Home | Countries | Marshall Islands

Marshall Islands

Digital snapshot – key policies and laws

In the UN E-Government Survey 2024, the Marshall Islands ranked 143rd of 193 with an EGDI of 0.4823. The broad policy frame comes from Agenda 2030 and the National Strategic Plan 2020–2030, which positions digital reform within wider state modernisation and service delivery goals.

Codes, laws, and the digital state

In 2025, the Marshall Islands adopted a compact but consequential package of digital laws: the Digital Transformation and Identity Verification Act 2025 established the Digital Transformation Unit and an enabling framework for electronic identity verification; the Electronic Transactions Act 2025 gave legal effect to e-signatures and e-records; the Cybersecurity Act 2025 created a national cyber framework; and the Personal Data Protection Act 2025 introduced public-sector privacy rules. Together, they create a broader legal basis for digital government, showing a serious effort to modernise state functions and widen access to services.

On infrastructure and connectivity, the Telecommunications (Reform) Act 2025 opened the market to new operators, and the World Bank later reported that Starlink launched local services on 10 June 2025, widening broadband options in a country long shaped by remoteness and high costs.

In the digital economy, the Electronic Transactions Act 2025 provides e-commerce with a basic legal footing. More unusually, the country adopted the Decentralized Autonomous Organization Act 2022, giving it an outsized profile in Web3 regulation relative to its domestic market size. 

Marshall Islands’ Permanent Mission to the UN in Geneva:

The Permanent Mission of the Republic of the Marshall Islands in Geneva represents the country to the UN Office at Geneva and other international organisations based there. The mission is located at Rue de Lausanne 37 A, 1201 Geneva, and is headed by Ambassador Doreen Debrum as Permanent Representative.

Official UNOG website: https://www.ungeneva.org/en/blue-book/missions/member-states/marshall-islands

Consult the Marshall Islands’ digital strategies and regulations

Here you can explore the country’s main digital strategies, laws, and regulations by simply asking the chatbot, which is designed to help you quickly find relevant documents and understand the country’s digital policy landscape.

Main digital policies and regulations in the country:

Follow Marshall Islands’ digital submarine cables

The data is sourced from reputable international agencies and organizations. Hover over each field for source information and explanations.
dig.watch

General profile

Official name: Republic of the Marshall Islands

Source: Wikipedia

National internet domain: MH

Source: Wikipedia

Area: 181 km2

Source: Wikipedia

Capital: Majuro

Source: Wikipedia

Population: 42.0 thousand

The displayed data represents the most recent information obtained from sources, typically covering the years 2018 to 2023.
Source: Wikipedia

Population growth: 1.02

Annual population growth rate for year t is the exponential rate of growth of midyear population from year t-1 to t, expressed as a percentage. Population is based on the de facto definition of population, which counts all residents regardless of legal status or citizenship.
The displayed data represents the most recent information obtained from sources, typically covering the years 2018 to 2023.
Source: World Bank Open Data

Life expectancy at birth: 65.15

Total years (Estimate for 2022)
The displayed data represents the most recent information obtained from sources, typically covering the years 2018 to 2023.
Source: databank.worldbank.org

Rule of law estimate: 0.73

Rule of Law captures perceptions of the extent to which agents have confidence in and abide by the rules of society, and in particular the quality of contract enforcement, property rights, the police, and the courts, as well as the likelihood of crime and violence. Estimate gives the country's score ranging from approximately -2.5 to 2.5 (Estimate for 2023)
Source: databank.worldbank.org

Regulatory quality estimate: -0.39

Regulatory Quality captures perceptions of the ability of the government to formulate and implement sound policies and regulations that permit and promote private sector development. Estimate gives the country's score ranging from approximately -2.5 to 2.5 (Estimate for 2023)
Source: databank.worldbank.org

Political stability: 1.06

Political Stability and Absence of Violence / Terrorism: measures perceptions of the likelihood that the government will be destabilized or overthrown by unconstitutional or violent means, including politically-motivated violence and terrorism. Estimate gives the country's score ranging from approximately -2.5 to 2.5 (Estimate for 2023)
Source: databank.worldbank.org

Economic info

Currency: SOV

Source: Wikipedia

Unemployment (%): 9.82

Unemployment, total (% of total labor force)
The displayed data represents the most recent information obtained from sources, typically covering the years 2018 to 2023.
Source: databank.worldbank.org

GDP (current US$): 284.0 million

The displayed data represents the most recent information obtained from sources, typically covering the years 2018 to 2023.
Source: databank.worldbank.org

GDP growth (annual %): 3.23

The displayed data represents the most recent information obtained from sources, typically covering the years 2018 to 2023.
Source: databank.worldbank.org

GDP per capita (current US$): 6.8 thousand

The displayed data represents the most recent information obtained from sources, typically covering the years 2018 to 2023.
Source: databank.worldbank.org

Inflation, consumer prices (annual %): No data

The displayed data represents the most recent information obtained from sources, typically covering the years 2018 to 2023.
Source: databank.worldbank.org
dig.watch

Digital profile

Internet and social media penetration:

Individuals using the internet, total (%): 73.22

The displayed data represents the most recent information obtained from sources, typically covering the years 2018 to 2023.
Source: www.itu.int

Social media users: 22.3 thousand

Estimate for 2024
Source: datareportal.com

Male internet users (%): No data

Male internet users as a % of total male population.
The displayed data represents the most recent information obtained from sources, typically covering the years 2018 to 2023.
Source: www.itu.int

Facebook users: 22.3 thousand

Estimate for 2024
Source: datareportal.com

Female internet users (%): No data

Female Internet users as a % of total female population.
The displayed data represents the most recent information obtained from sources, typically covering the years 2018 to 2023.
Source: www.itu.int

Instagram users: 3.9 thousand

Estimate for 2024
Source: datareportal.com

Households with internet access at home (%): 74.56

The displayed data represents the most recent information obtained from sources, typically covering the years 2018 to 2023.
Source: www.itu.int

Linkedin users: 10.0 thousand

Estimate for 2024
Source: datareportal.com

Fixed broadband subscriptions: 2.35

Total fixed broadband subscriptions (per 100 people) refers to fixed subscriptions to high-speed access to the public internet (a TCP/IP connection), at downstream speeds equal to, or greater than, 256 kbit/s.
The displayed data represents the most recent information obtained from sources, typically covering the years 2018 to 2023.
Source: www.itu.int

X users: 1.2 thousand

Estimate for 2024
Source: datareportal.com

Mobile infrastructure and access:

Mobile ownership (%): No data

Mobile phone ownership as a % of total population (Estimate for 2023)
Source: https://www.mobileconnectivityindex.com/

Mobile Infrastructure: No data

Mobile Infrastructure index: High-performance mobile internet coverage availability. It includes parameters such as network coverage, performance, quality of supporting infrastructure and amount of spectrum assigned to mobile network operators (Estimate for 2023)
Source: https://www.mobileconnectivityindex.com/

Gender gap in mobile internet (%): 100

This metric evaluates the disparity in mobile internet access between genders. (Estimate for 2023)
Sources: https://www.gallup.com/ and https://www.mobileconnectivityindex.com/

Mobile Affordability: No data

Mobile Affordability index : The availability of mobile services and devices at price points that reflect the level of income across a national population. It includes parameters such as mobile tariffs, headset prices, taxation and inequality (Estimate for 2023)
Source: https://www.mobileconnectivityindex.com/

Gender gap in mobile ownership (%): 100

Represents the disparity between genders in owning mobile devices. (Estimate for 2023)
Sources: https://www.gallup.com/, https://datareportal.com/ and https://www.mobileconnectivityindex.com/

Top-Level Domains (TLDs) per person: No data

Number of generic and country Top Level Domains per person Estimate for 2023.
Source: https://zooknic.com/

Network performance: No data

Network performance index: Quality of mobile services measured by download speed, upload speed and latencies (Estimate for 2023)
Source: https://www.mobileconnectivityindex.com/

Mobile download speeds: No data

Mobile download speeds: Average download speed for mobile users (originally in Mbit/s) (Estimate for 2023)
Source: Ookla's Speedtest Intelligence

Mobile uploads speeds: No data

Mobile uploads speeds: average uploads speed for mobile users (originally in Mbit/s) (Estimate for 2023)
Source: Ookla's Speedtest Intelligence

Mobile Latencies: No data

Mobile Latencies: Average latency for mobile users (originally in milliseconds) (Estimate for 2023)
Source: Ookla's Speedtest Intelligence

Network Coverage (%): No data

Network coverage (% of total population) (Estimate for 2023)
Source: https://www.mobileconnectivityindex.com/

2G Coverage (%): No data

Coverage % of population (Estimate for 2023)
Source: www.itu.int

3G Coverage (%): No data

Coverage % of population (Estimate for 2023)
Source: https://www.mobileconnectivityindex.com/

4G Coverage (%): No data

Coverage % of population (Estimate for 2023)
Source: https://www.mobileconnectivityindex.com/

5G Coverage (%): No data

Coverage % of population (Estimate for 2023)
Source: https://www.mobileconnectivityindex.com/

Operating system and browser market share estimate

Operating system market share (%):

Desktop, Tablet & Console Operating System Market Share: Estimate for 2024
Source: https://gs.statcounter.com/

Browser market share (%):

Browser Market Share Worldwide: Estimate for 2024
Source: https://gs.statcounter.com/

Android: 28.05

Chrome: 70.49

Win10: 9.86

Safari: 13.43

iOS: 21.24

Edge: 7.19

OS X: 11.25

Firefox: 1.03

Win11: 20.87

Samsung Internet: 0.56


The UN E-Government Survey

The UN E-Government Survey is the assessment of the digital government landscape across all UN member states. The E-Government Survey is informed by over two decades of longitudinal research, with a ranking of countries based on the UN E-Government Development Index (EGDI), a combination of primary data (collected and owned by the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs) and secondary data from other UN agencies.
Source: https://publicadministration.un.org/egovkb/en-us/Reports/UN-E-Government-Survey-2024

E-Government Rank: 143

Nations E-Government Development Index (EGDI), a combination of primary data (collected and owned by the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs) and secondary data from other UN agencies. Estimate gives the country's rank.
Source: https://publicadministration.un.org/egovkb/en-us/data-center

E-Government Index: 0.48

The EGDI is a composite measure of three important dimensions of e-government, namely: provision of online services, telecommunication connectivity and human capacity. Estimate gives the country's score ranging from approximately 0 to 1.
Source: https://publicadministration.un.org/egovkb/en-us/data-center

E-Participation Index: 0.32

The E-Participation Index (EPI) is derived as a supplementary index to the United Nations E-Government Survey. Estimate gives the country's score ranging from approximately 0 to 1.
Source: https://publicadministration.un.org/egovkb/en-us/data-center

Online Service Index: 0.35

The online services index was developed by the UN to evaluate the scope and quality of government online services. Estimate gives the country's score ranging from approximately 0 to 1.
Source: https://publicadministration.un.org/egovkb/en-us/data-cente

Human Capital Index: 0.78

The Human Capital Index (HCI) quantifies the contribution of health and education to the productivity of the next generation of workers. Estimate gives the country's score ranging from approximately 0 to 1.
Source: https://publicadministration.un.org/egovkb/en-us/data-center

Telecommunication Infrastructure Index: 0.30

Telecommunication Infrastructure Index- Telecommunication Infrastructure Index (TII) Composite Indicator that measures the countries' Telecommunication infrastructure readiness to adopt the opportunities offered by Information and Communication Technology as to enhance their competitiveness. Estimate gives the country's score ranging from approximately 0 to 1.
Source: https://publicadministration.un.org/egovkb/en-us/data-center

Government AI Readiness Index

Ranking: 123

Global Ranking is calculated based on the total score. (Estimate for 2024).
Source: https://oxfordinsights.com/ai-readiness/ai-readiness-index/

Total: 37.62

The total score is calculated by taking the arithmetic mean of each dimension, followed by the arithmetic mean of each pillar. The final score is the arithmetic mean of the three pillars, with all indicators, dimensions, and pillars weighted equally. (Estimate for 2024).
Source: https://oxfordinsights.com/ai-readiness/ai-readiness-index/

Government: 29.94

This pillar evaluates a government's readiness and capability to implement AI responsibly and effectively. It includes several dimensions: the presence of a national AI strategy (Vision), regulations for data protection, privacy, and cybersecurity, along with ethical frameworks and accountability measures (Governance and Ethics). It also considers the existing IT infrastructure, online services, and promotion of emerging technology investments (Digital Capacity). Finally, it assesses the government’s ability to change and innovate effectively, including responsiveness to change, effectiveness, and use of procurement data (Adaptability). (Estimate for 2024).
Source: https://oxfordinsights.com/ai-readiness/ai-readiness-index/

Technology Sector: 31.65

This pillar assesses the country's technology sector and its ability to support AI implementation. It includes the maturity of the sector, measured by metrics such as the number of AI and non-AI unicorns, value of trade in ICT services and goods, and spending on computer software (Maturity). It also evaluates the sector's capacity for innovation, considering factors like time spent dealing with regulations, availability of venture capital, R&D spending, company investment in emerging technology, and research papers published in AI (Innovation Capacity). Additionally, it examines the availability of skills within the population, focusing on STEM graduates, GitHub users, female STEM graduates, quality of engineering education, and ICT skills (Human Capital). (Estimate for 2024).
Source: https://oxfordinsights.com/ai-readiness/ai-readiness-index/

Data and Infrastructure: 51.29

This pillar evaluates a country’s technological and data infrastructure to support AI implementation. It examines the quality of technological infrastructure, including telecommunications, supercomputing capabilities, broadband quality, 5G infrastructure, and the adoption of emerging technologies (Infrastructure). It also assesses the availability of data for training AI models, considering factors such as open data, data governance, mobile-cellular subscriptions, household internet access, and statistical capacity (Data Availability). Additionally, it considers the representativeness of the available data, focusing on metrics like the gender gap in internet access and the affordability of internet-enabled devices relative to GDP per capita (Data Representativeness). (Estimate for 2024).
Source: https://oxfordinsights.com/ai-readiness/ai-readiness-index/