Marshall Islands
After almost four decades under US administration as the easternmost part of the UN Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands, the Marshall Islands attained independence in 1986 under a Compact of Free Association. Compensation claims continue as a result of US nuclear testing on some of the islands between 1947 and 1962.
There are no known threats to expatriate travelers or residents in the Marshall Islands.
Citizens of the Marshall Islands live with a relatively new democratic political system combined with a hierarchical traditional culture. President Kessai Note was elected president by the 33-member parliament in January 2000. He is the first commoner to hold the post He says his priorities are to curb the "handout mentality" of the islanders and to make the country self-reliant. He has also pledged to root out corruption and create good governance by strengthening the judiciary.
There have been a number of local and national elections since the Republic of the Marshall Islands was founded, and in general, democracy has functioned well. There have been some incidents of human rights concern such as the government urging a high court judge to resign and putting pressure on the local newspaper because of press criticism.
The major problem for the islands is how to attain some measure of financial independence from the US. Imports are currently more than double exports, the government is the largest employer, many islanders live by subsistence farming, and there seems limited scope for developing alternative revenue.
Meanwhile, in 2001 representatives from Kiribati, Tuvalu, the Cook and Marshall Islands have warned of an environmental catastrophe if efforts to stop global warming are not speeded up. Two South Pacific islands have disappeared beneath the waves, as climate change allegedly raises sea levels to new heights.
