Marshall Islands

Summary

Official Name

Republic of the Marshall Islands

International Conventions

CSICH (2015), ICCPR (2018), UNCRPD (2015)

Population

58,800

Principal Languages

English, Marshallese

Literacy Rate

98% (2011 UNESCO)

General References

Bender and Capelle 1996, Rehg and Bender 1990

Language Counts

The number of established languages listed for Marshall Islands is 2. All are living languages. Of these, 1 is indigenous and 1 is non-indigenous. Furthermore, 2 are institutional.

Languages

English eng: Users: 61,560 in Marshall Islands, all users. L1 users: 3,760 in Marshall Islands (2019). L2 users: 57,800 (2019). Status: 1 (National). De facto national language. Classification: Indo-European, Germanic, West, English
Marshallese mah: Widespread. Users: 42,500 in Marshall Islands (2001 UNSD). Total users in all countries: 61,000. Status: 1 (National). De facto national language. Alternate Names: Ebon Classification: Austronesian, Malayo-Polynesian, Central-Eastern Malayo-Polynesian, Eastern Malayo-Polynesian, Oceanic, Central-Eastern Oceanic, Remote Oceanic, Micronesian, Micronesian Proper, Marshallese

Languages by Status

1 (National)

Marshallese

[mah] 1 (National). De facto national language. 42,500 in Marshall Islands (2001 UNSD). Total users in all countries: 61,000.

English

[eng] 1 (National). De facto national language. 61,560 in Marshall Islands, all users. L1 users: 3,760 in Marshall Islands (2019). L2 users: 57,800 (2019).