Federated States of Micronesia

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

highest point:

Nanlaud on Pohnpei 782 m

lowest point:

Pacific Ocean 0 m

• the majority of the population 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

noun:

Micronesian(s)

adjective:

Micronesian; Chuukese, Kosraen(s), Pohnpeian(s), Yapese

total:

28.7 years (2025 est.)

male:

27.3 years

female:

29.1 years

• the majority of the population 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

at birth:

1.05 male(s)/female

0-14 years:

1.03 male(s)/female

15-64 years:

0.94 male(s)/female

65 years and over:

0.79 male(s)/female

total population:

0.96 male(s)/female (2024 est.)

total:

20.4 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.)

male:

23.8 deaths/1,000 live births

female:

17.8 deaths/1,000 live births

total population:

75 years (2024 est.)

male:

72.9 years

female:

77.2 years

total:

1.59 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

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.)

• overfishing;
• sea-level rise;
• water and toxic pollution from mining;
• solid waste disposal

party to:

Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection

signed, but not ratified:

none of the selected agreements

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

urban population:

23.4% of total population (2023)

rate of urbanization:

1.52% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

municipal solid waste generated annually:

26,000 tons (2024 est.)

percent of municipal solid waste recycled:

15.2% (2022 est.)

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 name is a 19th-century construct of two Greek words, mikros (small) and nesoi (islands), and refers to its thousands of small islands in the western Pacific Ocean

name:

Palikir

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

history:

drafted June 1975, ratified 1 October 1978, entered into force 10 May 1979

amendment process:

• 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

note: at least every ten years, voters are asked as part of a general or special election whether to hold a constitution convention; a majority of affirmative votes is required to proceed

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

legislature name:

Congress

legislative structure:

unicameral

number of seats:

14 (all directly elected)

electoral system:

plurality/majority

scope of elections:

partial renewal

term in office:

2 years

most recent election date:

3/4/2025

percentage of women in chamber:

21.4%

expected date of next election:

March 2027

highest court(s):

Federated States of Micronesia 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

chief of mission:

Ambassador Jackson T. SORAM (since 27 February 2024)

chancery:

1725 N Street NW, Washington, DC 20036

telephone:

[1] (202) 223-4383

FAX:

[1] (202) 223-4391

email address and website:

[email protected]; https://fsmembassy.fm/

consulate(s) general:

Honolulu, Portland (OR), Tamuning (Guam)

chief of mission:

Ambassador Jennifer L. JOHNSON (since 13 September 2023)

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:

[email protected]; https://fm.usembassy.gov/

description:

light blue with four five-pointed white stars centered and arranged in a diamond pattern

meaning:

blue stands for the Pacific Ocean, and the stars for the four island groups of Chuuk, Kosrae, Pohnpei, and Yap

title:

"Patriots of Micronesia"

lyrics/music:

unknown

history:

adopted 1991

total World Heritage Sites:

1 (cultural)

selected World Heritage Site locales:

Nan Madol: Ceremonial Center of Eastern Micronesia

• lower middle-income Pacific island economy;
• US aid reliance, sunsetting in 2024;
• low entrepreneurship;
• mostly fishing and farming;
• US dollar user;
• no patent laws;
• tourism remains underdeveloped;
• significant corruption

• 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 half a dozen radio stations (2009)

total ports:

4 (2024)

large:

0

medium:

0

small:

1

very small:

3

ports with oil terminals:

3

key ports:

Colonia, Lele Harbor, Moen, Pohnpei Harbor