Marshall Islands 
 

15 Oct 1885 - 3 Oct 1914   21 Jan 1888 - 1 Apr 1906 Jaluit Company Flag   3 Oct 1914 - 23 Feb 1944 23 Feb 1944 - 21 Oct 1986   18 Jul 1947 - 3 Oct 1962 Pacific Is. Trust Terr.   3 Oct 1962 - 1 May 1979 Pacific Is.Trust Terr.   Adopted 1 May 1979 Map of the Marshall Islands Hear National Anthem   "Indeeo Ṃajeḷ"  (Forever Marshall Islands)  Adopted 1991 Former National Anthem "Ij Io̧kwe Ļo̧k Aelōn̄ Eo Aō" (My Beloved Homeland, My Birthright) (1979-1991) Constitution (1 May 1979) Capital: Delap-Uliga-Djarri (Eten 1889-1905,   Jabor, Jaluit 1905-1914, Majuro 1914-1986) Currencies: US Dollar (USD); from 1979 Marshall Islands Dollar (MHD); from 26 Feb 2018 Sovereign (SOV); 1914-1944 Japanese Yen (JPY) National Holiday: 1 May (1979) Jemenei Ei (Constitution Day) Population: 82,011 (2024) 11,056 (1945) GDP: $283.6 million (2023) Exports: $130 million (2021) Imports: $206 million (2021) Ethnic groups: Marshallese 95.6%, Filipino 1.1%, other 3.3% (2021 est.) Total Police Force: 130 (2012) Defense is the Responsibility of the U.S. Merchant marine: 4,180 ships (2023) Religions: Protestant 79.3% (United Church of Christ 47.9%, Assembly of God 14.1%, Full Gospel 5%, Bukot Nan Jesus 3%, Salvation Army 2.3%, Reformed Congressional Church 2.2%, Seventh Day Adventist 1.7%, New Beginning Church 1.4%, other Protestant 1.6%), Roman Catholic 9.3%, Church of Jesus Christ 5.7%, Jehovah's Witness 1.3%, other 3.3%, none 1.1% (2021) International Organizations/Treaties: ACP, ADB, AOSIS, APA (observer), APM, BTWC, CTBT, CWC, ESCR, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, IRENA, ISA, ITU, NPT, OPCW, PC, PIDF, PIF, UN, UNCLOS, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNFCC, UNFCC-KP, UNFCC-PA, UNIDO, WHO, WIPO, WMO (observer) Marshall Islands Index Chronology 21 Aug 1526               Spanish Capt. Toribio Alonso de Salazar (d. 1526),                             commanding the ship Santa Maria de la Victoria,                             sighted an island (probably Taongi) that he names                             San Bartolome.  1 Jan 1528               Rongelap-Ailinginae atolls, are sighted by Spanish                             Capt. Álvaro de Saavedra Cerón (d. 1529) and                             jointly charted as the Islas de los Reyes                             ("Islands of the Three Kings"). 21 Sep 1529               Saavedra Cerón (s.a.) sights Ujelang Atoll, charted                             as Los Pintados ("The Painted Ones").  1 Oct 1529               Saavedra Cerón (s.a.) sights Enewetak Atoll, that                             is named Los Jardines ("The Gardens").  8 Jan 1530               Spanish explorer Miguel López de Legazpi (b. 1502 -                             d. 1572) sighted an island possibly Mejit, named                             Los Barbudos. On 10 Jan 1530 the Spaniards sight                             another island that they name "Placeres", perhaps                             Ailuk; and they sighted another island that they                             called "Pajares" (perhaps Jemo). 30 Jun 1788               Re-discovered by British Capt. John Marshall                             (b. 1748 - d. 1819), later the islands are named                             the Marshall Islands after him. May 1816                  First visit by Russian Capt. Otto von Kotzebue                             (b. 1787 - d. 1846), sights Utirik and Taka atolls                             in the Ratak Islands. Jan 1817 - Mar 1817       Second visit by von Kotzebue (s.a.), sighting Maidi,                             Wotje, Otdia, Erikub, Aur, Ailuk and Likiep atolls 1874                      Spain reasserts its claims to the islands, but                             does begin settlement (Islas Marshall). 18 Nov 1878               Treaty of Friendship signed by the chiefs of the                             Ralik islands granting Germany exclusive use                             of Jaluit harbor. 15 Oct 1885               Marshall Islands (Marshallinseln) are annexed by                             Germany by flag raising on Insel-Jaluit. 13 Sep 1886               German protectorate formally declared                             (Kaiserliches Kommissariat Marshallinseln).  21 Jan 1888 - 1 Apr 1906  Administered by Jaluit-Gesellschaft (Jaluit Company)                             (as Kaiserliches Kommissariat Jaluit; from 1893,                             Landeshauptmannschaft Marshall-inseln). 12 Feb 1899               Spain agrees sells the Caroline Islands (including                             Marshall Islands) to Germany (confirmed by 30 Jun                             1899 Treaty).  1 Apr 1906               Part of German New Guinea (see Papua New Guinea)                             (Bezirksamt Jaluit [from 1911 Station Jaluit],                             subordinated to district officer in Caroline Is.])  3 Oct 1914               Japanese occupation (Eniwetok on 30 Sep 1914 and                             Jaluit on 3 Oct 1914).  3 Oct 1914 -  1 Apr 1922 Japanese military (naval) administration, from Jul                             1918, with civil administration department                             subordinate under the navy. In Dec 1914, Yarūto                             (Jaluit) district created (from the Marshall                             Islands east of 164 E; the islands west of 164 E,                             Eniwetok and Ujelang Atolls are part of the Ponape                             district [see Micronesia]). 28 Jun 1919               Germany formally renounces claim to the islands by                             the Treaty of Versailles. 17 Dec 1920               Part of League of Nations mandate of Japan (South                             Seas Islands [Nan'yō Chō Guntō])(see under Palau).  1 Apr 1922               Part of the South Seas Government (Nan'yō Chō)                             (see under Palau). 26 Mar 1935               Japan declares that the mandated islands are an                             "integral part of the Japanese Empire" as it exits                             the League of Nations. Dec 1941                  Martial law declared.  5 Nov 1943               Re-organization, the Yarūto (Jaluit) district                             becomes part of the Eastern Area (Jaluit, Truk,                             and Ponape) with headquarters at Truk (see                             under Micronesia). 20 Feb 1944               U.S. occupation (see Micronesia)(from 2 Feb 1944                             on Kwajalein, on Eniwetok 20 Feb 1944, Majuro                              on 1 Mar 1944, Bikini on 29 Mar 1944). Mar 1944 - 30 Jun 1951    U.S. Navy military administration. 18 Jul 1947               Marshall Islands District of the United Nations                             Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands                             (see Micronesia)(Marshall Islands District).  1 Jul 1951 - 30 Apr 1979 Administered by the U.S. Department of Interior. 30 Jul 1977               Marshall Islands district votes in referendum to be                             separated from Micronesia - 4,763 yes to 2,871 no.  1 May 1979               Autonomy (Marshall Islands [Aelōn in Ṃajeḷ]). 12 Mar 1982               Republic of the Marshall Islands (Aolepān Aorōkin                             Ṃajeḷ)(style confirmed by Constitutional Amendment                             effective 14 Feb 1991, retroactive to 1 May 1979). 21 Oct 1986               Compact of Free Association with the U.S. effective,                             exists the Trust Territory. 10 Jul 1987               Trust territory dissolved. 22 Dec 1990               Final independence (Security Council ratifies                             termination of trusteeship). 27 Jan 2025               National Marine Sanctuary declared over 48,000                             square kilometres (18,500 square miles) around                             the atolls of Bikar and Bokak. Traditional states

Kommissar (Commissioner)
1885 - 1886                Gustav von Oertzen                 (b. 1836 - d. 1911)
Kaiserlicher Kommissare Marshallinseln (Marshall Islands Imperial Commissioners)
1886 -  5 Oct 1887         Wilhelm Knappe                     (b. 1855 - d. 1910)
 5 Oct 1887 - 29 Mar 1889  Franz Leopold Sonnenschein         (b. 1857 - d. 1897)
                             (acting to 14 Apr 1888)
29 Mar 1889 - 14 Apr 1890  Eugen Brandeis (1st time)(acting)  (b. 1846 - d. 1919) 
Kaiserlicher Kommissare Jalilut (Imperial Commissioners Jalilut)
14 Apr 1890 - Feb 1892     Friedrich Louis Max Biermann       (b. 1856 - d. 1929)
Feb 1892 - 1893            Eugen Brandeis (2nd time)(acting)  (s.a.) 
1893 - 1894                Ernst Schmidt-Dargitz              (b. 1859 - d. 1924)
Landeshauptmann der Marshall-inseln (Administrators of the Marshall Islands)
11 May 1894 - Mar 1898     Georg Irmer                        (b. 1853 - d. 1931)
24 Mar 1898 - 18 Jan 1906  Eugen Brandeis                     (s.a.) 
                             (acting to 22 Feb 1900)
18 Mar 1902 - 1903         Waldemar von Bunsen
                             (acting for Brandeis)
1903                       Konrad Geppert                     (b. 1859 - d. 1908)
                             (acting for Brandeis)
18 Jan 1906 - May 1906     Ludwig Kaiser (acting)             (b. 1862 - d. 1906)
 1 Apr 1906 -  3 Oct 1914  the Governors of German New Guinea
Bezirksamtmänner Jaluit (Jaluit District magistrates)
1906 - 30 Apr 1907         Victor Berg                        (b. 1861 - d. 1907)
1907                       Joseph Siegwanz (acting)
1908 - Nov 1909            Wilhelm Stuckhardt                 (b. 18.. - d. 1909)
Nov 1909 - 1910            Erich Berghausen (interim)
1910 - 1911                Georg Merz
Stationsleiter Jaluit (Jaluit Station chief)
1911 -  3 Oct 1914         Georg Merz
                             (deported by Japanese 31 May 1915)
Commanders of Japanese South Seas Squadrons
 3 Oct 1914 - 28 Dec 1914  Tanin Yamaya                       (b. 1866 - d. 1940) 
                           (in occupation of Central and eastern
                            Caroline [from 3 Oct 1914] and Marshall islands)
 7 Oct 1914 - 28 Dec 1914  Tatsuo Matsumura                   (b. 1868 - d. 1932)
                           (in occupation of western Caroline, the
                            Northern Marianas [from 14 Oct 1914]
                            and Palau [from 8 Oct 1914] islands)
Governors
28 Dec 1914 -  1 Apr 1922  the Commanders of Interim Southern
                           Islands Defense Unit (see Palau)
 1 Apr 1922 -  2 Feb 1944  the Directors of South
                           Seas Government (see Palau)
Chiefs of the Yarūto (Jaluit) Branch Bureau of the South Seas Government
 1 Apr 1922 - 28 Mar 1923  Kazuo Horiguchi
 9 Nov 1923 - 12 Dec 1924  Hira Fukushima
12 Dec 1924 - 17 Jul 1929  Kōsaka Kiichi
17 Jul 1929 - 15 Feb 1932  Shigeru Tateyama
15 Feb 1932 - 1935?        Shinkichi Tani
1935? - 31 Mar 1936        Ukichi Nagai
31 Mar 1936 -  4 Aug 1937  Seiichi Murakami
 4 Aug 1937 - 29 Feb 1940  Yūzaburō Yamaguchi
29 Feb 1940 - 19 Nov 1940  Kanta Shigemoto
19 Nov 1940 - 23 Jun 1942  Shinkichi Kanai
23 Jun 1942 - 29 Jun 1943  Kōfu Ueno
29 Jun 1943 - 29 Sep 1943  Yoshitaka Nakajima
29 Sep 1943 -  5 Nov 1943  Toshitsugu Takizawa
 5 Nov 1943 -  1 Mar 1944  the chiefs of Eastern Area Branch
                           (see Micronesia)
Commanders of the Imperial Japanese Navy 6th Fleet Forces Service (in Kwajalein) 
15 Jan 1941 -  1 Feb 1942  Sukeyoshi Yatsushirō               (b. 1890 - d. 1942)
 5 Feb 1942 - 29 Nov 1943  Kōsō Abe                           (b. 1892 - d. 1947)
29 Nov 1943 -  6 Feb 1944  Monzō Akiyama                      (b. 1891 - d. 1944)
Commanders-in-chief U.S. Pacific Fleet and Pacific Ocean Areas,
Military Governors of the Marshall Islands
 2 Feb 1944 - 24 Nov 1945  Chester William Nimitz             (b. 1885 - d. 1966)
24 Nov 1945 -  3 Feb 1946  Raymond Ames Spruance              (b. 1886 - d. 1969)
 3 Feb 1946 - 28 Feb 1947  John Henry Towers                  (b. 1885 - d. 1955)
28 Feb 1947 -  1 Jul 1947  Louis Emil Denfeld                 (b. 1891 - d. 1972)
U.S. Military Administrators
 1 Jun 1945 - 18 Jul 1947  the Commanders U.S. Naval Forces
                           Marianas Area (see Northern Marianas)
U.S. Commanders of (Kwajalein Atoll to 1 May 1944) Marshall Islands Subarea
1 May - 1 Oct 1944; from 1 Oct 1944 Marshalls-Gilberts Area; and from 1 Jun 1944,
Deputy Military Governors of the Marshall Islands
 2 Feb 1944 -  6 Nov 1944  Alva Douglas Bernhard              (b. 1886 - d. 1955)
 6 Nov 1944 - 26 Feb 1945  Harold Bushnell "Slats" Sallada    (b. 1895 - d. 1977)
26 Feb 1945 - 1945         William Keene Harrill              (b. 1892 - d. 1962)
Governors, Marshall Islands and Commanders U.S. Naval Base Kwajalein
Jul 1945 - 1947            Ben Harrison Wyatt                 (b. 1894 - d. 1968)
Sep 1947 - 24 Oct 1947     George Albert Seitz                (b. 1897 - d. 1947)
Dec 1947 - 16 Jul 1949     John Pinckney Wheeler Vest         (b. 1901 - d. 1993)
16 Jul 1949 - Jun 1950     Cecil Bachelder Gill               (b. 1902 - d. 1992)
Sep 1950 - 30 Jun 1951     Stanhope Cotton Ring               (b. 1902 - d. 1963)
Officers in Charge, Military Government South Sector (Kwajalein)
Sep 1945 - Oct 1945        Chester Morey Carré                (b. 1902 - d. 1968)
Nov 1945 - Jun 1946        Clyde L. Ogden                     (b. 1906 - d. ....)
Jul 1946 - Aug 1946        Hector C. Cyr                      (b. 1920 - d. 2005)
Officers in Charge, Military Government North Sector (Roi)
Sep 1945 - Dec 1945        Frank E. O'Reilly                  (b. 1904 - d. 1946)
Jan 1946 - Apr 1946        Herbert C. Meade
Officer in Charge, Military Government Kwajalein Atoll
Sep 1946 - Jun 1947        Edward B. Miller                   (b. 1902 - d. 19..)
Civil Administrators Kwajalein
Sep 1947 - 1947            Edward B. Miller                   (s.a.)
Dec 1947 - 1948            Edward Robert Nelson, Jr.          (b. 1910 - d. ....)
Mar 1948 - 30 Sep 1948     Edward Franklin Ferguson           (b. 1908 - d. 1969)
Military Government Officers Majuro
Sep 1945 - Dec 1945        Douglas Woodley DeLaurier          (b. 1901 - d. 1967)
Jan 1946 - Apr 1946        Frank E. O'Reilly                  (s.a.)
Oct 1946 - Jun 1947        Chester Eugene Herrick             (b. 1908 - d. 19..)
Civil Administrators Majuro
Sep 1947 - 21 Aug 1948     Chester Eugene Herrick             (s.a.)
21 Aug 1948 - 30 Sep 1948  Edward Franklin Ferguson           (s.a.)
Civil Administrators Marshall Islands
 1 Oct 1948 - Dec 1949     Edward Franklin Ferguson           (s.a.)
Mar 1950 - Sep 1950        Roland Walker Kenney               (b. 1904 - d. 1995)
Dec 1950 - 30 Jun 1951     Frank Wilson Avila                 (b. 1914 - d. 1993)
Marshall Islands District Administrators (Distad)
 1 Jul 1951 - 1954         Donald W. Gilfillan                (b. 1904 - d. 1979)
1954 - 1960                Maynard Neas                       (b. 1906 – d. 1979)
1960 - 1961                William E. Finale                  (b. 1924 – d. 2006)
27 May 1961 - 1965         Peter Tali Coleman                 (b. 1919 - d. 1997)  
15 Oct 1965 - 1969         Dwight Heine                       (b. 1919 - d. 1984) 
1969 - 1970                Robert Davis Law                   (b. 1917 - d. 1982)
1970 - 1979                Oscar DeBrum                       (b. 1929 - d. 2002)
Presidents of the Republic of the Marshall Islands
 1 May 1979 - 21 Dec 1996  Amata Kabua                        (b. 1928 - d. 1996)  Non-party;
                             (acting to 17 Nov 1979)                               c.1991 AKA
21 Dec 1996 - 17 Jan 1997  Kunio David Lemari (acting)        (b. 1942 - d. 2008)  AKA
17 Jan 1997 - 10 Jan 2000  Imata Jabro Kabua                  (b. 1943 - d. 2019)  AKA
10 Jan 2000 -  7 Jan 2008  Kessai Hesa Note                   (b. 1950)            UDP
 7 Jan 2008 - 21 Oct 2009  Litokwa Tomeing                    (b. 1939 - d. 2020)  UPP
21 Oct 2009 -  2 Nov 2009  Ruben Rakin Zackhras (acting)      (b. 1947)            UDP
 2 Nov 2009 - 10 Jan 2012  Jurelang Zedkaia                   (b. 1950 - d. 2015) AKA;2011 KEA
10 Jan 2012 - 11 Jan 2016  Christopher Jorebon Loeak          (b. 1952 - d. 2025)  AKA
11 Jan 2016 - 28 Jan 2016  Casten Ned Nemra                   (b. 1971)            KEA
28 Jan 2016 - 13 Jan 2020  Hilda Cathy Heine (f)(1st time)    (b. 1951)            Non-party
13 Jan 2020 -  3 Jan 2024  David Kabua                        (b. 1951)            AKA
 3 Jan 2024 -              Hilda Cathy Heine (f)(2nd time)    (s.a.)               Non-party

Territorial Dispute: In May 2016, the Marshall Islands filed a declaration of authority with the UN over Wake Island, which is a U.S. territory, reaffirming that it considers Wake Island part of its territory; control over Wake Island would drastically increase the Marshall Islands' exclusive economic zone; the U.S. State Department is assembling a group of experts from both countries to discuss the maritime boundary.

Party abbreviations (political parties are mostly unofficial groupings): AKA = Ailon Kein Ad (Our Islands, also called the 'presidential caucus' [or 'Kabua party'], supported by traditional chiefs, from c.1991, formally est.2002); UDP = United Democratic Party (reformist, est.c.1997); KEA = Kien Eo Am (Our Government, split from AKA, est.2011); UPP = United People's Party