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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: NA
Environment—international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification,
Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection
signed, but not ratified: Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol
Geography—note: four major island groups totaling
607 islands
Population: 131,500 (July 1999 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: NA
15-64 years: NA
65 years and over: NA
Population growth rate: 3.3% (1999 est.)
Birth rate: 27.32 births/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Death rate: 6.01 deaths/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Net migration rate: 11.65 migrant(s)/1,000 population
(1999 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 33.99 deaths/1,000 live births
(1999 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 68.48 years
male: 66.52 years
female: 70.48 years (1999 est.)
Total fertility rate: 3.87 children born/woman (1999 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 Jacob NENA (acting president since
NA July 1996, president since 9 May 1997); Vice President Leo A.
FALCAM (since 9 May 1997); note—the president is both the chief
of state and head of government; Vice President Jacob NENA became
acting president in July 1996 after President Bailey OLTER suffered
a stroke; OLTER was declared incapacitated in November 1996; as
provided for by the constitution, 180 days later, with OLTER still
unable to resume his duties, NENA was sworn in as the new president;
he will serve for the remaining two years of OLTER's term
head of government: President Jacob NENA (acting president
since NA July 1996, president since 9 May 1997); Vice President
Leo A. FALCAM (since 9 May 1997); note—the president is both
the chief of state and head of government; Vice President Jacob
NENA became acting president in July 1996 after President Bailey
OLTER suffered a stroke; OLTER was declared incapacitated in November
1996; as provided for by the constitution, 180 days later, with
OLTER still unable to resume his duties, NENA was sworn in as the
new president; he will serve for the remaining two years of OLTER's
term
cabinet: Cabinet
elections: president and vice president elected by Congress
from among the four senators-at-large for four-year terms; election
last held 11 May 1995 (next to be held NA May 1999); note—because
of the vacancy to the post of vice president created after NENA
left to become acting president, a new election to fill the position
of vice president for the remaining two years of the term was held
on 9 May 1997 (next to be held NA May 1999)
election results: Bailey OLTER reelected president; percent
of Congress vote—NA; Leo A. FALCAM 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
7 March 1995 (next to be held 2 March 1999); elections for two-year
term seats last held 3 March 1997 (next to be held NA March 1999)
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, 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 billion in the islands in the 1990s. Geographical
isolation and a poorly developed infrastructure are major impediments
to long-term growth.
GDP: purchasing power parity—$220 million (1996 est.)
note: GDP is supplemented by grant aid, averaging perhaps
$100 million annually
GDP—real growth rate: 1% (1996 est.)
GDP—per capita: purchasing power parity—$1,760
(1996 est.)
GDP—composition by sector:
agriculture: NA%
industry: NA%
services: NA%
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: $129 million
Economic aid—recipient: $77.4 million (1995); 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: 960
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 1
Radios: 17,000 (1993 est.)
Television broadcast stations: 2 (1997)
Televisions: 1,290 (1993 est.)
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
Airports: 6 (1998 est.)
Airports—with paved runways:
total: 5
1,524 to 2,437 m: 4
914 to 1,523 m: 1 (1998 est.)
Airports—with unpaved runways:
total: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 1 (1998 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
Source: 1999 CIA World Factbook
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