Environment—current issues: asbestos disposal; water pollution; preservation of open space
Environment—international agreements: party to: NA signed, but not ratified: NA
Geography—note: consists of about 360 small coral islands with ample rainfall, but no rivers or freshwater lakes; some land, reclaimed and otherwise, was leased by US Government from 1941 to 1995
People
Population: 62,472 (July 1999 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 20% (male 6,174; female 6,023)
15-64 years: 70% (male 21,479; female 22,041)
65 years and over: 10% (male 2,897; female 3,858) (1999 est.)
Population growth rate: 0.72% (1999 est.)
Birth rate: 11.83 births/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Death rate: 7.27 deaths/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Net migration rate: 2.67 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1999 est.)