Country Guide

This Pacific republic shares a climate with three other groups of islands - the Caroline, Gilbert, and Marianas Islands - all located in the western Pacific north of the equator. The Marshall Islands consist of two chains of coral atolls about 1,300 km/800 mi long.

Like its neighbours, the country experiences very similar conditions of temperature and humidity throughout the year. There is a typical tropical oceanic climate with moderately high temperatures and humidity that vary little from month to month. The daily temperature range is quite small - about 4°-5°C/10°F.

There is abundant rainfall, but it is somewhat lighter than in neighbouring countries with islands that reach higher elevations. The wettest season is from June to November.

The Marshall Islands are liable to tropical cyclones (the typhoons of the South China Sea) with their heavy rainfall and very strong winds, which can do considerable damage. The main season for such storms is from July to November.

The worst of such storms may only affect one particular island every two or three years, but the much larger area of heavy rain associated with a cyclone contributes to the heavier rainfall of these months.

All the islands in the country have moderately large amounts of sunshine, averaging between six and eight hours a day in spite of a large number of days on which some rain falls. Much of the rainfall is in the form of short, heavy showers but days with continuous rain are more frequent in the wetter months.

Although the combination of temperature and humidity is often rather muggy and oppressive, particularly at night, the daytime temperatures are usually moderate and feel more comfortable because of the brisk winds, both daytime sea breezes and the predominant and regular trade winds.

The table for Ujelang illustrates conditions that are typical of the Marshall Islands.