Population growth (annual %) (UNESCO Institute) in Marshall Islands
Marshall Islands: Population growth (annual %) (UNESCO Institute) was -3.3% in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Population growth in Marshall Islands, 1970–2024
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in annual %.
Analysis
Marshall Islands recorded -3.3% for population growth in 2024. That is the lowest value across all 55 years on record.
That represents a change of down 5.7% on the previous year and down 90.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, population growth in Marshall Islands peaked at 5.6% in 1970 and was at its lowest, -3.3%, in 2024.
That places Marshall Islands 214th out of 215 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Population growth (annual %) (UNESCO Institute) in Marshall Islands, year by year
| Year | annual % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 5.6% | — |
| 1971 | 3.6% | -34.8% |
| 1972 | 2.6% | -27.4% |
| 1973 | 2.4% | -8.3% |
| 1974 | 2.9% | +18.2% |
| 1975 | 3.3% | +16.3% |
| 1976 | 3.3% | -2.2% |
| 1977 | 3.2% | -1.2% |
| 1978 | 3.2% | -1.2% |
| 1979 | 3.2% | -0.3% |
| 1980 | 3.4% | +7.9% |
| 1981 | 4.0% | +15.6% |
| 1982 | 4.2% | +6.6% |
| 1983 | 4.1% | -1.7% |
| 1984 | 4.1% | -1.4% |
| 1985 | 4.0% | -1.1% |
| 1986 | 4.0% | -2.1% |
| 1987 | 3.8% | -2.8% |
| 1988 | 3.6% | -6.7% |
| 1989 | 2.9% | -18.0% |
| 1990 | 2.4% | -19.7% |
| 1991 | 2.1% | -12.0% |
| 1992 | 1.8% | -14.3% |
| 1993 | 1.5% | -15.4% |
| 1994 | 1.3% | -13.4% |
| 1995 | 1.2% | -11.6% |
| 1996 | 1.0% | -9.1% |
| 1997 | 1.0% | -5.9% |
| 1998 | 0.9% | -6.3% |
| 1999 | 1.0% | +4.9% |
| 2000 | 1.0% | +2.9% |
| 2001 | 0.8% | -18.0% |
| 2002 | 0.6% | -28.1% |
| 2003 | 0.4% | -29.5% |
| 2004 | 0.3% | -29.2% |
| 2005 | 0.2% | -24.5% |
| 2006 | 0.2% | -25.4% |
| 2007 | 0.1% | -50.1% |
| 2008 | -0.0% | -111.6% |
| 2009 | -0.0% | +120.0% |
| 2010 | 0.0% | -327.3% |
| 2011 | -0.3% | -648.6% |
| 2012 | -0.9% | +258.4% |
| 2013 | -1.4% | +53.0% |
| 2014 | -1.8% | +21.9% |
| 2015 | -2.0% | +14.7% |
| 2016 | -2.3% | +11.9% |
| 2017 | -2.5% | +10.8% |
| 2018 | -2.7% | +8.2% |
| 2019 | -2.9% | +5.6% |
| 2020 | -3.0% | +4.8% |
| 2021 | -3.2% | +6.2% |
| 2022 | -3.2% | -0.5% |
| 2023 | -3.2% | +0.0% |
| 2024 | -3.3% | +5.7% |
Marshall Islands compared with similar countries
- Marshall Islands's -3.3% is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 0.5%. (58 countries reporting)
- Marshall Islands's -3.3% is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 0.7%. (37 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Population growth (annual %) (UNESCO Institute) in Marshall Islands changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 | -648.6% | 0.0% | -0.3% |
| 2010 | +327.3% | -0.0% | 0.0% |
| 2012 | -258.4% | -0.3% | -0.9% |
| 2009 | -120.0% | -0.0% | -0.0% |
| 2008 | -111.6% | 0.1% | -0.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 3.3% | 2.4% | 5.6% | 10 |
| 1980s | 3.8% | 2.9% | 4.2% | 10 |
| 1990s | 1.4% | 0.9% | 2.4% | 10 |
| 2000s | 0.4% | -0.0% | 1.0% | 10 |
| 2010s | -1.7% | -2.9% | 0.0% | 10 |
| 2020s | -3.2% | -3.3% | -3.0% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Marshall Islands
- 211 Northern Mariana Islands -1.9% compare
- 212 North Macedonia -2.0% compare
- 213 Moldova -2.8% compare
- 215 Saint Martin (French Part) -5.2% compare
More population data for Marshall Islands
- Population regions with projections, annual growth rate -0.393 % change on previous year (2100)
- Urban and rural population 2050, annual growth rate -3.46 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population long run with projections, annual growth rate -0.393 % change on previous year (2100)
- Un population 2024 vs 2022, annual growth rate -0.3323 % change on previous year (2100)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 05 - Demographic estimates 51.21 Persons (2050)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 03 - Annual population 0.8454 Percent per annum (2030)
- Projected population under age 5, annual growth rate -0.3799 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population growth rate -0.407 (2100)
- Population density 132.37 (2100)
- Projected population under age 5 1,311 (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is population growth in Marshall Islands?
- Population growth in Marshall Islands was -3.3% in 2024, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest population growth recorded in Marshall Islands?
- The highest recorded value was 5.6% in 1970.
- What is the lowest population growth recorded in Marshall Islands?
- The lowest recorded value was -3.3% in 2024.
- How does Marshall Islands rank for population growth?
- Marshall Islands ranks 214th out of 215 countries with data for 2024.
- Is population growth rising or falling in Marshall Islands?
- Over the last ten years it is down 90.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Marshall Islands data come from?
- The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as part of Population growth (annual %). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 55 observations, free to reuse under CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO (UNESCO Institute for Statistics).
About this data
February 2026 Data Release