Marshall Islands Constitution Day is annually observed on May 1 in the island nation of the Marshall Islands. This day is a national holiday of significance. It is a celebration of their new constitution and independence. The day is celebrated with parades, school sports days, sports competitions, pageants and other contests. The Marshallese take advantage of this day to commemorate their nation and culture. The governments of the Marshall Islands and the United States of America also celebrate their historic friendship, which has persisted since the Islands achieved independence from the United States.
The background of Marshall Islands Constitution Day
Marshall Islands Constitution Day is celebrated annually on May 1 throughout the Marshall Islands. Additionally known as Jemenei Day. It is a day of national celebration and a significant public holiday throughout the islands.
The Marshall Islands are an archipelago nation in the Pacific Ocean, close to the equator, consisting of five islands and twenty-nine atolls. Majuro, the capital and largest metropolis in the nation, is also the country’s administrative centre. The islanders of Marshall were among the famous Pacific explorers. Later, the Spanish explorer Alonso de Salazar and nineteenth-century American whaling ships visited the islands. They were under the control of Spanish colonists and were grouped with the Caroline Islands, which are now known as Palau in the Federated States of Micronesia. The German Empire made several attempts to annex the islands, which ultimately led to an agreement between Spain and Germany regarding the islands. The islands were administered by the Germans but effectively governed by Marshallese high chiefs.
During the first World War, the Marshall Islands were under Japanese control. At the conclusion of the war, the United States took control after a battle led by Marines and Army troops. The United States remained the occupying power despite official United Nations sanctions. Politically, the status of the Marshall Islands has changed over time. The islanders voted in a referendum for their independence and drafted a new constitution. Respecting the new political status of the Marshall Islands, the United States recognised the Marshallese constitution and the formation of a new Government of the Republic of the Marshall Islands.
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5 surprising facts about the Marshall Islands are provided.
Between 1946 and 1958, the United States utilised multiple sites on the islands for nuclear weapons testing, but subsequently removed and buried the nuclear waste.
Twenty-four of the Marshall Islands’ islands and atolls are uninhabited.
The nation designated 772,000 square miles of ocean surrounding the islands as a shark sanctuary.
Despite superb scuba diving opportunities, the Marshall Islands are the second least visited tourist destination in the world.
The only non-seabird on the islands is the house sparrow, which was introduced by humans.
MARSHALL ISLANDS CONSTITUTION DAY DATES
| Year | Date | Day |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | May 1 | Monday |
| 2024 | May 1 | Wednesday |
| 2025 | May 1 | Thursday |
| 2026 | May 1 | Friday |
| 2027 | May 1 | Saturday |
