| Marshall Islands Travel Guide |
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Find important informations about Marshall Islands
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MARSHALL ISLANDS
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These beautiful islands are a collection of 1,225 islands and islets of which only five are single islands. The rest are grouped into 29 coral atolls which together make up more than one-tenth of all the atolls in the world. They resemble strings of pearls in a blue ocean backdrop, which is why they are referred to as the 'Pearl of The Pacific'.
They lie in two parallel chains known as Sunrise and Sunset (Ratak and Ralik) and in true atoll form, they are narrow and low and encircle large central lagoons. All the islands have glorious white sandy beaches, tall palms and are lapped by crystal clear waters. Of the 29 atolls, 27 are accessible by small plane (Air Marshall Islands).
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The first Micronesian navigators arrived in the Marshall Islands sometime between 500 and 2000 BC. Little is known of their origin or culture.
The Marshalls were never united under a single leader, though one chief often controlled several atolls and at times an entire chain. Before the arrival of Europeans, the individual chiefs held absolute authority over their lands, and - living on such narrow stretches of land - their claims to their parcels were often hotly contested.
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The 1494 Treaty of Tordesillas ceded ownership of all of Micronesia to Spain. The Marshalls, however, were off the main trade routes and consequently received little attention from early European explorers. In 1525, Alonso de Salazar of Spain became the first European to sight the islands, but Spain did nothing to colonise them. After another 200 years devoid of Europeans, the islands received a visit from English captain John Marshall (from whom they later took their name) in 1788. Russian explorer Otto von Kotzebue came through in the early 1800s and drew the first detailed maps of the islands.
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Traders and whalers began to visit the islands en masse in the early 1800s, until encounters with the 'friendly' native Marshallese began to turn sour. Ship after ship putting into port at various atolls in the Marshalls quickly weighed anchor after the death of their captain or crew members. Violence was on the decline when the first Protestant missionaries arrived in 1857, setting up churches and schools and gradually undermining the traditional authority of the island chiefs.
Germany annexed the Marshalls in 1885 but didn't place government officials on the islands until 1906, leaving island affairs to a group of powerful German trading companies. Japan took over in 1914 and colonised the Marshalls extensively, developing and fortifying large bases on many of the islands.
The first Micronesian islands captured by the Americans in WWII were at Kwajalein Atoll in 1944. Majuro Atoll was taken next and quickly developed into a base for aircraft carriers. Within weeks some 30 other islands had fallen. After the war, the Americans immediately began to test atomic bombs on Bikini and Enewetok atolls. (Kwajalein was later established as a missile testing site.) Chief Juda of Bikini was convinced to move his people - for the 'benefit of mankind' - to Rongerik Atoll, on the understanding that they'd be able to return to their homeland after the tests were over. A few months later, the USA exploded the first of the 23 nuclear devices that were to be detonated at the atoll, 500ft (150m) over its lagoon.
The Bikinians nearly starved from inadequate food supplies on Rongerik, and two years later they were moved to Kwajalein Atoll and then to Kili Island. In the 1970s, they were told it was safe to return to Bikini, where they found two whole islands entirely blown away and most of the others treeless. Nevertheless, they stayed, and within a few years they were found to have dangerous levels of radiation in their bodies and were moved off the island again.
In 1973 the Marshall Islands boldly withdrew from the Congress of Micronesia, seeking political independence. The move worked and, in 1979, the Marshalls' constitution became effective. Admission to the United Nations was achieved in 1991.
Today, scientists from California's Lawrence Livermore Laboratory are using Bikini as a case study in ways to clean up radiation. So far, they've had some success with using potassium fertilizer to block the uptake of cesium in plants, but there are still long-term problems with eating anything grown on the island. Ironically, as the Bikini cleanup continues, the Marshallese government is considering the atoll as a possible dump site for commercial radioactive waste material produced by Asian and North American power plants.
Meanwhile, the Marshalls were heavily hit by the effects of variations of the El Niño weather pattern in 1997 and 1998, receiving almost no rainfall. Drought affected most of the country's population, particularly on Majuro and Ebeye. The country seems set to remain dependent on US subsidies for the indefinite future. In December 2003 the two countries signed a Compact of Free Association, in which the Marshalls effectively became a US protectorate in exchange for payment of 3500000000.00 over 20 years. Meanwhile, it seems unlikely that Bikinians will receive the compensation awarded to them in 2001 by the Nuclear Claims Tribunal for the US atom-bomb tests that devastated their islands for many years.
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The economy suffers many of the problems faced by the small, remote island states of the Pacific. Aid subventions from the USA remain essential, while repeated and diverse attempts to broaden the base of the economy have met with mixed success. Agriculture is of a subsistence nature, with coconuts, tomatoes, melons and breadfruit as the main products. The fishing industry is dominated by a commercial tuna operation, which includes canning and transhipment. The islands’ international shipping registry – a “flag of convenience” – has been a key source of income since the end of the 1980s, when many operators reflagged from Panama. The government had high hopes for a major tourist development, but the plans have been scaled down following the economic downturn in the Asia-Pacific region and may yet be further undermined by the islands’ remote location. There is also an important offshore financial services industry. However, in April 2002 the Marshall Islands were one of seven countries ‘named and shamed’ by the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development, which has spearheaded a global assault on money-laundering, for their failure to tackle the issue. The USA provides around US$65 million annually in aid. The Marshall Islands is a member of the South Pacific Commission and the South Pacific Forum.
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Marshall Islanders are known throughout the Pacific and the world for their friendly and peaceful nature. Sharing with family and friends, a warm welcome for the stranger, and caring consideration for others are values inherent to the Marshallese culture. The people have nurtured these values over the centuries. Cooperation and caring are necessary elements of survival on these small islands, surrounded by the sea.
The concept of family and community thus remain inextricably intertwined in Marshallese society. People still consider grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins and far-flung relatives among their closest family. The strong family ties contribute to close-knit communities rooted in the values of caring, kindness and respect.
Time has also introduced new elements into the culture. While the local population is mostly indigenous, there are many mixed German, Japanese and American Marshallese. |
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Most Marshallese are Protestants, and as a whole they are very religious. While the largest church in the nation is the United Church of Christ, there are many other Protestant denominations represented, like Assembly of God, Baptist, Seventh Day Adventists. The Catholic Church also has established a strong presence in the islands. In recent years, the Church of Latter-day Saints has also become established. Sundays are set aside for rest and relaxation and attending church services.
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Marshallese society has always been stratified, and despite increasing Westernization and the introduction of a moneyed economy, social status still comes as much from one's kinship as it does from one's own achievements. Chiefs continue to wield a great deal of authority over land ownership and usage.
Food cultivation on the islands has always been catch as catch can. Fish and seafood provide the bulk of the nonvegetable dishes, with tuna a staple of the catch. On land, breadfruit, coconut, arrowroot, yams, taro and pumpkins are the traditional mealtime mainstays. With the increasing Westernization of the Pacific, North American junk food has been increasingly dominating more traditional staples; on the rise too are the related health problems of obesity, diabetes, high blood-pressure and alcoholism.
In travels between the islands, early inhabitants learned to read the patterns of the waves and the positions of the stars, and they made stick charts to record and pass on their observations to less experienced navigators. By tying flat strips of wood together in imitation of the wave patterns and attaching cowry shells to the sticks to represent particular islands and atolls, the experienced navigator could memorize the patterns for when he was out at sea - the charts were not actually taken on the journeys. Although few modern Marshallese know how to read the charts, many still make them for their popularity as souvenirs.
Another craft once common in the Marshall Islands (but growing less so) is canoe building. The walap canoes of old could reach a length of 100ft (30m) and carry up to 40 people, with supplies for open-sea voyages that could last more than a month. The smaller and faster tipnol was used mainly for fishing inside the lagoons, while the korkor, a small outrigger sometimes fitted with a sail, was also used within the lagoons. |
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The Marshall Islands sit amid some of the world's most spectacular underwater scenery, and the traveler who never looks below the water's surface is missing out on some incredible sights. The water temperature is pretty warm year-round, so wetsuits aren't a necessity (some people wear them for coral-scrape protection, but they shouldn't swim that close to the coral anyway).
For natural attractions, Mili Atoll's waters boast some of the most pristine diving conditions in the country. Another popular site is Calalin Channel, which for all the right reasons has been dubbed 'Shark Alley.' Bikini and Jaluit atolls have some of the best WWII-era wreck diving found anywhere, with scores of warplanes, submarines and battleships to explore. Other good wreck dives are found near Kwajalein. Aur and Ailinglaplap atolls have excellent snorkeling, with a wide variety of tropical fish and corals, plus the odd sea turtle and shark.
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Virtually all of the Marshalls have beautiful white-sand beaches, perfect for lounging in the sun even where the waters aren't the safest nor the most sanitary. Some of the best swimming spots are found at Ailinglaplap, Mili Island and Laura Beach at Majuro.
The islands' prime sportfishing catches include marlin, sailfish, yellowfin tuna, skipjack tuna, mahi-mahi and wahoo. Arno Atoll is famous for its abundant catches, as is Mejit, which also has octopus and lobster.
Birdwatchers will want to visit Bikar and Taongi (Bokaak) atolls, as they've both been tagged as potential national preservation areas. The latter was cited as being 'possibly the only example of a completely natural, unaltered, semiarid atoll ecosystem remaining in the world today.' Bikar has an especially large population of green sea turtles. |
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While in Majuro, you can also play tennis or go bowling, should the mood strike.
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The legislative branch of the government consists of the Nitijela (parliament) with an advisory council of high chiefs. The Nitijela has 33 members from 24 districts elected for concurrent 4-year terms. Members are called senators. The president is elected by the Nitijela from among its members. Presidents pick cabinet members from the Nitijela. Amata Kabua was elected as the first president of the republic in 1979. Subsequently, he was re-elected to 4-year terms in 1983, 1987, 1991, and 1996. After Amata Kabua's death in office, his first cousin, Imata Kabua, won a special election in 1997. The current president's party was re-elected in the general elections of November 2003, and the president took office in January 2004.
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The Republic of the Marshall Islands has four court systems: Supreme Court, high court, district and community courts, and the traditional rights court. Trial is by jury or judge. Jurisdiction of the traditional rights court is limited to cases involving titles or land rights or other disputes arising from customary law and traditional practice.
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The Marshall Islands lie in open ocean, and the islands are generally very close to sea level. The vulnerability to waves and storm surges is at the best of times precarious. Although the islands have by no means been completely free from weather extremes, they are more frequently referred to in folklore as "jolet jen Anij" (gifts from God). The sense that Marshall Islands was a God-given sanctuary away from the harshness of other areas is therefore part of the socio-cultural identity of the people. However, given the physics of wave formation and the increasing frequency and severity of storms, the Marshall Islands will likely be at even greater risk. The relative safety that the islands have historically provided is now in jeopardy. It is likely that evacuation would have to be effected long before inundation is total.
The Marshallese would become among the first of many environmental refugees. This would be a devastating disruption not only for the culture and the people of the island countries, but also for the countries that would need to accommodate the refugees. The impacts are not limited to the Marshalls and its immediate neighbors. The Marshall Islands are often referred to as a "front line state" with regard to the climate change issue. It is important to realize that once the potentially catastrophic effects begin to appear there, it is likely already too late to prevent further warming that will threaten virtually all of the world's coastal regions.
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The Marshalls consist of low coral limestone and sand islands and islets, the vast majority of which form scattered atolls. Only five are single islands. The islands are particularly narrow, with the widest, Wotje, less than a mile across. They have little fertile topsoil and are devoid of rivers. Their lowest points are their beaches and their highest - an unnamed hillock on Likiep, measuring 10m (34ft) - scarcely shows on the horizon. The country's average elevation is 2m (7ft) above sea level. |
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Hundreds of species of coral can be found in the Marshalls' atolls, as well as 250 species of reef fish and all five of the world's species of marine turtles. Whales, dolphins and porpoises also visit the islands' warm waters. Some 70 bird species have been identified, including over 30 species of seabirds. The Polynesian rat is the only mammal native to the islands, while of reptiles you can see a half dozen species of lizards and one species of blind snake. Coconut land crabs are common and prized for their meat.
The coconut palm tree is Micronesia's most important plant. Copra, the dried meat of the nut from which coconut oil is made, is among the country's leading exports. Other Marshallese flora includes breadfruit, pandanus, taro, arrowroot, yams, pumpkins, tapioca and bananas. As almost all the islands' lands are privately owned by families and clans, there are no national parks or reserves.
In the decades since the American government stopped its nuclear testing there, the US Department of Energy and California's Lawrence Livermore Laboratory have done extensive research on Bikini. Their reports tell us that the environment poses no danger to visitors.
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Arno Atoll
Arno is the closest atoll to Majuro, just 15km (9 mi) away. It has 133 islands, two airstrips and nearly 1700 people. The Longar area is famous for its 'love school', where young women were once taught how to perfect their sexual techniques.
The waters off Longar Point are known for superb deep-sea fishing; marlin, yellowfin tuna, mahi-mahi and sailfish abound. About 4500kg (10,000lbs) of tuna and reef fish caught nearby are sold on Majuro each month, thanks in part to a Japanese-funded upgrade of the islands' fishing industry. |
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Kwajalein Atoll
A US military presence is all over Kwajalein Atoll, a missile-testing range operated by the US Department of Defense. The world's largest coral atoll, Kwajalein includes 97 islands with a total land mass of just 17 sq km (6.5 sq mi) that surround an immense 2850 sq km (1100 sq mi) lagoon.
The lagoon is the target and splashdown point for intercontinental ballistic missiles fired from Vandenburg Air Force Base in California, 6700km (4200 mi) away. The tests generally occur at night, often lighting up the sky with a brilliant display of explosions, burning debris and sonic booms. |
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Majuro Atoll
Majuro is the most Westernised of the Marshall Islands, but there's still a lot that can be learned about life in the islands from a visit. You can grasp what it's like to live on a ribbon of land so narrow that, as often as not, you can see the ocean on both sides.
Most visitors to the Marshalls get only as far as Majuro Atoll, the nation's political and economic centre. Home to nearly half its population, the atoll has 57 small islets, the largest of which are connected by a single 55km (35mi) stretch of paved road. |
Mejit Island
Mejit is a single, tiny coral island with a population of about 450 people. It's a beautiful island of lush taro patches and an abundance of coconut, breadfruit and pandanus trees. Mejit has a small freshwater lake, a rarity in the Marshalls, that makes for a lovely (if algae-ful) swim.
California Beach on the northwest side of the island is tops for swimming and snorkelling, and the waters around the island are prime for fishing. Best of all, and unlike the other Marshalls, Mejit has no poisonous fish. The island is also known for its pandanus-leaf mats, woven by the Mejit women, and for the quality of its schools.
Since Mejit doesn't have a protective lagoon, fishing and the unloading of boats can be perilous, especially in November and December when the winds kick up. |
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Wotje Atoll
Wotje, the main island of Wotje Atoll, is peppered from one end to the other with WWII remains. Huge Japanese-built structures loom out of the jungle - some bombed out, others still habitable. Right in the centre of the village is a large Japanese gun that can still be moved on its pivot. The lagoon is also full of wreckage, including a few ships of interest to wreck divers.
The lagoon beaches of Wotje Island are beautiful and relatively clean. Those of the nearby smaller islands are even better, as they're mostly deserted, and you can walk right over to them at low tide. Known as the 'Marshallese garden centre', Wotje's abundant produce is due to topsoil shipped over from Japan.
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