Federated States of Micronesia

<p>Each of the four states that compose the Federated States of Micronesia (FSM) -- Chuuk, Kosrae, Pohnpei, and Yap -- has its own unique history and cultural traditions. The first humans arrived in what is now the FSM in the second millennium B.C. In the 800s A.D., construction of the artificial islets at the Nan Madol complex in Pohnpei began, with the main architecture being built around 1200. At its height, Nan Madol united the approximately 25,000 people of Pohnpei under the Saudeleur Dynasty. By 1250, Kosrae was united in a kingdom centered in Leluh. Yap’s society became strictly hierarchical, with chiefs receiving tributes from islands up to 1,100 km (700 mi) away. Widespread human settlement in Chuuk began in the 1300s, and the different islands in the Chuuk Lagoon were frequently at war with one another.</p> <p>Portuguese and Spanish explorers visited a few of the islands in the 1500s, and Spain began exerting nominal, but not day-to-day, control over some of the islands -- which they named the Caroline Islands -- in the 1600s. In 1899, Spain sold all of the FSM to Germany. Japan seized the islands in 1914 and was granted a League of Nations mandate to administer them in 1920. During WWII, Japan built military bases across most of the islands and headquartered their Pacific naval operations in Chuuk. The US bombed Chuuk in 1944 but largely bypassed the other islands in its leapfrog campaign across the Pacific. </p> <p>In 1947, the FSM came under US administration as part of the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands, which comprised six districts: Chuuk, the Marshall Islands, the Northern Mariana Islands, Palau, Pohnpei, and Yap; Kosrae was separated from Pohnpei into a separate district in 1977. In 1979, Chuuk, Kosrae, Pohnpei, and Yap ratified the FSM Constitution and declared independence while the other three districts opted to pursue separate political status. There are significant inter-island rivalries stemming from their different histories and cultures. Chuuk, the most populous but poorest state, has pushed for secession, but an independence referendum has been repeatedly postponed.</p>

Oceania, island group in the North Pacific Ocean, about three-quarters of the way from Hawaii to Indonesia

6 55 N, 158 15 E

Oceania

four times the size of Washington, D.C. (land area only)

6,112 km

tropical; heavy year-round rainfall, especially in the eastern islands; located on southern edge of the typhoon belt with occasionally severe damage

islands vary geologically from high mountainous islands to low, coral atolls; volcanic outcroppings on Pohnpei, Kosrae, and Chuuk

timber, marine products, deep-seabed minerals, phosphate

0 sq km (2022)

the majority of the population lives in the coastal areas of the high islands; the mountainous interior is largely uninhabited; less than half of the population lives in urban areas

typhoons (June to December)

composed of four major island groups totaling 607 islands

Chuukese/Mortlockese 49.3%, Pohnpeian 29.8%, Kosraean 6.3%, Yapese 5.7%, Yap outer islanders 5.1%, Polynesian 1.6%, Asian 1.4%, other 0.8% (2010 est.)

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

Roman Catholic 54.7%, Protestant 41.1% (includes Congregational 38.5%, Baptist 1.1%, Seventh Day Adventist 0.8%, Assembly of God 0.7%), Church of Jesus Christ 1.5%, other 1.9%, none 0.7%, unspecified 0.1% (2010 est.)

-0.77% (2025 est.)

17.55 births/1,000 population (2025 est.)

4.23 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.)

-20.98 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.)

the majority of the population lives in the coastal areas of the high islands; the mountainous interior is largely uninhabited; less than half of the population lives in urban areas

7,000 PALIKIR (capital) (2018)

129 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.)

2.17 children born/woman (2025 est.)

1.06 (2025 est.)

0.97 physicians/1,000 population (2020)

45.8% (2016)

51.7% (2023 est.)

overfishing; sea-level rise; water and toxic pollution from mining; solid waste disposal

tropical; heavy year-round rainfall, especially in the eastern islands; located on southern edge of the typhoon belt with occasionally severe damage

8.1 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)

federal republic in free association with the US

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

mixed system of common and customary law

has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt

18 years of age; universal

no formal parties

ACP, ADB, AOSIS, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFC, IFRCS, IMF, IOC, IOM, IPU, ITSO, ITU, MIGA, OPCW, PIF, Sparteca, SPC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, WHO, WMO

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

Constitution Day, 10 May (1979)

<strong>description:</strong> light blue with four five-pointed white stars centered and arranged in a diamond pattern<br><br><strong>meaning:</strong> blue stands for the Pacific Ocean, and the stars for the four island groups of Chuuk, Kosrae, Pohnpei, and Yap

four five-pointed white stars on a light blue field, hibiscus flower

light blue, white

lower middle-income Pacific island economy; US aid reliance, sunsetting in 2024; low entrepreneurship; mostly fishing and farming; US dollar user; no patent laws; tourism remains underdeveloped; significant corruption

$471.425 million (2024 est.)

coconuts, cassava, vegetables, sweet potatoes, bananas, pork, plantains, fruits, beef, eggs (2023)

tourism, construction; specialized aquaculture, craft items (shell and wood)

0.8% (2023 est.)

7% (of GDP) (2020 est.)

Thailand 64%, China 16%, Philippines 11%, Japan 5%, Ecuador 1% (2023)

fish, diamonds, garments (2023)

USA 35%, China 20%, Japan 13%, Taiwan 6%, Philippines 4% (2023)

poultry, fish, plastic products, cars, prepared meat (2023)

<p>the US dollar is used</p>

no TV broadcast stations; each state has a multi-channel cable service with TV transmissions carrying roughly 95% imported programming and 5% local programming; about half a dozen radio stations (2009)

.fm

V6

7 (2025)

no military forces; Federated States of Micronesia National Police (includes a maritime wing)

defense is the responsibility of the US; in 1982, the FSM signed a Compact of Free Association (COFA) with the US, which granted the FSM financial assistance and access to many US domestic programs in exchange for exclusive US military access and defense responsibilities; the COFA entered into force in 1986; Micronesians can serve in the US armed forces<br><br>the FSM has a "shiprider" agreement with the US, which allows local maritime law enforcement officers to embark on US Coast Guard (USCG) and US Navy (USN) vessels, including to board and search vessels suspected of violating laws or regulations within the FSM's designated exclusive economic zone (EEZ) or on the high seas; "shiprider" agreements also enable USCG personnel and USN vessels with embarked USCG law enforcement personnel to work with host nations to protect critical regional resources (2025)