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.

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
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m ; highest point: Dolohmwar (Totolom) 791 m
forests, marine products, deep-seabed minerals, phosphate
arable land: 5.71% ; permanent crops: 45.71% ; other: 48.58% (2005)
NA


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
four major island groups totaling 607 islands
107,862 (July 2007 est.)
0-14 years: 35.9% (male 19,726/female 19,011) ; 15-64 years: 61.2% (male 32,891/female 33,071) ; 65 years and over: 2.9% (male 1,379/female 1,784) (2007 est.)
total: 21.2 years ; male: 20.8 years ; female: 21.7 years (2007 est.)
-0.154% (2007 est.)
24.14 births/1,000 population (2007 est.)
4.66 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.)
-21.02 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2007 est.)
NA (2007 est.)
total: 28.15 deaths/1,000 live births ; male: 31.08 deaths/1,000 live births ; female: 25.08 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.)
total population: 70.35 years ; male: 68.52 years ; female: 72.28 years (2007 est.)
3.07 children born/woman (2007 est.)
NA
NA
NA
noun: Micronesian(s) ; adjective: Micronesian; Chuukese, Kosraen(s), Pohnpeian(s), Yapese
Chuukese 48.8%, Pohnpeian 24.2%, Kosraean 6.2%, Yapese 5.2%, Yap outer islands 4.5%, Asian 1.8%, Polynesian 1.5%, other 6.4%, unknown 1.4% (2000 census)
Roman Catholic 50%, Protestant 47%, other 3%
English (official and common language), Trukese, Pohnpeian, Yapese, Kosrean, Ulithian, Woleaian, Nukuoro, Kapingamarangi
definition: age 15 and over can read and write ; total population: 89% ; male: 91% ; female: 88% (1980 est.)


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
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
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)
10 May 1979
based on adapted Trust Territory laws, acts of the legislature, municipal, common, and customary laws
18 years of age; universal
chief of state: President Emmanuel MORI (since 11 May 2007); Vice President Alik L. ALIK (11 May 2007) note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government ; head of government: President Emmanuel MORI (since 11 May 2007); Vice President Alik L. ALIK (11 May 2007) ; cabinet: Cabinet includes the vice president and the heads of the eight executive departments ; elections: president and vice president elected by Congress from among the four senators at large for a four-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held 11 May 2007 (next to be held May 2011); note - a proposed constitutional amendment to establish popular elections for president and vice president failed ; election results: Emmanuel MORI elected president; percent of Congress vote - NA; Alik L. ALIK elected vice president; percent of Congress vote - NA
unicameral Congress (14 seats; 4 - 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: last held 6 March 2007 (next to be held in March 2009) ; election results: percent of vote - NA%; seats - independents 14
Supreme Court
no formal parties

ACP, AsDB, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFC, IFRCS, IMF, IOC, ITSO, ITU, MIGA, OPCW, PIF, Sparteca, SPC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, WHO, WMO
light blue with four white five-pointed stars centered; the stars are arranged in a diamond pattern
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, Tamuning (Guam)
chief of mission: Ambassador Miriam K. HUGHES ; embassy: 101 Upper Pics Road, Kolonia ; mailing address: P. O. Box 1286, Kolonia, Pohnpei, 96941 ; telephone: [691] 320-2187 ; FAX: [691] 320-2186





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 current slow growth of the private sector.
$277 million; note - supplemented by grant aid, averaging perhaps $100 million annually (2002 est.)
$232 million (2005)
0.3% (2005 est.)
$2,300 (2005 est.)
agriculture: 28.9% ; industry: 15.2% ; services: 55.9% (2004 est.)
37,410 (2000)
agriculture 0.9%, industry 0.9%, services 64.7% ; note: 34.4%, two-thirds are government employees (FY05 est.)
22% (2000 est.)
26.7% (2000)
lowest 10%: NA% ; highest 10%: NA%

2.2% (2005)

revenues: $127.3 million ($69 million less grants) ; expenditures: $144.2 million (FY05 est.)

black pepper, tropical fruits and vegetables, coconuts, bananas, cassava (tapioca), sakau (kava), betel nuts, sweet potatoes; pigs, chickens; fish
tourism, construction; fish processing, specialized aquaculture; craft items from shell, wood, and pearls
NA%
192 million kWh (2002)
NA
178.6 million kWh (2002)
0 kWh (2002)
0 kWh (2002)










-$34.3 million (FY05 est.)
$14 million (f.o.b.) (2004 est.)
fish, garments, bananas, black pepper, sakau (kava), betel nut
Japan, US, Guam (2006)
$132.7 million f.o.b. (2004)
US, Japan, Hong Kong (2006)


$60.8 million (FY05 est.)


$NA
US dollar (USD)
USD
the US dollar is used
1 October - 30 September
$106.4 million ; note: 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 (2005)
12,400 (2005)
14,100 (2005)
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)
AM 5, FM 1, shortwave 0 (2004)
9,400 (1996)
3 (cable TV also available) (2004)
2,800 (1999)
.fm
632 (2007)
1 (2000)
16,000 (2006)

6 (2007)
total: 6 ; 1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 ; 914 to 1,523 m: 2 (2007)




total: 240 km ; paved: 42 km ; unpaved: 198 km (1999)

total: 3 ships (1000 GRT or over) 3,560 GRT/2,060 DWT ; by type: cargo 1, passenger/cargo 2 (2007)
Tomil Harbor

no regular military forces (2007)

males age 18-49: 23,816 (2005 est.)
males age 18-49: 18,914 (2005 est.)
males age 18-49: 1,305 (2005 est.)

defense is the responsibility of the US
none

major consumer of cannabis

