Marshallese
Oceaniaother subsistence combinationsMap
expand_more Description
The Marshallese live in the Republic of Marshall Islands, a group of twenty-nine atolls and five coral pinnacles in the west central Pacific Ocean, covering an area of 1.95 million square kilometers. This nation became independent in 1986 as part of a Compact of Free Association with the United States. The Marshallese speak mutually intelligible dialects of the same language which belongs to the Micronesian Family of the Oceanic Austronesia languages. Traditional subsistence largely depended on fishing and collecting, together with the tree and root crops. Copra production added an important source of cash for importing other foods and other consumer goods. Urban Marshallese earn their living from wage labor and compensation from the U.S. nuclear testing program.
Identifier
Region
- Oceania
Subregion
- Micronesia
Subsistence Type
- other subsistence combinations
Samples
Countries
- Marshall Islands