Micronesia - FM - FSM - FSM - Australia and Oceania
Micronesia, Federated States of Images
Lionfish on the Fumitsuki Maru. Image courtesy of NOAA / David Burdick.
Chuuk Lagoon (formerly Truk Lagoon) is a sheltered body of water in the central Pacific, about 1,800 km north-east of New Guinea. It is part of Chuuk State within the Federated States of Micronesia. The atoll enclosing the lagoon consists of a protective reef, 225 km (140 mi) around, forming a natural harbor 79 by 50 km (49 by 30 mi), with an area of 2,130 sq km (820 sq mi). It has a land area of some 127 square km (49 sq mi). Image courtesy of NASA.
Aerial view of Chuuk Island shows the classic atoll configuration with the barrier reef on the outside exposed to the ocean (bottom) and the lagoon on the inside (top). Image courtesy of NOAA.
Yap (also known as Wa'ab) is located in Yap State of the Federated States of Micronesia. The island of Yap actually consists of four islands joined by a common coral reef. The land is mostly rolling hills densely covered with vegetation. Mangrove swamps line much of the shore. An outer barrier reef surrounds the islands and is visible in this space shuttle photograph. The state has a total land area of 102 sq km (39 sq mi). Image courtesy of NASA.
Pohnpei (on the right) is the largest, highest, most populous, and most developed single island in the Federated States of Micronesia. The islanders of Pohnpei have a reputation as being the most welcoming of outsiders among residents of the island group. Pohnpei also contains a wealth of biodiversity and is one of the wettest places on earth with annual recorded rainfall exceeding 7.6 m (25 ft) each year in certain mountainous locations. Image courtesy of NASA.
Classically shaped Nukuoro Atoll is one of 607 islands that make up the Federated States of Micronesia. It is also a municipality of the state of Pohnpei, Federated States of Micronesia. The atoll has a population of only several hundred people. The total area, including the lagoon, is 40 sq km, with a land area of only 1.7 sq km, which is divided among more than 40 islets that lie on the northern, eastern, and southern sides of the lagoon. By far the largest islet is Nukuoro islet in the southeast, which is the center of population and the capital of the municipality. Vegetation is most prominent on the northeast and east portions of the atoll that face the dominant Easterly winds. Swells driven by these winds can be seen approaching from the east-southeast (right) and wrapping around the atoll to produce an interference pattern on the downwind side. Water in the lagoon is calm in comparison. A coral head appears dead center of the photo. Image courtesy of NASA.
The State of Kosrae is the easternmost of the four states that make up the Federated States of Micronesia; it includes the main island of Kosrae and about a dozen nearby islands and islets. The island is located approximately 600 Km (370 mi) north of the equator, between Guam and the Hawaiian Islands. Its land area is approximately 110 sq km (42 sq mi). Image courtesy of NASA.
Aerial view of the island of Falalap showing Ulithi Civil Airfield. The Japanese built an airfield on Falalap during World War II, but abandoned the island in September 1944. It was almost immediately occupied by Allied forces that significantly improved the airfield and seaplane base. For the remainder of the war it was an important US Naval Air Station. The modern airport is built on the old US airfield. Photo courtesy of the US Air Force/ Staff Sgt. Alexander Riedel.
Aerial view of Fais Island, Ulithi Atoll. Image courtesy of US Air Force/ Osakabe Yasuo.
Keprohi (Kepirohi) Waterfall on the island of Pohnpei. Fresh-water eels frequent the pool at the bottom of the falls. Photo courtesy of NOAA / Lt. Cmdr. Matthew Wingate.
An aerial view of Keprohi Waterfall on the island of Pohnpei. Given the high volcanic topography and heavy rainfall of Pohnpei, there are a number of scenic waterfalls on the island. Image courtesy of the US Air Force/ Tech. Sgt. Tony Tolley.
A view of Paipalap Peak (Sokehs Rock) overlooking Pohnpei harbor. The rock, rising over 186 meters, is a basalt volcanic plug. This prominent feature is sometimes referred to as the "Diamond Head" of Micronesia, since it somewhat resembles Diamond Head peak on the island of Oahu in the Hawaiian Islands.
Paipalap Peak (Sokehs Rock) on the island of Pohnpei overlooks the harbor.
A prominent rock feature called the Ray of Light Spire as seen from the top of Sokehs Rock on the island of Pohnpei. Photo courtesy of NOAA / Lt. Cmdr. Matthew Wingate.
Lava cliffs on Pohnpei. The island, the most populous in the FSM, is home to the megaliths and ruined city of Nan Madol. Photo courtesy of NOAA / James P. McVey.
An isolated homestead off the island of Pohnpei. Photo courtesy of US Air Force/ Tech. Sgt. Tony Tolley.
The remains of a Japanese dual mount Type 89 12.7 cm (5") anti-aircraft gun located on Sohkes Mountain Ridge overlooking the harbor on Pohnpei Island. As the largest island in the Caroline Islands with an excellent harbor and two airfields, Pohnpei was heavily defended by the Japanese during World War II. A similar anti-aircraft gun is located nearby along with a 6" coast artillery gun. Although subjected to repeated Allied air attacks, the island was bypassed during the Allied campaign in the Central Pacific and the island remained in Japanese hands until the end of World War II. Photo courtesy of NOAA / Lieutenant Commander Matthew Wingate.
A remnant of World War II - abandoned Japanese tanks being overtaken by the climate and relentless growth of tropical foliage. Photo courtesy of NOAA / Lt. Cmdr. Matthew Wingate.
The harbor on Pohnpei. In the background is the surf line along the outer reef.
A view of the ocean approach to Pohnpei Island and the high volcanic topography of the island. To the right you can make out Paipalap Peak (Sokehs Rock) which overlooks Pohnpei harbor.
A view of the lagoon of Pohnpei Island with the outer reef in the foreground. The lagoon offers a good anchorage outside of Pohnpei harbor. Factory ships often anchor in the lagoon to process fish brought in by fishing boats.
The entrance channel to Pohnpei harbor with Paipalap Peak (Sokehs Rock) in the background.
A Protestant church in Kolonia, capital of Pohnpei. This church was built in the 1930's.
Nan Madol is an archeological site located on Temwen Island in the present-day Madolenihmw district of Pohnpei state, in the Federated States of Micronesia. A National Historic Landmark and a UNESCO World Heritage Site, it was the ceremonial and political seat of the Saudeleur Dynasty, which ruled Pohnpei's estimated population of 25,000 people from about 1100 to 1628. Nan Madol is the only extant ancient "city" built on top of a coral reef. Constructed in a lagoon and surrounded by water on three sides with a stone wall enclosing the complex, the site is often referred to as the "Venice of the Pacific." Nan Madol roughly translates to "within the intervals" referring to the elaborate web of tidal canals and waterways that crisscross the site, allowing transportation between over 90 small artificial islets. Because of its construction, Nan Madol appears to float on the water. This view of Nan Madol is from the lagoon.
Nan Madol was a major political and spiritual hub for native Pohnpeians. The "city" was built so that the nobility were isolated from the general population. At its peak, Nan Madol may have been home to a thousand people, the majority of whom were commoners serving the nobility. Carved basalt stones carefully placed on top of each other in a crisscross pattern formed the walls of each of the 130 buildings. Some individual stones are light enough that a single person could carry them, while the heaviest of the basalt pillars weigh about 45,000 kg (100,000 lbs) each.
Nan Madol was built so that the nobility were isolated from the general population. At its peak, the "city" may have been home to a thousand people, the majority of whom were commoners serving the nobility. Nan Madol became the most important political and religious center on the island. The social system at Nan Madol is the earliest known example of such centralized political power in the western Pacific.
The Nan Madol ruins are on a coral reef in a lagoon on the tiny island of Temwen, adjacent to the eastern shore of the island of Pohnpei in the Federated States of Micronesia. Carved basalt stones carefully placed on top of each other in a crisscross pattern formed the walls of each of the 130 buildings. Some individual stones are light enough that a single person could carry them, while the heaviest of the basalt pillars weigh 45,000 kg (100,000 lbs) each. The buildings stand on a foundation of natural coral that lies just below the water's surface.
Close up of one of the most prominent stacked-log towers in Nan Madol gives a very good idea of the crisscross-stacking process that was used in building construction. Image courtesy of NOAA.
A view of a stairway leading into the interior of Nan Madol. This site was a major political and spiritual hub for native Pohnpeians. Inhabited for about 500 years (ca. 1200 to 1700), the "city" served as a religious center, a royal enclave, a fortress, an urban marketplace, and the high seat of government for the island of Pohnpei. During its height, Nan Madol was the seat of the Saudeleur Dynasty, which united all of Pohnpei's estimated 25,000 people. The Saudeleur were originally a foreign tribe who came to Pohnpei and installed themselves as rulers of the island. The Saudeleur first appeared around the year 1100 and built Nan Madol around 1200. Photo courtesy of NOAA.
Part of the seawall enclosing Nan Madol, a National Historic Landmark, located on Temwen Island in the present day Madolenihmw district of Pohnpei state, in the Federated States of Micronesia. The ruins were built on 92 artificial islets, stretching out 1.3 km (0.8 mi) in length and 0.6 km (0.4 mi) in width. The islets are surrounded by narrow stretches of water, resembling canals, so it is not surprising that Nan Madol is sometimes referred to as "the Venice of Micronesia." Basalt boulders, some as heavy as 50 tons, were transported by rafts to Nan Madol from the other side of the island and levered into place with palm tree trunks. The boulders were dragged up log ramps before being piled one atop the other. No mortar was used to hold them together. The rock structures reach as high as 16 m on Pohnwi islet. The roughly rectangular enclosing wall of Nan Madol Central is formed by twelve "seawall" islets framing the entire complex on the northeast, southeast, and southwest sides (Temwen Island forms the NW side). The foundations of these islets were all constructed of columnar basalt and large boulders, the latter particularly common in outer wall facings. The 92 major architectural units (stone- and coral-filled platforms creating artificial islets), are up to about 115 by 100 m in size, and are built above tide level. Postholes found on several islets suggest the construction of thatched-roofed wooden structures on top of the platforms, similar to those known locally. Photo courtesy of NOAA.
An image that presents a good idea of the Nan Madol setting: immense basaltic structures overhung with vegetation, shallow interconnecting canals, and the ocean expanse beyond. Photo courtesy of NOAA.
An overview of some of the shallow canals and islets that make up Nan Madol as seen from the top of one of the stacked-log towers. Image courtesy of NOAA.
A placid, shallow canal in Nan Madol on Temwen Island. Photo courtesy of NOAA.
One of the larger structures in Nan Madol displays a side "window." Image courtesy of NOAA.
Close up of some basaltic logs of the type used to construct the various Nan Madol structures. Image courtesy of NOAA.
A view eastward from Pailapap on the island of Pohnpei showing Pohnpei International Airport and harbor. Pohnpei International Airport (IATA code: PNI) is located on the small island Deketik and is connected to Kolonia via the Deketik causeway. Photo courtesy of NOAA / Lt. Cmdr. Matthew Wingate.
A native sailing canoe seen from the beach. Photo courtesy of NOAA / Lt. Cmdr. Matthew Wingate.
A Micronesian outrigger under sail. Photo courtesy of NOAA / James P. McVey.
Outrigger canoe as seen from below passing over dive team. The bottom image is the outrigger and is actually farther from diver. Photo courtesy of NOAA / Dwayne Meadows.
A picture of serenity: white sand beach, a tropical lagoon, and small islets. Photo courtesy of NOAA / Lt. Cmdr. Matthew Wingate.
A traditional community meeting house on the island of Yap. Photo courtesy of NOAA / Ben Mieremet.
Native home with Yapese money stones (rai stones) indicating great wealth. Such stones were mined on Palau and carried by outrigger canoe 500 km (300 mi). Money stones were quarried from stalactites in limestone caves. Photo courtesy of NOAA/James P. McVey.
Lava tubes exiting out to Chuuk Lagoon. Image courtesy of NOAA / James P. McVey.
Underwater commemorative plaque in Chuuk (Truk) Lagoon, placed there on the 50th anniversary of the sinking of the Japanese cargo ship, Fujikawa Maru, in February 1944. During World War II, Truk Lagoon was the most important advanced base of the Imperial Japanese Navy. Japan acquired Truk Lagoon following World War I and developed the lagoon as a base throughout the inter-war period. It eventually became the Headquarters for the Japanese Fourth Fleet in 1939 and later the Combined Fleet Base. It was heavily defended with five airfields, communications facilities, repair depots, and storage facilities. It had been described as the "Gibraltar of the Pacific." Beginning in February 1944, the lagoon came under heavy air attack by Allied carrier aircraft and long range land based bombers. The sunken remains of 51 Japanese warships and 39 cargo ships lie in the lagoon, some in fairly shallow water, making it an interesting site for recreational divers. The wrecks are considered war graves. Image courtesy of NOAA / David Burdick.
Anchor coral (Euphyllia anchora) colony on the Fumitsuki Maru. Image courtesy of NOAA / David Burdick.
Overgrown bottle settled in coral on the Fumitsuki Maru. Image courtesy of NOAA / David Burdick.
Bubble coral (Plerogyra sinuosa) on the Hino Maru. Image courtesy of NOAA / David Burdick.
Massive coral growth on the Fujikawa Maru. Image courtesy of NOAA / David Burdick.
Coral and fish on the remains of the Fujikawa Maru off the shore of Chuuk Island. Image courtesy of NOAA / David Burdick.
Coral-encrusted gun on the Hino Maru. Image courtesy of NOAA / David Burdick.
Acropora coral colonies and fish on the Hino Maru. Image courtesy of NOAA / David Burdick.
Various types of coral growth on the surface of the Hino Maru. Image courtesy of NOAA / David Burdick.
Coral growth and fish seen near blast hole through hull of Sankisan Maru. Image courtesy of NOAA / David Burdick.
Coral growth and damselfish on the remains of the Shinkoku Maru. Image courtesy of NOAA / David Burdick.
Yellow soft coral on the Hanakawa Maru. Image courtesy of NOAA / David Burdick.
Pink soft coral on the Hanakawa Maru. Image courtesy of NOAA / David Burdick.
Gas mask and guns on the Fujikawa Maru. Image courtesy of NOAA / David Burdick.
Sea anemone with two anemonefish (Amphiprion sp.) off the island of Chuuk. Image courtesy of NOAA / David Burdick.
A sea cucumber on the Fujikawa Maru. Image courtesy of NOAA / David Burdick.
A crinoid on the Hanakawa Maru. Image courtesy of NOAA / David Burdick.
Lionfish on the Fumitsuki Maru. Image courtesy of NOAA / David Burdick.
Chuuk Lagoon (formerly Truk Lagoon) is a sheltered body of water in the central Pacific, about 1,800 km north-east of New Guinea. It is part of Chuuk State within the Federated States of Micronesia. The atoll enclosing the lagoon consists of a protective reef, 225 km (140 mi) around, forming a natural harbor 79 by 50 km (49 by 30 mi), with an area of 2,130 sq km (820 sq mi). It has a land area of some 127 square km (49 sq mi). Image courtesy of NASA.
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Micronesia, Federated States of Factbook Data
Diplomatic representation from the US
embassy: 1286 US Embassy Place, Kolonia, Pohnpei, FM 96941
mailing address: 4120 Kolonia Place, Washington, D.C. 20521-4120
telephone: [691] 320-2187
FAX: [691] 320-2186
email address and website:
koloniaacs@state.gov
https://fm.usembassy.gov/
Age structure
15-64 years: 67.13% (male 32,721/female 34,627)
65 years and over: 5.46% (2023 est.) (male 2,433/female 3,043)
For additional information, please see the entry for Population pyramid on the Definitions and Notes page.
Geographic coordinates
Sex ratio
0-14 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.94 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.8 male(s)/female
total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2023 est.)
Natural hazards
Area - comparative
four times the size of Washington, DC (land area only)
Background
Each of the four states that compose the Federated States of Micronesia (FSM) - Chuuk, Kosrae, Pohnpei, and Yap - has its own unique history and cultural traditions. The first humans arrived in what is now the FSM in the second millennium B.C. In the 800s A.D., construction of the artificial islets at the Nan Madol complex in Pohnpei began, with the main architecture being built around 1200. At its height, Nan Madol united the approximately 25,000 people of Pohnpei under the Saudeleur Dynasty. Around the same time, Kosrae was united in a kingdom centered in Leluh by 1250. Yap’s society became strictly hierarchical, with chiefs receiving tributes from islands up to 1,100 km (700 mi) away. Widespread human settlement in Chuuk began in the 1300s, and the different islands in the Chuuk Lagoon were frequently at war with one another.
Portuguese and Spanish explorers visited a few of the islands in the 1500s and Spain began exerting nominal, but not day-to-day, control over some of the islands - which they named the Caroline Islands - in the 1600s. Christian missionaries arrived in the 1800s, in particular to Chuuk and Kosrae. By the 1870s, nearly every Kosraean had converted to Christianity and religion continues to play an important role in daily life on the island. In 1899, Spain sold all of the FSM to Germany. Japan seized the islands in 1914 and was granted a League of Nations mandate to administer them in 1920. The Japanese navy built bases across most of the islands and headquartered their Pacific naval operations in Chuuk. The US bombed Chuuk in 1944, but largely bypassed the islands in its leapfrog campaign across the Pacific. The US military largely bypassed the other islands in its leapfrog campaign across the Pacific.
The FSM came under US administration as part of the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands in 1947, which comprised six districts: Chuuk, the Marshall Islands, the Northern Mariana Islands, Palau, Pohnpei, and Yap; Kosrae was separated from Pohnpei into a separate district in 1977. In 1979, Chuuk, Kosrae, Pohnpei, and Yap ratified the FSM Constitution and declared independence while the other three districts opted to pursue separate political statuses. In 1982, the FSM signed a Compact of Free Association (COFA) with the US, which granted the FSM financial assistance and access to many US domestic programs in exchange for exclusive US military access and defense responsibilities; the COFA entered into force in 1986 and its funding was renewed in 2003. There are significant inter-island rivalries stemming from their different histories and cultures. Chuuk, the most populous but poorest state, has pushed for secession, but an independence referendum has been repeatedly postponed and may not be held.
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 FSM, per capita, is higher than many US states.
Environment - current issues
Environment - international agreements
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Population below poverty line
note: % of population with income below national poverty line
Household income or consumption by percentage share
highest 10%: 29.7% (2013 est.)
note: % share of income accruing to lowest and highest 10% of population
Exports - commodities
Administrative divisions
Agricultural products
Military and security forces
Budget
expenditures: $223 million (2018 est.)
Capital
geographic coordinates: 6 55 N, 158 09 E
time difference: UTC+11 (16 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
time zone note: Micronesia has two time zones
note: 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
Imports - commodities
Climate
Coastline
Constitution
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; amended many times, last in 2019 (approval by referendum to hold a constitutional convention)
Exchange rates
Executive branch
head of government: President Wesley W. SIMINA (since 12 May 2023); Vice President Aren B. PALIK (since 12 May 2023)
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 12 May 2023 (next to be held in 2027)
election results: David W. PANUELO elected president by Congress; Yosiwo P. GEORGE reelected vice president
Fiscal year
Flag description
Illicit drugs
Independence
Industries
Judicial branch
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
Land boundaries
Land use
arable land: 2.3% (2018 est.)
permanent crops: 19.7% (2018 est.)
permanent pasture: 3.5% (2018 est.)
forest: 74.5% (2018 est.)
other: 0% (2018 est.)
Legal system
Maritime claims
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
International organization participation
National holiday
Nationality
adjective: Micronesian; Chuukese, Kosraen(s), Pohnpeian(s), Yapese
Natural resources
Geography - note
Economic overview
Political parties and leaders
Ports and terminals
Suffrage
Telecommunication systems
Australia, Japan, and the United States are committed to working in partnership with the Federated States of Micronesia (FSM), Kiribati, and Nauru to improve internet connectivity to these three Pacific nations by providing funding to build a new undersea cable; the proposed undersea cable will provide faster, higher quality, and more reliable and secure communications to approximately 100,000 people across three countries; this will support increased economic growth, drive development opportunities, and help to improve living standards as the region recovers from the severe impacts of COVID-19; the new cable will connect Kosrae (FSM), Nauru, and Tarawa (Kiribati) with the existing HANTRU-1 cable at Pohnpei (FSM), providing internet connectivity through a submarine cable for the first time
(2021)domestic: fixed line teledensity roughly 6 per 100 and mobile-cellular nearly 19 per 100 (2021)
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)
Terrain
Government type
Military - note
Micronesia has a "shiprider" agreement with the US, which allows local maritime law enforcement officers to embark on US Coast Guard (USCG) and US Navy (USN) vessels, including to board and search vessels suspected of violating laws or regulations within Micronesia's designated exclusive economic zone (EEZ) or on the high seas; "shiprider" agreements also enable USCG personnel and USN vessels with embarked USCG law enforcement personnel to work with host nations to protect critical regional resources (2024)
Country name
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
Location
Map references
Irrigated land
Diplomatic representation in the US
chancery: 1725 N Street NW, Washington, DC 20036
telephone: [1] (202) 223-4383
FAX: [1] (202) 223-4391
email address and website:
dcmission@fsmembassy.fm
https://fsmembassy.fm/
consulate(s) general: Honolulu, Portland (OR), Tamuning (Guam)
Internet country code
GDP (official exchange rate)
note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate
Urbanization
rate of urbanization: 1.52% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Broadcast media
Drinking water source
unimproved: total: 21.4% of population (2017 est.)
National anthem
lyrics/music: unknown/August Daniel BINZER
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"
Major urban areas - population
International law organization participation
Physicians density
Hospital bed density
National symbol(s)
GDP - composition, by end use
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.)
Dependency ratios
youth dependency ratio: 48.4
elderly dependency ratio: 9.3
potential support ratio: 10.8 (2021 est.)
Citizenship
citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of FSM
dual citizenship recognized: no
residency requirement for naturalization: 5 years
Population distribution
Electricity access
electrification - urban areas: 97.5% (2021)
electrification - rural areas: 79.4% (2021)
Civil aircraft registration country code prefix
Sanitation facility access
rural: NA
total: 88.3% of population
unimproved: urban: NA
rural: NA
total: 11.7% of population (2017 est.)
Ethnic groups
Religions
Languages
Disputes - international
none identified
Elevation
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
Contraceptive prevalence rate
Current health expenditure
Literacy
male: NA
female: NA
Imports - partners
Exports - partners
Total renewable water resources
Waste and recycling
Air pollutants
carbon dioxide emissions: 0.14 megatons (2016 est.)
methane emissions: 0.02 megatons (2020 est.)
National heritage
selected World Heritage Site locales: Nan Madol: Ceremonial Center of Eastern Micronesia
Coal
consumption: 0 metric tons (2020 est.)
exports: 0 metric tons (2020 est.)
imports: 0 metric tons (2020 est.)
Natural gas
consumption: 0 cubic meters (2021 est.)
exports: 0 cubic meters (2021 est.)
imports: 0 cubic meters (2021 est.)
proven reserves: 0 cubic meters (2021 est.)
Petroleum
Gross reproduction rate
Currently married women (ages 15-49)
Remittances
5.75% of GDP (2021 est.)
5.72% of GDP (2020 est.)
note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities
Labor force
Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24)
male: 10.4%
female: 29.9%
Net migration rate
Median age
male: 26.9 years
female: 28.6 years
Debt - external
$93.5 million (2012 est.)
Maternal mortality ratio
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold
$451.913 million (2020 est.)
$397.158 million (2019 est.)
note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars
Public debt
22.87% of GDP (2019 est.)
23.11% of GDP (2018 est.)
note: central government debt as a % of GDP
Total fertility rate
Unemployment rate
Population
Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-)
Internet users
percent of population: 40% (2021 est.)
Carbon dioxide emissions
from coal and metallurgical coke: 0 metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)
from petroleum and other liquids: 177,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)
from consumed natural gas: 0 metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)
Area
land: 702 sq km
water: 0 sq km (fresh water only)
note: includes Pohnpei (Ponape), Chuuk (Truk) Islands, Yap Islands, and Kosrae (Kosaie)
Taxes and other revenues
note: central government tax revenue as a % of GDP
Real GDP (purchasing power parity)
$375.698 million (2021 est.)
$383.46 million (2020 est.)
note: data in 2017 dollars
Roadways
note - paved and unpaved circumferential roads, most interior roads are unpaved
Airports
Infant mortality rate
male: 24.4 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 18.2 deaths/1,000 live births
Telephones - mobile cellular
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 19 (2021 est.)
Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income
note: index (0-100) of income distribution; higher values represent greater inequality
Inflation rate (consumer prices)
3.19% (2021 est.)
0.55% (2020 est.)
note: annual % change based on consumer prices
Refined petroleum products - exports
Current account balance
$11 million (2016 est.)
$22.408 million (2014 est.)
note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars
Real GDP per capita
$3,300 (2021 est.)
$3,400 (2020 est.)
note: data in 2017 dollars
Broadband - fixed subscriptions
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 5 (2020 est.)
Obesity - adult prevalence rate
Energy consumption per capita
Death rate
Birth rate
Merchant marine
by type: general cargo 17, oil tanker 4, other 17
Children under the age of 5 years underweight
Imports
$133 million (2020 est.)
$121 million (2019 est.)
note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars
Exports
$122 million (2020 est.)
$130 million (2019 est.)
Telephones - fixed lines
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 6 (2021 est.)
Refined petroleum products - production
Alcohol consumption per capita
beer: 0.92 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
wine: 0.13 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
spirits: 0.52 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
other alcohols: 0.01 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Life expectancy at birth
male: 72.6 years
female: 76.9 years
Real GDP growth rate
-2.02% (2021 est.)
-2.77% (2020 est.)
note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency
Industrial production growth rate
note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency
GDP - composition, by sector of origin
industry: 18.9% (2013 est.)
services: 54.8% (2013 est.)
Revenue from forest resources
Education expenditures
Population growth rate
Legislative branch
elections:
last held on 7 March 2023 (next to be held in March 2025)
election results:
percent of vote - NA; seats by party - independent 14; composition as of February 2024 - men 11, women 2; percentage women 15.4%