|
| 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%
|
| Population growth rate: |
NA%
|
| Birth rate: |
NA births/1,000 population
|
| Death rate: |
NA deaths/1,000 population
|
| Net migration rate: |
NA migrant(s)/1,000 population
|
| Infant mortality rate: |
NA deaths/1,000 live births
|
| Life expectancy at birth: |
total population:
NA years
male:
NA years
female:
NA years
|
| Total fertility rate: |
NA children born/woman
|
| 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)
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| Constitution: |
10 May 1979
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| 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 (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Deborah KINGSLAND
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
|
| 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
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| 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)
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| Television broadcast stations: |
2 (1997)
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| Internet country code: |
.fm
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| Internet Service Providers (ISPs): |
1 (2000)
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| 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
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