from
CIA World Factbook 2006
Micronesia
Introduction, Federated States of
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.
Geography, Federated States of
Location: Oceania, island group in the North Pacific Ocean, about
three-quarters of the way from Hawaii to Indonesia
Geographic 6 55 N, 158 15 E
coordinates:
Map Oceania
references:
Area: total: 702 sq km
land: 702 sq km
water: 0 sq km (fresh water only)
note: includes Pohnpei (Ponape), Chuuk (Truk) Islands,
Yap Islands, and Kosrae (Kosaie)
Area - four times the size of Washington, DC (land area only)
comparative:
Land 0 km
boundaries:
Coastline: 6,112 km
Maritime territorial sea: 12 nm
claims: exclusive economic zone: 200 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 Chuuk
Elevation lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
extremes: highest point: Dolohmwar (Totolom) 791 m
Natural forests, marine products, deep-seabed minerals,
resources: phosphate
Land use: arable land: 5.71%
permanent crops: 45.71%
other: 48.58% (2005)
Irrigated NA
land:
Natural typhoons (June to December)
hazards:
Environment - overfishing, climate change, pollution
current
issues:
Environment - party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate
international Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Hazardous
agreements: Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected
agreements
Geography - four major island groups totaling 607 islands
note:
People, Federated States of
Population: 108,004 (July 2006 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: 36.6% (male 20,116/female 19,391)
15-64 years: 60.4% (male 32,620/female 32,659)
65 years and over: 3% (male 1,413/female 1,805) (2006
est.)
Median age: total: 20.9 years
male: 20.5 years
female: 21.4 years (2006 est.)
Population -0.11% (2006 est.)
growth rate:
Birth rate: 24.68 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Death rate: 4.75 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Net migration -21.03 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)
rate:
Sex ratio: NA
Infant total: 29.16 deaths/1,000 live births
mortality male: 32.17 deaths/1,000 live births
rate: female: 26.01 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)
Life total population: 70.05 years
expectancy at male: 68.24 years
birth: female: 71.95 years (2006 est.)
Total 3.16 children born/woman (2006 est.)
fertility
rate:
HIV/AIDS - NA
adult
prevalence
rate:
HIV/AIDS - NA
people living
with HIV/AIDS:
HIV/AIDS - NA
deaths:
Nationality: noun: Micronesian(s)
adjective: Micronesian; Chuukese, Kosraen(s), Pohnpeian
(s), Yapese
Ethnic groups: nine ethnic Micronesian and Polynesian groups
Religions: Roman Catholic 50%, Protestant 47%, other 3%
Languages: English (official and common language), Trukese,
Pohnpeian, Yapese, Kosrean, Ulithian, Woleaian,
Nukuoro, Kapingamarangi
Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 89%
male: 91%
female: 88% (1980 est.)
Government, Federated States of
Country name: conventional long form: Federated States of Micronesia
conventional short form: none
local long form: Federated States of Micronesia
local short form: none
former: Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands, Ponape,
Truk, and Yap Districts
abbreviation: FSM
Government constitutional government in free association with the
type: US; the Compact of Free Association entered into force
3 November 1986 and the Amended Compact entered into
force May 2004
Capital: name: Palikir
geographic coordinates: 6 55 N, 158 08 E
time difference: UTC+10 (15 hours ahead of Washington,
DC during Standard Time)
Administrative 4 states; Chuuk (Truk), Kosrae (Kosaie), Pohnpei
divisions: (Ponape), Yap
Independence: 3 November 1986 (from the US-administered UN
Trusteeship)
National Constitution Day, 10 May (1979)
holiday:
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 chief of state: President Joseph J. URUSEMAL (since 11
branch: May 2003); Vice President Redley KILLION (11 May 2003);
note - the president is both the chief of state and
head of government
head of government: President Joseph J. URUSEMAL (since
11 May 2003); Vice President Redley KILLION (11 May
2003)
cabinet: Cabinet includes the vice president and the
heads of the eight executive departments
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 11 May 2003 (next to be held May 2007); note
- a proposed constitutional amendment to establish
popular elections for president and vice president
failed
election results: Joseph J. URUSEMAL elected president;
percent of Congress vote - NA%; Redley KILLION elected
vice president; percent of Congress vote - NA%
Legislative unicameral Congress (14 seats; 4 - one elected from
branch: 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)
elections: elections for four-year term seats last held
4 March 2003 (next to be held March 2007); elections
for two-year term seats last held 8 March 2005 (next to
be held March 2007)
election results: percent of vote - NA%; seats -
independents 14
Judicial Supreme Court
branch:
Political no formal parties
parties and
leaders:
International ACP, AsDB, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFC,
organization IFRCS, IMF, IOC, ITU, MIGA, OPCW, PIF, Sparteca, SPC,
participation: UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, WHO, WMO
Diplomatic chief of mission: Ambassador Jesse Bibiano MAREHALAU
representation chancery: 1725 N Street NW, Washington, DC 20036
in the US: telephone: [1] (202) 223-4383
FAX: [1] (202) 223-4391
consulate(s) general: Honolulu, Tamuning (Guam)
Diplomatic chief of mission: Ambassador Suzanne K. HALE
representation embassy: 101 Upper Pics Road, Kolonia
from the US: mailing address: P. O. Box 1286, Kolonia, Pohnpei,
96941
telephone: [691] 320-2187
FAX: [691] 320-2186
Flag light blue with four white five-pointed stars centered;
description: the stars are arranged in a diamond pattern
Economy, Federated States of
Economy - Economic activity consists primarily of subsistence
overview: 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. 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 slow growth of the private sector.
GDP $277 million; note - supplemented by grant aid,
(purchasing averaging perhaps $100 million annually (2002 est.)
power parity):
GDP (official $232 million
exchange
rate):
GDP - real 0.3% (2005 est.)
growth rate:
GDP - per $2,300 (2005 est.)
capita (PPP):
GDP - agriculture: 28.9%
composition by industry: 15.2%
sector: services: 55.9% (2000 est.)
Labor force: 37,410
Labor force - note: 0.9% two-thirds are government employees, 34.4%,
by occupation: 64.7%
Unemployment 22% (2000 est.)
rate:
Population 26.7%
below poverty
line:
Household lowest 10%: NA%
income or highest 10%: NA%
consumption by
percentage
share:
Inflation rate 2.2% (2005)
(consumer
prices):
Budget: revenues: $127.3 million ($69 million less grants)
expenditures: $144.2 million; including capital
expenditures of $17.9 million $NA (1998 est.)
Agriculture - black pepper, tropical fruits and vegetables, coconuts,
products: cassava (tapioca), betel nuts, sweet potatoes; pigs,
chickens; fish
Industries: tourism, construction; fish processing, specialized
aquaculture; craft items from shell, wood, and pearls
Industrial NA%
production
growth rate:
Electricity - 192 million kWh (2002)
production:
Electricity - NA
production by
source:
Electricity - 178.6 million kWh (2002)
consumption:
Electricity - 0 kWh (2002)
exports:
Electricity - 0 kWh (2002)
imports:
Current $-34.3 million
account
balance:
Exports: $14 million (f.o.b.) (2004 est.)
Exports - fish, garments, bananas, black pepper
commodities:
Exports - Japan, US, Guam (2004)
partners:
Imports: $132.7 million f.o.b. (2004)
Imports - food, manufactured goods, machinery and equipment,
commodities: beverages
Imports - US, Japan, Hong Kong (2004)
partners:
Debt - $60.8 million (FY05 est.)
external:
Economic aid - $86.3 million under terms of the Compact of Free
recipient: Association, the US pledged $1.3 billion in grant aid
during the period 1986-2001; the level of aid has been
subsequently reduced
Currency US dollar (USD)
(code):
Currency code: USD
Exchange the US dollar is used
rates:
Fiscal year: 1 October - 30 September
Communications, Federated States of
Telephones - 12,400 (2005)
main lines in
use:
Telephones - 14,100 (2005)
mobile
cellular:
Telephone general assessment: adequate system
system: domestic: islands interconnected by shortwave
radiotelephone (used mostly for government purposes),
satellite (Intelsat) ground stations, and some coaxial
and fiber-optic cable; cellular service available on
Kosrae, Pohnpei, and Yap
international: country code - 691; satellite earth
stations - 5 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean) (2002)
Radio AM 5, FM 1, shortwave 0 (2004)
broadcast
stations:
Radios: 9,400 (1996)
Television 3; note - cable TV also available (2004)
broadcast
stations:
Televisions: 2,800 (1999)
Internet .fm
country code:
Internet 550 (2006)
hosts:
Internet 1 (2000)
Service
Providers
(ISPs):
Internet 14,000 (2005)
users:
Transportation, Federated States of
Airports: 6 (2006)
Airports - total: 6
with paved 1,524 to 2,437 m: 4
runways: 914 to 1,523 m: 2 (2006)
Roadways: total: 240 km
paved: 42 km
unpaved: 198 km (1999)
Merchant total: 2 ships (1000 GRT or over) 2,423 GRT/1,551 DWT
marine: by type: cargo 1, passenger/cargo 1 (2006)
Ports and Tomil Harbor
terminals:
Military, Federated States of
Military no ministry of defense and no standing armed forces;
branches: the paramilitary Maritime Wing, a small maritime law
enforcement unit, is responsible to the Division of
Maritime Surveillance within the Office of the Attorney
General (2003)
Manpower males age 18-49: 23,816 (2005 est.)
available for
military
service:
Manpower fit males age 18-49: 18,914 (2005 est.)
for military
service:
Manpower males age 18-49: 1,305 (2005 est.)
reaching
military
service age
annually:
Military - defense is the responsibility of the US
note:
Transnational, Federated States of
Issues
Disputes - none
international: