MH is the abbreviation for Marshall Islands, the 189th largest country in the world. Officially the Republic of the Marshall Islands, Marshall Islands is a country located in Oceania, bordering 4 countries – Federated States of Micronesia, Kiribati, Nauru, and Wake Island. Majuro is the capital city of Marshall Islands. Major cities include Majuro (population: 25,389), Ebaye (population: 14,989), Arno (population: 2,057), Jabor (population: 1,189), Wotje (population: 869), Mili (population: 843), Namdrik (population: 803), Ebon (population: 703), Kili (population: 591), and Likiep (population: 471).
Country Profile
- Capital: Majuro
- Language: English, Marshallese
- Area: 181.43 km2
- Population: 53,055
- Currency: United States dollar (USD)
- Time zone: UTC+12
- Calling code: 692
- ISO 2-Letter Abbreviation: MH
- UN 3-Letter Abbreviation: MHL
- Internet TLD: .mh
- State Government Website: http://rmiembassyus.org
List of Marshall Islands Acronyms
The most commonly used abbreviations about Marshall Islands are MH which stands for Marshall Islands and USD which means United States dollar (Marshall Islands currency). In the following table, you can see all acronyms related to Marshall Islands, including abbreviations for airport, city, school, port, government, and etc.
Geography
The Marshall Islands consists of 29 atolls and five major islands in the Pacific. The islands form two chains, one called Ratak (sunrise), and the other Ralik (sunset). Two-thirds of the population lives on the Majuro Atoll and on the island of Ebebe in the Kwajalein Atoll. The whole country is less than 10 meters above sea level. and the environment is tropical hot and humid all year round. The northernmost islands and atolls often receive less rainfall than the rest of the country, which can lead to extreme drought. From March to April, and October to November, large tropical cyclones often occur.
Due to the low topograph of the Marshall Islands, sea level rise, flood and tropical storms are the biggest environmental challenges for the country. If sea level rise continues as it does today, the entire country is at risk of being submerged by 2030. Radioactivity from test explosions of nuclear weapons in the 50s also poses a significant environmental risk. Both nature and people in the country are exposed to high radioactivity, which has led to many cancer cases among the country’s inhabitants.
History
The Marshall Islands were first populated by Micronesian peoples around 2000 BCE. Little is known about the culture of the early civilization of the islands. In 1526, the islands were discovered, but not colonized, by Spanish seafarers. The first Europeans to colonize the islands were British seafarers in 1788, but in 1884 they became part of the German Empire. During World War I, Japan occupied the area, and the islands remained under Japanese control until US forces occupied the islands during World War II. In 1947, the United Nations decided that the islands should be managed by the United States, and that the Americans be allowed to establish military bases there. Until 1958, the United States used the islands to test nuclear weapons. The radioactive fallout from the test blasts made several of the islands uninhabitable.
In 1986, the Marshall Islands gained independence. An agreement on free association with the United States was signed. The agreement states that the United States may have military bases in the country, against being responsible for its defense and providing financial assistance annually. Since independence, questions about claims for damages following the nuclear explosions have been an important political issue.
Society and politics
The Marshall Islands is a democratic republic. The president is both the head of state and the prime minister, and is determined by an elected parliament. Although the governance is democratic, the traditional sound culture is important. Almost all the presidents have been traditional chieftains. There are no formal political parties, instead they form political groups based on individual cases or customer affiliation.
The Marshall Islands’ society is characterized by the transition from the traditional hierarchical clan system to a modern society. Traditionally, the land was structured around matri-linear clans (where the clan’s land and titles are inherited on the mother’s side of the family). In the transition to a modern society, women’s ability to inherit land has diminished. In addition, women are under-represented in politics and in other positions of power. Despite the country being relatively poor and underdeveloped, US aid has contributed to the well-being of the health and education system. The introduction of Western products and eating habits has led to the spread of health and lifestyle diseases such as obesity, diabetes, and alcohol abuse throughout the country.
Economics and Commerce
The Marshall Islands economy is entirely dependent on US aid. More than half of the country’s income comes in the form of aid. Disregarding US support, the country’s economy has been weak since the 1980s. Unemployment is a widespread problem, especially in the more remote islands.
The state is the most important employer in the country, employing about 40 percent of the population. The most important industries are fishing and sale of fishing licenses to other states. Fish is also the country’s most important export commodity. Because almost all food and a variety of other products are imported, the country has a large trade deficit (they import more than they export). The tourism industry is the main source of foreign investment. However, a lack of infrastructure has made further development of this sector difficult. In addition, economic development in the country is slow and problematic, as the island state has a lack of infrastructure, a limited internal market, and few jobs.
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