2024 Edition Primary

Background

Each of the four states that compose the Federated States of Micronesia (FSM) -- Chuuk, Kosrae, Pohnpei, and Yap -- has its own unique history and cultural traditions. The first humans arrived in what is now the FSM in the second millennium B.C. In the 800s A.D., construction of the artificial islets at the Nan Madol complex in Pohnpei began, with the main architecture being built around 1200. At its height, Nan Madol united the approximately 25,000 people of Pohnpei under the Saudeleur Dynasty. By 1250, Kosrae was united in a kingdom centered in Leluh. Yap’s society became strictly hierarchical, with chiefs receiving tributes from islands up to 1,100 km (700 mi) away. Widespread human settlement in Chuuk began in the 1300s, and the different islands in the Chuuk Lagoon were frequently at war with one another. Portuguese and Spanish explorers visited a few of the islands in the 1500s, and Spain began exerting nominal, but not day-to-day, control over some of the islands -- which they named the Caroline Islands -- in the 1600s. In 1899, Spain sold all of the FSM to Germany. Japan seized the islands in 1914 and was granted a League of Nations mandate to administer them in 1920. The Japanese navy built bases across most of the islands and headquartered their Pacific naval operations in Chuuk. The US bombed Chuuk in 1944 but largely bypassed the other islands in its leapfrog campaign across the Pacific.  In 1947, the FSM came under US administration as part of the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands, which comprised six districts: Chuuk, the Marshall Islands, the Northern Mariana Islands, Palau, Pohnpei, and Yap; Kosrae was separated from Pohnpei into a separate district in 1977. In 1979, Chuuk, Kosrae, Pohnpei, and Yap ratified the FSM Constitution and declared independence while the other three districts opted to pursue separate political status. There are significant inter-island rivalries stemming from their different histories and cultures. Chuuk, the most populous but poorest state, has pushed for secession, but an independence referendum has been repeatedly postponed.

Area

land

702 sq km

note

note: includes Pohnpei (Ponape), Chuuk (Truk) Islands, Yap Islands, and Kosrae (Kosaie)

total

702 sq km

water

0 sq km (fresh water only)

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

highest point

Nanlaud on Pohnpei 782 m

lowest point

Pacific Ocean 0 m

Geographic coordinates

6 55 N, 158 15 E

Geography - note

composed of four major island groups totaling 607 islands

Irrigated land

0 sq km (2022)

Land boundaries

total

0 km

Land use

agricultural land

25.5% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: arable land

arable land: 2.3% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent crops

permanent crops: 19.7% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent pasture

permanent pasture: 3.5% (2018 est.)

forest

74.5% (2018 est.)

other

0% (2018 est.)

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

Population distribution

the majority of the populaton lives in the coastal areas of the high islands; the mountainous interior is largely uninhabited; less than half of the population lives in urban areas

Terrain

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

Age structure

0-14 years

27% (male 13,673/female 13,239)

15-64 years

67.3% (male 32,527/female 34,487)

65 years and over

5.7% (2024 est.) (male 2,508/female 3,169)

Alcohol consumption per capita

beer

0.92 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

other alcohols

0.01 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

spirits

0.52 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

total

1.59 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

wine

0.13 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

Birth rate

17.8 births/1,000 population (2024 est.)

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

NA

Contraceptive prevalence rate

NA

Current health expenditure

11.6% of GDP (2020)

Currently married women (ages 15-49)

51.7% (2023 est.)

Death rate

4.2 deaths/1,000 population (2024 est.)

Dependency ratios

elderly dependency ratio

9.3

potential support ratio

10.8 (2021 est.)

total dependency ratio

57.7

youth dependency ratio

48.4

Drinking water source

improved: total

total: 78.6% of population

unimproved: total

total: 21.4% of population (2017 est.)

Education expenditures

9.7% of GDP (2018 est.)

Ethnic groups

Chuukese/Mortlockese 49.3%, Pohnpeian 29.8%, Kosraean 6.3%, Yapese 5.7%, Yap outer islanders 5.1%, Polynesian 1.6%, Asian 1.4%, other 0.8% (2010 est.)

Gross reproduction rate

1.07 (2024 est.)

Hospital bed density

3.2 beds/1,000 population

Infant mortality rate

female

17.8 deaths/1,000 live births

male

23.8 deaths/1,000 live births

total

20.9 deaths/1,000 live births (2024 est.)

Languages

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

Life expectancy at birth

female

77.2 years

male

72.9 years

total population

75 years (2024 est.)

Literacy

female

NA

male

NA

total population

NA

Major urban areas - population

7,000 PALIKIR (capital) (2018)

Maternal mortality ratio

74 deaths/100,000 live births (2020 est.)

Median age

female

29.1 years

male

27.3 years

total

28.2 years (2024 est.)

Nationality

adjective

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

noun

Micronesian(s)

Net migration rate

-21 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2024 est.)

Obesity - adult prevalence rate

45.8% (2016)

Population

female

50,895 (2024 est.)

male

48,708

total

99,603

Population distribution

the majority of the populaton lives in the coastal areas of the high islands; the mountainous interior is largely uninhabited; less than half of the population lives in urban areas

Population growth rate

-0.73% (2024 est.)

Religions

Roman Catholic 54.7%, Protestant 41.1% (includes Congregational 38.5%, Baptist 1.1%, Seventh Day Adventist 0.8%, Assembly of God 0.7%), Church of Jesus Christ 1.5%, other 1.9%, none 0.7%, unspecified 0.1% (2010 est.)

Sanitation facility access

improved: rural

rural: NA

improved: total

total: 88.3% of population

improved: urban

urban: NA

unimproved: rural

rural: NA

unimproved: total

total: 11.7% of population (2017 est.)

unimproved: urban

urban: NA

Sex ratio

0-14 years

1.03 male(s)/female

15-64 years

0.94 male(s)/female

65 years and over

0.79 male(s)/female

at birth

1.05 male(s)/female

total population

0.96 male(s)/female (2024 est.)

Total fertility rate

2.19 children born/woman (2024 est.)

Urbanization

rate of urbanization

1.52% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

urban population

23.4% of total population (2023)

Administrative divisions

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

Capital

geographic coordinates

6 55 N, 158 09 E

name

Palikir

note

note: Palikir became the new capital of the country in 1989, three years after independence; Kolonia, the former capital, remains the site for many foreign embassies; it also serves as the Pohnpei state capital

time difference

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

time zone note

Micronesia has two time zones

Citizenship

citizenship by birth

no

citizenship by descent only

at least one parent must be a citizen of FSM

dual citizenship recognized

no

residency requirement for naturalization

5 years

Constitution

amendments

proposed by Congress, by a constitutional convention, or by public petition; passage requires approval by at least three-fourths majority vote in at least three fourths of the states; amended 1990; note – at least every 10 years as part of a general or special election, voters are asked whether to hold a constitution convention; a majority of affirmative votes is required to proceed; amended many times, last in 2019 (approval by referendum to hold a constitutional convention)

history

drafted June 1975, ratified 1 October 1978, entered into force 10 May 1979

Country name

abbreviation

FSM

conventional long form

Federated States of Micronesia

conventional short form

none

etymology

the term "Micronesia" is a 19th-century construct of two Greek words, "micro" (small) and "nesoi" (islands), and refers to thousands of small islands in the western Pacific Ocean

former

New Philippines; Caroline Islands; 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 Jennifer JOHNSON (since 13 September 2023)

email address and website

koloniaacs@state.govhttps://fm.usembassy.gov/

embassy

1286 US Embassy Place, Kolonia, Pohnpei, FM 96941

FAX

[691] 320-2186

mailing address

4120 Kolonia Place, Washington, D.C. 20521-4120

telephone

[691] 320-2187

Diplomatic representation in the US

chancery

1725 N Street NW, Washington, DC 20036

chief of mission

Ambassador Jackson T. SORAM (since 27 February 2024)

consulate(s) general

Honolulu, Portland (OR), Tamuning (Guam)

email address and website

dcmission@fsmembassy.fmhttps://fsmembassy.fm/

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

chief of state

President Wesley W. SIMINA (since 12 May 2023)

elections/appointments

president and vice president indirectly elected by Congress from among the 4 'at large' senators for a 4-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held on 12 May 2023 (next to be held in 2027)

head of government

President Wesley W. SIMINA (since 12 May 2023)

note

note: the president is both chief of state and head of government

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

federal republic in free association with the US

Independence

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

International law organization participation

has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt

International organization participation

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

Judicial branch

highest court(s)

Federated States of Micronesia (FSM) Supreme Court (consists of the chief justice and not more than 5 associate justices and organized into appellate and criminal divisions)

judge selection and term of office

justices appointed by the FSM president with the approval of two-thirds of Congress; justices appointed for life

subordinate courts

the highest state-level courts are: Chuuk Supreme Court; Korsae State Court; Pohnpei State Court; Yap State Court

Legal system

mixed legal system of common and customary law

Legislative branch

description

unicameral Congress (14 seats; 10 members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by simple majority vote to serve 2-year terms and 4 at- large members directly elected from each of the 4 states by proportional representation vote to serve 4-year terms)

election results

percent of vote - NA; seats by party - independent 14; composition - men 11, women 2; percentage women 15.4%

elections

last held on 7 March 2023 (next to be held in March 2025)

National anthem

lyrics/music

unknown/August Daniel BINZER

name

"Patriots of Micronesia"

note

note: adopted 1991; 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"

National heritage

selected World Heritage Site locales

Nan Madol: Ceremonial Center of Eastern Micronesia

total World Heritage Sites

1 (cultural)

National holiday

Constitution Day, 10 May (1979)

National symbol(s)

four, five-pointed, white stars on a light blue field, hibiscus flower; national colors: light blue, white

Political parties

no formal parties

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Agricultural products

coconuts, cassava, vegetables, sweet potatoes, bananas, pork, plantains, fruits, beef, eggs (2022)

note

note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage

Budget

expenditures

$87.355 million (2020 est.)

note

note: central government revenues and expenses (excluding grants/extrabudgetary units/social security funds) converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated

revenues

$137.795 million (2020 est.)

Current account balance

Current account balance 2014

$22.408 million (2014 est.)

Current account balance 2016

$11 million (2016 est.)

Current account balance 2017

$12 million (2017 est.)

note

note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars

Economic overview

lower middle-income Pacific island economy; US aid reliance, sunsetting in 2024; low entrepreneurship; mostly fishing and farming; US dollar user; no patent laws; tourism remains underdeveloped; significant corruption

Exchange rates

the US dollar is used

Exports

Exports 2019

$130 million (2019 est.)

Exports 2020

$122 million (2020 est.)

Exports 2021

$179 million (2021 est.)

note

note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars

Exports - commodities

fish, integrated circuits, garments, aircraft parts, broadcasting equipment (2022)

note

note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars

Exports - partners

Thailand 78%, Philippines 12%, Japan 5%, Ecuador 2%, US 1% (2022)

note

note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports

GDP - composition, by end use

exports of goods and services

27.3% (2023 est.)

imports of goods and services

-67.5% (2023 est.)

note

note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection

GDP - composition, by sector of origin

agriculture

22.5% (2023 est.)

industry

4.9% (2023 est.)

note

note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data

services

66.8% (2023 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate)

$460 million (2023 est.)

note

note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate

Imports

Imports 2019

$121 million (2019 est.)

Imports 2020

$133 million (2020 est.)

Imports 2021

$126 million (2021 est.)

note

note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars

Imports - commodities

plastic products, ships, poultry, refined petroleum, fish (2022)

note

note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars

Imports - partners

US 37%, China 21%, Japan 10%, South Korea 8%, Taiwan 5% (2022)

note

note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports

Industrial production growth rate

0.78% (2023 est.)

note

note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency

Industries

tourism, construction; specialized aquaculture, craft items (shell and wood)

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2020

0.55% (2020 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2021

3.19% (2021 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2022

5.41% (2022 est.)

note

note: annual % change based on consumer prices

Public debt

note

note: central government debt as a % of GDP

Public debt 2020

27.86% of GDP (2020 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity)

note

note: data in 2021 dollars

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2021

$437.922 million (2021 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2022

$434.514 million (2022 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2023

$437.922 million (2023 est.)

Real GDP growth rate

note

note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency

Real GDP growth rate 2021

2.8% (2021 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2022

-0.78% (2022 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2023

0.78% (2023 est.)

Real GDP per capita

note

note: data in 2021 dollars

Real GDP per capita 2021

$3,900 (2021 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2022

$3,800 (2022 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2023

$3,800 (2023 est.)

Remittances

note

note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities

Remittances 2021

5.98% of GDP (2021 est.)

Remittances 2022

5.43% of GDP (2022 est.)

Remittances 2023

5.07% of GDP (2023 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

note

note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2019

$397.158 million (2019 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2020

$451.913 million (2020 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2021

$497.434 million (2021 est.)

Taxes and other revenues

7.05% (of GDP) (2020 est.)

note

note: central government tax revenue as a % of GDP

Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24)

female

29.9%

male

10.4%

total

18.9% (2014)

Carbon dioxide emissions

from petroleum and other liquids

166,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.)

total emissions

166,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.)

Electricity access

electrification - rural areas

79.4%

electrification - total population

85.3% (2022 est.)

electrification - urban areas

98.6%

Petroleum

refined petroleum consumption

1,000 bbl/day (2022 est.)

Broadband - fixed subscriptions

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

5 (2020 est.)

total

6,000 (2020 est.)

Broadcast media

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

Internet country code

.fm

Internet users

percent of population

40% (2021 est.)

total

44,000 (2021 est.)

Telecommunication systems

domestic

fixed line teledensity roughly 6 per 100 and mobile-cellular nearly 19 per 100 (2021)

general assessment

Australia, Japan, and the United States are committed to working in partnership with the Federated States of Micronesia (FSM), Kiribati, and Nauru to improve internet connectivity to these three Pacific nations by providing funding to build a new undersea cable; the proposed undersea cable will provide faster, higher quality, and more reliable and secure communications to approximately 100,000 people across three countries; this will support increased economic growth, drive development opportunities, and help to improve living standards as the region recovers from the severe impacts of COVID-19; the new cable will connect Kosrae (FSM), Nauru, and Tarawa (Kiribati) with the existing HANTRU-1 cable at Pohnpei (FSM), providing internet connectivity through a submarine cable for the first time (2021)

international

country code - 691; landing points for the Chuukk-Pohnpei Cable and HANTRU-1 submarine cable system linking the Federated States of Micronesia and the US; satellite earth stations - 5 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean) (2019)

Telephones - fixed lines

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

6 (2021 est.)

total subscriptions

7,000 (2021 est.)

Telephones - mobile cellular

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

19 (2021 est.)

total subscriptions

22,000 (2021 est.)

Airports

7 (2024)

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

V6

Merchant marine

by type

general cargo 17, oil tanker 4, other 17

total

38 (2023)

Ports

key ports

Colonia, Lele Harbor, Moen, Pohnpei Harbor

ports with oil terminals

3

small

1

total ports

4 (2024)

very small

3

Roadways

note

note - paved and unpaved circumferential roads, most interior roads are unpaved

total

388 km (2022)

Military - note

defense is the responsibility of the US; in 1982, the FSM signed a Compact of Free Association (COFA) with the US, which granted the FSM financial assistance and access to many US domestic programs in exchange for exclusive US military access and defense responsibilities; the COFA entered into force in 1986 and its funding was renewed in 2003; Micronesians can serve in the US armed forcesthe FSM has a "shiprider" agreement with the US, which allows local maritime law enforcement officers to embark on US Coast Guard (USCG) and US Navy (USN) vessels, including to board and search vessels suspected of violating laws or regulations within the FSM's designated exclusive economic zone (EEZ) or on the high seas; "shiprider" agreements also enable USCG personnel and USN vessels with embarked USCG law enforcement personnel to work with host nations to protect critical regional resources (2024)

Military and security forces

no military forces; Federated States of Micronesia National Police (includes a maritime wing); the Department of Justice oversees the National Police; State police forces are responsible for law enforcement in their respective states and are under the jurisdiction of each state’s director of public safety (2024)

Illicit drugs

major consumer of cannabis

Air pollutants

carbon dioxide emissions

0.14 megatons (2016 est.)

methane emissions

0.02 megatons (2020 est.)

particulate matter emissions

7.79 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)

Climate

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

Environment - current issues

overfishing; sea level rise due to climate change threatens land; water pollution, toxic pollution from mining; solid waste disposal

Environment - international agreements

party to

Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection

signed, but not ratified

none of the selected agreements

Land use

agricultural land

25.5% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: arable land

arable land: 2.3% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent crops

permanent crops: 19.7% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent pasture

permanent pasture: 3.5% (2018 est.)

forest

74.5% (2018 est.)

other

0% (2018 est.)

Revenue from forest resources

0.02% of GDP (2018 est.)

Total renewable water resources

0 cubic meters (2017 est.)

Urbanization

rate of urbanization

1.52% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

urban population

23.4% of total population (2023)

Waste and recycling

municipal solid waste generated annually

26,040 tons (2016 est.)