| 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 United States. Present concerns include
large-scale unemployment, overfishing, and overdependence on
US aid. |
| 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
note: includes Pohnpei (Ponape), Truk (Chuuk)
Islands, Yap Islands, and Kosrae |
| Area
- comparative: |
four times the
size of Washington, DC |
| 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% |
| Natural
hazards: |
typhoons (June to
December) |
| Environment
- current issues: |
overfishing |
| 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 |
| Population: |
134,597 (July
2001 est.) |
| Age
structure: |
0-14 years:
NA%
15-64 years: NA%
65 years and over: NA% |
| HIV/AIDS
- adult prevalence rate: |
NA% |
| HIV/AIDS
- people living with HIV/AIDS: |
NA |
| 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: Ponape, Truk, and Yap Districts (Trust
Territory of the Pacific Islands)
abbreviation: FSM |
| Government
type: |
constitutional
government in free association with the US; the Compact of
Free Association entered into force 3 November 1986 |
| Administrative
divisions: |
4 states; Chuuk (Truk),
Kosrae, Pohnpei, 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 |
| Suffrage: |
18 years of age;
universal |
| Executive
branch: |
chief of
state: President Leo A. FALCAM (since 21 July
1999); Vice President Redley KILLION (since 21 July 1999);
note - the president is both the chief of state and head of
government
head of government: President Leo A. FALCAM
(since 21 July 1999); Vice President Redley KILLION (since
21 July 1999); note - the president is both the chief of
state and head of government
cabinet: Cabinet
elections: president and vice president elected
by Congress from among the four senators-at-large for
four-year terms; election last held NA May 1999 (next to be
held NA May 2003)
election results: Leo A. FALCAM elected
president; percent of Congress vote - NA%; Redley KILLION
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 2 March 1999 (next to be held NA March 2003);
elections for two-year term seats last held 6 March 2001
(next to be held NA March 2003)
election results: percent of vote - NA%; seats
- independents 14 |
| Judicial
branch: |
Supreme Court |
| Political
parties and leaders: |
no formal parties |
| International
organization participation: |
ACP, AsDB, ESCAP,
G-77, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IFC, IMF, Intelsat, IOC, ITU, OPCW,
Sparteca, SPC, SPF, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, 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 Diane E. WATSON
embassy: address NA, Kolonia
mailing address: P. O. Box 1286, Kolonia,
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. In 1996, the
country experienced a 20% reduction in revenues from the
Compact of Free Association - the agreement between the US
and Micronesia in which Micronesia receives $1.3 billion in
financial and technical assistance over a 15-year period
until 2001 - as a result of the second step-down under the
agreement. Since these revenues accounted for 57% of
consolidated government revenues, reduced Compact funding
resulted in a severe depression. While Micronesia's economy
appears to have bottomed out in 1999, the country's
medium-term economic outlook remains fragile due to likely
further reductions in external grants made under the US
Compact funding. Geographical isolation and a poorly
developed infrastructure remain major impediments to
long-term growth. |
| GDP: |
purchasing power
parity - $263 million (1999 est.)
note: GDP is supplemented by grant aid,
averaging perhaps $100 million annually |
| GDP
- real growth rate: |
0.3% (1999 est.) |
| GDP
- per capita: |
purchasing power
parity - $2,000 (1999 est.) |
| GDP
- composition by sector: |
agriculture:
19%
industry: 4%
services: 77% (1996 est.) |
| Population
below poverty line: |
NA% |
| Household
income or consumption by percentage share: |
lowest 10%:
NA%
highest 10%: NA% |
| Inflation
rate (consumer prices): |
2.6% (FY98/99) |
| Labor
force - by occupation: |
two-thirds are
government employees |
| Unemployment
rate: |
16% (1999 est.) |
| Budget: |
revenues:
$161 million ($69 million less grants)
expenditures: $160 million, including capital
expenditures of $NA (1998 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 |
| 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: |
$111 million
(1997 est.) |
| Economic
aid - recipient: |
under terms of
the Compact of Free Association, the US will provide $1.3
billion in grant aid during the period 1986-2001 |
| Currency: |
US dollar (USD) |
| Exchange
rates: |
the US dollar is
used |
| Fiscal
year: |
1 October - 30
September |
| Telephones
- main lines in use: |
11,000 (2001) |
| Telephones
- mobile cellular: |
NA |
| Telephone
system: |
general
assessment: adequate 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 0 (1998) |
| Television
broadcast stations: |
2 (1997) |
| Internet
country code: |
.fm |
| Internet
Service Providers (ISPs): |
1 (2000) |
| Internet
users: |
2,000 (2000) |
| Highways: |
total:
240 km
paved: 42 km
unpaved: 198 km (1996) |
| Ports
and harbors: |
Colonia (Yap),
Kolonia (Pohnpei), Lele, Moen |
| Merchant
marine: |
none (2000 est.) |
| Airports
- with paved runways: |
total:
6
1,524 to 2,437 m: 4
914 to 1,523 m: 2 (2000 est.) |
| Airports
- with unpaved runways: |
total:
1
914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2000 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 |
|
