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

lowest point:

Pacific Ocean 0 m

highest point:

Nanlaud on Pohnpei 782 m

• 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

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

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

noun:

Micronesian(s)

adjective:

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

• 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

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.)

improved:

total: 78.6% of population

unimproved:

total: 21.4% of population (2017 est.)

improved:

total: 88.3% of population

unimproved:

total: 11.7% of population (2017 est.)

degree of risk:

high (2020)

food or waterborne diseases:

bacterial diarrhea

vectorborne diseases:

malaria

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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)

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

• 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

agriculture:

0.9%

industry:

5.2%

services:

93.9% (2013 est.)

note: two-thirds of the labor force are government employees

lowest 10%:

NA

highest 10%:

NA

• 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)