Population growth on the Marshall Islands
From 1960 to 2021 the population of the Marshall Islands increased from 14,674.00 to 42,050.00 people. This is a growth of 186.6 percent in 61 years. The highest increase on the Marshall Islands was recorded in 1973 with 4.95 percent. The biggest decrease in 2015 with -13.59 percent.In the same period, the total population of all countries worldwide increased by 160.2 percent.
The average age on the Marshall Islands in 2021 was 23.80 years (median value).
Around 78 percent of the inhabitants live in the country's larger cities. This trend of urbanization is declining, decreasing by -2.7 percent per year.
› Population growth in worldwide comparison
Back to overview: Marshall Islands
Population development on the Marshall Islands since 1960
(Data given in 1000 inhabitants)| Year | Population Marshall Islands | Change Marshall Islands | Birth rate | Death rate | Population World | Change World | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 15,000 | 2.60 % | 3,072 M | 1.30 % | |||
| 1962 | 16,000 | 3.26 % | 3,125 M | 1.72 % | |||
| 1963 | 16,000 | 3.63 % | 3,190 M | 2.08 % | |||
| 1964 | 17,000 | 3.72 % | 3,255 M | 2.05 % | |||
| 1965 | 17,000 | 3.42 % | 3,322 M | 2.06 % | |||
| 1966 | 18,000 | 3.19 % | 3,392 M | 2.11 % | |||
| 1967 | 18,000 | 3.08 % | 3,462 M | 2.05 % | |||
| 1968 | 19,000 | 3.17 % | 3,533 M | 2.06 % | |||
| 1969 | 20,000 | 3.43 % | 3,607 M | 2.09 % | |||
| 1970 | 20,000 | 3.96 % | 3,682 M | 2.09 % | |||
| 1971 | 21,000 | 4.47 % | 3,761 M | 2.13 % | |||
| 1972 | 22,000 | 4.83 % | 3,837 M | 2.03 % | |||
| 1973 | 23,000 | 4.95 % | 3,913 M | 1.98 % | |||
| 1974 | 25,000 | 4.65 % | 3,988 M | 1.93 % | |||
| 1975 | 26,000 | 4.28 % | 4,063 M | 1.86 % | |||
| 1976 | 27,000 | 3.79 % | 4,135 M | 1.80 % | |||
| 1977 | 27,000 | 3.51 % | 4,208 M | 1.75 % | |||
| 1978 | 28,000 | 3.35 % | 4,281 M | 1.75 % | |||
| 1979 | 29,000 | 3.58 % | 4,357 M | 1.76 % | |||
| 1980 | 31,000 | 3.93 % | 4,433 M | 1.75 % | |||
| 1981 | 32,000 | 4.28 % | 4,511 M | 1.76 % | |||
| 1982 | 33,000 | 4.54 % | 4,592 M | 1.80 % | |||
| 1983 | 35,000 | 4.65 % | 4,674 M | 1.78 % | |||
| 1984 | 37,000 | 4.82 % | 4,756 M | 1.75 % | |||
| 1985 | 38,000 | 4.83 % | 4,839 M | 1.75 % | |||
| 1986 | 40,000 | 4.91 % | 4,925 M | 1.77 % | |||
| 1987 | 42,000 | 4.86 % | 39.0 ‰ | 5.0 ‰ | 5,013 M | 1.78 % | |
| 1988 | 44,000 | 4.56 % | 5,101 M | 1.77 % | |||
| 1989 | 46,000 | 3.93 % | 5,190 M | 1.74 % | |||
| 1990 | 47,000 | 3.14 % | 5,280 M | 1.74 % | |||
| 1991 | 48,000 | 2.41 % | 5,368 M | 1.67 % | |||
| 1992 | 49,000 | 1.73 % | 5,453 M | 1.57 % | |||
| 1993 | 50,000 | 1.19 % | 5,538 M | 1.56 % | |||
| 1994 | 50,000 | 0.77 % | 5,622 M | 1.52 % | |||
| 1995 | 50,000 | 0.48 % | 5,707 M | 1.51 % | |||
| 1996 | 51,000 | 0.14 % | 26.1 ‰ | 4.0 ‰ | 5,790 M | 1.45 % | |
| 1997 | 50,000 | -0.14 % | 5,872 M | 1.43 % | |||
| 1998 | 50,000 | -0.19 % | 5,954 M | 1.39 % | |||
| 1999 | 50,000 | 0.12 % | 41.8 ‰ | 4.9 ‰ | 6,034 M | 1.35 % | |
| 2000 | 51,000 | 0.67 % | 6,114 M | 1.32 % | |||
| 2001 | 51,000 | 1.29 % | 6,194 M | 1.30 % | |||
| 2002 | 52,000 | 1.86 % | 6,273 M | 1.28 % | |||
| 2003 | 53,000 | 2.09 % | 6,352 M | 1.26 % | |||
| 2004 | 54,000 | 1.89 % | 6,432 M | 1.25 % | |||
| 2005 | 55,000 | 1.43 % | 35.0 ‰ | 6,512 M | 1.25 % | ||
| 2006 | 56,000 | 0.92 % | 35.0 ‰ | 6,593 M | 1.24 % | ||
| 2007 | 56,000 | 0.50 % | 35.0 ‰ | 6,674 M | 1.24 % | ||
| 2008 | 56,000 | 0.21 % | 6,757 M | 1.24 % | |||
| 2009 | 56,000 | 0.16 % | 6,840 M | 1.22 % | |||
| 2010 | 56,000 | 0.19 % | 6,922 M | 1.20 % | |||
| 2011 | 57,000 | 0.29 % | 29.0 ‰ | 3.7 ‰ | 7,004 M | 1.18 % | |
| 2012 | 57,000 | 0.33 % | 7,089 M | 1.22 % | |||
| 2013 | 57,000 | 0.39 % | 7,176 M | 1.22 % | |||
| 2014 | 57,000 | 0.44 % | 7,262 M | 1.20 % | |||
| 2015 | 49,000 | -13.59 % | 7,405 M | 1.97 % | |||
| 2016 | 48,000 | -2.19 % | 7,492 M | 1.18 % | |||
| 2017 | 47,000 | -2.36 % | 22.3 ‰ | 7.1 ‰ | 7,578 M | 1.15 % | |
| 2018 | 46,000 | -2.54 % | 7.2 ‰ | 7,662 M | 1.10 % | ||
| 2019 | 45,000 | -2.74 % | 20.7 ‰ | 7.3 ‰ | 7,743 M | 1.06 % | |
| 2020 | 43,000 | -2.94 % | 20.0 ‰ | 7.4 ‰ | 7,821 M | 1.01 % | |
| 2021 | 42,000 | -3.14 % | 19.3 ‰ | 7.6 ‰ | 7,888 M | 0.86 % |
Birth and death rate on the Marshall Islands
Population growth is the result of the birth rate, the mortality rate and the migration rate. For example, the year 2021 in the graph: The population on the Marshall Islands decreased by about 1,360 inhabitants. In the same year, the death rate was 7.6 per 1,000 people (~ 330 deaths) and the birth rate was 19.3 per 1,000 people (~ 840 births). As a result, around 1,870 inhabitants have migrated to other countries.Over the past 5 years, the number of average deaths per year was 326 on the Marshall Islands. The number of births was 914 annually.
The changes in births and deaths is displayed in the following graph. All data refer to births or deaths per 1,000 inhabitants.
Birth rate Death rate
Comparison of the global population density
Quality of life 2023 in country comparison
Most recent cyclones in Mauritius