1989 Edition
CIA World Factbook 1989 (Internet Archive)
Geography
Climate
tropical; heavy year-round rainfall, especially in the eastern islands; located on southern edge of the typhoon belt with occasional severe damage
Coastline
6,1 12 km
Comparative area
slightly less than four times the size of Washington, DC
Environment
subject to typhoons from June to December; four major island groups totaling 607 islands
Extended economic zone
200 nm
Fiscal year
1 October-30 September
Land boundaries
none
Land use
NA% arable land; NA% permanent crops; NA% meadows and pastures; NA% forest and woodland; NA% other
Natural resources
forests, marine products, deep-seabed minerals
Note
located 5,150 km west-southwest of Honolulu in the North Pacific Ocean, about three-quarters of the way between Hawaii and Indonesia
Terrain
islands vary geologically from high mountainous islands to low, coral atolls; volcanic outcroppings on Pohnpei, Kosrae, and Truk
Territorial sea
1 2 nm
Total area
702 km2; land area: 702 km2; includes Pohnpei, Truk, Yap, and Kosrae
Total area
1000 km Yap Islands Inlands KOLONIA Tru*'" Islands. Kapingamarangi North Pacific Ocean
People and Society
Birth rate
34 births/ 1,000 population (1990)
Death rate
5 deaths/ 1 ,000 population (1990)
Ethnic divisions
nine ethnic Micronesian and Polynesian groups
Infant mortality rate
26 deaths/ 1 ,000 live births (1990)
Labor force
NA; two-thirds are government employees; 45,000 people are between the ages of 1 5 and 65
Language
English is the official and common language; most indigenous languages fall within the Austronesian language family, the exceptions are the Polynesian languages; major indigenous languages are Trukese, Pohnpeian, Yapese, and Kosrean
Life expectancy at birth
68 years male, 73 years female (1990)
Literacy
NA%, but education compulsory through eight grades
Nationality
noun — Micronesian(s); adjective— Micronesian; Kosrae(s), Pohnpeian(s), Trukese, Yapese
Net migration rate
— 2 migrants/ 1 ,000 population (1990)
Organized labor
NA
Population
104,937 (July 1990), growth rate 2.6% (1990)
Religion
predominantly Christian, divided between Roman Catholic and Protestant; other churches include Assembly of God, Jehovah's Witnesses, Seventh-Day Adventist, Latter Day Saints, and the Baha'i Faith
Total fertility rate
5.0 children born/ woman (1990)
Government
Administrative divisions
4 states; Kosrae, Pohnpei, Truk, Yap
Capital
Kolonia (on the island of Pohnpei); note — a new capital is being built about 10 km southwest in the Palikir valley
Communists
none
Constitution
10 May 1979
Diplomatic representation
Deputy Representative Jesse B. MAREHALAN; Representative Office at 706 G Street SE, Washington DC 20003; telephone (202) 544-2640; US— Representative Michael G. WYGANT; US Office at address NA, Kolonia (mailing address is P. O. Box 1 286, Pohnpei, Federated States of Micronesia 96941); telephone 691-320-2187
Elections
President — last held 1 1 May 1987 (next to be held May 1991); results — John R. Haglelgam was elected; House of Representatives — last held on NA (next to be held NA); results— percent of vote NA; seats — (NA total)
Executive branch
president, vice president, Cabinet
Flag
light blue with four white five-pointed stars centered; the stars are arranged in a diamond pattern
Independence
3 November 1986 (from the US-administered UN Trusteeship; formerly the Kosrae, Pohnpei, Truk, and Yap districts of the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands)
Judicial branch
Supreme Court
Leaders
Chief of State and Head of Government— President John R. HAGLELGAM (since 11 May 1987); Vice President Hiroshi H. ISMAEL (since 1 1 May 1987) Political parties and leaders: no formal parties
Legal system
based on adapted Trust Territory laws, acts of the legislature, municipal, common, and customary laws
Legislative branch
unicameral House of Representatives
Long-form name
Federated States of Micronesia (no short-form name)
Member of
SPF, ESCAP (associate)
National holiday
Proclamation of the Federated States of Micronesia, 10 May (1979)
Suffrage
universal at age 18
Type
constitutional government in free association with the US; the Compact of Free Association entered into force 3 November 1986
Economy
Agriculture
mainly a subsistence economy; copra, black pepper; tropical fruits and vegetables, coconuts, cassava, sweet potatoes, pigs, chickens
Aid
under terms of the Compact of Free Association, the US will provide $1.3 billion in grant aid during the period 1986-
Budget
revenues $110.8 million; expenditures NA, including capital expenditures of NA (1987 est.)
Currency
US currency is used
Electricity
15,000 kW capacity; 35 million kWh produced, 340 kWh per capita (1989)
Exchange rates
US currency is used
Exports
$1.6 million (f.o.b., 1983); commodities— copra; partners — NA
External debt
SNA
GNP
$150 million, per capita $1,500; real growth rate NA% (1989 est.)
Imports
$48.9 million (c.i.f., 1983); commodities— NA; partners — NA
Industrial production
growth rate NA%
Industries
tourism, craft items from shell, wood, and pearl
Inflation rate (consumer prices)
NA%
Overview
Financial assistance from the US is the primary source of revenue, with the US pledged to spend $1 billion in the islands in the 1990s. Micronesia also earns about $4 million a year in fees from foreign commercial fishing concerns. 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; note — GNP numbers reflect US spending.
Unemployment rate
80%
Communications
Airports
1 1 total, 10 usable; 7 with permanent-surface runways; 6 with runways 1,220-2,439
Highways
39 km of paved macadam and concrete roads on major islands, otherwise 1 87 km stone-, coral-, or laterite-surfaced roads
Note
defense is the responsibility of the US
Ports
Colonia (Yap), Truk (Kosrae), Okat (Kosrae)
Telecommunications
16,000 radio receivers, 1,125 TV sets (est. 1987); telephone network — 960 telephone lines at both Kolonia and Truk; islands interconnected by shortwave radio (used mostly for government purposes); stations — 5 AM, 1 FM, 6 TV, 1 shortwave; 4 Pacific Ocean INTELSAT earth stations Defense Forces