Micronesia, Federated States of

§1. Micronesia Introduction

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.

§2. Micronesia Geography

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 kmē
  land: 702 kmē
  water: 0 kmē (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% (2005)

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

§3. Micronesia People

Population:
  108,004 (July 2006 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 36.6% (male 20,116/female 19,391)
  15-64 years: 60.4% (male 32,620/female 32,659)
  65 years and over: 3% (male 1,413/female 1,805) (2006 est.)

Median age:
  total: 20.9 years
  male: 20.5 years
  female: 21.4 years (2006 est.)

Population growth rate:
  -0.11% (2006 est.)

Birth rate:
  24.68 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Death rate:
  4.75 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Net migration rate:
  -21.03 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Sex ratio:
  NA

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 29.16 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 32.17 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 26.01 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 70.05 years
  male: 68.24 years
  female: 71.95 years (2006 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  3.16 children born/woman (2006 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.)

§4. Micronesia Government

Country name:
  conventional long form: Federated States of Micronesia
  conventional short form: none
  former: Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands, Ponape, Truk, and Yap
    Districts
  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 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 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; 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: 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, ICRM, IDA, IFC, IFRCS, IMF, IOC, ITU,
  MIGA, OPCW, PIF, Sparteca, SPC, 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, 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

§5. Micronesia Economy

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.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
  $277 million; note - supplemented by grant aid, averaging perhaps $100
  million annually (2002 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):
  NA

GDP - real growth rate:
  1% (2002 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):
  $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; fish

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 - 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 (2004)

Imports:
  $149 million f.o.b. (FY99/00 est.)

Imports - commodities:
  food, manufactured goods, machinery and equipment, beverages

Imports - partners:
  US, Australia, Japan (2004)

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)

Exchange rates:
  the US dollar is used

Fiscal year:
  1 October - 30 September

§6. Micronesia Communications

Telephones - main lines in use:
  12,000 (2004)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  12,800 (2004)

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)

Television broadcast stations:
  3; note - cable TV also available (2004)

Internet country code:
  .fm

Internet hosts:
  433 (2005)

Internet users:
  12,000 (2005)

§7. Micronesia Transportation

Airports:
  6 (2005)

Airports - with paved runways:
  total: 6
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 4
  914 to 1,523 m: 2 (2005)

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

Merchant marine:
  total: 2 ships (1000 GRT or over) 2,423 GRT/1,551 DWT
  by type: cargo 1, passenger/cargo 1
  foreign-owned: 2 (US 2) (2005)

Ports and terminals:
  Tomil Harbor

§8. Micronesia Military

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

§9. Micronesia Transnational Issues

Disputes - international:
  none


<Factbook 2006>
