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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
Areacomparative: 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)
Environmentcurrent issues: NA
Environmentinternational agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Hazardous Wastes, Law
of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection
signed, but not ratified: Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol
Geographynote: four major island groups totaling 607 islands
Population: 129,658 (July 1998 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: NA
15-64 years: NA
65 years and over: NA
Population growth rate: 3.31% (1998 est.)
Birth rate: 27.55 births/1,000 population (1998 est.)
Death rate: 6.07 deaths/1,000 population (1998 est.)
Net migration rate: 11.65 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1998 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 34.51 deaths/1,000 live births (1998 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 68.34 years
male: 66.38 years
female: 70.34 years (1998 est.)
Total fertility rate: 3.9 children born/woman (1998 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
National capital: Palikir
Administrative divisions: 4 states; Kosrae, Pohnpei, Chuuk (Truk), 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); notebecause of the vacancy to the post of vice
president created after NENA left to become acting president, a new election
to fill the position 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 voteNA; Leo
A. FALCAM elected vice president; percent of Congress voteNA
Legislative branch: unicameral Congress (14 seats; members elected by popular vote; four
- one elected from each of stateto serve four-year terms and 10elected
from single-member districts delineated by populationto serve two-year
terms)
elections: elections for four-year term seats last held 7 March 1995 (next to be
held NA March 1999); elections for two-year term seats last held NA March
1997 (next to be held NA March 1999)
election results: percent of voteNA; seatsindependents 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, 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 Cheryl A. MARTIN
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
Economyoverview: 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
GDPreal growth rate: 1% (1996 est.)
GDPper capita: purchasing power parity$1,760 (1996 est.)
GDPcomposition by sector:
agriculture: NA%
industry: NA%
services: NA%
Inflation rateconsumer price index: 4% (1996 est.)
Labor force: NA
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%
Electricitycapacity: 38,500 kW (1995)
Electricityproduction: NA kWh
Electricityconsumption per capita: NA kWh
Agricultureproducts: black pepper, tropical fruits and vegetables, coconuts, cassava (tapioca), sweet potatoes; pigs, chickens
Exports:
total value: $73 million (f.o.b., 1996 est.)
commodities: fish, garments, bananas, black pepper
partners: Japan, US, Guam
Imports:
total value: $168 million (c.i.f., 1996 est.)
commodities: food, manufactured goods, machinery and equipment, beverages
partners: US, Japan, Australia
Debtexternal: $129 million
Economic aid:
recipient: under terms of the Compact of Free Association, the US will provide
$1.3 billion in grant aid during the period 1986-2001
Currency: 1 United States dollar (US$) = 100 cents
Exchange rates: US currency is used
Fiscal year: 1 October30 September
Telephones: 960
Telephone system:
domestic: islands interconnected by shortwave radiotelephone (used mostly for
government purposes)
international: satellite earth stations4 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)
Radio broadcast stations: AM 5, FM 1, shortwave 1
Radios: 17,000 (1993 est.)
Television broadcast stations: 6
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 (1997 est.)
Airportswith paved runways:
total: 5
1,524 to 2,437 m: 4
914 to 1,523 m: 1 (1997 est.)
Airportswith unpaved runways:
total: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 1 (1997 est.)
Militarynote: defense is the responsibility of the US
Disputesinternational: none