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

Area - comparative: 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)

Environment - current issues: NA

Environment - international agreements:
party to : Biodiversity, Climate Change, 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: 135,869 (July 2002 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: NA
15-64 years : NA%
65 years and over: NA

Population growth rate: NA% (2002 est.)

Birth rate: NA births/1,000 population

Death rate:NA deaths/1,000 population

Net migration rate: NA

Sex ratio:
at birth: NA male(s)/female
under 15 years: NA male(s)/female
15-64 years : NA male(s)/female
65 years and over: NA male(s)/female
total population: NA male(s)/female

Infant mortality rate: NA deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: NA years
male: NA years
female:NA years (2002 est)

Total fertility rate: 3.93 children born/woman (1997 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 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); note - a proposed constitutional amendment would establish popular elections for president and vice president
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 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: 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 Larry DINGER
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

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 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 with the US in which Micronesia received $1.3 billion in financial and technical assistance over a 15-year period until 2001. Since these revenues accounted for 57% of consolidated government revenues, reduced Compact funding resulted in a severe depression. Economic activity recovered in 1999-2001. The country's medium-term economic outlook appears 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 - $269 million (2001 est.)
note: GDP is supplemented by grant aid, averaging perhaps $100 million annually

GDP - real growth rate: 2% (2001 est.)

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $2,000 (2001 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 50%
industry: 4%
services: 46% (2000 est.)

Inflation rate - consumer price index: 2.5% (2001 est.)

Labor force: NA
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 - capacity: 38,500 kW (1995)

Electricity - production: NA kWh

Electricity - consumption per capita: NA kWh

Agriculture - products: black pepper, tropical fruits and vegetables, coconuts, cassava (tapioca), sweet potatoes; pigs, chickens

Exports:
total value:$149 million (f.o.b., FY99/00 est.)
commodities : fish, garments, bananas, black pepper
partners: US, Australia, Japan

Imports:
total value: $141.1 million (c.i.f., 1994 est.)
commodities: food, manufactured goods, machinery and equipment, beverages
partners: US, Japan, Australia

Debt - external: $66.5 million (FY99/00 est.)

Economic aid:
recipient: under terms of the Compact of Free Association, the US pledged $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 October - 30 September

Telephones: 11,000 (2001)

Telephone system: adequate system
domestic: islands interconnected by shortwave radiotelephone (used mostly for government purposes)
international: satellite earth stations -5 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean) (2002)

Radio broadcast stations: AM 5, FM 1, shortwave 0 (1998)

Radios: 9,400 (1996)

Television broadcast stations: 2 (1997)

Televisions: 2,800 (1999)

Railways: 0 km

Highways:
total: 240 km
paved: 42 km
unpaved: 198 km (1996)

Ports and harbors: Colonia (Yap), Kolonia (Pohnpei), Lele, Moen

Merchant marine: none

Airports:7 (2001)

Airports - with paved runways:
total: 6
1,524 to 2,437 m : 4
914 to 1,523 m:2 (2001)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2001)

Military - note: defense is the responsibility of the US

Disputes - international: none