| Micronesia, Federated States of |
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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 United States. Present concerns include large-scale unemployment, overfishing, and overdependence on US aid.
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
note: includes Pohnpei (Ponape), Truk (Chuuk) Islands, Yap Islands, and Kosrae
Area - comparative: four times the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries: 0 km
Coastline: 6,112 km
Maritime claims:
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
territorial sea: 12 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 Truk
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: Totolom 791 m
Natural resources: forests, marine products, deep-seabed minerals
Land use:
arable land: NA%
permanent crops: NA%
permanent pastures: NA%
forests and woodland: NA%
other: NA%
Irrigated land: NA sq km
Natural hazards: typhoons (June to December)
Environment - current issues: overfishing
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
Population: 133,144 (July 2000 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: NA
15-64 years: NA
65 years and over: NA
Population growth rate: 3.28% (2000 est.)
Birth rate: 27.09 births/1,000 population (2000 est.)
Death rate: 5.95 deaths/1,000 population (2000 est.)
Net migration rate: 11.65 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2000 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 33.48 deaths/1,000 live births (2000 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 68.63 years
male: 66.67 years
female: 70.62 years (2000 est.)
Total fertility rate: 3.83 children born/woman (2000 est.)
Nationality:
noun: Micronesian(s)
adjective: Micronesian; Kosrae(s), Pohnpeian(s), Trukese, Yapese
Ethnic groups: nine ethnic Micronesian and Polynesian groups
Religions: Roman Catholic 50%, Protestant 47%, other and none 3%
Languages: English (official and common language), Trukese, Pohnpeian, Yapese, Kosrean
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 89%
male: 91%
female: 88% (1980 est.)
Country name:
conventional long form: Federated States of Micronesia
conventional short form: none
former: Kosrae, Ponape, Truk, and Yap Districts (Trust Territory of the Pacific
Islands)
abbreviation: FSM
Data code: FM
Government type: constitutional government in free association with the US; the Compact of Free Association entered into force 3 November 1986
Capital: Palikir
Administrative divisions: 4 states; Chuuk (Truk), Kosrae, Pohnpei, Yap
Independence: 3 November 1986 (from the US-administered UN Trusteeship)
National holiday: Proclamation of the Federated States of Micronesia, 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 Leo A. FALCAM (since NA May 1999); Vice President Redley
KILLION (since NA May 1999); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of
government
head of government: President Leo A. FALCAM (since NA May 1999); Vice President
Redley KILLION (since NA May 1999); 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 NA May 1999 (next to be held NA
May 2003)
election results: Leo A. FALCAM elected president; percent of Congress vote - NA;
Redley KILLION elected vice president; percent of Congress vote - NA
Legislative branch: unicameral Congress (14 seats; members elected by popular
vote; four - one elected from each of state - to serve four-year terms and 10 - elected
from single-member districts delineated by population - to serve two-year terms)
elections: elections for four-year term seats last held 2 March 1999 (next to be
held NA March 2003); elections for two-year term seats last held NA March 1999 (next to be
held NA March 2001)
election results: percent of vote - NA; seats - independents 14
Judicial branch: Supreme Court
Political parties and leaders: no formal parties
International organization participation: AsDB, ESCAP, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IFC, IMF, Intelsat, IOC, ITU, OPCW, Sparteca, SPC, SPF, UN, UNCTAD, 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 (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Ann WRIGHT
embassy: address NA, Kolonia
mailing address: P. O. Box 1286, 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 - 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 remoteness of the location and a lack of adequate facilities hinder development. Financial assistance from the US is the primary source of revenue, with the US pledged to spend $1.3 billion in the islands in 1986-2001. Geographical isolation and a poorly developed infrastructure are major impediments to long-term growth.
GDP: purchasing power parity - $240 million (1997 est.)
note: GDP is supplemented by grant aid, averaging perhaps $100 million annually
GDP - real growth rate: 3% (1997 est.)
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $2,000 (1997 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 19%
industry: 4%
services: 77% (1996 est.)
Population below poverty line: NA%
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA%
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 4% (1996 est.)
Labor force: NA
Labor force - by occupation: two-thirds are government employees
Unemployment rate: 27% (1989)
Budget:
revenues: $58 million
expenditures: $52 million, including capital expenditures of $4.7 million (FY95/96
est.)
Industries: tourism, construction, fish processing, craft items from shell, wood, and pearls
Industrial production growth rate: NA%
Electricity - production: NA kWh
Electricity - production by source:
fossil fuel: NA%
hydro: NA%
nuclear: NA%
other: NA%
Electricity - consumption: NA kWh
Electricity - exports: NA kWh
Electricity - imports: NA kWh
Agriculture - products: black pepper, tropical fruits and vegetables, coconuts, cassava (tapioca), sweet potatoes; pigs, chickens
Exports: $73 million (f.o.b., 1996 est.)
Exports - commodities: fish, garments, bananas, black pepper
Exports - partners: Japan, US, Guam
Imports: $168 million (c.i.f., 1996 est.)
Imports - commodities: food, manufactured goods, machinery and equipment, beverages
Imports - partners: US, Japan, Australia
Debt - external: $111 million (1997 est.)
Economic aid - recipient: $79 million (1998); note - under terms of the Compact of Free Association, the US will provide $1.3 billion in grant aid during the period 1986-2001
Currency: 1 United States dollar (US$) = 100 cents
Exchange rates: US currency is used
Fiscal year: 1 October - 30 September
Telephones - main lines in use: 8,000 (1995)
Telephones - mobile cellular: NA
Telephone system:
domestic: islands interconnected by shortwave radiotelephone (used mostly for
government purposes)
international: satellite earth stations - 4 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)
Radio broadcast stations: AM 5, FM 1, shortwave 0 (1998)
Radios: NA
Television broadcast stations: 2 (1997)
Televisions: NA
Internet Service Providers (ISPs): NA
Railways: 0 km
Highways:
total: 240 km
paved: 42 km
unpaved: 198 km (1996 est.)
Ports and harbors: Colonia (Yap), Kolonia (Pohnpei), Lele, Moen
Merchant marine: none (1999 est.)
Airports: 6 (1999 est.)
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 5
1,524 to 2,437 m: 4
914 to 1,523 m: 1 (1999 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 1 (1999 est.)
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
Disputes - international: none