r.
Urdanization
|
Majuro is the seat of Government for the Marshall Islands an
has become the most densely populated island in the Marshalls.
as a result,
Lbcal officials
place the population of Majuro at approximately 12,500, over 5G%
adolescents, living in the two towns, Rita and Laura.
opposite ends of the island of Majuro.
and businesses, many houses
of whom are
These towns
bre located at
Rita contains the larger number of people
and other
living units,
departmen—
and grocery
stores, several smal] eating places, governmental buildings and offfices, the post
office, police station, a bank, a library, several churches, andIschools (high
schoo] and elementary levels in addition to a theological colldge).
factory is situated a few miles outside of Rita and an airport
several miles further on, on the road to laura.
communities
occupy the
A copra
fas been built
Many small villages and/or
land between Rita and Laura
(which
is]a very small
residential settlement, primarily) and create a microcosm on Majurq
of the entire
Marshall Islands peoples.
Kwajalein, as a Missle Range Base, attracted many Marshallese people because
of the job opportunities that were made available to them.
the
Kwajalein
Atoll,
was
developed
by
the
U.S.
Ebeyel an island in
military
tb
accommodate
approximately 2000 Marshallese workers and their immediate familieg.
However, as
word spread throughout the islands relative to the work opport nities on the
Base, thousands of indigenous island people crowded onto Ebeye.
Presently, an
average of 8000 Marshallese are living on Ebeye in over-crowded 11 ing conditions
that
place a
strain
on
food
and water
resources,
health,
sanitation
and
educational facilities and services.
J.
Social Problems Stemming from Urbanization and Social Change
Current social problems in the Marshall Islands take in the
antire range of
problems found in most emerging nations undergoing significant change.
Some of
the most urgent and distressing social concerns expressed by tBe Marshallese
include increasing alcoholism, suicide, dislocation and distribution of people,
car accidents, crimes (especially forgery, burglary, and assult
number of misdemeanors),
prostitution
and
venereal
disease,
fnd battery; a
@gse
intrafamily violence (including child neglect and abuse), divorce,
relationships
and
communication
across
generational
of
drugs,
breakdown of
boundarieq,
neglect
of
parenting and parenting skills, lack of family planning and enhancdment of family
life,
juvenile
delinquency,
homosexual
relationships,
lack
pf
opportunities for specific age groups (especially adolescents ani
and
other
mental
health
problems
such
ll
as
apathy,
alienation,
employment
the Elders);
depression,