An Introduction to the Marshall
Islands
A Brief Geographic and Physical Description of the
Island Chain
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The Republic of the Marshall Islands
consists of over 2,000 small, low-lying coral islands and islets clustered
in 29 atolls and 5 table reefs in the West
Central Pacific Ocean, just north of the equator and west of the
international dateline.
map source
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The land area of Marshall Islands is made up of the
carbonate remains of coral reef plants and animals and include sands,
gravel, cobbles, boulders, consolidated limestone debris, and beachrock.
The soil is very thin and of poor quality. Nevertheless, many plants grow
on the island and provide food, materials for houses and transportation,
food storage, and clothing, as well as perfumes, medicines, and many other
items. To learn about all the traditional uses of plants click here, or click here for agroforestry.
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Photo of a portion of the coastal
area and lagoon of Mājro atoll |
The
islands and atolls lie in two parallel chains known as the east branch and
the west branch (Ratak and Rālik). In true atoll form, they are narrow and low and encircle
large central lagoons. There are more than 1,150 islands in these two
chains. See Island Profiles for
cross-section diagrams of the atoll islets.
Enlarged map with new Marshallese orthography |
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Most islands have an average elevation of about 2 meters
(6 ft) above the sea level with only a portion of a few islands higher
than 5 meter or 16 ft in height.
On most islands the highest thing is a tall tree, such
as a breadfruit or coconut palm. Storms sometimes wash away complete
islands.
Photo right - A section
of the coral reef and a forest-covered islet at low tide at Mājro
atoll. |
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Acknowledgements
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Dr. Mark Merlin, lead author for the
book Plants and Environments of the Marshall Islands, which
inspired the production of this Website, along with the Center for Pacific
Islands Studies at the University of Hawai’i at Mānoa, thank
the following Marshallese people for their advice, information, and
support: Alfred Capelle, Michael Kabua, Carmen Bigler, Hilda Heine, Nancy
Vander Velde, Ione Heine deBrum, Herbert Shoniber, Winjang Ritok, Ermi
Rilometo, Jerike
Lavin, Likito Lajar, Rev. Kanki Amlej, Tomo Lajio, Lina Tareo, and several
other knowledgeable people in the Marshall Islands who provided
assistance.
Dr. Merlin
also acknowledges the significant contributions of Dr. Lawrence Hamilton,
Dr. James Juvik, Dr. Thomas Keene, and Dr. James Maragos for their
research and scientific contributions to the orginal environmental
education book. Many thanks also to the web designer Becky Rathgeber and
Shen DeShayne for the ongoing
updates to this site, and to Dr. Letitia Hickson Dr. Julie Walsh Kroeker,
and Dr. Byron Bender for their contributions. Thanks as well to Dr. Dirk
Spennemann for allowing us to use his illustrations. All photographs,
unless acknowledged otherwise, were taken by Mark Merlin. Much of the
research and photography that is the background for this web site was
supported by funding from the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur
Foundation to the East-West Center in Honolulu, Hawai`i. Additional
support was provided by the Center
for Pacific Islands Studies Title VI National Resource Center grant.
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