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| Micronesia, Federated States of |

Introduction | Micronesia, Federated States of

Background: | In 1979 the Federated States of Micronesia, a UN Trust Territory under US administration, adopted a constitution. In 1986 independence was attained under a Compact of Free Association with the US, which was amended and renewed in 2004. Present concerns include large-scale unemployment, overfishing, and overdependence on US aid.

Geography | Micronesia, Federated States of

Location: | Oceania, island group in the North Pacific Ocean, about three-quarters of the way from Hawaii to Indonesia
Geographic coordinates: | 6 55 N, 158 15 E
Map references: | Oceania
Area: | 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)
Area - comparative: | four times the size of Washington, DC (land area only)
Land boundaries: | 0 km
Coastline: | 6,112 km
Maritime claims: | territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Climate: | tropical; heavy year-round rainfall, especially in the eastern islands; located on southern edge of the typhoon belt with occasionally severe damage
Terrain: | islands vary geologically from high mountainous islands to low, coral atolls; volcanic outcroppings on Pohnpei, Kosrae, and Chuuk
Elevation extremes: | lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: Dolohmwar (Totolom) 791 m
Natural resources: | forests, marine products, deep-seabed minerals, phosphate
Land use: | arable land: 5.71% permanent crops: 45.71% other: 48.58% (2001)
Irrigated land: | NA
Natural hazards: | typhoons (June to December)
Environment - current issues: | overfishing, climate change, pollution
Environment - international agreements: | 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
Geography - note: | four major island groups totaling 607 islands

People | Micronesia, Federated States of

Population: | 108,105 (July 2005 est.)
Age structure: | 0-14 years: 37.1% (male 20,439/female 19,674) 15-64 years: 59.8% (male 32,382/female 32,313) 65 years and over: 3% (male 1,461/female 1,836) (2005 est.)
Population growth rate: | -0.08% (2005 est.)
Birth rate: | 25.11 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Death rate: | 4.87 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Net migration rate: | -21.01 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Sex ratio: | NA
Infant mortality rate: | total: 30.21 deaths/1,000 live births male: 33.3 deaths/1,000 live births female: 26.97 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: | total population: 69.75 years male: 67.96 years female: 71.62 years (2005 est.)
Total fertility rate: | 3.25 children born/woman (2005 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: | NA
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: | NA
HIV/AIDS - deaths: | NA
Nationality: | noun: Micronesian(s) adjective: Micronesian; Chuukese, Kosraen(s), Pohnpeian(s), Yapese
Ethnic groups: | nine ethnic Micronesian and Polynesian groups
Religions: | Roman Catholic 50%, Protestant 47%
Languages: | English (official and common language), Trukese, Pohnpeian, Yapese, Kosrean, Ulithian, Woleaian, Nukuoro, Kapingamarangi
Literacy: | definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 89% male: 91% female: 88% (1980 est.)

Government | Micronesia, Federated States of

Country name: | conventional long form: Federated States of Micronesia conventional short form: none former: Ponape, Truk, and Yap Districts (Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands) abbreviation: FSM
Government type: | constitutional government in free association with the US; the Compact of Free Association entered into force 3 November 1986 and the Amended Compact entered into force May 2004
Capital: | Palikir
Administrative divisions: | 4 states; Chuuk (Truk), Kosrae (Kosaie), Pohnpei (Ponape), Yap
Independence: | 3 November 1986 (from the US-administered UN Trusteeship)
National holiday: | Constitution Day, 10 May (1979)
Constitution: | 10 May 1979
Legal system: | based on adapted Trust Territory laws, acts of the legislature, municipal, common, and customary laws
Suffrage: | 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch: | chief of state: President Joseph J. URUSEMAL (since 11 May 2003); Vice President Redley KILLION (11 May 2003); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government head of government: President Joseph J. URUSEMAL (since 11 May 2003); Vice President Redley KILLION (11 May 2003); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government cabinet: Cabinet elections: president and vice president elected by Congress from among the four senators at large for four-year terms; election last held 11 May 2003 (next to be held May 2007); note - a proposed constitutional amendment to establish popular elections for president and vice president failed election results: Joseph J. URUSEMAL elected president; percent of Congress vote - NA%; Redley KILLION elected vice president; percent of Congress vote - NA%
Legislative branch: | unicameral Congress (14 seats; four - one elected from each state to serve four-year terms and 10 - elected from single-member districts delineated by population to serve two-year terms; members elected by popular vote) elections: elections for four-year term seats last held 4 March 2003 (next to be held March 2007); elections for two-year term seats last held 8 March 2005 (next to be held March 2007) election results: percent of vote - NA%; seats - independents 14
Judicial branch: | Supreme Court
Political parties and leaders: | no formal parties
International organization participation: | ACP, AsDB, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IFC, IFRCS, IMF, IOC, ITU, MIGA, OPCW, PIF, Sparteca, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, WHO, WMO
Diplomatic representation in the US: | chief of mission: Ambassador Jesse Bibiano MAREHALAU chancery: 1725 N Street NW, Washington, DC 20036 telephone: [1] (202) 223-4383 FAX: [1] (202) 223-4391 consulate(s) general: Honolulu and Tamuning (Guam)
Diplomatic representation from the US: | chief of mission: Ambassador Suzanne K. HALE embassy: 101 Upper Pics Road, Kolonia mailing address: P. O. Box 1286, Kolonia, Pohnpei, Federated States of Micronesia 96941 telephone: [691] 320-2187 FAX: [691] 320-2186
Flag description: | light blue with four white five-pointed stars centered; the stars are arranged in a diamond pattern

Economy | Micronesia, Federated States of

Economy - overview: | Economic activity consists primarily of subsistence farming and fishing. The islands have few mineral deposits worth exploiting, except for high-grade phosphate. The potential for a tourist industry exists, but the remote location, a lack of adequate facilities, and limited air connections hinder development. The Amended Compact of Free Association with the US guarantees the Federated States of Micronesia (FSM) millions of dollars in annual aid through 2023, and establishes a Trust Fund into which the US and the FSM make annual contributions in order to provide annual payouts to the FSM in perpetuity after 2023. The country's medium-term economic outlook appears fragile due not only to the reduction in US assistance but also to the slow growth of the private sector. Geographical isolation and a poorly developed infrastructure remain major impediments to long-term growth.
GDP (purchasing power parity): | $277 million note: GDP is supplemented by grant aid, averaging perhaps $100 million annually (2002 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: | 1% (2002 est.)
GDP - per capita: | purchasing power parity - $2,000 (2002 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: | agriculture: 50% industry: 4% services: 46% (2000 est.)
Labor force: | NA
Labor force - by occupation: | two-thirds are government employees
Unemployment rate: | 16% (1999 est.)
Population below poverty line: | 26.7%
Household income or consumption by percentage share: | lowest 10%: NA highest 10%: NA
Inflation rate (consumer prices): | 1% (2002 est.)
Budget: | revenues: $161 million ($69 million less grants) expenditures: $160 million, including capital expenditures of NA (1998 est.)
Agriculture - products: | black pepper, tropical fruits and vegetables, coconuts, cassava (tapioca), betel nuts, sweet potatoes; pigs, chickens
Industries: | tourism, construction, fish processing, specialized aquaculture, craft items from shell, wood, and pearls
Industrial production growth rate: | NA
Electricity - production: | 192 million kWh (2002)
Electricity - production by source: | NA
Electricity - consumption: | 178.6 million kWh (2002)
Electricity - exports: | 0 kWh (2002)
Electricity - imports: | 0 kWh (2002)
Exports: | $22 million (f.o.b.) (FY99/00 est.)
Exports - commodities: | fish, garments, bananas, black pepper
Exports - partners: | Japan, US, Guam (2000)
Imports: | $149 million f.o.b. (FY99/00 est.)
Imports - commodities: | food, manufactured goods, machinery and equipment, beverages
Imports - partners: | US, Australia, Japan (2000)
Debt - external: | $53.1 million (FY02/03 est.)
Economic aid - recipient: | under terms of the Compact of Free Association, the US pledged $1.3 billion in grant aid during the period 1986-2001; the level of aid has been subsequently reduced
Currency (code): | US dollar (USD)
Currency code: | USD
Exchange rates: | the US dollar is used
Fiscal year: | 1 October - 30 September

Communications | Micronesia, Federated States of

Telephones - main lines in use: | 10,100 (2001)
Telephones - mobile cellular: | 1,800 (2002)
Telephone system: | 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; cellular service available on Kosrae, Pohnpei, and Yap international: country code - 691; satellite earth stations - 5 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean) (2002)
Radio broadcast stations: | AM 5, FM 1, shortwave 0 (2004)
Radios: | 9,400 (1996)
Television broadcast stations: | 3; note - cable TV also available (2004)
Televisions: | 2,800 (1999)
Internet country code: | .fm
Internet Service Providers (ISPs): | 1 (2000)
Internet users: | 6,000 (2002)

Transportation | Micronesia, Federated States of

Highways: | total: 240 km paved: 42 km unpaved: 198 km (1999 est.)
Ports and harbors: | Tomil Harbor
Merchant marine: | total: 2 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 2,423 GRT/1,551 DWT by type: cargo 1, passenger/cargo 1 foreign-owned: 2 (United States 2) (2005)
Airports: | 6 (2004 est.)
Airports - with paved runways: | total: 6 1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 914 to 1,523 m: 2 (2004 est.)

Military | Micronesia, Federated States of

Military branches: | no ministry of defense and no standing armed forces; the paramilitary Maritime Wing, a small maritime law enforcement unit, is responsible to the Division of Maritime Surveillance within the Office of the Attorney General (2003)
Military - note: | Federated States of Micronesia (FSM) is a sovereign, self-governing state in free association with the US; FSM is totally dependent on the US for its defense

Transnational Issues | Micronesia, Federated States of

Disputes - international: | none

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005