Micronesia, Federated States of

Broadcast media

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 a half dozen radio stations (2009)

Internet country code

.fm

Internet users

total: 29,900 | percent of population: 28.3% (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 196

Radio broadcast stations

AM 5, FM 1, shortwave 0 (2004)

Telephone system

general assessment: adequate system | domestic: islands interconnected by shortwave radiotelephone (used mostly for government purposes), satellite (Intelsat) ground stations, and some coaxial and fiber-optic cable; mobile-cellular service available on Kosrae, Pohnpei, and Yap | international: country code - 691; satellite earth stations - 5 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean) (2002)

Telephones - fixed lines

total subscriptions: 7,000 | subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 7 (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 204

Telephones - mobile cellular

total: 31,400 | subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 30 (2013) | country comparison to the world: 208

Television broadcast stations

3 (cable TV also available) (2004)

Agriculture - products

taro, yams, coconuts, bananas, cassava (manioc, tapioca), sakau (kava), Kosraen citrus, betel nuts, black pepper, fish, pigs, chickens

Budget

revenues: $213.8 million | expenditures: $192.1 million (FY12/13 est.)

Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-)

6.3% of GDP (2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 18

Commercial bank prime lending rate

7.1% (2013 est.) | 6.4% (2012 est.) | country comparison to the world: 47

Current account balance

-$31.6 million (2013 est.) | -$41.2 million (2012 est.) | country comparison to the world: 66

Debt - external

$93.6 million (2013 est.) | $93.5 million (2012 est.) | country comparison to the world: 193

Distribution of family income - Gini index

61.1 (2013 est.)

Economy - overview

Economic activity consists largely of subsistence farming and fishing, and government, which employs two-thirds of the adult working population and receives funding largely - 58% in 2013 – from Compact of Free Association assistance provided by the US. The islands have few commercially valuable mineral deposits. The potential for tourism is limited by isolation, lack of adequate facilities, and limited internal air and water transportation. Under the terms of the original Compact, the US provided $1.3 billion in grants and aid from 1986 to 2001. The US and the Federated States of Micronesia (FSM) negotiated a second (amended) Compact agreement in 2002-2003 that took effect in 2004. The amended Compact runs for a 20-year period to 2023; during which the US will provide roughly $2.1 billion to the FSM. The amended Compact also develops a Trust Fund for the FSM that will provide a comparable income stream beyond 2024 when Compact grants end. The country's medium-term economic outlook appears fragile because of dependence on US assistance and lackluster performance of its small and stagnant private sector.

Exchange rates

the US dollar is used

Exports

$88.3 million (2013 est.) | $95.7 million (2012 est.) | country comparison to the world: 204

Exports - commodities

fish, sakau (kava), betel nuts, black pepper

Fiscal year

1 October - 30 September

GDP (official exchange rate)

$315 million (2014 est.)

GDP (purchasing power parity)

$312 million (2014 est.) | $311.7 million (2013 est.) | $324.8 million (2012 est.) | note: data are in 2013 US dollars; GDP supplemented by grant aid, averaging perhaps $100 million annually | country comparison to the world: 216

GDP - composition, by end use

household consumption: 83.5% | government consumption: 41.8% | investment in fixed assets: 24.3% | investment in inventories: 0% | exports of goods and services: 26.6% | imports of goods and services: -76.2% (2013 est.)

GDP - composition, by sector of origin

agriculture: 26.3% | industry: 18.9% | services: 54.8% (2013 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP)

$3,000 (2014 est.) | $3,000 (2013 est.) | $3,100 (2012 est.) | note: data are in 2014 US dollars | country comparison to the world: 184

GDP - real growth rate

0.1% (2014 est.) | -4% (2013 est.) | 0.1% (2012 est.) | country comparison to the world: 194

Household income or consumption by percentage share

lowest 10%: NA% | highest 10%: NA%

Imports

$258.5 million (2013 est.) | $263.4 million (2012 est.) | country comparison to the world: 209

Imports - commodities

food, beverages, clothing, computers, household electronics, appliances, manufactured goods, automobiles, machinery and equipment, furniture, tools

Industrial production growth rate

NA%

Industries

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

0.7% (2014 est.) | 6.3% (2012 est.) | country comparison to the world: 51

Labor force

37,920 (2010 est.) | country comparison to the world: 214

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture: 0.9% | industry: 5.2% | services: 93.9% | note: two-thirds of the labor force are government employees (2013 est.)

Market value of publicly traded shares

$NA

Population below poverty line

26.7% (2000 est.)

Public debt

28% of GDP (2013) | 27% of GDP (2012)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

$75.06 million (31 December 2011 est.) | country comparison to the world: 167

Stock of broad money

$225.2 million (31 December 2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 190

Stock of direct foreign investment - at home

$15.8 million (2013 est.) | $34.4 million (2012 est.)

Stock of domestic credit

$56.98 million (2013 est.) | $56.77 million (31 December 2011 est.)

Stock of narrow money

$196 million (31 December 2013 est.)

Taxes and other revenues

63% of GDP (2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 83

Unemployment rate

16.2% (2010 est.) | country comparison to the world: 168

Carbon dioxide emissions from consumption of energy

105 Mt (2010 est.) | country comparison to the world: 213

Crude oil - exports

0 bbl/day (2014)

Crude oil - imports

0 bbl/day (2014)

Crude oil - production

0 bbl/day (2014)

Crude oil - proved reserves

0 bbl (1 January 2014)

Electricity - consumption

178.6 million kWh (2002) | country comparison to the world: 190

Electricity - exports

0 kWh (2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 139

Electricity - from hydroelectric plants

1% of total installed capacity (2013 est.)

Electricity - from nuclear fuels

0% of total installed capacity (2015 est.)

Electricity - from other renewable sources

3% of total installed capacity (2013 est.)

Electricity - imports

0 kWh (2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 146

Electricity - installed generating capacity

18,000 kW (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 203

Electricity - production

192 million kWh (2002) | country comparison to the world: 185

Natural gas - production

0 cu m (2014)

Refined petroleum products - production

0 bbl/day (2014)

Area

total: 702 sq km | land: 702 sq km | water: 0 sq km (fresh water only) | note: includes Pohnpei (Ponape), Chuuk (Truk) Islands, Yap Islands, and Kosrae (Kosaie) | country comparison to the world: 191

Area - comparative

four times the size of Washington, DC (land area only)

Climate

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

Coastline

6,112 km

Elevation extremes

lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m | highest point: Dolohmwar (Totolom) 791 m

Environment - current issues

overfishing, climate change, pollution

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

Geographic coordinates

6 55 N, 158 15 E

Geography - note

four major island groups totaling 607 islands

Irrigated land

NA

Land boundaries

0 km

Land use

agricultural land: 25.5% | arable land 2.3%; permanent crops 19.7%; permanent pasture 3.5% | forest: 74.5% | other: 0% (2011 est.)

Location

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

Map references

Oceania

Maritime claims

territorial sea: 12 nm | exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Natural hazards

typhoons (June to December)

Natural resources

timber, marine products, deep-seabed minerals, phosphate

Terrain

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

Administrative divisions

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

Capital

name: Palikir | geographic coordinates: 6 55 N, 158 09 E | time difference: UTC+11 (16 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

Constitution

drafted June 1975, ratified 1 October 1978, entered into force 10 May 1979; amended 1990 (2012)

Country name

conventional long form: Federated States of Micronesia | conventional short form: none | local long form: Federated States of Micronesia | local short form: none | former: Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands, Ponape, Truk, and Yap Districts | abbreviation: FSM

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission: Ambassador Dorothea-Maria (Doria) ROSEN (since 9 August 2012) | embassy: 101 Upper Pics Road, Kolonia | mailing address: P. O. Box 1286, Kolonia, Pohnpei, 96941; U.S. Embassy in Micronesia, 4120 Kolonia Place, Washington, D.C. 20521-4120 | telephone: [691] 320-2187 | FAX: [691] 320-2186

Diplomatic representation in the US

chief of mission: Ambassador Asterio R. TAKESY (since 13 January 2012) | chancery: 1725 N Street NW, Washington, DC 20036 | telephone: [1] (202) 223-4383 | FAX: [1] (202) 223-4391 | consulate(s) general: Honolulu, Tamuning (Guam)

Executive branch

chief of state: President Peter M. CHRISTIAN (since 12 May 2015); Vice President Yosiwo P. GEORGE (since 12 May 2015); note - the president is both chief of state and head of government | head of government: President Peter M. CHRISTIAN (since 12 May 2015); Vice President Yosiwo P. GEORGE (since 12 May 2015) | cabinet: Cabinet includes the vice president and the heads of the 8 executive departments | elections/appointments: president and vice president indirectly elected by Congress from among the 4 'at large' senators for a 4-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held on 11 May 2011 (next to be held in May 2015) | election results: Peter M. CHRISTIAN elected president by Congress; Yosiwo P. GEORGE elected vice president

Flag description

light blue with four white five-pointed stars centered; the stars are arranged in a diamond pattern; blue symbolizes the Pacific Ocean, the stars represent the four island groups of Chuuk, Kosrae, Pohnpei, and Yap

Government type

constitutional government in free association with the US; the Compact of Free Association entered into force on 3 November 1986 and the Amended Compact entered into force in May 2004

Independence

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

International law organization participation

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

International organization participation

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

Judicial branch

highest court(s): Federated States of Micronesia (FSM) Supreme Court (consists of the chief justice and not more than 5 associate justices and organized into appellate and criminal divisions) | judge selection and term of office: justices appointed by the president of the Federated States of Micronesia with the approval of two-thirds of Congress; justices appointed for life | subordinate courts: the highest state-level courts are: Chuuk Supreme Court; Korsae State Court; Pohnpei State Court; Yap State Court

Legal system

mixed legal system of common and customary law

Legislative branch

description: unicameral Congress (14 seats; 10 members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by simple majority vote to serve 2-year terms and 4 directly elected from each of the 4 states by proportional representation vote to serve 4-year terms) | elections: last held on 5 March 2013 (next to be held in March 2015) | election results: percent of vote - NA; seats - independent 14

National anthem

name: "Patriots of Micronesia" | lyrics/music: unknown | note: adopted 1991; also known as "Across All Micronesia"; the music is based on the 1820 German patriotic song "Ich hab mich ergeben", which was the West German national anthem from 1949-1950; variants of this tune are used in Johannes Brahms' "Festival Overture" and Gustav Mahler's "Third Symphony"

National holiday

Constitution Day, 10 May (1979)

National symbol(s)

four, five-pointed, white stars on a light blue field; national colors: light blue, white

Political parties and leaders

no formal parties

Political pressure groups and leaders

NA

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Background

The Caroline Islands are a widely scattered archipelago in the western Pacific Ocean; they became part of a UN Trust Territory under US administration following World War II. The eastern four island groups adopted a constitution in 1979 and chose to become the Federated States of Micronesia. (The westernmost island group became Palau.) Independence came in 1986 under a Compact of Free Association with the US, which was amended and renewed in 2004. Present concerns include large-scale unemployment, overfishing, overdependence on US foreign aid, and state perception of inequitable allocation of US aid.

Manpower available for military service

males age 16-49: 26,712 (2010 est.)

Manpower fit for military service

males age 16-49: 22,008 | females age 16-49: 23,501 (2010 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually

male: 1,276 | female: 1,253 (2010 est.)

Military - note

defense is the responsibility of the US

Military branches

no regular military forces (2012)

Age structure

0-14 years: 31.34% (male 16,761/female 16,215) | 15-24 years: 20% (male 10,576/female 10,469) | 25-54 years: 38.41% (male 19,583/female 20,827) | 55-64 years: 6.72% (male 3,494/female 3,580) | 65 years and over: 3.53% (male 1,660/female 2,051) (2015 est.)

Birth rate

20.54 births/1,000 population (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 80

Death rate

4.23 deaths/1,000 population (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 206

Dependency ratios

total dependency ratio: 62.4% | youth dependency ratio: 55.3% | elderly dependency ratio: 7.1% | potential support ratio: 14.1% (2015 est.)

Drinking water source

urban: 94.8% of population | rural: 87.4% of population | total: 89% of population | urban: 5.2% of population | rural: 12.6% of population | total: 11% of population (2015 est.)

Education expenditures

NA

Ethnic groups

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.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths

NA

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

NA

Health expenditures

12.6% of GDP (2013) | country comparison to the world: 6

Hospital bed density

3.2 beds/1,000 population (2009)

Infant mortality rate

total: 21.18 deaths/1,000 live births | male: 23.46 deaths/1,000 live births | female: 18.79 deaths/1,000 live births (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 81

Languages

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

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 72.62 years | male: 70.59 years | female: 74.75 years (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 136

Major urban areas - population

PALIKIR (capital) 7,000 (2014)

Median age

total: 23.8 years | male: 23.2 years | female: 24.4 years (2014 est.)

Nationality

noun: Micronesian(s) | adjective: Micronesian; Chuukese, Kosraen(s), Pohnpeian(s), Yapese

Net migration rate

-20.93 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 220

Obesity - adult prevalence rate

33.2% (2014) | country comparison to the world: 12

Physicians density

0.18 physicians/1,000 population (2009)

Population

105,216 (July 2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 193

Population growth rate

-0.46% (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 220

Religions

Roman Catholic 54.7%, Protestant 41.1% (includes Congregational 38.5%, Baptist 1.1%, Seventh Day Adventist 0.8%, Assembly of God .7%), Mormon 1.5%, other 1.9%, none 0.7%, unspecified 0.1% (2010 est.)

Sanitation facility access

urban: 85.1% of population | rural: 49% of population | total: 57.1% of population | urban: 14.9% of population | rural: 51% of population | total: 42.9% of population (2015 est.)

Sex ratio

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female | 0-14 years: 1.03 male(s)/female | 15-24 years: 1.01 male(s)/female | 25-54 years: 0.94 male(s)/female | 55-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female | 65 years and over: 0.81 male(s)/female | total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2015 est.)

Total fertility rate

2.49 children born/woman (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 78

Urbanization

urban population: 22.4% of total population (2015) | rate of urbanization: 0.27% annual rate of change (2010-15 est.)

Disputes - international

none

Illicit drugs

major consumer of cannabis

Airports

6 (2013) | country comparison to the world: 173

Airports - with paved runways

total: 6 | 1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 | 914 to 1,523 m: 2 (2013)

Merchant marine

total: 3 | by type: cargo 1, passenger/cargo 2 (2010) | country comparison to the world: 139

Ports and terminals

major seaport(s): Colonia (Tomil Harbor), Lele Harbor, Pohnepi Harbor

Roadways

total: 388 km | paved: 184 km | unpaved: 204 km (2015) | country comparison to the world: 208