Regional Information - Foreign Ownership > Marshall Islands, Oceania

Feature Island

Regional Information

The Marshall Islands consist of over 1100 sandy atolls and reefs spread across a half-million miles of open ocean. The Marshall Islands are part of Micronesia, located a 9-10 hour flight from Los Angeles. The majority of Marshall Islanders live in Majuro, the region's capital and most urban atoll. Majuro houses the central government, most of the businesses and about half of the country's population. The outer islands are sparsely populated, offering a natural Pacific paradise with few tourists, beautiful beaches, blue lagoons and spectucular sunsets. The islands offer breathtaking marine environments with over 800 species of fish and 160 species of coral. The diving and snorkelling is unlimited and includes a multitude of World War II wrecks. For fishers, there's abundant big game, bottom and fly fishing conditions. If you're spending time in the Marshall Islands, leave your winter clothes at home. The weather averages about 81 F (27 C) with little variation year round. The lagoon waters are consistently warm too with a temperature of 80 F (26 C). If you want to stay in touch with home, or maybe just brag a little, satellite, telephone, cable, fax and internet are all available.

Marshall Islands, Oceania

Foreign Ownership of Islands in Marshall Islands, Oceania

Foreigners cannot own islands in the Marshall Islands, but long leases are quite common. In the Marshall Islands, the family clan owns most of the land and it’s passed down matrilineally. Leaseholds are available for up to 50 years and are renewable. Lease rates are negotiable with the respective land owners. Environmental protection is tantamount in the Marshall Islands and any development must be consistent with the national objective of protecting and preserving the natural environment. Tourism in the Marshall Islands is underdeveloped, but in recent years, the Japanese have sought out the area for unique diving and fishing experiences.

Regional Statistics for Marshall Islands, Oceania

Location:: Oceania, two archipelagic island chains of 29 atolls, each made up of many small islets, and five single islands in the North Pacific Ocean, about one-half of the way from Hawaii to Australia
Population:: 60,422
Languages:: Marshallese (official), English (official)
Capital:: Majuro
Currency:: U.S. dollar
Climate:: tropical; hot and humid; wet season May to November; islands border typhoon belt
Temperature Range:: +21 to +34
Terrain:: low coral limestone and sand islands
Natural Hazards:: infrequent typhoons