War & Paradise: The Territories Of The U.S.

The Marshall Islands

The Marshall islands rose from ancient submerged volcanoes and consist of 29 atolls and five islands. The largest atoll it six square miles. In essence, the U.S. Military has free reign of the islands while the islanders receive all the benefits of Social Security, free defense forces, and governmental aid. As a small island nation with a small GDP and few higher education opportunities, they rely heavily upon the United States, especially for radiation research due to the islands’ past. In 2016, The United Nations estimated the population to be around 53,000.