| GEOGRAPHY |
| 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 |
| Capital: |
Palikir |
| 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 (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) |
| Land
Boundaries: |
0 km |
| Coastline: |
6,112 km |
| Maritime
Claims: |
territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 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 Chuuk |
| Elavation
Extremes: |
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: Dolohmwar (Totolom) 791 m |
| Natural
Resources: |
forests, marine products, deep-seabed minerals, phosphate |
| GOVERNEMENT |
| Governement
Type: |
constitutional government in free association with the US; the Compact of Free Association entered into force 3 November 1986 and the Amended Compact entered into force May 2004 |
| Administratives
Divisions: |
4 states; Chuuk (Truk), Kosrae (Kosaie), Pohnpei (Ponape), Yap |
| Independence |
3 November 1986 (from the US-administered UN Trusteeship) |
| National
Holiday: |
Constitution Day, 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 Joseph J. URUSEMAL (since 11 May 2003); Vice President Redley KILLION (11 May 2003); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government
head of government: President Joseph J. URUSEMAL (since 11 May 2003); Vice President Redley KILLION (11 May 2003); 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 11 May 2003 (next to be held May 2007); note - a proposed constitutional amendment to establish popular elections for president and vice president failed
election results: Joseph J. URUSEMAL elected president; percent of Congress vote - NA%; Redley KILLION elected vice president; percent of Congress vote - NA% |
| Legislative
Branch: |
unicameral Congress (14 seats; 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; members elected by popular vote)
elections: elections for four-year term seats last held 4 March 2003 (next to be held March 2007); elections for two-year term seats last held 8 March 2005 (next to be held March 2007)
election results: percent of vote - NA%; seats - independents 14 |
| Judicial
Branch: |
Supreme Court |
| Political
parties and Leaders: |
no formal parties |
| PEOPLE |
| Population: |
108,105 (July 2005 est.) |
| Age structure: |
0-14 years: 37.1% (male 20,439/female 19,674)
15-64 years: 59.8% (male 32,382/female 32,313)
65 years and over: 3% (male 1,461/female 1,836) (2005 est.) |
| Median age: |
|
| Nationality: |
noun: Micronesian(s)
adjective: Micronesian; Chuukese, Kosraen(s), Pohnpeian(s), Yapese |
| Ethnic groups: |
nine ethnic Micronesian and Polynesian groups |
| Religions: |
Roman Catholic 50%, Protestant 47% |
| Languages: |
English (official and common language), Trukese, Pohnpeian, Yapese, Kosrean, Ulithian, Woleaian, Nukuoro, Kapingamarangi |
| COMUNICATIONS |
| Telephones - main
lines in use: |
10,100 (2001) |
| Telephones - mobile
cellular: |
1,800 (2002) |
| 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; cellular service available on Kosrae, Pohnpei, and Yap
international: country code - 691; satellite earth stations - 5 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean) (2002) |
| Radio broadcast
stations: |
AM 5, FM 1, shortwave 0 (2004) |
| Television broadcast
stations: |
3; note - cable TV also available (2004) |
| Internet country
code: |
.fm |
| Internet hosts: |
|
| Internet users: |
6,000 (2002) |
| TRANSPORT |
| Railways: |
|
| Highways: |
total: 240 km
paved: 42 km
unpaved: 198 km (1999 est.) |
| Waterways: |
|
| Pipelines: |
|
| Ports and harbors: |
Colonia (Yap), Kolonia (Pohnpei), Lele, Moen |
| Merchant marine: |
total: 2 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 2,423 GRT/1,551 DWT
by type: cargo 1, passenger/cargo 1
foreign-owned: 2 (United States 2) (2005) |
| Airports: |
6 (2004 est.) |
| Airports - with
paved runways: |
total: 6
1,524 to 2,437 m: 4
914 to 1,523 m: 2 (2004 est.) |
| Airports - with
unpaved runways: |
|
| Heliports: |
|
