Marshall Islands (Republic of the Marshall Islands)

Marshall Islands Republic of the Marshall Islands
Status	Independent State
Social and Moral Index	185th best
Capital	Majuro
Land Area	180km21
Location	Australasia, Micronesia
Groupings	Small Islands
Population	58 4132
Life Expectancy	65.27yrs (2017)3
GNI	$4 620 (2017)4
ISO3166-1 Codes	MH, MHL, 5845
Internet Domain	.mh6
Currency	Dollar (USD)7
Telephone	+6928

1. Overview
2. Marshall Islands National and Social Development
3. Marshall Islands's Demographics and Migration
4. Marshall Islands's Human Rights, Equality & Tolerance
5. Marshall Islands's Health
6. Marshall Islands's Responsibility Towards The Environment
7. Marshall Islands's Modernity and Learning
8. Marshall Islands's Culture, Peace and Inequality
9. Religion and Beliefs
10. Links

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1. Overview

#USA

“After almost four decades under US administration as the easternmost part of the UN Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands, the Marshall Islands attained independence in 1986 under a Compact of Free Association. Compensation claims continue as a result of US nuclear testing on some of the atolls between 1947 and 1962. The Marshall Islands hosts the US Army Kwajalein Atoll (USAKA) Reagan Missile Test Site, a key installation in the US missile defense network.”

CIA's The World Factbook (2013)₉

“This expanse of slender, flat coral atolls is so surrounded by tropical sea that anywhere at any time you can see, hear, smell and feel salt air and water. A thousand or so coral islands make up the Republic of the Marshall Islands (RMI). Living on these narrow strips of land between ocean and lagoon, the Marshallese are expert fishers and navigators, having long been reliant on the sea.

Local faces reflect the islands´ history. In the late 1700s, after 2000 years of isolation, these Micronesian islands were variously visited, settled, colonised or occupied by British, Russians, Germans, Japanese and Americans (at first by missionaries, later by defence forces). Today the more developed atolls have a sense of all these influences, with well-stocked stores carrying international groceries, restaurants serving the food of several nations, and basketball courts on many street corners. On the quieter backstreets the Marshallese continue to live in family compounds, surrounded by flowers.

The RMI´s charm lies in its outer islands, which still retain the pristine feel of a Pacific paradise.”

"The World" by Lonely Planet (2014)₁₀

2. Marshall Islands National and Social Development

#economics #human_development #wealth

UN HDI (2021)11
Pos.		Higher is better Value11
1	Switzerland	0.962
2	Norway	0.961
3	Iceland	0.959
	...
128	Cape Verde	0.662
129	Bangladesh	0.661
130	Tuvalu	0.641
131	Marshall Islands	0.639
132	India	0.633
133	Ghana	0.632
134	Micronesia	0.628
135	Guatemala	0.627
	Australasia Avg	0.70
	World Avg	0.72
q=191.

Gross National Income Per-Capita (2021)11
Pos.		Higher is better PPP $11
1	Liechtenstein	$146 830
2	Singapore	$90 919
3	Qatar	$87 134
	...
141	Venezuela	$4 811
142	Nigeria	$4 790
143	Pakistan	$4 624
144	Marshall Islands	$4 620
145	Kyrgyzstan	$4 566
146	Tajikistan	$4 548
147	Kenya	$4 474
148	Timor-Leste (E. Timor)	$4 461
	Australasia Avg	$12 519
	World Avg	$20 136
q=193.

Social & Moral Development Index12
Pos.		Lower is better Avg Rank12
1	Denmark	25.2
2	Norway	28.2
3	Netherlands	30.1
	...
182	Mozambique	122.2
183	Iraq	122.6
184	Mauritania	123.2
185	Marshall Islands	123.3
186	Central African Rep.	123.5
187	Liberia	124.1
188	Myanmar	124.9
189	Chad	126.6
	Australasia Avg	95.6
	World Avg	88.4
q=199.

The United Nations produces an annual Human Development Report which includes the Human Development Index. The factors taken into account include life expectancy, education and schooling and Gross National Income (GNI) amongst many others..

The Social and Moral Development Index concentrates on moral issues and human rights, violence, public health, equality, tolerance, freedom and effectiveness in climate change mitigation and environmentalism, and on some technological issues. A country scores higher for achieving well in those areas, and for sustaining that achievement in the long term. Those countries towards the top of this index can truly said to be setting good examples and leading humankind onwards into a bright, humane, and free future. See: Which are the Best Countries in the World? The Social and Moral Development Index.

3. Marshall Islands's Demographics and Migration

#birth_control #demographics #fertility #health #immigration #life_expectancy #longevity #migration #overpopulation #population #yemen

Population Datasets:

The Marshall Islands's population is predicted to rise to 67 344 by 2030. This country has a fertility rate of 2.67. The fertility rate is, in simple terms, the average amount of children that each woman has. The higher the figure, the quicker the population will grow, although, to calculate the rate you also need to take into account morbidity - the rate at which people die. If people live healthy and long lives and morbidity is low, then, 2.0 approximates to the replacement rate (two new children for each set of parents who die), which would keep the population stable. If all countries had such a fertility rate, population growth would end. The actual replacement rate in most developed countries is around 2.1. The highest fertility rate ever detected in a single year was in Yemen in 1985, at 8.86.₁₃

Population2
Pos.		2018 Population2
1	China	1.4b
2	India	1.4b
3	USA	327.1m
	...
185	Antigua & Barbuda	96 286
186	Andorra	77 006
187	Dominica	71 625
188	Marshall Islands	58 413
189	St Kitts & Nevis	52 441
190	Monaco	38 682
191	Liechtenstein	37 910
192	San Marino	33 785
	World Avg	39.0m
q=195.

Life Expectancy Higher is better11
Pos.		2021 Years11
1	Monaco	85.9
2	Hong Kong	85.5
3	Japan	84.8
	...
146	Guyana	65.7
147	Myanmar	65.7
148	Papua New Guinea	65.4
149	Marshall Islands	65.3
150	Sudan	65.3
151	Ethiopia	65.0
152	Tuvalu	64.5
153	Madagascar	64.5
	World Avg	71.28
q=195.

Fertility Rate 2.0 is best14
Pos.		202214
1	US Virgin Islands	2.00
2	Ecuador	2.00
3	Nepal	2.01
	...
114	Jamaica	1.34
115	Micronesia	2.67
116	Canada	1.33
117	Marshall Islands	2.67
118=	Mauritius	1.32
118=	Finland	1.32
120	Thailand	1.32
121	Cyprus	1.31
	World Avg	2.47
q=208.

• The Population of the Earth
• Abortion, Birth Control and Contraception

Migration Datasets:

Immigrants15
Pos.		2017 %15
1	UAE	88.4%
2	Kuwait	75.5%
3	Qatar	65.2%
	...
76	Bhutan	6.5%
77	Macedonia	6.3%
78	Finland	6.2%
79	Marshall Islands	6.2%
80	Turkey	6.0%
81	Syria	5.5%
82	Thailand	5.2%
83	Hungary	5.2%
	World Avg	9.4%
q=195.

Emigrants16
Pos.		2010 %16
1	Dominica	104.8%
2	Palestine	68.4%
3	Samoa	67.3%
	...
34	Croatia	17.1%
35	Liechtenstein	17.1%
36	Cyprus	17.0%
37	Marshall Islands	16.6%
38	Ireland	16.1%
39	Belize	16.1%
40	Azerbaijan	16.0%
41	Bulgaria	16.0%
	World Avg	11.5%
q=192.

4. Marshall Islands's Human Rights, Equality & Tolerance

#equality #freedom #freethought #gender_equality #homosexuality #human_rights #international_law #morals #politics #prejudice #religious_tolerance #tolerance #women

Compared to Australasia (2025)17
Pos.		Lower is better Avg Rank17
1	New Zealand	18.9
2	Australia	22.1
3	Micronesia	59.3
	...
6	Tuvalu	83.8
7	Nauru	89.3
8	Fiji	89.5
9	Palau	91.4
10	Samoa	98.2
11	Tonga	101.0
12	Marshall Islands	102.9
13	Papua New Guinea	108.8
14	Solomon Islands	119.1
	Australasia Avg	79.23
q=14.

Human Rights, Equality & Tolerance (2025)17
Pos.		Lower is better Avg Rank17
1	Sweden	7.8
2	Netherlands	8.7
3	Denmark	8.8
	...
114	Kyrgyzstan	102.0
115	Rwanda	102.5
116	Haiti	102.6
117	Marshall Islands	102.9
118	Mali	102.9
119	Gabon	103.1
120	Vietnam	103.4
121	India	104.4
	World Avg	89.80
q=199.

The best countries in the world at ensuring human rights, fostering equality and promoting tolerance, are Sweden, The Netherlands and Denmark₁₈. These countries are displaying the best traits that humanity has to offer. The worst countries are Somalia, Eritrea and Saudi Arabia₁₈.

31 datasets are used to calculate points for each country, including multiple decades of data on supporting press freedom, combatting modern slavery, supporting personal, civil & economic freedoms, its average Freedom in the World rating, commentary in Human Rights Watch reports, its nominal commitment to Human Rights, speed of uptake of HR treaties, opposing gender inequality, the rate of gender bias (from 7 indicators), the year from which women could participate in democracy, its success in fighting anti-semitic prejudice, LGBT equality and freethought. The regions with the best average results per country are Scandinavia, Baltic States and Europe₁₈, whereas the worst are The Middle East, Africa and Asia₁₈.

For more, see:

• " Which are the Best Countries for Human Rights, Equality and Tolerance?" by Vexen Crabtree (2025).

Human Rights & Tolerance Datasets:

Freedom in the World Lower is better
Pos.		2024 Score
1=	Norway	1.0
1=	Canada	1.0
1=	Cape Verde	1.0
	...
17=	Germany	1.0
17=	Micronesia	1.0
17=	Iceland	1.0
17=	Marshall Islands	1.0
17=	Ireland	1.0
17=	Italy	1.0
17=	Japan	1.0
17=	Luxembourg	1.0
	Australasia Avg	1.8
	World Avg	3.7
q=205.

Nominal Commitment to HR Higher is better19
Pos.		2009 Treaties19
1	Argentina	24
2=	Chile	23
2=	Costa Rica	23
	...
186=	Micronesia	5
186=	Singapore	5
186=	Nauru	5
189=	Marshall Islands	4
189=	Myanmar	4
189=	Palau	4
189=	Malaysia	4
193=	Bhutan	3
	Australasia Avg	8.7
	World Avg	15.1
q=194.

HR Treaties Lag Lower is better20
Pos.		2019 Avg Yrs/Treaty20
1	Ecuador	2.15
2	Uruguay	2.25
3	Tunisia	3.65
	...
188	Kiribati	15.80
189	Solomon Islands	15.81
190	Nauru	16.16
191	Sao Tome & Principe	16.17
192	Tuvalu	16.33
193	Palau	16.34
194	Marshall Islands	16.34
195	Palestine	17.21
	Australasia Avg	14.35
	World Avg	10.02
q=195.

Gender Equality Datasets:

See:

• "Religion Versus Womankind" by Vexen Crabtree (2007)

Year Women Can Vote Lower is better
Pos.		Total Year
1	New Zealand	1893
2	Australia	1902
3	Finland	1906
	...
170	Portugal	1976
171	Guinea-Bissau	1977
172	Zimbabwe	1978
173=	Marshall Islands	1979
173=	Palau	1979
173=	Micronesia	1979
176=	Iraq	1980
176=	Vanuatu	1980
	Australasia Avg	1962
	World Avg	1930
q=189.

Prejudice Datasets:

LGBT Equality in the 2020s Higher is better21
Pos.		Total Score21
1=	Germany	4.88
1=	Spain	4.88
3	Portugal	4.81
	...
97	Hong Kong	0.00
98	Bolivia	-0.01
99=	Timor-Leste (E. Timor)	-0.02
99=	Marshall Islands	-0.02
101	Nauru	-0.10
102	Cambodia	-0.12
103	Laos	-0.13
104	Trinidad & Tobago	-0.19
	Australasia Avg	-0.93
	World Avg	-1.21
q=215.

Homosexuality in the Marshall Islands has been legal since 2005, with equal age of consent at 16, after it shed its penal framework from U.S. Trust Territory law, which made being homosexual illegal. Same-sex marriage and civil unions are not recognized, and the Births, Deaths and Marriages Registration Act (1988) specifically defines marriage as between a man and a woman, implicitly banning same-sex marriage. ILGA researchers in 2017 found that Marshall Islands had no legal protections against anti-LGBT discrimination, but since 2019, discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity has been outlawed.

Actions taken at the United Nations:

•  ⇡  In 2025, signed the UN Human Rights Council Joint statement on ending acts of violence and human rights violations based on sexual orientation and gender identity.

Freedom of Thought Lower is better22
Pos.		202122
1=	Belgium	1.0
1=	Taiwan	1.0
1=	Netherlands	1.0
	...
32=	S. Sudan	2.0
33=	Greece	2.3
33=	St Vincent & Grenadines	2.3
33=	Marshall Islands	2.3
33=	Japan	2.3
33=	Botswana	2.3
33=	Benin	2.3
33=	Cape Verde	2.3
	Australasia Avg	2.6
	World Avg	3.0
q=196.

5. Marshall Islands's Health

#birth_control #demographics #health #life_expectancy #longevity #marshall_islands #obesity #overpopulation #parenting #population #smoking #vaccines

Compared to Australasia (2025)23
Pos.		Lower is better Avg Rank23
1	Australia	53.1
2	New Zealand	58.4
3	Fiji	100.6
	...
8	Solomon Islands	120.6
9	Tuvalu	124.3
10	Samoa	125.4
11=	Micronesia	126.0
12	Papua New Guinea	129.9
13	Kiribati	136.8
14	Nauru	141.8
15	Marshall Islands	144.5
16	Cook Islands	153.8
	Australasia Avg	112.00
q=16.

Health (2025)23
Pos.		Lower is better Avg Rank23
1	Monaco	12.4
2	Liechtenstein	30.1
3	San Marino	30.6
	...
193	Nigeria	142.0
194	Mali	142.1
195	Guinea	143.2
196	Marshall Islands	144.5
197	Central African Rep.	145.1
198	Afghanistan	145.8
199	Mozambique	146.9
200	Equatorial Guinea	150.6
	World Avg	96.86
q=204.

The countries with the best overall approach to public health, in terms of both public policy and individual lifestyle choices, are Monaco, Liechtenstein and San Marino₂₄. These countries are worth emulating. And, although often through no fault of the average citizen, the worst countries are Angola, Somalia and S. Sudan₂₄.

36 datasets are used to calculate points for each country, including multiple decades of data on its average life expectancy, its alcohol consumption rate, its fertility rate, its smoking rate, its suicide rate, its food aid and health contributions and WHO compliance, the prevalence of overweight adults, obesity rate, its adolescent birth rate, its immunizations take-up and childhood mortality (so far). The regions with the best average results per country are Scandinavia, Europe and The Mediterranean₂₄, whereas the worst are Micronesia, Africa and Melanesia₂₄.

For more, see:

• "Countries With the Healthiest Cultures and Health Policies" by Vexen Crabtree (2025).

Health Datasets:

The Marshall Islands is a pretty unhealthy country. The Marshall Islands does worse than average in its fertility rate₁₄, its smoking rate₂₅, its adolescent birth rate₂₆ (amongst the highest in Australasia), childhood mortality in the 2020s (so far)₂₇, its average life expectancy₁₁ (amongst the worst in Australasia) and in its immunizations take-up₂₈. And finally, it falls into the worst-performing 20 in terms of its food aid and health contributions and WHO compliance₂₉ (amongst the worst in Australasia) and in the prevalence of overweight adults₃₀ (one of the worst in Australasia). The number of overweight adults has increased by 14% between 1976 and 2016. Life expectancy in Marshall Islands improved by just +2.6yrs in the 30 years from 1990, significantly less than almost everywhere else in the world. Marshall Islands had the highest average fertility rate in the world in the 1960s. Since then, it is amongst only 7 countries who have seen their fertility rate drop by more than 5 since the 1960s (until 2022). Its peak fertility rate was 8.36 in 1966.

Life Expectancy Higher is better11
Pos.		2021 Years11
1	Monaco	85.9
2	Hong Kong	85.5
3	Japan	84.8
	...
146	Guyana	65.7
147	Myanmar	65.7
148	Papua New Guinea	65.4
149	Marshall Islands	65.3
150	Sudan	65.3
151	Ethiopia	65.0
152	Tuvalu	64.5
153	Madagascar	64.5
	Australasia Avg	70.11
	World Avg	71.28
q=195.

Fertility Rate 2.0 is best14
Pos.		202214
1	US Virgin Islands	2.00
2	Ecuador	2.00
3	Nepal	2.01
	...
114	Jamaica	1.34
115	Micronesia	2.67
116	Canada	1.33
117	Marshall Islands	2.67
118=	Mauritius	1.32
118=	Finland	1.32
120	Thailand	1.32
121	Cyprus	1.31
	Australasia Avg	2.82
	World Avg	2.47
q=208.

Smoking in the 2020s Lower is better25
Pos.		Total %25
1	Nigeria	3.3%
2	Ghana	3.4%
3	Panama	5.2%
	...
132	Russia	29.2%
133	Mongolia	29.6%
134	Moldova	29.7%
135	Marshall Islands	29.9%
136	Czechia	30.0%
137	Romania	30.1%
138	Belarus	30.2%
139	Turkey	30.5%
	Australasia Avg	29.2%
	World Avg	20.0%
q=165.

The Marshall Islands sit amongst only 7 countries in the world that saw its smoking rate increase by over 1% in the 2020s (so far), compared to the 2010s.

Food Aid, Health Contributions & WHO Compliance Lower is better29
Pos.		2017 Rank29
1	Sweden	1
2	Ireland	2
3	Denmark	3
	...
141	Rwanda	141
142	Mali	142
143	Niger	143
144	Marshall Islands	144
145	Botswana	145
146	Samoa	146
147	Jamaica	147
148	Togo	148
	Australasia Avg	94.6
	World Avg	82.0
q=163.

Overweight Adults Lower is better30
Pos.		1976 %30
1	Bangladesh	4.7
2	Vietnam	5.1
3	Nepal	5.4
	...
184	Niue	51.7
185	Kuwait	52.2
186	Tonga	53.2
187	Samoa	54.0
188	Cook Islands	63.0
189	Marshall Islands	63.3
190	Palau	64.0
191	Nauru	78.1
	Australasia Avg	48.8
	World Avg	27.1
q=191.

Adult Obesity Lower is better31
Pos.		2022 %31
1	Vietnam	2.1%
2	Timor-Leste (E. Timor)	2.2%
3	Ethiopia	2.4%
	...
186	Micronesia	45.6%
187	Kiribati	46.2%
188	St Kitts & Nevis	46.6%
189	Marshall Islands	47.3%
190	Bahamas	47.6%
191	French Polynesia	48.4%
192	Samoa	61.2%
193	Tuvalu	63.9%
	Australasia Avg	49.3%
	World Avg	24.7%
q=199.

Children's Health Datasets:

Adolescent Birth Rate Lower is better26
Pos.		2022 Per 100026
1	Hong Kong	1.6
2	Denmark	1.8
3	S. Korea	2.1
	...
132	Comoros	56.1
133	Peru	56.1
134	Belize	56.6
135	Marshall Islands	57.5
136	Colombia	57.6
137	Solomon Islands	59.4
138	Gambia	60.7
139	S. Africa	60.9
	Australasia Avg	40.2
	World Avg	43.8
q=195.

Infant Immunizations 2011-2015 Higher is better28
Pos.		2015 Avg %28
1=	Hungary	99.0
1=	China	99.0
3	Uzbekistan	98.9
	...
149	Djibouti	82.6
150	Uganda	82.5
151	Comoros	81.8
152	Marshall Islands	81.8
153	Mozambique	81.4
154	Venezuela	80.6
155	Myanmar	80.3
156=	Benin	80.1
	Australasia Avg	86.4
	World Avg	88.3
q=194.

Infant Mortality (2020s) Lower is better27
Pos.		Total Per 100027
1	San Marino	2.11
2	Finland	2.59
3	Luxembourg	2.60
	...
134	Guyana	33.43
135	Cambodia	33.56
136	Dominican Rep.	34.90
137	Marshall Islands	35.97
138	Nepal	39.44
139	S. Africa	39.83
140	Bangladesh	40.07
141	Turkmenistan	43.08
	Australasia Avg	25.09
	World Avg	32.19
q=195.

The Marshall Islands were amongst 49 countries in the 1990s who had an adolescent birth rate of over 100 (per 1000 girls aged 15-19) but from then to the 2000s, it was amongst the 10 countries that made the greatest improvements.

6. Marshall Islands's Responsibility Towards The Environment

#biodiversity #climate_change #deforestation #environmentalism #internationalism #over-exploitation #palau #the_environment

Compared to Australasia (2025)32
Pos.		Lower is better Avg Rank32
1	New Zealand	75.8
2	Australia	76.6
3	Fiji	89.1
	...
8	Kiribati	111.4
9	Micronesia	114.6
10	Cook Islands	119.6
11	Solomon Islands	121.6
12	Marshall Islands	123.1
13	Palau	124.5
14	Tuvalu	127.4
15	Niue	129.5
16	Nauru	134.4
	Australasia Avg	93.28
q=16.

Responsibility Towards The Environment (2025)32
Pos.		Lower is better Avg Rank32
1	Sri Lanka	34.9
2	Uruguay	43.2
3	Switzerland	45.0
	...
181	Libya	121.4
182	Zimbabwe	121.5
183	Solomon Islands	121.6
184	Marshall Islands	123.1
185	Palau	124.5
186	Grenada	125.0
187	Tuvalu	127.4
188	Tajikistan	128.6
	World Avg	84.93
q=199.

We have known for a long term that we must protect the environment from habitation destruction, over-exploitation, pollution, and the emissions that cause climate change. In 1998, Greenpeace wrote that "Environment can no longer be meaningfully separated from health, quality of life, democracy, education, economy or trade"₃₃. What countries have been doing the right thing, via legislation and national culture? All countries' current and historical approach towards the environment is gauged via 21 datasets, including multiple decades of data on its forested percent change 2000-2020, its environmental performance, energy to GDP efficiency, its sign-up rate to major international accords on protecting the environment, the rate of rational beliefs on the environment in the population, reducing annual meat consumption per person and its score on the Green Future Index.

The countries that do the best (Sri Lanka, Uruguay and Switzerland) tend to have avoided the excesses of early industrial countries, and have not yet repeated the same mistakes of environmental destruction - at least, not on the same scale. The regions with the best average results per country are Central America, South America and Scandinavia. The worst are Eritrea, The Vatican City and Timor-Leste (E. Timor), and the worst regions Micronesia, Australasia and Melanesia.

For more, see:

• "Countries With the Best Environmental Records" by Vexen Crabtree (2025).

Regarding its responsibility towards the environment, the Marshall Islands comes 16th-worst in the world. This rank is calculated from 21 data sets. The Marshall Islands does better than average for its forested percent change 2000-2020₃₄. And finally, it falls into the worst-performing 20 in its sign-up rate to major international accords on protecting the environment.

Forest Area Change 2000-2020 Higher is better34
Pos.		Total34
1	Guernsey	82.6%
2	Bahrain	75.2%
3	Iceland	64.7%
	...
87	Cook Islands	0.1%
88	New Caledonia	0.0%
89=	Qatar	0.0%
89=	Marshall Islands	0.0%
89=	Norfolk Island	0.0%
89=	Yemen	0.0%
89=	Tonga	0.0%
89=	Barbados	0.0%
	Australasia Avg	0.1%
	World Avg	-0.1%
q=234.

International Accords on the Environment Higher is better
Pos.		Total Avg Rate
1	Sweden	83%
2	Canada	82%
3	Norway	81%
	...
176	Cook Islands	42%
177	Niue	42%
178	Solomon Islands	42%
179	Marshall Islands	42%
180	Serbia	41%
181	Grenada	41%
182	Afghanistan	41%
183	Tuvalu	40%
	Australasia Avg	48.2%
	World Avg	57.5%
q=197.

The Marshall islands is one of only two eligible countries who could sign up for the protections of the Waigani Convention, but, have not (the other is Palau). It was one of the 30 who signed the Convention on Biological Diversity on its first day, and one of 19 countries that signed the Paris Agreement within the first few months in Q2 2016.

7. Marshall Islands's Modernity and Learning

#education #modernity #technology #the_internet

Compared to Australasia (2025)35
Pos.		Lower is better Avg Rank35
1	New Zealand	19.3
2	Australia	29.2
3	Tonga	62.0
4	Fiji	71.5
5	Samoa	99.8
6	Marshall Islands	111.1
7	Kiribati	127.3
8	Solomon Islands	154.5
9	Papua New Guinea	158.4
	Australasia Avg	92.56
q=9.

Modernity & Learning (2025)35
Pos.		Lower is better Avg Rank35
1	Vatican City	1.0
2	Finland	4.8
3	Belgium	8.5
	...
133	Uganda	107.1
134	Cameroon	107.9
135	Maldives	109.6
136	Marshall Islands	111.1
137	Togo	112.9
138	Guyana	113.1
139	Palestine	113.2
140	Syria	114.3
	World Avg	80.33
q=194.

The most modern countries, with the best results from education, the highest levels of research, and with the easiest access to information on the Internet, are The Vatican City, Finland and Belgium₃₆. The worst countries are S. Sudan, Eritrea and Somalia₃₆. Despite improves in global education, access to tertiary (adult) education is becoming increasingly unequal between the rich haves and the poor have-nots₃₇.

“Education, at all levels and ages, is the single most vital support for equality as well as being a country's most vital economic and social resource. [...] Every successful aspirant to modernisation and economic development, from Japan to South Korea, China to Chile, has got there with a big emphasis on education.”

Bill Emmott (2017)₃₈

23 datasets are used to calculate points for each country, including multiple decades of data on Research and Development, Intellectual Endeavours, metric system adoption rate, Religiosity, IQ, Secondary Education, Length of Schooling, Maths, Science & Reading, the percent of citizens with access to the internet, Freedom On The Internet, IT Security, IPv6 Uptake and digital quality of life. The regions with the best average results per country are Scandinavia, Baltic States and Europe₃₆, whereas the worst are Melanesia, Africa and Micronesia₃₆.

For more, see:

• " Which Countries are Most Modern, With the Best Education and Internet Access?" by Vexen Crabtree (2025).

Modernity Datasets:

Intellectual Endeavours Lower is better29
Pos.		2017 Rank29
1	Ukraine	1
2	Czechia	2
3	Hungary	3
	...
40	Spain	40
41	Italy	41
42	Slovakia	42
43	Marshall Islands	43
44	S. Korea	44
45	Morocco	45
46	Belarus	46
47	Moldova	47
	Australasia Avg	58.7
	World Avg	82.0
q=163.

Education Datasets:

Secondary Education Higher is better39
Pos.		201839
1=	Luxembourg	100.0%
1=	Estonia	100.0%
1=	Austria	100.0%
	...
34	Barbados	92.9%
35	Albania	92.9%
36	Belarus	92.2%
37	Marshall Islands	92.1%
38	Montenegro	91.6%
39	Australia	90.4%
40	Romania	90.0%
41	Botswana	90.0%
	Australasia Avg	79.3%
	World Avg	63.0%
q=169.

Length of Schooling Higher is better40
Pos.		2021 Years40
1	Australia	21.1
2	New Zealand	20.3
3	Greece	20.0
	...
161	Papua New Guinea	10.4
162	Solomon Islands	10.3
163	Afghanistan	10.3
164	Marshall Islands	10.2
165	Mozambique	10.2
166	Uganda	10.1
167	Laos	10.1
168	Madagascar	10.1
	Australasia Avg	13.4
	World Avg	13.5
q=193.

Technology and Information Datasets:

Internet Users Higher is better41
Pos.		201641
1	Iceland	100%
2	Faroe Islands	99%
3	Norway	98%
	...
149	Equatorial Guinea	21%
150	Lesotho	21%
151	Indonesia	20%
152	Marshall Islands	20%
153	Algeria	20%
154	Nicaragua	19%
155=	Uganda	19%
155=	Zambia	19%
	Australasia Avg	44.3%
	World Avg	48.1%
q=201.

IPv6 Uptake Higher is better42
Pos.		2017 Ratio42
1	Belgium	55.4
2	Germany	41.8
3	Switzerland	35.1
	...
117=	Maldives	0.0
118=	Tunisia	0.0
118=	Tuvalu	0.0
118=	Marshall Islands	0.0
118=	Georgia	0.0
118=	Swaziland	0.0
118=	Mongolia	0.0
118=	Samoa	0.0
	Australasia Avg	1.55
	World Avg	3.82
q=176.

8. Marshall Islands's Culture, Peace and Inequality

#capitalism #economics #inequality #internationalism #social_development

National Culture Datasets:

Creativity & Culture Lower is better29
Pos.		2017 Rank29
1	Belgium	1
2	Netherlands	2
3	Estonia	3
	...
37	Iceland	37
38	Croatia	38
39	Bulgaria	39
40	Marshall Islands	40
41	Malaysia	41
42	Namibia	42
43	St Vincent & Grenadines	43
44	Cyprus	44
	Australasia Avg	61.1
	World Avg	82.0
q=163.

Passport Reach (2020s) Higher is better43
Pos.		Total Q43
1	Singapore	192.2
2	Japan	192.0
3	S. Korea	190.7
	...
80	Venezuela	126.8
81	Macedonia	125.8
82	Montenegro	124.8
83	Marshall Islands	124.3
84	Kiribati	123.5
85	Palau	120.8
86	Moldova	120.7
87	Micronesia	119.7
	Australasia Avg	123.4
	World Avg	108.8
q=195.

Open Trading, Aid & Development Lower is better29
Pos.		2017 Rank29
1	Ireland	1
2	Denmark	2
3	Sweden	3
	...
38	Cyprus	38
39	Bulgaria	39
40	Turkey	40
41	Marshall Islands	41
42	Malta	42
43	Morocco	43
44	Fiji	44
45	Bosnia & Herzegovina	45
	Australasia Avg	91.6
	World Avg	82.0
q=163.

Peace Versus Instability Datasets:

Peacekeeping & Security Lower is better29
Pos.		2017 Rank29
1	Samoa	1
2	S. Africa	2
3	Tunisia	3
	...
156	Swaziland	156
157	Yemen	157
158	Iraq	158
159	Bahrain	159
160	Slovenia	160
161	Tonga	161
162	Marshall Islands	162
163	Guinea-Bissau	163
	Australasia Avg	88.1
	World Avg	82.0
q=163.

Refugees & UN Treaties Lower is better29
Pos.		2017 Rank29
1	Austria	1
2	Germany	2
3	Netherlands	3
	...
146	Central African Rep.	146
147	El Salvador	147
148	Bahamas	148
149	Marshall Islands	149
150	Burundi	150
151	Zimbabwe	151
152	Grenada	152
153	Angola	153
	Australasia Avg	103.6
	World Avg	82.0
q=163.

Economic Inequality and Poverty Datasets:

Income Inequality (Gini Coefficient) Lower is better44
Pos.		2023 %44
1	Slovakia	24.1%45
2	Slovenia	24.3%45
3	Belarus	24.4%46
	...
86=	Qatar	35.1%47
87=	Liberia	35.3%48
87=	Ivory Coast	35.3%45
89	Marshall Islands	35.5%49
90=	China	35.7%45
90=	Sierra Leone	35.7%50
90=	Mali	35.7%45
93=	Vietnam	36.1%51
	Australasia Avg	34.8%
	World Avg	36.5%
q=167.

Income inequality data for the Marshall Islands is only available for the year 2019.

9. Religion and Beliefs

The CIA World Factbook states: Protestant 54.8%, Assembly of God 25.8%, Roman Catholic 8.4%, Bukot nan Jesus 2.8%, Mormon 2.1%, other Christian 3.6%, other 1%, none 1.5% (1999 census)₅₂.

Links:

• A List of All Religions and Belief Systems