2010 Edition

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.

Area

land

702 sq km

total

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)

Climate

tropical; heavy year-round rainfall, especially in the eastern islands; located on southern edge of the typhoon belt with occasionally severe damage

Coastline

6,112 km

Elevation extremes

highest point

Dolohmwar (Totolom) 791 m

lowest point

Pacific Ocean 0 m

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

Geographic coordinates

6 55 N, 158 15 E

Geography - note

four major island groups totaling 607 islands

Irrigated land

NA

Land boundaries

0 km

Land use

arable land

5.71%

other

48.58% (2005)

permanent crops

45.71%

Location

Oceania, island group in the North Pacific Ocean, about three-quarters of the way from Hawaii to Indonesia

Map references

Oceania

Maritime claims

exclusive economic zone

200 nm

territorial sea

12 nm

Natural hazards

typhoons (June to December)

Natural resources

timber, marine products, deep-seabed minerals, phosphate

Terrain

islands vary geologically from high mountainous islands to low, coral atolls; volcanic outcroppings on Pohnpei, Kosrae, and Chuuk

Age structure

0-14 years: 34.8% (male 19,010/female 18,411) 15-64 years: 62.3% (male 33,286/female 33,629) 65 years and over: 2.9% (male 1,317/female 1,781) (2010 est.)

Birth rate

22.57 births/1,000 population (2010 est.)

Death rate

4.4 deaths/1,000 population (July 2010 est.)

Education expenditures

7.3% of GDP (2000)

Ethnic groups

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)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths

NA

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

NA

Infant mortality rate

female

22.45 deaths/1,000 live births (2010 est.)

male

27.82 deaths/1,000 live births

total

25.2 deaths/1,000 live births

Languages

English (official and common language), Chuukese, Kosrean, Pohnpeian, Yapese, Ulithian, Woleaian, Nukuoro, Kapingamarangi

Life expectancy at birth

female

73.24 years (2010 est.)

male

69.32 years

total population

71.23 years

Literacy

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

female

88% (1980 est.)

male

91%

total population

89%

Median age

female

22.9 years (2010 est.)

male

21.8 years

total

22.4 years

Nationality

adjective

Micronesian; Chuukese, Kosraen(s), Pohnpeian(s), Yapese

noun

Micronesian(s)

Net migration rate

-21.01 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2010 est.)

Population

107,154 (July 2010 est.)

Population growth rate

-0.284% (2010 est.)

Religions

Roman Catholic 52.7%, Congregational 40.1%, Baptist 0.9%, Seventh-Day Adventist 0.7%, other 3.8%, none or unspecified 0.8% (2000 Census)

Sex ratio

at birth

1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.74 male(s)/female

total population

0.99 male(s)/female (2010 est.)

Total fertility rate

2.8 children born/woman (2010 est.)

Urbanization

rate of urbanization

0.8% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

urban population

22% of total population (2008)

Administrative divisions

4 states; Chuuk (Truk), Kosrae (Kosaie), Pohnpei (Ponape), Yap

Capital

geographic coordinates

6 55 N, 158 09 E

name

Palikir

time difference

UTC+11 (16 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

Constitution

10 May 1979

Country name

abbreviation

FSM

conventional long form

Federated States of Micronesia

conventional short form

none

former

Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands, Ponape, Truk, and Yap Districts

local long form

Federated States of Micronesia

local short form

none

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission

Ambassador Peter A. PRAHAR

embassy

101 Upper Pics Road, Kolonia

FAX

[691] 320-2186

mailing address

P. O. Box 1286, Kolonia, Pohnpei, 96941

telephone

[691] 320-2187

Diplomatic representation in the US

chancery

1725 N Street NW, Washington, DC 20036

chief of mission

Ambassador Yosiwo GEORGE

consulate(s) general

Honolulu, Tamuning (Guam)

FAX

[1] (202) 223-4391

telephone

[1] (202) 223-4383

Executive branch

cabinet

Cabinet includes the vice president and the heads of the 8 executive departments (For more information visit the World Leaders website )

chief of state

President Emanuel MORI (since 11 May 2007); Vice President Alik L. ALIK (since 11 May 2007); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government

election results

Emanuel MORI elected president; percent of Congress vote - NA; Alik L. ALIK elected vice president; percent of Congress vote - NA

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 on 11 May 2007 (next to be held in May 2011); note - a proposed constitutional amendment to establish popular elections for president and vice president failed

head of government

President Emanuel MORI (since 11 May 2007); Vice President Alik L. ALIK (since 11 May 2007)

Flag description

light blue with four white five-pointed stars centered; the stars are arranged in a diamond pattern; blue symbolizes the Pacific Ocean, the stars represent the four island groups of Chuuk, Kosrae, Pohnpei, and Yap

Government type

constitutional government in free association with the US; the Compact of Free Association entered into force on 3 November 1986 and the Amended Compact entered into force in May 2004

Independence

3 November 1986 (from the US-administered UN trusteeship)

International organization participation

ACP, ADB, AOSIS, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFC, IFRCS, IMF, IOC, ITSO, ITU, MIGA, OPCW, PIF, Sparteca, SPC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, WHO, WMO

Judicial branch

Supreme Court

Legal system

based on adapted Trust Territory laws, acts of the legislature, municipal, common, and customary laws; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

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)

election results

percent of vote - NA%; seats - independents 14

elections

last held on 3 March 2009 (next to be held in March 2011)

National anthem

lyrics/music

unknown note: adopted 1991; the anthem is also known as "Across All Micronesia;" the music is based on the 1820 German patriotic song "Ich hab mich ergeben," which was the West German national anthem from 1949-1950; variants of this tune are used in Johannes Brahms' "Festival Overture" and Gustav Mahler's "Third Symphony"

name

"Patriots of Micronesia"

National holiday

Constitution Day, 10 May (1979)

Political parties and leaders

no formal parties

Political pressure groups and leaders

NA

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Agriculture - products

black pepper, tropical fruits and vegetables, coconuts, bananas, cassava (tapioca), sakau (kava), Kosraen citrus, betel nuts, sweet potatoes; pigs, chickens; fish

Commercial bank prime lending rate

15.38% (31 December 2009 est.) 14.38% (31 December 2008 est.)

Current account balance

-$34.3 million (FY05 est.)

Debt - external

$60.8 million (FY05 est.)

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. Under the original terms of the Compact of Free Association, the US provided $1.3 billion in grant aid during the period 1986-2001; the level of aid has been subsequently reduced. 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.

Electricity - consumption

178.6 million kWh (2002)

Electricity - exports

0 kWh (2002)

Electricity - imports

0 kWh (2002)

Electricity - production

192 million kWh (2002)

Exchange rates

the US dollar is used

Exports

$14 million (2004 est.)

Exports - commodities

fish, garments, bananas, black pepper, sakau (kava), betel nut

GDP - composition by sector

agriculture

28.9%

industry

15.2%

services

55.9% (2004 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP)

$2,200 (2008 est.) $2,300 (2005 est.) note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP - real growth rate

NA% 0.3% (2005 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate)

$238.1 million (2008)

GDP (purchasing power parity)

$238.1 million (2008 est.) $277 million (2002 est.) note: data are in 2008 US dollars GDP supplemented by grant aid, averaging perhaps $100 million annually

Household income or consumption by percentage share

lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%

Imports

$132.7 million (2004)

Imports - commodities

food, manufactured goods, machinery and equipment, beverages

Industrial production growth rate

NA%

Industries

tourism, construction; fish processing, specialized aquaculture; craft items (from shell, wood, and pearls)

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

2.2% (2005)

Labor force

16,360 (2008)

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture

0.9%

industry

34.4%

services

64.7% note: two-thirds are government employees (FY05 est.)

Population below poverty line

26.7% (2000)

Stock of broad money

$114 million (31 December 2009 est.) $98 million (31 December 2008 est.)

Stock of domestic credit

$65.68 million (31 December 2009) $43.75 million (31 December 2008)

Stock of narrow money

$29.02 million (31 December 2009) $21.21 million (31 December 2008)

Unemployment rate

22% (2000 est.)

Broadcast media

no television broadcast stations; each state has a multi-channel cable service with television transmissions carrying roughly 95% imported programming and 5% local programming; about a half dozen radio stations in operation (2009)

Internet country code

.fm

Internet hosts

3,097 (2010)

Internet users

17,000 (2009)

Telephone system

domestic

islands interconnected by shortwave radiotelephone (used mostly for government purposes), satellite (Intelsat) ground stations, and some coaxial and fiber-optic cable; mobile-cellular service available on Kosrae, Pohnpei, and Yap

general assessment

adequate system

international

country code - 691; satellite earth stations - 5 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean) (2002)

Telephones - main lines in use

8,700 (2009)

Telephones - mobile cellular

38,000 (2009)

Airports

6 (2010)

Airports - with paved runways

total

6 1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 914 to 1,523 m: 2 (2010)

Merchant marine

by type

cargo 1, passenger/cargo 2 (2010)

total

3

Ports and terminals

Colonia (Tomil Harbor), Lele Harbor, Pohnepi Harbor

Roadways

paved

42 km

total

240 km

unpaved

198 km (2000)

Manpower available for military service

males age 16-49: 26,687 (2010 est.)

Manpower fit for military service

males age 16-49: 21,909 females age 16-49: 23,410 (2010 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually

female

1,221 (2010 est.)

male

1,270

Military - note

defense is the responsibility of the US

Military branches

no regular military forces

Disputes - international

none

Illicit drugs

major consumer of cannabis page last updated on January 11, 2011 ======================================================================