The Marshall Islands comprises 29 atolls and five major islands, which form two parallel groups – the “Ratak” (sunrise) chain and the “Rali” (sunset) chain. The Marshallese are of Micronesian origin. The matrilineal Marshallese culture revolves around a complex system of clans and lineages tied to land ownership.
The Marshall Islands has an area of 1826 square kilometres (km2) and is composed of two coral atoll chains in the Central Pacific. The Marshall Islands is a parliamentary democracy, constitutionally in free association with the United States of America. It has a developing agrarian and service-oriented economy.
On 1 May 1979, in recognition of the evolving political status of the Marshall Islands, the United States of America recognized the constitution of the Marshall Islands and the establishment of the Government. The constitution incorporates both American and British constitutional concepts.
Marshallese and English are both official languages. English is spoken by most of the urban population. However, both the Nitijela (parliament) and national radio use Marshallese.
