The Caroline Islands are a widely scattered archipelago in the western Pacific Ocean; they became part of a UN Trust Territory under US administration following World War II. The eastern four island groups adopted a constitution in 1979 and chose to become the Federated States of Micronesia. (The westernmost island group became Palau.) Independence came in 1986 under a Compact of Free Association with the US, which was amended and renewed in 2004. Present concerns include large-scale unemployment, overfishing, overdependence on US foreign aid, and state perception of inequitable allocation of US aid.
Oceania, island group in the North Pacific Ocean, about three-quarters of the way from Hawaii to Indonesia
6 55 N, 158 15 E
Oceania
total: 702 sq km
land: 702 sq km
water: 0 sq km (fresh water only)
note: includes Pohnpei (Ponape), Chuuk (Truk) Islands, Yap Islands, and Kosrae (Kosaie)
four times the size of Washington, DC (land area only)
0 km
6,112 km
territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
tropical; heavy year-round rainfall, especially in the eastern islands; located on southern edge of the typhoon belt with occasionally severe damage
islands vary geologically from high mountainous islands to low, coral atolls; volcanic outcroppings on Pohnpei, Kosrae, and Chuuk
mean elevation: NA
elevation extremes: lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: Dolohmwar (Totolom) 791 m
timber, marine products, deep-seabed minerals, phosphate
agricultural land: 25.5%
arable land 2.3%; permanent crops 19.7%; permanent pasture 3.5%
forest: 74.5%
other: 0% (2011 est.)
0 sq km NA (2012)
typhoons (June to December)
overfishing, climate change, pollution
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
composed of four major island groups totaling 607 islands
Chuukese/Mortlockese 49.3%, Pohnpeian 29.8%, Kosraean 6.3%, Yapese 5.7%, Yap outer islanders 5.1%, Polynesian 1.6%, Asian 1.4%, other 0.8% (2010 est.)
104,719 (July 2016 est.)
noun: Micronesian(s)
adjective: Micronesian; Chuukese, Kosraen(s), Pohnpeian(s), Yapese
20.3 births/1,000 population (2016 est.)
English (official and common language), Chuukese, Kosrean, Pohnpeian, Yapese, Ulithian, Woleaian, Nukuoro, Kapingamarangi
Roman Catholic 54.7%, Protestant 41.1% (includes Congregational 38.5%, Baptist 1.1%, Seventh Day Adventist 0.8%, Assembly of God 0.7%), Mormon 1.5%, other 1.9%, none 0.7%, unspecified 0.1% (2010 est.)
24total: 24.7 years
male: 24 years
female: 25.3 years (2016 est.)
0-14 years: 30.81% (male 16,401/female 15,863)
15-24 years: 19.8% (male 10,406/female 10,326)
25-54 years: 38.8% (male 19,667/female 20,966)
55-64 years: 6.87% (male 3,532/female 3,659)
65 years and over: 3.72% (male 1,753/female 2,146) (2016 est.)
total dependency ratio: 62.4%
youth dependency ratio: 55.3%
elderly dependency ratio: 7.1%
potential support ratio: 14.1% (2015 est.)
-0.49% (2016 est.)
4.2 deaths/1,000 population (2016 est.)
-20.9 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2016 est.)
urban population: 22.4% of total population (2015)
rate of urbanization: 0.27% annual rate of change (2010-15 est.)
PALIKIR (capital) 7,000 (2014)
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
0-14 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
15-24 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
25-54 years: 0.94 male(s)/female
55-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.81 male(s)/female
total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2016 est.)
100 deaths/100,000 live births (2015 est.)
total: 20.5 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 22.7 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 18.1 deaths/1,000 live births (2016 est.)
total population: 72.9 years
male: 70.8 years
female: 75 years (2016 est.)
2.45 children born/woman (2016 est.)
13.7% of GDP (2014)
0.18 physicians/1,000 population (2009)
3.2 beds/1,000 population (2009)
improved:
urban: 94.8% of population
rural: 87.4% of population
total: 89% of population
unimproved:
urban: 5.2% of population
rural: 12.6% of population
total: 11% of population (2015 est.)
improved:
urban: 85.1% of population
rural: 49% of population
total: 57.1% of population
unimproved:
urban: 14.9% of population
rural: 51% of population
total: 42.9% of population (2015 est.)
NA
NA
NA
note: active local transmission of Zika virus by Aedes species mosquitoes has been identified in this country (as of August 2016); it poses an important risk (a large number of cases possible) among US citizens if bitten by an infective mosquito; other less common ways to get Zika are through sex, via blood transfusion, or during pregnancy, in which the pregnant woman passes Zika virus to her fetus (2016)
33.2% (2014)
NA
conventional long form: Federated States of Micronesia
conventional short form: none
local long form: Federated States of Micronesia
local short form: none
former: Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands, Ponape, Truk, and Yap Districts
abbreviation: FSM
etymology: the term "Micronesia" is a 19th-century construct of two Greek words, "micro" (small) and "nesoi" (islands), and refers to thousands of small islands in the western Pacific Ocean
federal republic in free association with the US
name: Palikir
geographic coordinates: 6 55 N, 158 09 E
time difference: UTC+11 (16 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
4 states; Chuuk (Truk), Kosrae (Kosaie), Pohnpei (Ponape), Yap
3 November 1986 (from the US-administered UN trusteeship)
Constitution Day, 10 May (1979); Independence Day, 3 November (1986)
drafted June 1975, ratified 1 October 1978, entered into force 10 May 1979; amended 1990; note - in 2001, all 26 amendments proposed by the FSM constitutional convention were defeated in a national referendum (2016)
mixed legal system of common and customary law
has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt
citizenship by birth: no
citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of FSM
dual citizenship recognized: no
residency requirement for naturalization: 5 years
18 years of age; universal
chief of state: President Peter M. CHRISTIAN (since 12 May 2015); Vice President Yosiwo P. GEORGE (since 12 May 2015); note - the president is both chief of state and head of government
head of government: President Peter M. CHRISTIAN (since 12 May 2015); Vice President Yosiwo P. GEORGE (since 12 May 2015)
cabinet: Cabinet includes the vice president and the heads of the 8 executive departments
elections/appointments: president and vice president indirectly elected by Congress from among the 4 'at large' senators for a 4-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held on 11 May 2011 (next to be held in May 2015)
election results: Peter M. CHRISTIAN elected president by Congress; Yosiwo P. GEORGE elected vice president
description: unicameral Congress (14 seats; 10 members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by simple majority vote to serve 2-year terms and 4 directly elected from each of the 4 states by proportional representation vote to serve 4-year terms)
elections: last held on 5 March 2013 (next to be held in March 2015)
election results: percent of vote - NA; seats - independent 14
highest court(s): Federated States of Micronesia (FSM) Supreme Court (consists of the chief justice and not more than 5 associate justices and organized into appellate and criminal divisions)
judge selection and term of office: justices appointed by the president of the Federated States of Micronesia with the approval of two-thirds of Congress; justices appointed for life
subordinate courts: the highest state-level courts are: Chuuk Supreme Court; Korsae State Court; Pohnpei State Court; Yap State Court
no formal parties
NA
ACP, ADB, AOSIS, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFC, IFRCS, IMF, IOC, IOM, IPU, ITSO, ITU, MIGA, OPCW, PIF, Sparteca, SPC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, WHO, WMO
chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Ad interim James A. NAICH
chancery: 1725 N Street NW, Washington, DC 20036
telephone: [1] (202) 223-4383
FAX: [1] (202) 223-4391
consulate(s) general: Honolulu, Tamuning (Guam)
chief of mission: Ambassador Dorothea-Maria (Doria) ROSEN (since 9 August 2012)
embassy: 101 Upper Pics Road, Kolonia
mailing address: P. O. Box 1286, Kolonia, Pohnpei, 96941; U.S. Embassy in Micronesia, 4120 Kolonia Place, Washington, D.C. 20521-4120
telephone: [691] 320-2187
FAX: [691] 320-2186
light blue with four white five-pointed stars centered; the stars are arranged in a diamond pattern; blue symbolizes the Pacific Ocean, the stars represent the four island groups of Chuuk, Kosrae, Pohnpei, and Yap
four, five-pointed, white stars on a light blue field; national colors: light blue, white
name: "Patriots of Micronesia"
lyrics/music: unknown
note: adopted 1991; also known as "Across All Micronesia"; the music is based on the 1820 German patriotic song "Ich hab mich ergeben", which was the West German national anthem from 1949-1950; variants of this tune are used in Johannes Brahms' "Festival Overture" and Gustav Mahler's "Third Symphony"
fish, sakau (kava), betel nuts, black pepper
tourism, construction; specialized aquaculture, craft items (shell and wood)
26.7% (2000 est.)
Economic activity consists largely of subsistence farming and fishing, and government, which employs two-thirds of the adult working population and receives funding largely - 58% in 2013 – from Compact of Free Association assistance provided by the US. Th
Under the terms of the original Compact, the US provided $1.3 billion in grants and aid from 1986 to 2001. The US and the Federated States of Micronesia (FSM) negotiated a second (amended) Compact agreement in 2002-03 that took effect in 2004. The amended
The country's medium-term economic outlook appears fragile because of dependence on US assistance and lackluster performance of its small and stagnant private sector.
$314 million (2016 est.)
$310.7 million (2015 est.)
$311.2 million (2014 est.)
note: data are in 2016 dollars
$325 million (2015 est.)
1.1% (2016 est.)
-0.2% (2015 est.)
-3.4% (2014 est.)
$3,000 (2016 est.)
$3,000 (2015 est.)
$3,000 (2014 est.)
note: data are in 2016 dollars
household consumption: 83.5%
government consumption: 41.8%
investment in fixed assets: 24.3%
investment in inventories: 0%
exports of goods and services: 26.6%
imports of goods and services: -76.2% (2013 est.)
agriculture: 26.3%
industry: 18.9%
services: 54.8% (2013 est.)
taro, yams, coconuts, bananas, cassava (manioc, tapioca), sakau (kava), Kosraen citrus, betel nuts, black pepper, fish, pigs, chickens
NA%
37,920 (2010 est.)
agriculture: 0.9%
industry: 5.2%
services: 93.9%
note: two-thirds of the labor force are government employees (2013 est.)
16.2% (2010 est.)
lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA%
61.1 (2013 est.)
revenues: $213.8 million
expenditures: $192.1 million (FY12/13 est.)
65.8% of GDP (FY12/13 est.)
6.7% of GDP (FY12/13 est.)
28% of GDP (2013)
27% of GDP (2012)
1 October - 30 September
1.9% (2016 est.)
-1% (2015 est.)
7.1% (2013 est.)
6.4% (2012 est.)
$196 million (31 December 2013 est.)
$225.2 million (31 December 2013 est.)
$56.98 million (2013 est.)
$56.77 million (31 December 2011 est.)
$3 million (2015 est.)
$3 million (2015 est.)
$88.3 million (2013 est.)
$95.7 million (2012 est.)
$258.5 million (2013 est.)
$263.4 million (2012 est.)
food, beverages, clothing, computers, household electronics, appliances, manufactured goods, automobiles, machinery and equipment, furniture, tools
$75.06 million (31 December 2011 est.)
$93.6 million (2013 est.)
$93.5 million (2012 est.)
$15.8 million (2013 est.)
$34.4 million (2012 est.)
the US dollar is used
0 bbl (1 January 2014)
population without electricity: 42,934
electrification - total population: 59%
electrification - urban areas: 100%
electrification - rural areas: 45% (2012)
192 million kWh (2002)
178.6 million kWh (2002)
0 kWh (2013 est.)
0 kWh (2013 est.)
18,000 kW (2015 est.)
96% of total installed capacity (2015 est.)
0% of total installed capacity (2015 est.)
1% of total installed capacity (2013 est.)
3% of total installed capacity (2013 est.)
0 bbl/day (2014)
0 bbl/day (2014)
0 bbl/day (2014)
0 bbl/day (2014)
0 bbl/day
0 cu m (2014)
0 cu m
105 Mt (2010 est.)
total subscriptions: 6,808
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 6 (July 2015 est.)
total: 31,400
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 30 (July 2013 est.)
general assessment: adequate system
domestic: islands interconnected by shortwave radiotelephone (used mostly for government purposes), satellite (Intelsat) ground stations, and some coaxial and fiber-optic cable; mobile-cellular service available on the major islands
international: country code - 691; satellite earth stations - 5 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean) (2015)
no TV broadcast stations; each state has a multi-channel cable service with TV transmissions carrying roughly 95% imported programming and 5% local programming; about a half-dozen radio stations (2009)
.fm
total: 33,000
percent of population: 31.5% (July 2015 est.)
V6 (2016)
6 (2013)
total: 6
1,524 to 2,437 m: 4
914 to 1,523 m: 2 (2013)
total: 388 km
paved: 184 km
unpaved: 204 km (2015)
total: 3
by type: cargo 1, passenger/cargo 2 (2010)
major seaport(s): Colonia (Tamil Harbor), Lele Harbor, Pohnepi Harbor
no regular military forces (2012)
defense is the responsibility of the US
none
major consumer of cannabis
