• Officially the Republic of the Marshall Islands, located in Oceania.
• Composed of 29 coral atolls, 5 main islands, and 1,220 small islets.
• Major waters cover 98.47% of territory, the highest ratio of water to land among nations.
• Capital is Majuro, housing about half the population.
• One of four atoll-based nations globally, alongside Kiribati, Maldives, and Tuvalu.

• Settled by Austronesians around the 2nd millennium BC, introducing Southeast Asian crops and livestock.
• First European visitors were Spaniards in 1526; later European interactions were limited.
• German Empire annexed as a protectorate in 1885, followed by Japanese occupation during WWI.
• U.S. took control in WWII; conducted nuclear tests from 1946 to 1958.

• Became independent in 1979 via Compact of Free Association with the U.S.
• A presidential parliamentary republic, with financial aid heavily influencing the economy.
• Extended Compact aid in 2023 for an additional 20 years, with the U.S. dollar as currency.

• Mostly of Marshallese descent; small immigrant populations.
• Official languages are Marshallese and English; major religions include United Church of Christ and Assemblies of God.

List of newspapers published in Marshall Islands.