Federated States of Micronesia
The Federated States of Micronesia forms (with Palau) the archipelago of the Caroline Islands, and lies about 800 kilometers (497 miles) east of the Philippines. The Federated States of Micronesia (FSM) consists of 607 islands and includes (from west to east) the states of Yap, Chuuk (formerly Truk), Pohnpei (formerly Ponape), and Kosrae. Micronesia covers about 702 square kilometers of land (271 square miles), has a coastline of 6,112 kilometers (3,798 miles) and is scattered over more than 2.7 million square kilometers (1 million square miles) of the ocean. Micronesia's largest island cluster is Pohnpei (163 islands), with an area of 344 square kilometers (133 square miles), while the smallest cluster is Kosrae (5 islands), spanning 110 square kilometers (42.5 square miles). The islands include a variety of terrains, ranging from mountainous islands to low, coral atolls and volcanic outcrops.
The population of Micronesia was estimated at 134,597 in July 2001, up 18 percent from 114,000 in 1998. The current annual population growth rate is 3.28 percent, which will result in a population of 176,815 by 2010. The birth rate is 27.09 per 1,000 population, with a fertility rate of 3.83 children per woman. The death rate is 5.95 per 1,000 population. The immigration rate is 11.65 migrants per 1,000 population. The infant mortality rate in July 2000 was 33.48 per 1,000 births (the U.S. rate was 7 per 1,000).
There are 9 ethnic Micronesian and Polynesian groups, spread across the islands. In 1994, around 53,319 people lived in Chuuk; 33,692 in Pohnpei; 11,178 in Yap; and 7,317 in Kosrae. The highest population density was estimated in Chuuk island with 419.8 people per square kilometer (1,087 per square mile) in 1994.
Industry (including mining, manufacturing, utilities, and construction) provided 4 percent of GDP in 1996, and engaged 10 percent of the total labor force in 1994. The major industrial productions are construction, fish processing, and craft items from shells, wood, and pearls. There is little manufacturing, other than garment production (in Yap) and the manufacture of buttons using troche shells.
Micronesia has no territories or colonies.
Economist Intelligence Unit. Country Profile: Federated States of Micronesia. London: Economist Intelligence Unit, 2001.
Embassy of the Federated States of Micronesia, Washington, D.C. <http://www.fsmembassy.org> . Accessed September 2001.
Goetzfridt, N. J., and W. L. Wuerch. Micronesia 1975-1987 .Westport, CT: Greenwood Publishing, 1989.
Pacific Islands Business Network. Federated States of Micronesia: Country Profile. <http://pidp.ewc.hawaii.edu/pibn/countries/fsm.htm> . Accessed September 2001.
U.S. Central Intelligence Agency. World Factbook 2000. <http:// www.odci.gov/cia/publications/factbook/index.html> . Accessed August 2001.
U.S. Department of State. Background Notes: Federated States of Micronesia, June 1996. <http://www.state.gov/www/background_notes/micronesia_0696_bgn.html> . Accessed September 2001.
—Oygul Musakhanova
Palikir, Pohnpei Island.
The official currency of Micronesia is the United States dollar ($). One dollar equals 100 cents. There are coins of 1, 5, 10, 25, and 50 cents and 1 dollar. There are notes of 1, 2, 5, 10, 20, 50, and 100 dollars.
Fish, garments, bananas, and black pepper.
Food, manufactured goods, machinery and equipment, and beverages.
US$263 million (1999 est.).
Exports: US$73 million (1996 est.). Imports: US$168 million (1996 est.).