| Geography and Climate |
Marshall Islands located in Oceania, are group of atolls and reefs in the North Pacific Ocean, about one-half of the way from Hawaii to Papua New Guinea. Area comparatively about the size of Washington, DC.
Climate is hot and humid; wet season from May to November; islands border typhoon belt. Terrain consists of low coral limestone and sand islands. Elevation extreme has the lowest point in Pacific Ocean 0 m and highest point in unnamed location on Likiep 10 m. Natural resources are phosphate deposits, marine products, deep seabed minerals. Natural hazards are occasional typhoons.
Environment—current issues: inadequate supplies of potable water
Geography—note: two archipelagic island chains of 30 atolls and 1,152 islands; Bikini and Enewetak are former US nuclear test sites; Kwajalein, the famous World War II battleground, is now used as a US missile test range.
Ref. Anonymous, 1999 |