Micronesia, Federated States of

Micronesia, Federated States of

General Information
Geography
Government
Economy
Population
Health
Communications and media
Chronology


GENERAL INFORMATION

Area 700 sq km/270 sq mi Capital Palikir (in Pohnpei island state) Language English (official), eight officially recognized local languages (including Trukese, Pohnpeian, Yapese, and Kosrean), a number of other dialects Religion Christianity (mainly Roman Catholic in Yap state, Protestant elsewhere) Time difference GMT +10 (Chuuk and Yap); +11 (Kosrae and Pohnpei) Major holidays 1 January, 10 May, 24 October, 3 November, 25 December (some variations from island to island)


GEOGRAPHY

Major towns/cities Kolonia (in Pohnpei), Weno (in Truk), Lelu (in Kosrae) Major ports Teketik, Lepukos, Okak Physical features an archipelago of 607 equatorial, volcanic islands in the West Pacific Airports four international airports and two other airports, one of which has paved runways Railways none Roads total road network: 240 km/149 mi, of which 17.5% paved (1999 est)


GOVERNMENT

Head of state and government Manny Mori from 2007 Political system liberal democracy Political executive limited presidency Administrative divisions four states Political parties no formally organized political parties Death penalty laws do not provide for the death penalty for any crime Armed forces USA is responsible for country's defence Education spend (% GDP) 6.5 (2002 est) Health spend (% GDP) 5.6 (2004)


ECONOMY

Currency US dollar GDP (US$) 232 million (2005 est) Real GDP growth (% change on previous year) 2.3 (2005 est) GNI (US$) 254 million (2005 est) GNI per capita (PPP) (US$) 3,260 (2004 est) Consumer price inflation 2.2% (2004 est) Unemployment 2.6% (2000) Labour force 55.3% agriculture, 2.8% industry, 41.9% services (2000) Foreign debt (US$) 60 million (2004 est) Major trading partners USA, Japan, Australia Industries food processing (coconut products), tourism Exports fish and fish products, garments and buttons, betel nuts, copra, pepper. Principal market: USA 33.4% (2003) Imports food and live animals, manufactured goods, machinery and transport equipment, mineral fuels. Principal source: USA 61.9% (2002) Arable land 5.7% (2006 est) Agricultural products mainly subsistence farming; coconuts, cassava, sweet potatoes, breadfruit, bananas, copra, citrus fruits, taro, peppers; fishing


POPULATION

Population 111,200 (2006 est) Population growth rate 2.1% (2005–10) Population density (per sq km) 159 (2006 est) Urban population (% of total) 30 (2005 est) Age distribution (% of total population) 0–14 39%, 15–59 56%, 60+ 5% (2005 est) Ethnic groups main ethnic groups are the Trukese (41%) and Pohnpeian (26%), both Micronesian Life expectancy 70 (men); 74 (women) (2005–10) Child mortality rate (under 5, per 1,000 live births) 23 (2004) Education (compulsory years) 8 Literacy rate 91% (men); 88% (women) (1980 est)


HEALTH

Physicians (per 10,000 people) 6 (2004 est) Hospital beds (per 1,000 people) 3.5 (2002 est) Access to drinking-water source (% of total population) 95 (urban); 94 (rural) (2002)


COMMUNICATIONS AND MEDIA

Landline telephones (per 100 people) 11.2 (2005 est) Mobile phone subscribers (per 100 people) 12.7 (2005 est) Radios (per 1,000 people) 16 (1993) TV sets (per 1,000 people) 25 (2004 est) Internet users (per 100 people) 12.6 (2005 est)


CHRONOLOGY

c. 1000 BC Micronesians first settled the islands. 1525 Portuguese navigators first visited Yap and Ulithi islands in the Carolines (Micronesia). later 16th century Fell under Spanish influence. 1874 Spanish rule formally declared in face of increasing encroachment by German traders. 1885 Yap seized by German naval forces, but was restored to Spain after arbitration by Pope Leo XIII on the condition that Germany was allowed freedom of trade. 1899 Purchased for $4.5 million by Germany from Spain, after the latter's defeat in the Spanish–American War. 1914 Occupied by Japan at the outbreak of World War I. 1919 Administered under League of Nations mandate by Japan, and vigorously colonized. 1944 Occupied by USA after Japanese forces defeated in World War II. 1947 Administered by USA as part of the United Nations (UN) Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands, under the name of the Federated States of Micronesia (FSM). 1979 Constitution adopted that established a federal system for its four constituent states (Yap, Chuuk, Pohnpei, and Kosrae) and internal self-government. 1986 Compact of Free Association entered into with USA, granting the islands self-government with USA retaining responsibility for defence and security until 2001. 1990 UN trust status terminated. 1991 Independence agreed, with Bailey Olter as president. UN membership granted. 1997 Jacob Nena became president after the existing president, Bailey Olter, incapacitated by stroke. 2002 Typhoon Chata'an swept through Chuuk, killing dozens of people. 2003 US president signed renegotiated 20-year Compact Of Free Association, worth $3.5 billion with Micronesia and the Marshall Islands. 2004 Typhoon Sudel devastated Yap. Most infrastructure severely damaged or destroyed; state of emergency declared.


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