Introduction
Majurorˠo]) is the capital and largest city of the Marshall Islands. It is also a large coral atoll of 64 islands in the Pacific Ocean. It forms a legislative district of the Ratak (Sunrise) Chain of the Marshall Islands. The atoll has a land area of 9.7 square kilometers (3.7 sq mi) and encloses a lagoon of 295 square kilometers (114 sq mi). As with other atolls in the Marshall Islands, Majuro consists of narrow land masses. It has a tropical trade wind climate, with an average temperature of 27 °C (81 °F). Majuro has been inhabited by humans for at least 2,000 years and was first settled by the Austronesian ancestors of the modern day Marshallese people. Majuro was the site of a Protestant mission and several copra trading stations in the 1870s, before the German Empire annexed the atoll as part of the German Protectorate of the Marshall Islands in 1885. The city was later under Japanese and American administration. After the Marshall Islands broke away from the Federated States of Micronesia in 1978 to form the Republic of the Marshall Islands, Majuro became the new country's capital and meeting place of the Nitijeļā, supplanting the former capital of Jaluit. The main population center, Delap-Uliga-Djarrit, is made up of three contiguous motus and had a population of 23,156 people at the 2021 census. Majuro has a port, shopping district, and various hotels. Majuro has an international airport with scheduled international flights to Hawaii, the Federated States of Micronesia, Kiribati, Guam, Nauru, and flights to domestic destinations around the country. Its economy is primarily service sector-dominated.
History & Origins
The atoll has been inhabited for at least 2,000 years by Austronesian peoples, including the ancestors of modern-day Marshallese residents. Archaeological excavations of um earth ovens at the Laura village on Majuro suggest habitation around the 1st century AD with a radiocarbon dating range of 93 BC to 127 AD. Protestant missionaries of the American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions established a church and school on atoll in 1869. By 1876, agents of the firms Capelle & Co., Hernsheim & Co., and Thomas Farrell were engaged in the copra trade on Majuro. After buying out Thomas Farrell's interests in 1877, New Zealand-based copra firm Henderson & Macfarlane had its regional headquarters on Majuro. Rival iroij Jebrik and Rimi fought waged war against each other for several years in the late 1870s and 1880s. Their uncle Lerok, the previous iroijlaplap of Majuro had wanted them to divide the atoll between them when he died, but Jebrik began a war for sole control. At least 10 islanders died in the conflict; the destruction of trees and crops caused a serious food shortage; and a slowdown in copra production caused Jebrik to take on debt for his war effort. In 1883, Cyprian Bridge of the passing British warship HMS Espiegle mediated a peace treaty. The fighting never resumed, but when HMS Dart passed Majuro in 1884, Rimi was trying to persuade the iroij of Aur Atoll to join him in an attack on Jebrik. The British commander mediated peace and warned the iroij of Aur to stay out of the conflict. The commander of the Dart threatened to fine copra traders who had been selling weapons to the islanders, but some traders continued selling weapons in spite of the prohibition, and the residents of Majuro refused to give up their firearms after the war between Jebrik and Rimi ended, because they feared invasion by neighboring islanders. The German Empire claimed Majuro Atoll as part of the German Protectorate of the Marshall Islands in 1885. As with the rest of the Marshalls, Majuro was captured by the Imperial Japanese Navy in 1914 during World War I and mandated to the Empire of Japan by the League of Nations in 1920. The island then became a part of the Japanese mandated territory of the South Seas Mandate; although the Japanese had established a government in the Mandate, local affairs were mostly left in the hands of traditional local leaders until the start of World War II. On January 30, 1944, United States Armed Forces invaded, but found that Japanese forces had evacuated their fortifications to Kwajalein and Enewetak about a year earlier. A single Japanese warrant officer had been left as a caretaker. With his capture, the islands were secured. This gave the U.S. Navy use of one of the largest anchorages in the Central Pacific. The lagoon became a large forward naval base, Naval Base Majuro, and was the largest and most active port in the world until the war moved westward when it was supplanted by Ulithi (Yap, Federated States of Micronesia). Following World War II, Majuro came under the control of the United States as part of the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands. After the Marshall Islands broke away from the Federated States of Micronesia in 1978 to form the Republic of the Marshall Islands, Majuro became the new country's capital and meeting place of the Nitijeļā, the legislature of the Marshall Islands. It supplanted Jaluit Atoll as the administrative center of the Marshall Islands, a status that it retains after the independence of the Marshall Islands in 1986 under a Compact of Free Association. The island was also the site of the Majuro Declaration, a declaration by the Pacific Islands Forum signed on September 5, 2013, to make a unified action on climate change adaptation and international aid.
Geography & Climate
Majuro Atoll consists of over 60 islands, three of which are larger than 0.5 km2 (0.2 mi2). At the western end of the atoll, about 50 kilometers (30 mi) from Delap-Uliga-Djarrit by road, is the island community of Laura, an expanding residential area with a popular beach. Laura has the highest elevation point on the atoll, estimated at less than 3 meters (10 feet) above sea level. Djarrit is mostly residential.
Being slightly north of the Equator, Majuro has a tropical rainforest climate (Af) but not an equatorial climate because trade winds are prevailing throughout the year though they are frequently interrupted during the summer months by the movement of the Intertropical Convergence Zone across the area. Typhoons are rare. Temperatures are extremely consistent throughout the course of the year with average temperatures around 27 °C (81 °F). The hottest month is only 0.4 degree Celsius hotter than the coldest month. Very rarely does the temperature fall below 21 °C (70 °F). Majuro sees roughly 3,200 millimeters (126 in) of precipitation annually, with fall (Sep - Nov) being both the hottest and the rainiest season.
Demographics & Culture
The major population centers are the D–U–D communities: the islets of Delap–Uliga–Djarrit (listed from south to north, on the eastern edge of the atoll). Majuro had a population of 23,156 at the 2021 census.
Economy & Government
Majuro's economy is driven by the service sector, which composed 86% of the GDP in 2011. On September 15, 2007, Witon Barry, of the Tobolar Copra processing plant in the Marshall Islands' capital of Majuro, said power authorities, private companies and entrepreneurs had been experimenting with coconut oil as an alternative to diesel fuel for vehicles, power generators, and ships. Coconut trees abound in the Pacific's tropical islands. Copra from 6 to 10 coconuts makes 1 litre of oil. Air Marshall Islands has its headquarters in Majuro.
Landmarks & Attractions
Majuro features notable landmarks including government buildings, historical monuments, museums, and public spaces that reflect its role as Marshall Islands's capital city.
Key Facts
- Majuro is the capital of Marshall Islands
- Population: approximately 30,000+
- Elevation: 3 meters (10 feet) above sea level
- Area: 9.7 km²
- Located in the Oceania region
- Capital of the Marshall Islands
Fun Facts
- Majuro sits at just 3 meters above sea level
- Majuro serves as the political, economic, and cultural center of Marshall Islands
- Majuro is an important city in the Oceania region
Quick Facts About Majuro
- Country: Marshall Islands
- Continent: Oceania
- Country population: approximately 35 thousand
- Capital city status: Majuro is the capital of Marshall Islands, the seat of national government, and the location of foreign embassies, parliament, and the head of state's official residence.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the capital of Marshall Islands?
The capital of Marshall Islands is Majuro. Majuro is the seat of national government, hosts most foreign embassies and consulates, and is typically where the head of state and parliament are located.
What continent is Majuro in?
Majuro, the capital of Marshall Islands, is located in Oceania. As Marshall Islands's capital, Majuro serves as the country's primary connection to the broader Oceanian political, economic, and cultural sphere.
Why is Majuro the capital of Marshall Islands?
Majuro was chosen as the capital of Marshall Islands for reasons that typically combine geography, history, and politics. Capital city selections often reflect a desire for centrality (being accessible from across the country), historical importance (being a longstanding seat of government or culture), or neutrality (being acceptable to multiple regions or ethnic groups within the country). The specific reasons for Majuro's designation are detailed in the city's history above.
What is Majuro known for?
As the capital of Marshall Islands, Majuro is best known for housing the country's central government institutions — parliament, presidential or royal residences, supreme court, and key ministries. It is also typically a major cultural and economic center within Marshall Islands, hosting national museums, embassies, and signature monuments. The introduction and history sections above provide detailed coverage of the city's specific notable institutions and landmarks.
Related Pages
- Marshall Islands Country Guide — full geography, climate, economy, and culture overview
- Flag of Marshall Islands — meaning, history, and design of Marshall Islands's national flag
