Published on March 17, 2010

Country Report

Federated States of Micronesia

Introduction

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

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

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 - comparative: four times the size of Washington, DC (land area only)

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 6,112 km

Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm
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 extremes:
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: Dolohmwar (Totolom) 791 m

Natural resources: forests, marine products, deep-seabed minerals, phosphate

Land use:
arable land: 5.71%
permanent crops: 45.71%
other: 48.58% (2005)

Irrigated land: NA

Natural hazards: typhoons (June to December)

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

Geography - note: four major island groups totaling 607 islands

People

Population: 107,434 (July 2009 est.)

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) (2009 est.)

Median age:
total: 22 years
male: 21.5 years
female: 22.5 years (2009 est.)

Population growth rate: -0.238% (2009 est.)

Birth rate: 23.1 births/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Death rate: 4.46 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.)

Net migration rate: -21.03 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.)

Urbanization:
urban population: 22% of total population (2008)
rate of urbanization: 0.8% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

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: 1 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 26.1 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 28.79 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 23.27 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 70.94 years
male: 69.06 years
female: 72.93 years (2009 est.)

Total fertility rate: 2.89 children born/woman (2009 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: NA

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths: NA

Nationality:
noun: Micronesian(s)
adjective: Micronesian; Chuukese, Kosraen(s), Pohnpeian(s), Yapese

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)

Religions: Roman Catholic 50%, Protestant 47%, other 3%

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

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 89%
male: 91%
female: 88% (1980 est.)

Education expenditures: 7.3% of GDP (2000)

Government

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 type: constitutional government in free association with the 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 09 E
time difference: UTC+11 (16 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

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

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

National holiday: Constitution Day, 10 May (1979)

Constitution: 10 May 1979

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

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
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
head of government: President Emanuel MORI (since 11 May 2007); Vice President Alik L. ALIK (since 11 May 2007)
cabinet: Cabinet includes the vice president and the heads of the 8 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 2007 (next to be held May 2011); note - a proposed constitutional amendment to establish popular elections for president and vice president failed
election results: Emanuel MORI elected president; percent of Congress vote - NA; Alik L. ALIK elected vice president; percent of Congress vote - NA

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)
elections: last held 3 March 2009 (next to be held in March 2011)
election results: percent of vote - NA%; seats - independents 14

Judicial branch: Supreme Court

Political parties and leaders: no formal parties

Political pressure groups and leaders: NA

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

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Yosiwo GEORGE
chancery: 1725 N Street NW, Washington, DC 20036
telephone: [1] (202) 223-4383
FAX: [1] (202) 223-4391
consulate(s) general: Honolulu, Tamuning (Guam)

Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Miriam K. HUGHES
embassy: 101 Upper Pics Road, Kolonia
mailing address: P. O. Box 1286, Kolonia, Pohnpei, 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

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.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
$238.1 million (2008 est.)
note:

GDP (official exchange rate): $238.1 million (2008)

GDP - real growth rate:

GDP - per capita (PPP):
$2,200 (2008 est.)
note: data are in 2009 US dollars

GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 28.9%
industry: 15.2%
services: 55.9% (2004 est.)

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.)

Unemployment rate: 22% (2000 est.)

Population below poverty line: 26.7% (2000)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA%

Budget:
revenues: $166 million ($69 million less grants)
expenditures: $152.7 million (FY07 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 2.2% (2005)

Commercial bank prime lending rate: 14.38% (31 December 2008)

Stock of money: $NA (31 December 2008)

Stock of quasi money: $NA (31 December 2008)

Stock of domestic credit: $NA (31 December 2008)

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

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

Industrial production growth rate: NA%

Electricity - production: 192 million kWh (2002)

Electricity - consumption: 178.6 million kWh (2002)

Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (2002)

Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (2002)

Current account balance: -$34.3 million (FY05 est.)

Exports: $14 million (2004 est.)

Exports - commodities: fish, garments, bananas, black pepper, sakau (kava), betel nut

Imports: $132.7 million (2004)

Imports - commodities: food, manufactured goods, machinery and equipment, beverages

Debt - external: $60.8 million (FY05 est.)

Exchange rates: the US dollar is used

Communications

Telephones - main lines in use: 8,700 (2008)

Telephones - mobile cellular: 34,000 (2008)

Telephone system:
general assessment: adequate 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 broadcast stations: AM 5, FM 1, shortwave 0 (2004)

Television broadcast stations: 3 (cable TV also available) (2004)

Internet country code: .fm

Internet hosts: 1,050 (2009)

Internet users: 16,000 (2008)

Transportation

Airports: 6 (2009)

Airports - with paved runways:
total: 6
1,524 to 2,437 m: 4
914 to 1,523 m: 2 (2009)

Roadways:
total: 240 km
paved: 42 km
unpaved: 198 km (2000)

Merchant marine:
total: 3
by type: cargo 1, passenger/cargo 2 (2008)

Ports and terminals: Tomil Harbor

Military

Military branches: no regular military forces; defense is the responsibility of the US (2009)

Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 26,686 (2008 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 21,845
females age 16-49: 23,401 (2009 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 1,273
female: 1,212 (2009 est.)

Military - note: defense is the responsibility of the US

Transnational Issues

Disputes - international: none

Illicit drugs: major consumer of cannabis