: unicameral Parliament (Nitijela)

Judicial branch: Supreme Court

Leaders:
Chief of State and Head of Government--President Amata KABUA (since 1979)

Political parties and leaders: no formal parties; President Kabua
is chief political (and traditional) leader

Suffrage: universal at age 18

Elections:
President--last held NA November 1987 (next to be held November
1991); results--President Amata Kabua was reelected;

Parliament--last held NA November 1987 (next to be held November
1991); results--percent of vote NA;
seats--(33 total)

Communists: none

Member of: SPF, ESCAP (associate)

Diplomatic representation: Representative Wilfred I. KENDALL;
Representative Office at Suite 1004, 1901 Pennsylvania Avenue NW,
Washington DC 20006; telephone (202) 223-4952;
US--Representative Samuel B. THOMSEN; US Office at NA address (mailing
address is P. O. Box 680, Majuro, Republic of the Marshall Islands 96960);
telephone 692-9-3348

Flag: blue with two stripes radiating from the lower hoist-side
corner--orange (top) and white; there is a white star with four large
rays and 20 small rays on the hoist side above the two stripes

- Economy
Overview: Agriculture and tourism are the mainstays of the economy.
Agricultural production is concentrated on small farms, and the most important
commercial crops are coconuts, tomatoes, melons, and breadfruit. A few cattle
ranches supply the domestic meat market. Small-scale industry is limited to
handicrafts, fish processing, and copra. The tourist industry is the primary
source of foreign exchange and employs about 10% of the labor force. The islands
have few natural resources, and imports far exceed exports. In 1987 the US
Government provided grants of $40 million out of the Marshallese budget of
$55 million.

GDP: $63 million, per capita $1,500; real growth rate NA% (1989 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 5.6% (1981)

Unemployment rate: NA%

Budget: revenues $55 million; expenditures NA, including capital
expenditures of NA (1987 est.)

Exports: $2.5 million (f.o.b., 1985); commodities--copra, copra oil,
agricultural products, handicrafts; partners--NA

Imports: $29.2 million (c.i.f., 1985); commodities--foodstuffs,
beverages, building materials; partners--NA

External debt: $NA

Industrial production: growth rate NA%

Electricity: 12,000 kW capacity; 10 million kWh produced, 240 kWh per
capita (1989)

Industries: copra, fish, tourism; craft items from