Country Profile of Marshall Islands
Main statistical agency
Main statistical agency name
Economic Policy, Planning and Statistics Office (EPPSO)
Web address
http://www.spc.int/prism/country/mh/stats/index.htm
Position in the government
EPPSO is under the Office of the President, Republic of the Marshall Islands (RMI).
Organizational structure and finance
The EPPSO shall be directly responsible to the Office of the President and shall be headed by a Director, who shall be appointed by the Public Service Commission.
The EPPSO shall comprise of:
1. Policy and Strategy Development Unit
2. Statistics and Analysis Unit
3. Performance Monitoring, Evaluation and Aid Coordination Unit
Multi-annual or annual work program
Preparing for five (5) year rolling Economic Policy Statements to be updated annually. The Economic Policy Statement will identify the main economic goals and objectives and be supported by brief sector strategies.
Main duties
Providing advsie on general economic policy, including periodic review of overall national development goals and strategies to cabinet, through the National Policy Coordinating Committee.
Providing advise on general economic policy and planning, in order to assist the Ministry of Finance in the budget preparation.
Conducting economic and social studies, reviews and assessments as required.
Conducting monitoring and evaluation of the Compact and related agreements.
The Statistics Collection and Analysis Unit shall be reponsible for the collection, compilation, analysis and publication of certain statistical data and information and for matters incidental thereto.
Brief history and other relevant background information
Brief history and other relevant background information
The first population census in the Marshall islands was conducted in 1920, after which censuses were conducted after every five years up to 1935 when World war II disrupted its pattern. The first census after World war II was conducted in 1958, followed by censuses in 1967, 1973, 1980 and 1988.
The 1999 Census of population and Housing of the RMI is the tenth census conducted since 1920 and the second since RMI gained independence.
Legal basis
Legal basis
As such, in addition to the administration of this Act, the Director of the EPPSO is hereby granted:
- the 'Census Commissioner' for the purpose of the Census Act, 1985; and
- the 'National Statistician' for the purpose of this Act, 1986; and shall exercise the powers, duties and responsibilities conferred by these Acts.
Other producers of official statistics
Other producers of official statistics
Statistics on key areas such as 'Health' and 'Education' are obtained from the departments of Health and education.
Customs, Revenue and Taxation, Ministry of Finance.
The collection of visitor statistics on travelers to the RMI was facilitated by the implementation of the Arrival Card System by the Immigration Division of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in 1989. Data entry and analysis of these cards is carried out by Marshall Islands Visitors Authority (MIVA).
Ministry of Transport and Communications.
Data collection
Most recent population census
1999
Access to administrative data
EPPSO has access to the data collected by government ministries.
Data dissemination
Main publications
Consumer Price Index
Population Atlas
Millennium Development Goals National Report
Quarterly Statistics Bulletin
Annual Reports
Statistical Yearbook
Tourism Report
Languages of main publications
English.
How are data disseminated (Paper, CD Rom, Website, online databases, databanks)?
Website.
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