t.
Uroanization
Majuro is the seat of Government for the Marshall Islands and as a result,
has become the most densely populated island in the Marshalls.
Local officials
place the population of Majuro at approximately 12,500, over 50% of whom are
adolescents, living in the two towns, Rita and Laura.
opposite ends of the island of Majuro.
and
businesses,
many houses
and
These towns are located at
Rita contains the larger number of people
other
living units,
department
and grocery
stores, several small eating places, governmental buildings and offices, the post
office, police station, a bank, a library, several churches, and schools (high
school and elementary levels
in addition to a theological college).
A copra
factory is situated a few miles outside of Rita and an airport has been built
several miles further on, on the road to laura.
communities
occupy the
Many small villages and/or
land between Rita and Laura
(which
is
a very small
residential settlement, primarily) and create a microcosm on Majuro 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.
Ebeye, an island in
military
to
accommodate
approximately 2000 Marshallese workers and their immediate families.
However, as
word spread throughout the islands relative to the work opportunities on the
Base, thousands of indigenous island people crowded onto Ebeye.
Presently, an
average of 8000 Marshallese are living on Ebeye in over-crowded living conditions
that
place
a
strain
on
food
and
water
resources,
sanitation,
health,
and
educational facilities and services.
d.
|
social Problems Stemming from Urbanization and Social Change
Current social problems in the Marshall Islands take in the entire range of
problems found in most emerging nations undergoing significant change.
the most urgent
and distressing social
Some of
concerns expressed by the Marshallese
include increasing alcoholism, suicide, dislocation and distribution of people,
car accidents, crimes (especially forgery, burglary, and assult and battery; a
number of misdemeanors),
prostitution
and
venereal
disease,
use
of
drugs,
intrafamily violence (including child neglect and abuse), divorce, breakdown of
relationships
and
communication
across
generational
boundaries,
neglect
of
parenting and parenting skills, lack of family planning and enhancement of family
life,
juvenile
delinquency,
homosexual
relationships,
lack
of
employment
opportunities for specific age groups (especially adolescents and the Elders);
and
other
mental
health
problems
such
11
as
apathy,
alienation,
depression,