportunities and economic development.

Statistics

The country is located about one-half of the way from Hawaii to Papua New Guinea. The archipelago includes the atolls of Bikini, Enewetak, Kwajalein, Majuro, Rongelap, and Utirik.

The total area of the islands is equal to the size of the City of Washington, DC. The largest atoll with a land area of {{convert|6|sqmi}} is Kwajalein.{{Cite web|title=Marshallese Topography & Culture|url=https://www.atomicatolls.org/marshallese-culture|access-date=2021-07-18|website=AtomicAtolls.org|language=en}} The terrain consists of low coral limestone and sand islands. Natural resources include coconut products, marine products, and deep seabed minerals. Current environmental issues are inadequate supplies of potable water; pollution of Majuro lagoon from household waste and discharges from fishing vessels.

Maritime claims:

territorial sea:

12 nautical miles

contiguous zone:

24 nm

exclusive economic zone:

200 nm

Elevation extremes:

lowest point:

Pacific Ocean 0 meters

highest point:

unnamed location on Likiep Atoll {{Convert|10|meters|feet|abbr=}} above sea level

Land use:

arable land:

11.11%

permanent crops:

44.44%

other:

44.44% (2011)

Environment - international agreements:

party to:

Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling

Bikini and Enewetak are former US nuclear test sites; Kwajalein, the famous World War II battleground, is now used as a US missile test range; the island city of Ebeye is the second largest settlement in the Marshall Islands, after the capital of Majuro, and one of the most densely populated locations in the Pacific.{{Cite web|url=https://www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook/countries/marshall-islands/|title=Australia - Oceania :: Marshall Islands — The World Factbook - Central Intelligence Agency|website=cia.gov|access-date=2019-03-22}}

File:Majuro and Arno Atolls.jpgs]]

Climate

Tropical; hot and humid with a Koeppen-Geiger classification of Af.{{Cite web|url=https://www.weatheronline.co.uk/reports/climate/Marshall-Islands.htm|title=Climate of the World: Marshall Islands {{!}} weatheronline.co.uk|website=weatheronline.co.uk|language=en-GB|access-date=2019-03-22}} The wet season lasts from May to November and the islands border the typhoon belt. Typhoons do pose an infrequent threat from July to mid November.

Due to their low elevation, the Marshall Islands are threatened by the potential effects of sea level rise.{{Cite web|url=https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/storm-surges-rising-seas-could-doom-pacific-islands-this-century/|title=Storm Surges, Rising Seas Could Doom Pacific Islands This Century|last=ClimateWire|first=Julia Pyper|website=Scientific American|language=en|access-date=2019-03-26}} According to the President of Nauru, the Marshall Islands are the most endangered nation on Earth due to flooding from climate change.{{Cite web|url=https://www.thefreelibrary.com/A+sinking+feeling:+why+is+the+president+of+the+tiny+Pacific+island...-a0273079165|title=A sinking feeling: why is the president of the tiny Pacific island nation of Nauru so concerned about climate change? - Free Online Library|last=Stephen|first=Marcus|date=November 14, 2011|website=thefreelibrary.com|access-date=2019-03-26}}

A study by the University of Plymouth found that the tides move sediment to create higher elevation, which may keep the islands habitable.{{cite news |last1=Taylor |first1=Michael |title=Small islands may not disappear under rising seas, researchers find |url=https://news.trust.org/item/20200610171616-1ul7a |access-date=29 June 2020 |agency=Thomson Reuters Foundation}}

{{Weather box

|width = auto

|location = Majuro (Köppen Af)

|single line = Yes

|metric first = Yes

|collapsed = Yes

|Jan record high F = 92

|Feb record high F = 91

|Mar record high F = 90

|Apr record high F = 90

|May record high F = 90

|Jun record high F = 92

|Jul record high F = 96

|Aug record high F = 94

|Sep record high F = 90

|Oct record high F = 93

|Nov record high F = 93

|Dec record high F = 91

|year record high F = 96

|Jan high F = 85.7

|Feb high F = 85.9

|Mar high F = 86.0

|Apr high F = 86.1

|May high F = 86.3

|Jun high F = 86.3

|Jul high F = 86.6

|Aug high F = 86.7

|Sep high F = 86.9

|Oct high F = 86.8

|Dec high F = 86.5

|Nov high F = 86.0

|year high F = 86.3

|Jan mean F = 81.9

|Feb mean F = 82.0

|Mar mean F = 82.2

|Apr mean F = 82.2

|May mean F = 82.4

|Jun mean F = 82.2

|Jul mean F = 82.4

|Aug mean F = 82.5

|Sep mean F = 82.6

|Oct mean F = 82.5

|Nov mean F = 82.3

|Dec mean F = 82.2

|year mean F = 82.3

|Jan low F = 78.1

|Feb low F = 78.0

|Mar low F = 78.3

|Apr low F = 78.3

|May low F = 78.4

|Jun low F = 78.1

|Jul low F = 78.2

|Aug low F = 78.3

|Sep low F = 78.3

|Oct low F = 78.2

|Nov low F = 78.1

|Dec low F = 78.3

|year low F = 78.2

|Jan record low F = 69

|Feb record low F = 70

|Mar record low F = 70

|Apr record low F = 70

|May record low F = 70

|Jun record low F = 70

|Jul record low F = 70

|Aug record low F = 71

|Sep record low F = 70

|Oct record low F = 70

|Nov record low F = 68

|Dec record low F = 70

|year record low F = 68

|precipitation colour = green

|Jan precipitation inch = 8.24

|Feb precipitation inch = 7.62

|Mar precipitation inch = 8.65

|Apr precipitation inch = 11.12

|May precipitation inch = 10.71

|Jun precipitation inch = 11.10

|Jul precipitation inch = 10.96

|Aug precipitation inch = 11.18

|Sep precipitation inch = 12.60

|Oct precipitation inch = 13.79

|Nov precipitation inch = 13.41

|Dec precipitation inch = 11.88

|year precipitation inch = 131.26

|unit precipitation days = 0.01 in

|Jan precipitation days = 19.6

|Feb precipitation days = 16.7

|Mar precipitation days = 18.1

|Apr precipitation days = 19.3

|May precipitation days = 23.0

|Jun precipitation days = 22.9

|Jul precipitation days = 24.1

|Aug precipitation days = 22.6

|Sep precipitation days = 22.6

|Oct precipitation days = 23.9

|Nov precipitation days = 23.2

|Dec precipitation days = 22.6

|year precipitation days = 258.6

|Jan humidity = 77.7

|Feb humidity = 77.1

|Mar humidity = 79.0

|Apr humidity = 80.7

|May humidity = 81.9

|Jun humidity = 81.1

|Jul humidity = 80.5

|Aug humidity = 79.3

|Sep humidity = 79.4

|Oct humidity = 79.4

|Nov humidity = 79.9

|Dec humidity = 79.7

|year humidity = 79.6

|Jan sun = 224.4

|Feb sun = 218.6

|Mar sun = 252.8

|Apr sun = 219.4

|May sun = 224.8

|Jun sun = 210.8

|Jul sun = 217.0

|Aug sun = 232.2

|Sep sun = 217.8

|Oct sun = 205.4

|Nov sun = 191.4

|Dec sun = 197.4

|year sun = 2612.0

|Jan percentsun = 61

|Feb percentsun = 66

|Mar percentsun = 67

|Apr percentsun = 60

|May percentsun = 58

|Jun percentsun = 56

|Jul percentsun = 56

|Aug percentsun = 61

|Sep percentsun = 60

|Oct percentsun = 55

|Nov percentsun = 54

|Dec percentsun = 54

|year percentsun = 59

|source 1 = NOAA (relative humidity and sun 1961–1990)

{{cite web

| url = https://www.weather.gov/wrh/Climate?wfo=gum

| title = NowData - NOAA Online Weather Data

| publisher = National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

| access-date = September 11, 2021}}

{{cite web

| url = https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/access/services/data/v1?dataset=normals-monthly-1991-2020&startDate=0001-01-01&endDate=9996-12-31&stations=RMW00040710&format=pdf

| title = Station: Majuro WBAS AP, MH RM

| work = U.S. Climate Normals 2020: U.S. Monthly Climate Normals (1991-2020)

| publisher = National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

| access-date = September 11, 2021}}

{{cite web

| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20210911152456/https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/pub/data/normals/WMO/1961-1990/TABLES/REG__V/U1/91376.TXT

| archive-date = September 11, 2021

| url = https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/pub/data/normals/WMO/1961-1990/TABLES/REG__V/U1/91376.TXT

| title = WMO Climate Normals for Majuro, PI 1961–1990

| publisher = National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

| access-date = September 11, 2021}}

}}

{{Weather box

|location = Kwajalein Atoll (Köppen Af)

|single line = Yes

|metric first = Yes

|collapsed = Yes

|width = auto

|Jan record high C = 32.2

|Feb record high C = 32.2

|Mar record high C = 32.2

|Apr record high C = 32.2

|May record high C = 32.8

|Jun record high C = 32.2

|Jul record high C = 32.8

|Aug record high C = 32.8

|Sep record high C = 33.3

|Oct record high C = 33.3

|Nov record high C = 33.3

|Dec record high C = 31.7

|year record high C = 33.3

|Jan high C = 29.9

|Feb high C = 30.3

|Mar high C = 30.6

|Apr high C = 30.4

|May high C = 30.4

|Jun high C = 30.4

|Jul high C = 30.4

|Aug high C = 30.6

|Sep high C = 30.6

|Oct high C = 30.6

|Nov high C = 30.4

|Dec high C = 30.1

|year high C = 30.4

|Jan mean C = 27.4

|Feb mean C = 27.7

|Mar mean C = 27.9

|Apr mean C = 27.8

|May mean C = 27.8

|Jun mean C = 27.8

|Jul mean C = 27.7

|Aug mean C = 27.9

|Sep mean C = 27.8

|Oct mean C = 27.9

|Nov mean C = 27.8

|Dec mean C = 27.6

|year mean C = 27.8

|Jan low C = 25.0

|Feb low C = 25.1

|Mar low C = 25.2

|Apr low C = 25.2

|May low C = 25.2

|Jun low C = 25.1

|Jul low C = 25.1

|Aug low C = 25.1

|Sep low C = 25.1

|Oct low C = 25.2

|Nov low C = 25.2

|Dec low C = 25.2

|year low C = 25.1

|Jan record low C = 20.0

|Feb record low C = 21.7

|Mar record low C = 21.1

|Apr record low C = 21.7

|May record low C = 21.7

|Jun record low C = 21.7

|Jul record low C = 21.7

|Aug record low C = 21.7

|Sep record low C = 20.0

|Oct record low C = 21.7

|Nov record low C = 21.1

|Dec record low C = 20.6

|year record low C = 20.0

|precipitation colour = green

|Jan precipitation mm = 115.8

|Feb precipitation mm = 82.0

|Mar precipitation mm = 104.1

|Apr precipitation mm = 191.8

|May precipitation mm = 253.5

|Jun precipitation mm = 244.3

|Jul precipitation mm = 265.2

|Aug precipitation mm = 256.8

|Sep precipitation mm = 300.5

|Oct precipitation mm = 302.5

|Nov precipitation mm = 270.8

|Dec precipitation mm = 205.7

|year precipitation mm = 2593.0

|unit precipitation days = 1.0 mm

|Jan precipitation days = 10.2

|Feb precipitation days = 8.4

|Mar precipitation days = 10.6

|Apr precipitation days = 12.7

|May precipitation days = 17.7

|Jun precipitation days = 18.7

|Jul precipitation days = 19.5

|Aug precipitation days = 20.0

|Sep precipitation days = 19.8

|Oct precipitation days = 19.9

|Nov precipitation days = 18.3

|Dec precipitation days = 15.0

|year precipitation days = 190.8

|Jan humidity = 76.7

|Feb humidity = 76.1

|Mar humidity = 77.1

|Apr humidity = 79.7

|May humidity = 82.5

|Jun humidity = 82.0

|Jul humidity = 81.8

|Aug humidity = 80.9

|Sep humidity = 80.9

|Oct humidity = 80.8

|Nov humidity = 80.2

|Dec humidity = 78.8

|year humidity = 79.8

|source 1 = NOAA{{cite web |url=ftp://ftp.atdd.noaa.gov/pub/GCOS/WMO-Normals/TABLES/REG__V/U1/91366.TXT |title=Kwajalein Island Climate Normals 1961–1990 |publisher=National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration |access-date=April 24, 2015}}

|date = April 2015

}}

=Climate change=

Climate change is a serious threat to the Marshall Islands, with typhoons becoming stronger and sea levels rising. The sea around Pacific islands has risen 7mm a year since 1993, which is more than twice the rate of the worldwide average. In Kwajalein, there is a high risk of permanent flooding; when sea level rise to 1 meter, 37% of buildings will be permanently flooded in that scenario. In Ebeye, the risk of sea level rise is even higher, with 50% of buildings being permanently flooded in the same scenario. With 1 meter sea level rise parts of the Majuro atoll will be permanently flooded and other parts are having a high risk of flooding especially the eastern part of the atoll would be significantly at risk. With 2 meter sea level rise all the buildings of Majuro will be permanently flooded or would be at a high risk to be flooded.{{cite web |date=2021-10-22 |title=Adapting to rising sea levels in Marshall Islands |url=https://storymaps.arcgis.com/stories/8c715dcc5781421ebff46f35ef34a04d |access-date=2021-11-14 |website=ArcGIS StoryMaps |language=en-us |archive-date=2021-11-14 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211114023449/https://storymaps.arcgis.com/stories/8c715dcc5781421ebff46f35ef34a04d |url-status=live}}

The per capita {{CO2}} emissions were 2.56t in 2020.{{Cite journal |last1=Ritchie |first1=Hannah |author-link=Hannah Ritchie |last2=Roser |first2=Max |author2-link=Max Roser |date=2020-05-11 |title=CO₂ and Greenhouse Gas Emissions |url=https://ourworldindata.org/co2/country/marshall-islands |journal=Our World in Data |access-date=2021-11-14 |archive-date=2021-11-14 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211114135247/https://ourworldindata.org/co2/country/marshall-islands |url-status=live}} The government of Marshall Islands pledged to be net zero in 2050, with a decrease of 32% decrease of GHGs in 2025, 45% decrease in 2030 and a 58% decrease in 2035 all compared to 2010 levels.{{cite web |title=The Republic of the Marshall Islands Nationally Determined Contribution |url=https://www4.unfccc.int/sites/ndcstaging/PublishedDocuments/Marshall%20Islands%20Second/20181122%20Marshall%20Islands%20NDC%20to%20UNFCCC%2022%20November%202018%20FINAL.pdf |url-status=live |website= |access-date=2021-11-14 |archive-date=2021-11-02 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211102200737/https://www4.unfccc.int/sites/ndcstaging/PublishedDocuments/Marshall%20Islands%20Second/20181122%20Marshall%20Islands%20NDC%20to%20UNFCCC%2022%20November%202018%20FINAL.pdf}}

Extreme points

File:Bikrin Islet 16.JPGThis is a list of the extreme points of the Marshall Islands, the points that are farther north, south, east or west than any other location.

Northernmost point – Bokak Atoll (Taongi), Ratak Chain*
Easternmost point – Knox Atoll, Ratak Chain
Southernmost point – Ebon Atoll, Ralik Chain
Westernmost point - Ujelang Atoll, Ralik Chain
Note: the government of the Marshall Islands claims Wake Island, currently under US administration. If this is considered part of the Marshall Islands, then Toki Point on Peale Island, Wake Island is the northernmost point of the Marshall Islands

References

pt:Ilhas Marshall#Geografia