Marshall Islands

Overview

The Marshall Islands is a Pacific island nation made up of 29 low-lying coral atolls and five islands, divided into two parallel chains, the Ratak and Ralik chains. The country was administered by the United States under a UN mandate following World War II, gaining independence in 1986; since then it has maintained a Compact of Free Association with the United States, which provides defense and financial support in exchange for military access to the region. The official languages are English and Marshallese, and the official currency is the U.S. dollar. The average elevation of the islands is only a few meters above sea level, making the Marshall Islands one of the countries most threatened by rising sea levels in the world.

Majuro, the capital and most populous atoll, built along a narrow strip of land where the ocean is visible on both sides, serves as the country's commercial and administrative center. Bikini Atoll, where the United States conducted 23 nuclear weapons tests between 1946 and 1958, including the Castle Bravo test, the largest hydrogen bomb ever detonated by the U.S., has been a UNESCO World Heritage site since 2010, preserving the historical and technological legacy of the nuclear age. The population of Bikini Atoll was relocated before the tests, and the island remains unsuitable for permanent human settlement today due to residual radioactive contamination. Kwajalein Atoll, the largest coral atoll in the world by lagoon area, is home to a U.S. missile testing facility and operates under a long-term U.S. military lease agreement.

The sunken warship wrecks at Bikini Atoll, which went down during the nuclear tests, form one of the world's best-known yet most difficult-to-access wreck-diving sites, as visits require strict permits and significant logistical planning. Coral reefs and lagoons generally offer excellent diving and fishing opportunities, though underdeveloped tourism infrastructure means most islands remain essentially untouched. The Marshall Islands actively raises international awareness about the vulnerability of low-lying island nations to climate change, an issue central to the country's diplomatic activity. Local cuisine is built around fish and coconut, with dishes made from local root vegetables, including taro, traditionally combined with seafood-based ingredients.