Micronesia, Federated States of

Broadband - fixed subscriptions

total: 3,776 | subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 4 (2017 est.)

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: 36,586 | percent of population: 35.3% (July 2018 est.)

Telecommunication systems

general assessment: adequate system, the demand for mobile broadband is increasing due to mobile services being the primary and most wide-spread source for Internet access across the region (2020) | domestic: islands interconnected by shortwave radiotelephone, satellite (Intelsat) ground stations, and some coaxial and fiber-optic cable; mobile-cellular service available on the major islands; fixed line teledensity 6 per 100 and mobile-cellular 21 per 100 (2019) | international: country code - 691; landing points for the Chuukk-Pohnpei Cable and HANTRU-1 submarine cable system linking the Federated States of Micronesia and the US; satellite earth stations - 5 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean) (2019) | note: the COVID-19 outbreak is negatively impacting telecommunications production and supply chains globally; consumer spending on telecom devices and services has also slowed due to the pandemic's effect on economies worldwide; overall progress towards improvements in all facets of the telecom industry - mobile, fixed-line, broadband, submarine cable and satellite - has moderated

Telephones - fixed lines

total subscriptions: 6,420 | subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 6.23 (2019 est.)

Telephones - mobile cellular

total subscriptions: 21,374 | subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 20.74 (2019 est.)

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

Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-)

6.6% (of GDP) (FY12/13 est.)

Current account balance

$12 million (2017 est.) | $11 million (2016 est.)

Debt - external

$93.6 million (2013 est.) | $93.5 million (2012 est.)

Ease of Doing Business Index scores

69.6 (2020)

Economic 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 2002-03 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.)

Exports - commodities

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

Fiscal year

1 October - 30 September

GDP (official exchange rate)

$328 million (2017 est.)

GDP (purchasing power parity) - real

$348 million (2017 est.) | $341.1 million (2016 est.) | $331.4 million (2015 est.) | note: data are in 2017 dollars

GDP - composition, by end use

household consumption: 83.5% (2013 est.) | government consumption: 48.4% (2016 est.) | investment in fixed capital: 29.5% (2016 est.) | investment in inventories: 1.9% (2016 est.) | exports of goods and services: 27.5% (2016 est.) | imports of goods and services: -77% (2016 est.)

GDP - composition, by sector of origin

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

GDP - per capita (PPP)

$3,400 (2017 est.) | $3,300 (2016 est.) | $3,200 (2015 est.) | note: data are in 2017 dollars

GDP real growth rate

2% (2017 est.) | 2.9% (2016 est.) | 3.9% (2015 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

lowest 10%: NA | highest 10%: NA

Imports

$167.8 million (2015 est.) | $258.5 million (2013 est.)

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)

0.5% (2017 est.) | 0.5% (2016 est.)

Labor force

37,920 (2010 est.)

Labor force - by occupation

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

Population below poverty line

26.7% (2000 est.)

Public debt

24.5% of GDP (2017 est.) | 25.3% of GDP (2016 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

$203.7 million (31 December 2017 est.) | $135.1 million (31 December 2015 est.)

Taxes and other revenues

65.2% (of GDP) (FY12/13 est.)

Unemployment rate

16.2% (2010 est.)

Carbon dioxide emissions from consumption of energy

105 Mt (2010 est.)

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)

Electricity - exports

0 kWh (2013 est.)

Electricity - from fossil fuels

96% of total installed capacity (2015 est.)

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.)

Electricity - installed generating capacity

18,000 kW (2015 est.)

Electricity - production

192 million kWh (2002)

Electricity access

electrification - total population: 82% (2018) | electrification - urban areas: 93.5% (2018) | electrification - rural areas: 78.7% (2018)

Natural gas - production

0 cu m (2014)

Natural gas - proved reserves

0 cu m

Refined petroleum products - exports

0 bbl/day

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)

Area - comparative

four times the size of Washington, DC (land area only) | Area comparison map: The World Factbook Field Image Modal × Australia - Oceania :: Micronesia, Federated States of Print Image Description 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

lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m | highest point: Nanlaud on Pohnpei 782 m

Environment - current issues

overfishing; climate change; water pollution, toxic pollution from mining; solid waste disposal

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

composed of four major island groups totaling 607 islands

Irrigated land

0 sq km NA (2012)

Land boundaries

0 km

Land use

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

Population distribution

the majority of the populaton 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

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) | note 1: Micronesia has two time zones note 2: Palikir became the new capital of the country in 1989, three years after independence; Kolonia, the former capital, remains the site for many foreign embassies; it also serves as the Pohnpei state capital

Citizenship

citizenship by birth: no | citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of FSM | dual citizenship recognized: no | residency requirement for naturalization: 5 years

Constitution

history: drafted June 1975, ratified 1 October 1978, entered into force 10 May 1979 | amendments: proposed by Congress, by a constitutional convention, or by public petition; passage requires approval by at least three-fourths majority vote in at least three fourths of the states; amended 1990; note – at least every 10 years as part of a general or special election, voters are asked whether to hold a constitution convention; a majority of affirmative votes is required to proceed

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: New Philippines; Caroline Islands; Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands, Ponape, Truk, and Yap Districts | abbreviation: FSM | etymology: the term "Micronesia" is a 19th-century construct of two Greek words, "micro" (small) and "nesoi" (islands), and refers to thousands of small islands in the western Pacific Ocean

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission: Ambassador Carmen G. CANTOR (since 31 January 2020) | telephone: [691] 320-2187 | embassy: US Embassy in Kolonia, PO Box 1286, Kolonia, Pohnpei, FSM 96941 | mailing address: P. O. Box 1286, Kolonia, Pohnpei, 96941; U.S. Embassy in Micronesia, 4120 Kolonia Place, Washington, D.C. 20521-4120 | FAX: [691] 320-2186

Diplomatic representation in the US

chief of mission: Ambassador Akillino Harris SUSAIA (since 24 April 2017) | 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 David W. PANUELO (since 11 May 2019); Vice President Yosiwo P. GEORGE (since 11 May 2015); note - the president is both chief of state and head of government | head of government: President David W. PANUELO (since 11 May 2019); Vice President Yosiwo P. GEORGE (since 11 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 2019 (next to be held in 2023) | election results: David W. PANUELO elected president by Congress; Yosiwo P. GEORGE reelected 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

federal republic in free association with the US

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 courts: 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 FSM president 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 at- large members directly elected from each of the 4 states by proportional representation vote to serve 4-year terms) | elections: last held on 5 March 2019 (next to be held on 2 March 2021) | election results: percent of vote - NA; seats - independent 14; composition - men 14, women 0

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, hibiscus flower; national colors: light blue, white

Political parties and leaders

no formal parties

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 (FSM). (The westernmost island group became Palau.) Independence came in 1986 under a Compact of Free Association (COFA) with the US, which was amended in 2004. The COFA has been a force for stability and democracy in the FSM since it came into force in 1986. Present concerns include economic uncertainty after 2023 when direct US economic assistance is scheduled to end, large-scale unemployment, overfishing, overdependence on US foreign aid, and state perceptions of inequitable allocation of US aid. As a signatory to the COFA with the US, eligible Micronesians can live, work, and study in any part of the US and its territories without a visa - this privilege reduces stresses on the island economy and the environment. Micronesians serve in the US armed forces and military recruiting from the Federated States of Micronesia, per capita, is higher than many US states.

Military - note

defense is the responsibility of the US

Military and security forces

no military forces; Federated States of Micronesia National Police (2019)

Age structure

0-14 years: 28.88% (male 15,046/female 14,542) | 15-24 years: 18.94% (male 9,710/female 9,696) | 25-54 years: 40.32% (male 19,903/female 21,395) | 55-64 years: 7.24% (male 3,572/female 3,842) | 65 years and over: 4.62% (male 2,130/female 2,600) (2020 est.) | population pyramid: The World Factbook Field Image Modal × Australia - Oceania :: Micronesia, Federated States of Print Image Description This is the population pyramid for Micronesia. A population pyramid illustrates the age and sex structure of a country's population and may provide insights about political and social stability, as well as economic development. The population is distributed along the horizontal axis, with males shown on the left and females on the right. The male and female populations are broken down into 5-year age groups represented as horizontal bars along the vertical axis, with the youngest age groups at the bottom and the oldest at the top. The shape of the population pyramid gradually evolves over time based on fertility, mortality, and international migration trends. For additional information, please see the entry for Population pyramid on the Definitions and Notes page under the References tab.

Birth rate

18.9 births/1,000 population (2020 est.)

Current Health Expenditure

12.4% (2017)

Death rate

4.3 deaths/1,000 population (2020 est.)

Dependency ratios

total dependency ratio: 55.2 | youth dependency ratio: 48.4 | elderly dependency ratio: 6.8 | potential support ratio: 14.7 (2020 est.)

Drinking water source

improved: total: 78.6% of population | unimproved: total: 21.4% of population (2017 est.)

Education expenditures

12.5% of GDP (2015)

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

Hospital bed density

3.2 beds/1,000 population (2009)

Infant mortality rate

total: 17.8 deaths/1,000 live births | male: 19.8 deaths/1,000 live births | female: 15.8 deaths/1,000 live births (2020 est.)

Languages

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

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 73.9 years | male: 71.8 years | female: 76.1 years (2020 est.)

Major infectious diseases

degree of risk: high (2020) | food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea | vectorborne diseases: malaria

Major urban areas - population

7,000 PALIKIR (capital) (2018)

Maternal mortality rate

88 deaths/100,000 live births (2017 est.)

Median age

total: 26.3 years | male: 25.5 years | female: 27.1 years (2020 est.)

Nationality

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

Net migration rate

-20.9 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2020 est.)

Obesity - adult prevalence rate

45.8% (2016)

Population

102,436 (July 2020 est.)

Population distribution

the majority of the populaton 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

Population growth rate

-0.6% (2020 est.)

Religions

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

Sanitation facility access

improved: total: 88.3% of population | unimproved: total: 11.7% of population (2017 est.)

Sex ratio

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female | 0-14 years: 1.03 male(s)/female | 15-24 years: 1 male(s)/female | 25-54 years: 0.93 male(s)/female | 55-64 years: 0.93 male(s)/female | 65 years and over: 0.82 male(s)/female | total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2020 est.)

Total fertility rate

2.29 children born/woman (2020 est.)

Unemployment, youth ages 15-24

total: 18.9% | male: 10.4% | female: 29.9% (2014)

Urbanization

urban population: 22.9% of total population (2020) | rate of urbanization: 1.05% annual rate of change (2015-20 est.) | total population growth rate v. urban population growth rate, 2000-2030: PDF

Disputes - international

none

Illicit drugs

major consumer of cannabis

Airports

6 (2013)

Airports - with paved runways

total: 6 (2017) | 1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 (2017) | 914 to 1,523 m: 2 (2017)

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

V6 (2016)

Merchant marine

total: 39 | by type: general cargo 19, oil tanker 4, other 16 (2019)

Ports and terminals

major seaport(s): Colonia (Tamil Harbor), Molsron Lele Harbor, Pohnepi Harbor

Roadways

note - paved and unpaved circumferential roads, most interior roads are unpaved