The Federated States of Micronesia is a country with an area of 702 sq. km and which occupies the Caroline Islands in the western Pacific Ocean. The capital is the city of Palikir, located on the island of Pohnpei. The territorial sea of \u200b\u200bMicronesia borders in the south with the territorial waters of Papua New Guinea, in the east - with the territorial waters of the Marshall Islands, in the southeast - with Kiribati, in the west - with Palau. Large islands due to volcanic origin have a mountainous landscape, the highest point reaches 798 m (Mount Nana Laud).
Population of Micronesia
About 130 thousand people live in the country. The majority of the population is Truki - 41%, Pohnpei - 26%.
Nature of Micronesia
Tropical rainforests grow on the islands, some parts are covered with savanna woodlands. There are no large mammals in the country. Rats, bats, crocodiles, some species of snakes and lizards live here.
Climatic conditions of Micronesia
The country has an equatorial climate. The average annual temperature is +27...28°C. It rains throughout the year, with precipitation up to 5000 mm, on the island of Pohnpei - up to 9000 mm. Cyclones and hurricane-force winds often form in the region of the islands.
Language
The state language is English, but in addition to it, the population uses 8 more local dialects in everyday life.
Kitchen
A feature of the traditional cuisine of Micronesia is the use of breadfruit and yams. Seafood is much more popular than any meat, and pork, for example, is cooked only for tourists. Coconuts and coconut milk are often used in fish recipes. The favorite everyday drink of Micronesians is water with lemon juice.
Religion
The majority of the believing population professes Christianity: Catholics - 50%, Protestants - 47%.
Holidays
Independence Day is celebrated in different states at different times: March 1 in Yap State, September 8 in Kosrai, September 11 in Pohnpei, September 23 in Chuuk State. At various times in the states of the country, Constitution Day is also celebrated. On November 11, everyone honors veterans who fought outside of Micronesia.
Currency of Micronesia
The currency in the country is the US dollar (USD code).
Time
In time, the states of Yap and Chuuk are 6 hours ahead of Moscow, the states of Pohnpei and Kosrae are 7 hours ahead.
The main resorts of Micronesia
In the territorial waters of Micronesia during the Second World War, several hundred aircraft and ships sank, which divers come to explore. 50 of them are located in the Chuuk Island area, which is why these places are called the "Underwater Museum". Those who want to watch giant stingrays (manta rays), sharks, eels, flocks of bright fish go to the state of Yap. Fans of beach holidays and nightlife are waiting for the island of Pohnpei, where large hotels, restaurants, casinos and shops are located. The states of Map, Namonuito and Noukuro Atoll are ideal for a quiet secluded holiday, especially since you can stay in a small bungalow right on the beach.
Attractions of Micronesia
On the island of Pohnpei, the main attraction is the waterfalls of Sauvartik and Keprohi Lidudunlap. Bungalows are equipped nearby so that you can rest and gain strength, since the high humidity, which the locals do not notice, makes it very difficult for foreigners to move.
In the region of the southeast coast of Pohnpei Island, on one of the atolls, you can see the ruins of the ancient stone city of Nan Madol, called the Venice of the Pacific.
Another amazing place on the island is the almost two hundred meter high Sohes Rock basalt cliff, in which the features of a human face are guessed.
In the state of Yap, stone money is still in use - discs of various diameters with a hole in the middle. Since no one else produces them, they are very valuable and are kept in a special bank.
The main attraction of Nukuoro Atoll is the pearl farm.
Kosrae Atoll Island is famous for its caves and tunnels in Lelu Hill. The underwater cave "Blue Hole" is interesting for divers. There are not only very beautiful corals, but even stingrays and barracudas are found. The underwater world beckons not only with reefs, but also with the remains of sunken ships and aircraft.
- a state on 607 islands in the western part of the Pacific Ocean. Former name - Caroline Islands.
The name of the country comes from the ancient Greek "mikros" and "nesos", which means "small" and "island", meaning "micro-island".
General information about Micronesia
Official name: Federated States of Micronesia (FSM)
Capital - Palikir.
Square - 702 km2.
Population - 130 thousand people
Administrative division - The state is divided into 4 states: Truk, Kostrae, Ponape, Yap.
Form of government - Republic.
Head of State - The president.
Official language - English (official and inter-ethnic), 8 local languages: Japanese, Woleai, Uliti and Sonsorol, Carolina, Truk, Kosrae, Nukuoro and Kapingamarangi.
Religion - 50% - Catholics, 47% - Protestants, 3% - others..
Ethnic composition - 41% - Chuukese, 26% - Ponpeians, 7 other ethnic groups - 33%.
Currency - US dollar = 100 cents.
Internet domain : .fm
Mains voltage : ~120 V, 60 Hz
Phone country code: +691
Country Description
Micronesia - means "small islands", and this absolutely accurately reflects the essence of this country. Although the islands are firmly tied to US economic and political interests, Micronesia stubbornly pursues its traditional path - a country where people flaunt loincloths and stone coins still circulate as legal tender. Micronesians are very proud of their past, especially since they have every right to do so - their ancestors crossed the Pacific Ocean in fragile canoes long before Europeans entered these waters.
The islands have some of the best diving, snorkelling and surfing in the world and are seen as a potential international destination for beach and water sports. The waters around the islands are teeming with many forms of exciting marine life. There are a large number of species of hard and soft corals, anemones, sponges, fish, dolphins and shellfish, including the giant clam tridacna. Large herds of whales pass through these waters every year. Several species of sea turtle lay their eggs on these shores, and the islanders are allowed to use both turtle meat and eggs for food. The islands are also famous for over 200 species of seabirds.
Climate
The climate of Micronesia is equatorial, more humid in the east of the archipelago, where the zone of cyclones passes. Conventionally, two seasons are distinguished: dry (January - March) and wet (April - December). From November to December, the northeast trade winds prevail, the rest of the year, southwest monsoon winds blow, bringing heavy rainfall. Pohnpei has an average of 300 rainy days a year. The average annual rainfall is 3000–4000 mm. Seasonal fluctuations in air temperature are insignificant, the average monthly temperatures are 24–30 ° C. The length of daylight hours is the same throughout the year. The part of the Pacific Ocean, where Micronesia is located, is the area of \u200b\u200bthe origin of typhoons (on average, there are up to 25 typhoons per year). The typhoon season is from August to December.
Geography
The Federated States of Micronesia is an island country in the western part of Oceania and the Pacific Ocean. It borders the Palau Islands to the west, the Mariana Islands to the north, and the Marshall Islands to the east. Occupies most of the Caroline Islands (with the exception of Palau). Outside the main island arc are numerous atolls that make up the country. Micronesia consists of 607 islands, the largest of which are Pohnpei (342 sq. km), Kosrae (Kusaie, 111 sq. km), Chuuk (126 sq. km), Yap (118 sq. km). The total area of the islands is 720.6 sq. km, and the water area - 2.6 million square meters. km.
The most mountainous are about. Pohnpei (with the highest point - Mount Ngineni, 779 m), and about. Kosrae (Mount Finkol, 619 m). On about. Yap is dominated by rounded hills; the islands of Kosrae, Chuuk and Pohnpei are of volcanic origin. Most of the islands are low atolls on coral reefs. The most extensive sea lagoon is Chuuk (surrounded by 80 small islands).
Flora and fauna
Volcanic and coral islands differ in the nature of the vegetation. On the coast of volcanic islands - mangroves, coconut palms, bamboo. Coconut palms dominate the coral islands.
The animal world is represented by bats, rats, crocodiles, snakes, lizards are found. The world of birds is diverse. Yap, unlike other "high" islands, is of non-volcanic origin, it is covered with hills and meadows. The waters of coral reefs and lagoons are rich in fish and sea animals.
Banks and currency
United States dollar (USD) equal to 100 cents. In circulation there are denominations of 1, 2, 5, 10, 20, 50 and 100 dollars. As well as coins: penny (1 cent), nickel (5 cents), dime (10 cents), quarter (25 cents), half-dollar (50 cents) and 1 dollar. The dollar is the official currency of the country, so there is no point in importing anything else. American dollar traveller's checks are accepted almost everywhere, and most major hotels, restaurants and shops accept them as cash. There are no commercial banks on either Truk (Chuuk) or Kosrai, so make sure you have enough cash before you travel to these islands. Credit cards are widely accepted in Pohnpei and are increasingly being used in Truk and Yap.
country located in the western part of the Pacific Ocean. It has the status of a "freely associated" state with the United States. Former United Nations Trust Territory administered by the United States. Agreement on "free association" with the United States signed in October 1982, entered into force on November 3, 1986 Member of the UN since September 17, 1991 Capital - Kolonia (Palikir).
The form of government is a federation. Each state has its own legislatures.
Administrative division - 4 states.
The Constitution of May 10, 1979 is in force. The head of state is the president, elected by popular vote for a term of 4 years. The legislature - the Congress of the Federated States of Micronesia consists of 14 deputies elected for a term of 2 years, with the exception of four deputies elected for a term of 4 years from each of the four states.
Executive power is exercised by the president and the government. The government includes the vice-president of the country, as well as several secretaries of departments. There is no ministerial post. (A.K.)
Great Definition
Incomplete definition ↓
micronesia
Federated States of Micronesia State structure Legal system Judicial system. Control authorities An island nation in the Pacific Ocean, including the central and eastern Caroline Islands and the atoll of Kapingamargagi. Territory - 701.4 sq. km. The capital is the city of Palikir. Population - 140 thousand people. (1998), predominantly Micronesian. The official language is English. Religion - the majority of believers are Christians. In the XVII-XIX centuries. Micronesia belonged to Spain, in 1898-1914. Germany, since 1920 - a mandated territory of Japan, since 1947, a United Nations trust territory under the control of the United States. Since 1986 it has been a "freely associated" state with the USA. This status means that the Federated States of Micronesia (FSM) has full sovereignty, excluding defense matters, which remain the prerogative of the United States. In 1991 she was admitted to the UN. Government Micronesia is a federal state consisting of 4 states with their own governments: Chuuk (formerly Truk), Kosrae, Pohnpei (Ponape) and Yap. States have a high degree of independence in almost all spheres of public life. The 1979 Constitution is in effect, modeled after the US Constitution. According to the form of government, the FSM is a republic of a special type. The political regime is democratic. There are no political parties. Legislative power belongs to the federal unicameral parliament - the FSM National Congress, consisting of 14 senators (4 senators are elected one from each state for a term of 4 years, 10 in single-member districts with an approximately equal number of voters for a term of 2 years). The head of state and government is the President, elected by the members of the National Congress of the FSM from among 4 senators from the states for a term of 4 years. At the same time, the Vice President is elected. The state structure of the states is established by their own constitutions and is generally similar to the federal one. Legal System The legal system of Micronesia is based on US law. In certain areas of relations (land, family, inheritance), the norms of local customary law also operate, the role of which is recognized by the Constitution. The labor law of Micronesia has not received significant development, since the number of employees in the country is small. The constitution and legislation do not directly enshrine the right to unionize, strike and collective bargaining, and do not limit working hours. By 2000, not a single trade union had been formed in the FSM. The federation and states continue to use the Penal Code of the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands, introduced by the American administration. Everyone uses their own version of this act, which they independently amend. The state of Yap has adopted the US Model Penal Code. The main difference from the United States in the field of criminal law is the prohibition of the death penalty established by the FSM Constitution (Article IV Section 9). The Bill of Rights contained in the FSM Constitution includes procedural guarantees of individual rights in criminal proceedings, closely echoing the corresponding provisions of the US Constitution. The adversarial system borrowed from the United States is contrary to the national traditions of the Micronesians. Because of this, a large number of criminal cases do not reach the courts, but are resolved through conciliation procedures with the participation of the families of the perpetrator and the victim in accordance with local customs. Judicial system. Control Bodies The judiciary is headed by the Supreme Court of the FSM, which consists of 3 judges sitting in two divisions: the first instance and the appellate division. This is the only federal court. Judges of the Supreme Court are appointed by the President of the FSM for life with the approval of the Congress. Each state of the FSM has its own supreme court with a similar structure. Only in the state of Kosrae does not have an appellate branch - this function is performed by the Supreme Court. There are also a small number of local (municipal) courts on the islands. The prosecution system is headed by an attorney general who is both head of the justice department (member of the Cabinet) and chief legal adviser to the government. Since 1991, the vast majority of cases have come under state jurisdiction. All states, except Kosrae, recognize the institution of traditional leaders who play a significant role in resolving disputes of various kinds. The supreme body of financial control is a public auditor, appointed by the President on the advice and consent of the Congress for a period of 4 years.
Federated States of Micronesia(Federated States of Micronesia) - a state in Oceania, located on the Caroline Islands, north of the coast of New Guinea.
Formally independent since November 3, 1986, the country remains closely associated with the United States (status of "free association with the United States") and is heavily dependent on American economic assistance. Under the association agreement, the United States is obliged to provide defense and financially subsidize the FSM.
Geography
The Federated States of Micronesia (FSM) is a state in the Pacific Ocean, located in the northwestern part of Oceania in the Caroline Islands archipelago. between 0 and 14°N and 136 and 166°E about 2,500 miles southwest of the Hawaiian Islands, just above the equator. It is a state consisting of 607 small islands, only 40 of which are of considerable size. Of the 607 islands, 65 are inhabited. FSM Consists of four states: Yap, Chuuk (formerly Truk), Pohnpei (formerly Ponape) and Kosrae (formerly Kusae). The capital is the city of Palikir on about. Pohnpei. Although the total land area in the country is only 270.8 square kilometers, it covers more than 1 million square kilometers in the Pacific Ocean. Each of the four states is made up of one or more high islands, usually of volcanic origin, and all but Kosrae include numerous atolls. Chuuk State - the total area is 49.2 square kilometers and includes seven main groups of islands. Pohnpei State covers an area of 133.4 square kilometers, of which 130 are Pohnpei, the largest island in FSM. Yap State consists of 4 large islands, seven small islands and 134 atolls, with a total land area of 45.6 square kilometers. The state of Kosrae is one high island with an area of 42.3 square kilometers.
All large islands of volcanic origin, mountainous, covered with forests, surrounded by coral reefs. Others are atolls - ring-shaped coral islands, inside containing a shallow lagoon. The highest point is Mount Nana Laud (on Pohnpei Island, height 798 m). Main languages: English (official), Japanese, Truk, Pohnpei, Kosrae. The islands are interconnected by sea and air. There is a maritime connection with the west coast of the USA, Japan, the Philippines, Taiwan, Guam and an air connection with Guam, Hawaii, Nauru, Japan.
Climate
The climate is equatorial and subequatorial, trade wind-monsoon type. Seasonal temperature fluctuations are insignificant. Average monthly temperatures are 26-33°. It often rains heavily. The wettest month is April. Precipitation falls from 2250 mm to 3000-6000 mm (in the mountains on the island of Kusape) per year. The part of the Pacific Ocean, where Micronesia is located, is the area of \u200b\u200bthe origin of typhoons (terrible seasonal cyclones) with an average of up to 25 typhoons per year. The typhoon season is from August to December. Typhoons are characterized by destructive hurricane-force winds, the speed of which reaches 240 kilometers per hour.
Evergreen tropical forests, savannahs; the large coral islands are dominated by coconut palm and pandanus.
Population
The population is 107.2 thousand people (estimated as of July 2010).
Annual decline - 0.28% (high level of emigration from the country).
Birth rate - 22.6 people. per 1000 people (fertility - 2.8 births per woman)
Mortality - 4.4 people. per 1000 people
Emigration - 21 people. per 1000 people
Average life expectancy is 69 years for men and 73 years for women.
Ethnic composition: Chuuk - 48.8%, Ponape - 24.2%, Kosrae - 6.2%, Yap - 5.2%, Yap of the outer islands - 4.5%, Asians - 1.8%, Polynesians - 1 .5%, others - about 8% (according to the 2000 census).
Languages: English (official and inter-ethnic communication), 8 local languages.
Religions: Catholics - 50%, Protestants - 47%, other - 3%.
Literacy of the population - 89%.
Story
In all likelihood, Micronesians began to arrive on these islands from Asia in the second millennium BC. e. The monument of the pre-colonial period of history is the Nan Madol complex, located on the island of Ponape.
By the time the colonization of the islands by Europeans began, the local population was at the stage of decomposition of the primitive communal system. The society was subdivided into a number of social groups unequal in their position. On some island groups, large territorial associations arose, although states had not yet been created.
The Caroline Islands were discovered by the Spaniards in 1527. In the 17th century, Spain declared the Carolinas its possession, but the actual control over the archipelago was not established. In 1885, Germany announced its claims to the Caroline Islands, and the German flag was hoisted on one of the islands. Spain turned to international arbitration, and Pope Leo XIII, elected as arbitrator, awarded the islands to Spain.
In 1899, Germany bought the Caroline Islands from Spain.
During the First World War in 1914, the islands were captured by Japan, after the end of the war, under the Treaty of Versailles, the islands were given to Japan as a "mandatory territory". The Japanese created large sugar plantations there, and the policy of resettling the Japanese in the Carolinas was actively pursued. Local residents were subjected to forced assimilation by the Japanese.
During the 2nd World War, the Carolinas were occupied by the United States, which since 1947 ruled them under a UN mandate as part of the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands.
In 1978, the Caroline Islands received the status of a "territory freely associated with the United States" (the agreement was signed in 1982).
Since November 3, 1986, the Federated States of Micronesia has been a sovereign state in free association with the United States. This status means that the US is responsible for the defense of the FSM and undertakes to financially subsidize the FSM.
State structure
Micronesia is a federal state consisting of 4 states with their own governments: Chuuk (formerly Truk), Kosrae, Pohnpei (Ponape) and Yap. States have a high degree of independence in almost all spheres of public life.
The 1979 Constitution is in effect, modeled after the US Constitution.
According to the form of government, the FSM is a republic of a special type. The political regime is democratic. There are no political parties.
Legislative power belongs to the federal unicameral parliament - the FSM National Congress, consisting of 14 senators (4 senators are elected one from each state for a term of 4 years, 10 in single-member districts with an approximately equal number of voters for a term of 2 years).
The head of state and government is the President, elected by the members of the National Congress of the FSM from among 4 senators from the states for a term of 4 years. At the same time, the Vice President is elected. The state structure of the states is established by their own constitutions and is generally similar to the federal one.
There are no armed forces.
Administrative-territorial division
The FSM is made up of 4 states.
Economy
GDP per capita in 2008 - 2.2 thousand dollars (183rd place in the world).
Economic activities are mainly agriculture and fishing. Cultivated coconut palm, vegetables and fruits, bananas, tapioca, black pepper. Pigs, goats, dogs (for meat), chickens are bred.
Industry - processing of agricultural products, soap factories, sawmills, boat manufacturing.
Export goods ($14 million) - fish, copra, black pepper, bananas, souvenirs (mainly to Japan and the USA).
Imported ($133 million) - food, manufactured goods (mainly from the USA and Japan).
The islands have no mineral resources other than phosphates. There is potential for the tourism business, but its development is hampered by the remoteness of the islands, the lack of appropriate structures and the underdevelopment of air links with the outside world.
Under the terms of the agreement on free association, the United States allocated $1.3 billion to the FSM between 1986 and 2001. Then the amount of annual assistance was reduced, but constant multimillion-dollar cash receipts from the United States were promised until 2023.
It is a member of the international organization of ACT countries.
The content of the article
MICRONESIA, The Federated States of Micronesia (FSM), a state in the northwestern part of Oceania between 0 and 14 ° N. latitude. and 136 and 166°E (2500 km from west to east), occupies 607 islands of the Caroline archipelago (except for the islands of Palau, or Belau, in the west). Consists of four states: Yap, Chuuk (formerly Truk), Pohnpei (formerly Ponape) and Kosrae (formerly Kusae). The total land area is 702 sq. km. (including Pohnpei 0.34 thousand sq. km., Chuuk 0.13 thousand sq. km., Yap 0.12 thousand sq. km., Kosrae 0.12 thousand sq. km.). Only 40 islands are significant in size. The largest of them are islands with the same names as the states. The capital is the city of Palikir on the island of Pohnpei.
NATURE
According to the geological structure, low coral islands rising 3–5 m above sea level and higher volcanic ones (Yap, Chuuk, Pohnpei, Kosrae) with elevated mountainous central parts are distinguished. Volcanic islands are surrounded by lagoons, separated from the ocean by coral barrier reefs, often consisting of several dozen small islands. Many reefs have passages that allow ships to approach large islands.
Yap State includes seven small and four large islands (Yap, Map, Rumung, Gagil-Tomil) and 134 atolls, spreading from west to east for 1100 km. Yap Island is characterized by a hilly terrain with a maximum height of 178 m (Mount Tabiwol) and fertile soils. It is surrounded by a barrier reef. Most of the population of the state of the same name lives on the island of Yap. The state capital is the city of Colonia. The largest atoll of the Caroline Islands, Uliti Island (8 sq. km), consists of 40 small islands. The Fais atoll in the Yap group is known for its phosphorite reserves.
The state of Chuuk, which occupies a central position in the FSM, is located 1440 km east of Yap Island and consists of 15 small island groups scattered in the waters of the Pacific Ocean over a distance of 480 km in a latitudinal direction in the north and 960 km in the south. The state also includes the Namonuito atolls (the second largest in the world), consisting of 10 islets, Namoluk (triangular), Laol, Pis, Talap, the islands of Pular, Puluwat, Kuop, Nama, Losap, Mortlock (100 islands in three groups - Ethal, Lukunor and Satavan). The Chuuk Islands proper is a compact group of 14 mountainous islands of volcanic origin (Moen, Tol, Dublon, Fefan, Uman, etc.) with a total area of 72 sq. km. km, surrounded by a coral reef. The main city of the state of Chuuk Moen is located on the island of the same name. The lagoon surrounding the 14 central islands of the Chuuk group with an area of 2000 sq. km, serves as an excellent harbor for the port on the island of Dublon. The settlements are confined to the coasts of the islands.
The state of Pohnpei occupies the largest island of the same name, surrounded by a reef consisting of 2.5 dozen islets, half of which are of volcanic origin. The state also includes the islands of Ant (2 large and 12 small), Pakin, Oroluk (with small islets), Mokil (the islands of Urak, Manton, Mokil with excellent timber and several hundred small ones), Pingelap (Pingelap proper, Takai and Tagulu , united by one reef), as well as two isolated atolls, Nukuoro and Kapingamarangi (also known as Greenwich).
The soils of Pohnpei are fertile, lush forest vegetation covers the slopes rising straight from the shores up to Mount Nana Laud (798 m), located in the center of the island. Numerous rivers originate from it - sources of drinking water. On this island is the capital of the state of Palikir with the residences of government and congress, a modern airport and seaport. The state capital is the city of Colonia.
The state of Kosrae is located on the island of the same name and the surrounding reef in the extreme east of the FSM. The island is mountainous with a strongly dissected relief (the highest point is Mount Fincol, 634 m above sea level), covered with thickets of excellent timber forest. The soils are fertile. There are significant reserves of river drinking water. Kosrae Island is surrounded by a reef, there are four convenient bays (Okat, Lelu, Taf and Utwe). The main settlements - Tafunsak, Lelu, Malem and Utwe - are located on the coast and are interconnected by an unpaved road. The capital city of the state is Lelu. There is a local air connection with o.Pohnpei. The airport is operational.
The climate of FSM is equatorial, more humid in the east of the archipelago, where the zone of cyclones passes. Conventionally, two seasons are distinguished: dry (January - March) and wet (April - December). From November to December, the northeast trade winds prevail, the rest of the year, southwest monsoon winds blow, bringing heavy rainfall. Pohnpei has an average of 300 rainy days a year. The average annual rainfall is 3000–4000 mm. Seasonal fluctuations in air temperature are insignificant, the average monthly temperatures are 24–30 ° C. The length of daylight hours is the same throughout the year.
The vegetation is represented mainly by virgin moist equatorial forests on the slopes of the mountains. On volcanic islands, it is much more diverse than on coral ones. The coasts of volcanic islands are often covered with mangroves. On the islands of both types grow coconut palm, breadfruit, pandanus, bananas. Europeans and Asians introduced citrus fruits, cassava, sweet potato, various tropical fruit trees, chocolate tree, and black pepper.
The land fauna is not very diverse. Bats, rats (brought on ships by the first Europeans), lizards are represented. Many kinds of birds. The fauna of the ocean is extremely diverse and rich, including many species of fish, crustaceans, bivalves, dolphins, whales and dugongs are sometimes found.
POPULATION
As of July 2003, the FSM had a population of 108,143. The age composition of the population: under 15 years old - 38%, aged 15 to 64 years old - 59%, over 65 years old - 3%. The average life expectancy is 69.13 years. Population growth in 2003 was 0.04%. The birth rate reaches 26.47 per 1000 inhabitants, the death rate is 5.1 per 1000. The emigration rate is 20.98 per 1000. Infant mortality is 32.39 per 1000 newborns.
The "free association" agreement with the United States allows citizens of the country to freely choose their place of residence within the United States. At the present time in the USA (on the island of Guam, the Hawaiian Islands and on the mainland) approx. 15 thousand FSM citizens.
The ancestors of the modern inhabitants of the Caroline Islands come from Southeast Asia. In racial terms, they form a special group, formed as a result of a mixture of Australoid and Mongoloid elements. The atolls of Nukuoro and Kapingamarangi are inhabited by Polynesians. In ethnic terms, 9 groups are distinguished.
The official language of the FSM and the language of international communication is English. The indigenous languages of the archipelago belong to the East Oceanic group of the Oceanian branch of the Austronesian family: Yap, Woleai, Uliti and Sonsorol, Caroline, Truk, Kosrae, Nukuoro and Kapingamarangi. The last two belong to the Polynesian languages. The writing of local languages is based on the Latin script. Many older people speak Japanese.
50% are Catholics, 47% are Protestants, less than 1% of the population adheres to local traditional beliefs.
Ethnic composition and employment.
The ancestors of the modern inhabitants of the Caroline Islands come from Southeast Asia. According to the latest theories, Micronesia was settled in two ways - through the islands of the Malay Archipelago, and possibly the Japanese Islands, and also through Vanuatu (former New Hebrides). The inhabitants of the Caroline Islands, like all Micronesians, racially form a special group, formed as a result of a mixture of Australoid and Mongoloid elements. They are characterized by rather dark skin, wavy, straight and curly hair, and medium height. In the appearance of some Carolinians, there are also Japanese, Chinese and European features. The atolls of Nukuoro and Kapingamarangi are inhabited by Polynesians.
The traditional occupations of the local population are fishing and farming. Small areas of the forest cleared from the forest are used for the cultivation of coconut palm, breadfruit, pandanus, yams, sweet potatoes, cassava, bananas, taro, sugar cane. Currently, citrus fruits, various fruits (pineapples, papaya, mangoes, etc.), chocolate tree, pepper (black and betel) are also grown. The population is also engaged in fishing and collecting shellfish and crustaceans on the reef. In recent years, employment in the tourism business (hotels, restaurants, agencies) and airports has been growing. In the cities, Carolinians work as petty employees and are engaged in handicrafts, in particular, the manufacture of souvenirs.
Language and writing.
The official language of the FSM is English, which is also the language of interethnic communication. The indigenous languages of the archipelago belong to the East Oceanian group of the Oceanian branch of the Austronesian family - Yap, Woleai, Ulithi and Sonsorol, Caroline, Truk, Kosrae, Nukuoro and Kapingamarangi. The last two belong to the Polynesian languages. The writing of local languages is based on the Latin script. English is taught in all schools. Many older people speak Japanese.
Religion.
The overwhelming majority of the population professes Christianity, and there are approximately equal numbers of Catholics and Protestants. Protestants predominate in some states (over 98% in Kosrai), in others - Catholics (Chuuk state). Less than 1% of the population adheres to local traditional beliefs.
POLITICAL SYSTEM
The FSM is a democratic, federal presidential republic in a "free association" relationship with the United States. The head of state and government is the president. Like the Vice President, he is elected by Congress from among its members for a term of four years. In 2003, Joseph John Urusemal was elected President of Micronesia.
The highest legislative body is the National Congress, which consists of 14 members. 4 of them (sometimes called senators) are elected by the population for 4 years (one from each state), the remaining 10 - for 2 years in single-member districts (5 in Chuuk, 3 in Pohnpei, 1 each in Yap and Kosrae). The last elections took place in 2003. The minimum age for participation in elections is 18 years.
Each of the 4 states has a governor and a legislature elected by the people.
There are no official political parties.
The highest judicial body is the Supreme Court.
The FSM is a member of the UN (since 1991) and its specialized organizations, as well as a number of regional organizations, such as the Pacific Forum.
There are no own armed forces. According to the agreement on "free association", the country's military protection is provided by the United States.
ECONOMY
Micronesia's economy is based on subsistence and semi-subsistence agriculture and fishing. There are few minerals on the islands, except for phosphates. There is significant potential for the development of the tourism industry, but the remote location, the lack of developed infrastructure and an established system of transport links hold it back. The private sector is growing slowly.
After the value of GDP reached $145 million in 1989, it declined in subsequent years and in 2002 was estimated to be around $100 million, or approx. 2 thousand dollars per capita. Real GDP growth in 2002 reached 1%. Agriculture provided 50% of the value of GDP, industry - 4%, services - 46%.
The inflation rate in 2002 was 1%. OK. 28% of the population lives below the official poverty line. Two-thirds of the wage labor force works in the public sector. Unemployment in 1999 reached 16%.
Agriculture provides 60% of the country's food needs. Nearly 50% of the working population all year round or during agricultural work. They grow coconut palm, breadfruit, pandanus, yams, sweet potato, cassava, bananas, taro, citrus fruits, papaya, mango, chocolate tree, pepper (black and betel) and other crops. Goats, sheep and buffalo are bred on Pohnpei. Some agricultural products are exported, mainly coconut products. The coconut palm, its leaves and nuts are the main food of the islanders. In recent years, the role of fishing has increased in the country's economy, since the resources of the ocean within the maritime economic zone (2.6 million square kilometers) are its property. Licensed fishing is carried out by Japan, Taiwan, South Korea, Mexico and the USA. The Micronesian Maritime Academy operates on Yap, which trains personnel for the development of fisheries.
Foreign tourism is developing. Every year the country is visited by approx. 25 thousand tourists, mainly from Australia and Japan. The industry is dominated by construction, fish processing, aquaculture, the production of handicrafts and souvenirs from shells, wood and mother-of-pearl.
The main export items are copra (more than 50% of export value), pepper (black and betel), fish (mainly tuna), trochus shells, coconut derivatives (edible and cosmetic oils, soaps, creams), bananas, local handicrafts. The export volume is 73 million dollars per year. Goods are exported primarily to Japan, the USA and Guam.
The value of imports is estimated at $168 million (1996). FSM imports up to 40% of food products, manufactured goods, cars and other machines, oil products. Main import partners: USA, Australia and Japan.
The total length of roads is 240 km, of which 42 km. have a hard coating. The main ports are Colonia (Yap), Colonia (Pohnpei), Lele, Moen. In 2002, there were 7 airports, of which 6 were paved.
Micronesia has 11 thousand telephone lines and 2 thousand Internet users, 6 radio and 2 television stations. The population owns 9.4 thousand radios and 2.8 thousand television sets.
The budget consists of taxes, exports of agricultural products, seafood, licensing of tuna fishing by foreign states in the maritime economic zone. Financial assistance from the United States helped to cover the excess of expenses over income. In accordance with the agreement on "free association", in 1986-2001 the United States provided financial and technical assistance in the total amount of 1.3 billion dollars. By agreement in 2002, this assistance was significantly reduced. External debt 53.1 million dollars. Monetary unit - US dollar.
SOCIETY AND CULTURE
Education.
According to the FSM constitution, education is financed from the central and regional budgets. Primary and secondary schools are owned by the state and religious missions. State governments provide primary education and teacher training, while central governments support and coordinate education at all levels. Young people receive vocational education at the Micronesian College in Palikir (opened in 1972, it has faculties of business, pedagogy, applied arts, etc.), the Micronesian vocational center on the island of Kosrai, at the schools of agriculture and trade on Pohnpei, the Javier Higher School on Chuuk, and also in US educational institutions (on the mainland, Guam and the Hawaiian Islands).
Healthcare.
Medical assistance to the population is carried out in full by state medical institutions. True, in recent years, a private dental and medical practice has appeared on Pohnpei Island. The FSM government recruits doctors for the Public Health Program through the US National Health Service and the United Nations Development Program. It also implements various health, nutrition and sanitation programs of the World Health Organization (WHO), the United Nations International Children's Fund (UNICEF) and the South Pacific Commission (STC). There are hospitals in every state, several dispensaries and more than 100 dispensaries operate in the country. In difficult cases, patients are sent to hospitals on the island of Guam and the Hawaiian Islands.
Culture.
The traditional culture of the FSM population is all-Micronesian (with the exception of the culture of the two Polynesian atolls of Nukuoro and Kapingamaranga). However, it has undergone significant changes over several centuries of foreign domination. But even at present, on many islands, there are houses of local pillar construction without walls, the function of which is performed by gable roofs that reach to the ground, covered with palm leaves or mats. Micronesians still master the art of making wooden boats without a single metal nail. Leaders play a significant role in the public life of the FSM. Perhaps the most conservative culture of the Yap people remained (folklore, dances, houses on stone foundations under palm leaves, loincloths for men and puffy skirts made of plant fibers for women).
Intensive contacts in recent decades with the Western world have changed the mentality of the young generation of FSM citizens, who are no longer guided by traditional values, but strive to join the achievements of Western civilization.
STORY
The ancestors of the Micronesians settled the Caroline Islands more than 4 thousand years ago. Over the centuries, two social groups have developed in Micronesian society - "noble" and "simple"; the former did not engage in physical labor and differed from the latter in special tattoos and decorations. At the head of the territorial associations were leaders (tomol), but their power was not the same on different islands. On Temen Island (Pohnpei state) the remains of an ancient civilization - the stone city of Nan Madol - were discovered. It consisted of monumental structures erected on reefs - platforms built of coral rubble and lined with basalt slabs. Residential and temple complexes were erected on the platforms, the dead were buried and various rituals were performed. According to legends, the city was the center of the vast Saudeler power and was destroyed by the conquerors, after which Pohnpei broke up into five territorial entities. Similar monuments were found on Lelu island (Kosrae state). On the island of Yap in later times, apparently, there was a centralized state formation, which had economic and religious functions. Tribute was collected from conquered tribes. The first Europeans found on Yap one- and two-tier platforms with temples and men's houses, as well as original money in the form of large stone disks with a hole in the center.
The Caroline Islands were discovered by European navigators in the 16th and 17th centuries. In 1526 di Menezighi discovered the Yap Islands, and in 1528 Alvaro Saavedra first saw the Truk Islands (modern Chuuk). In 1685, Captain Francisco Lazeano again discovered the island of Yap and named the island Caroline (after the king of Spain, Charles II). Later, this name was transferred to the entire archipelago, which was declared the possession of the Spanish crown. However, the discovery of its islands continued in subsequent years. The first Spanish Catholic missionaries, who arrived in 1710 on the Sonsorol Islands and in 1731 on the Ulithi Atoll, were killed by the islanders, and the Spanish abandoned their attempts to colonize the Caroline Islands until the 1870s.
From the end of the 18th century the archipelago began to be visited by commercial and scientific British, French and even Russian ships. So, in 1828, the Russian navigator F.P. Litke discovered the islands of Ponape (Pohnpei), Ant and Pakin and named them in honor of Admiral D.N. Senyavin. Since 1830, American whalers have often come here. In the 1820s and 1830s, British sailors lived on Pohnpei, shipwrecked while carrying an English missionary on Kosrai. In 1852, American evangelists founded a Protestant mission on the Pohnpei and Kosrae islands. German and English traders began to penetrate the archipelago.
In 1869, Germany founded a trading station on Yap, which became the center of the German trading network in Micronesia and Samoa. In 1885, the German authorities announced their claims to the Caroline Islands, which Spain considered its own. Thanks to the mediation of the Pope, a German-Spanish treaty was concluded, recognizing the archipelago as Spanish possession, but giving German merchants the right to establish trading posts and plantations on them. Spanish soldiers and missionaries arrived on the islands, but they met fierce resistance on Pohnpei. The islanders rebelled and destroyed the plantations.
After the defeat in the war with the United States, Spain in 1898 agreed to cede the Caroline and Mariana Islands to Germany. From 1906 they were ruled from German New Guinea. The German colonial authorities introduced general labor service for adult islanders and began extensive road construction. In response, the people of Pohnpei rebelled and killed the governor of Beder. The uprising was crushed by the German fleet only in 1911. In the autumn of 1914, Micronesia was occupied by Japanese troops.
Japan officially received a League of Nations mandate to govern Micronesia only in 1921. It used the territory of the Caroline Islands for economic purposes (fishing, production of flour from cassava and alcohol from sugar cane), to create naval and air bases. In relation to the indigenous population, Japan pursued a policy of forced assimilation. Tens of thousands of Japanese were resettled on the islands, who were given the best lands. There were Japanese settlements. Traces of Japanese domination are preserved in the appearance of the Carolinians, in their language and names.
Since 1944, bloody battles began on the islands between American and Japanese troops. By 1945, Japanese forces were expelled from Micronesia, the archipelago came under the control of the US military authorities, and in 1947 the Caroline Islands (together with the Marianas and Marshalls) became a United Nations trust territory administered by the United States - the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands (PTTO). In 1947-1951, the territory was under the jurisdiction of the US Department of the Navy, then it was transferred to the control of the civil administration of the US Department of the Interior. In 1962, administrative bodies were transferred from the island of Guam to the island of Saipan (Marian Islands). The Council of Micronesia was created in 1961, but all power remained in the hands of the American High Commissioner. In 1965, the first elections to the Congress of Micronesia were held. In 1967, Congress created the Commission on the Future Political Status, which recommended seeking independence or establishing "free association" relations with the United States with full internal self-government. Since 1969, negotiations have been held between representatives of the Congress of Micronesia and the United States.
On July 12, 1978, the population of the districts of Truk (Chuuk), Ponape (Pohnpei), Yap and Kusaiye (Kosrae) voted in a referendum for the creation of the Federated States of Micronesia. The Marianas, Marshall Islands and Palau refused to enter the new state. On May 10, 1979, the FSM Constitution was adopted, and in the autumn the first elections were held for the National Congress, as well as for the governors of four states. The former president of the Congress of Micronesia, Toshivo Nakayama, took office in January 1980.
During 1979–1986, the United States consistently transferred administrative functions to the new head of state and government. FSM foreign policy and defense issues remained the prerogative of the United States. In 1983, the population in a referendum approved the status of "free association" with the United States. On November 3, 1985, the PTTO was officially dissolved and the US Trusteeship regime ended. On December 22, 1990, the UN Security Council approved the abolition of guardianship and the FSM became officially an independent state.
Micronesia in the late 20th - early 21st century
In 1991, President of Micronesia John Haglelgam (1987-1991), who lost the parliamentary elections, resigned as head of state. Bailey Olter (Pohnpei State) held the presidency from 1991-1996, Jacob Nena (Kosrae State) from 1996-1999, Leo Ami Falkam from 1999-2003, and Joseph John Urusemal from 2003. A draft constitutional amendment providing for the direct election of the president and vice president was rejected.
The country's main problems remain high unemployment, declining fish catches and a high degree of dependence on US aid.
