▁Comp act ▁of ▁Free ▁Association ▁with ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁entered ▁into ▁force , ▁grant ing ▁the ▁Republic ▁of ▁the ▁Marshall ▁Islands ▁( R MI ) ▁its ▁so vere ig nt y . ▁The ▁Comp act ▁provided ▁for ▁aid ▁and ▁U . S . ▁defense ▁of ▁the ▁islands ▁in ▁exchange ▁for ▁continued ▁U . S . ▁military ▁use ▁of ▁the ▁miss ile ▁testing ▁range ▁at ▁K w aj ale in ▁At oll . ▁The ▁independence ▁procedure ▁was ▁formally ▁completed ▁under ▁international ▁law ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 0 , ▁when ▁the ▁UN ▁officially ▁ended ▁the ▁Trust ees hip ▁status ▁purs u ant ▁to ▁Security ▁Council ▁Resol ution ▁ 6 8 3 . ▁The ▁Republic ▁was ▁admitted ▁to ▁the ▁UN ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 1 . ▁ ▁In ▁ 2 0 0 3 , ▁the ▁US ▁created ▁a ▁new ▁Comp act ▁of ▁Free ▁Association ▁for ▁the ▁Republic ▁Marshall ▁Islands ▁and ▁Mic ron esia , ▁with ▁fund ing ▁of ▁$ 3 . 5 ▁billion ▁to ▁be ▁made ▁over ▁the ▁next ▁ 2 0 ▁years . ▁▁ 2 1 st ▁century ▁In ▁ 2 0 0 5 , ▁Alo ha ▁Airlines ▁can ce led ▁its ▁flight ▁services ▁to ▁the ▁Marshall ▁Islands . ▁ ▁In ▁ 2 0 0 8 , ▁extreme ▁waves ▁and ▁high ▁t ides ▁caused ▁w ides p read ▁flo oding ▁in ▁the ▁capital ▁city ▁of ▁Maj uro ▁and ▁other ▁urban ▁cent res , ▁ ▁above ▁sea ▁level . ▁On ▁Christmas ▁morning ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 8 , ▁the ▁government ▁declared ▁a ▁state