Indian Ocean (2004) | Micronesia, Federated States of (2005) | |
Administrative divisions | - | 4 states; Chuuk (Truk), Kosrae (Kosaie), Pohnpei (Ponape), Yap |
Age structure | - | 0-14 years: 37.1% (male 20,439/female 19,674)
15-64 years: 59.8% (male 32,382/female 32,313) 65 years and over: 3% (male 1,461/female 1,836) (2005 est.) |
Agriculture - products | - | black pepper, tropical fruits and vegetables, coconuts, cassava (tapioca), betel nuts, sweet potatoes; pigs, chickens |
Airports | - | 6 (2004 est.) |
Airports - with paved runways | - | total: 6
1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 914 to 1,523 m: 2 (2004 est.) |
Area | total: 68.556 million sq km
note: includes Andaman Sea, Arabian Sea, Bay of Bengal, Flores Sea, Great Australian Bight, Gulf of Aden, Gulf of Oman, Java Sea, Mozambique Channel, Persian Gulf, Red Sea, Savu Sea, Strait of Malacca, Timor Sea, and other tributary water bodies |
total: 702 sq km
land: 702 sq km water: 0 sq km (fresh water only) note: includes Pohnpei (Ponape), Chuuk (Truk) Islands, Yap Islands, and Kosrae (Kosaie) |
Area - comparative | about 5.5 times the size of the US | four times the size of Washington, DC (land area only) |
Background | The Indian Ocean is the third largest of the world's five oceans (after the Pacific Ocean and Atlantic Ocean, but larger than the Southern Ocean and Arctic Ocean). Four critically important access waterways are the Suez Canal (Egypt), Bab el Mandeb (Djibouti-Yemen), Strait of Hormuz (Iran-Oman), and Strait of Malacca (Indonesia-Malaysia). The decision by the International Hydrographic Organization in the spring of 2000 to delimit a fifth ocean, the Southern Ocean, removed the portion of the Indian Ocean south of 60 degrees south. | In 1979 the Federated States of Micronesia, a UN Trust Territory under US administration, adopted a constitution. In 1986 independence was attained under a Compact of Free Association with the US, which was amended and renewed in 2004. Present concerns include large-scale unemployment, overfishing, and overdependence on US aid. |
Birth rate | - | 25.11 births/1,000 population (2005 est.) |
Budget | - | revenues: $161 million ($69 million less grants)
expenditures: $160 million, including capital expenditures of NA (1998 est.) |
Capital | - | Palikir |
Climate | northeast monsoon (December to April), southwest monsoon (June to October); tropical cyclones occur during May/June and October/November in the northern Indian Ocean and January/February in the southern Indian Ocean | tropical; heavy year-round rainfall, especially in the eastern islands; located on southern edge of the typhoon belt with occasionally severe damage |
Coastline | 66,526 km | 6,112 km |
Constitution | - | 10 May 1979 |
Country name | - | conventional long form: Federated States of Micronesia
conventional short form: none former: Ponape, Truk, and Yap Districts (Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands) abbreviation: FSM |
Death rate | - | 4.87 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.) |
Debt - external | - | $53.1 million (FY02/03 est.) |
Diplomatic representation from the US | - | chief of mission: Ambassador Suzanne K. HALE
embassy: 101 Upper Pics Road, Kolonia mailing address: P. O. Box 1286, Kolonia, Pohnpei, Federated States of Micronesia 96941 telephone: [691] 320-2187 FAX: [691] 320-2186 |
Diplomatic representation in the US | - | chief of mission: Ambassador Jesse Bibiano MAREHALAU
chancery: 1725 N Street NW, Washington, DC 20036 telephone: [1] (202) 223-4383 FAX: [1] (202) 223-4391 consulate(s) general: Honolulu and Tamuning (Guam) |
Disputes - international | some maritime disputes (see littoral states) | none |
Economic aid - recipient | - | under terms of the Compact of Free Association, the US pledged $1.3 billion in grant aid during the period 1986-2001; the level of aid has been subsequently reduced |
Economy - overview | The Indian Ocean provides major sea routes connecting the Middle East, Africa, and East Asia with Europe and the Americas. It carries a particularly heavy traffic of petroleum and petroleum products from the oilfields of the Persian Gulf and Indonesia. Its fish are of great and growing importance to the bordering countries for domestic consumption and export. Fishing fleets from Russia, Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan also exploit the Indian Ocean, mainly for shrimp and tuna. Large reserves of hydrocarbons are being tapped in the offshore areas of Saudi Arabia, Iran, India, and western Australia. An estimated 40% of the world's offshore oil production comes from the Indian Ocean. Beach sands rich in heavy minerals and offshore placer deposits are actively exploited by bordering countries, particularly India, South Africa, Indonesia, Sri Lanka, and Thailand. | Economic activity consists primarily of subsistence farming and fishing. The islands have few mineral deposits worth exploiting, except for high-grade phosphate. The potential for a tourist industry exists, but the remote location, a lack of adequate facilities, and limited air connections hinder development. The Amended Compact of Free Association with the US guarantees the Federated States of Micronesia (FSM) millions of dollars in annual aid through 2023, and establishes a Trust Fund into which the US and the FSM make annual contributions in order to provide annual payouts to the FSM in perpetuity after 2023. The country's medium-term economic outlook appears fragile due not only to the reduction in US assistance but also to the slow growth of the private sector. Geographical isolation and a poorly developed infrastructure remain major impediments to long-term growth. |
Electricity - consumption | - | 178.6 million kWh (2002) |
Electricity - exports | - | 0 kWh (2002) |
Electricity - imports | - | 0 kWh (2002) |
Electricity - production | - | 192 million kWh (2002) |
Elevation extremes | lowest point: Java Trench -7,258 m
highest point: sea level 0 m |
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: Dolohmwar (Totolom) 791 m |
Environment - current issues | endangered marine species include the dugong, seals, turtles, and whales; oil pollution in the Arabian Sea, Persian Gulf, and Red Sea | overfishing, climate change, pollution |
Environment - international agreements | - | 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 |
Ethnic groups | - | nine ethnic Micronesian and Polynesian groups |
Exchange rates | - | the US dollar is used |
Executive branch | - | chief of state: President Joseph J. URUSEMAL (since 11 May 2003); Vice President Redley KILLION (11 May 2003); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government
head of government: President Joseph J. URUSEMAL (since 11 May 2003); Vice President Redley KILLION (11 May 2003); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government cabinet: Cabinet elections: president and vice president elected by Congress from among the four senators at large for four-year terms; election last held 11 May 2003 (next to be held May 2007); note - a proposed constitutional amendment to establish popular elections for president and vice president failed election results: Joseph J. URUSEMAL elected president; percent of Congress vote - NA%; Redley KILLION elected vice president; percent of Congress vote - NA% |
Exports | - | $22 million (f.o.b.) (FY99/00 est.) |
Exports - commodities | - | fish, garments, bananas, black pepper |
Exports - partners | - | Japan, US, Guam (2000) |
Fiscal year | - | 1 October - 30 September |
Flag description | - | light blue with four white five-pointed stars centered; the stars are arranged in a diamond pattern |
GDP - composition by sector | - | agriculture: 50%
industry: 4% services: 46% (2000 est.) |
GDP - per capita | - | purchasing power parity - $2,000 (2002 est.) |
GDP - real growth rate | - | 1% (2002 est.) |
Geographic coordinates | 20 00 S, 80 00 E | 6 55 N, 158 15 E |
Geography - note | major chokepoints include Bab el Mandeb, Strait of Hormuz, Strait of Malacca, southern access to the Suez Canal, and the Lombok Strait | four major island groups totaling 607 islands |
Highways | - | total: 240 km
paved: 42 km unpaved: 198 km (1999 est.) |
Household income or consumption by percentage share | - | lowest 10%: NA
highest 10%: NA |
Imports | - | $149 million f.o.b. (FY99/00 est.) |
Imports - commodities | - | food, manufactured goods, machinery and equipment, beverages |
Imports - partners | - | US, Australia, Japan (2000) |
Independence | - | 3 November 1986 (from the US-administered UN Trusteeship) |
Industrial production growth rate | - | NA |
Industries | - | tourism, construction, fish processing, specialized aquaculture, craft items from shell, wood, and pearls |
Infant mortality rate | - | total: 30.21 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 33.3 deaths/1,000 live births female: 26.97 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.) |
Inflation rate (consumer prices) | - | 1% (2002 est.) |
International organization participation | - | ACP, AsDB, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IFC, IFRCS, IMF, IOC, ITU, MIGA, OPCW, PIF, Sparteca, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, WHO, WMO |
Irrigated land | - | NA |
Judicial branch | - | Supreme Court |
Labor force | - | NA |
Labor force - by occupation | - | two-thirds are government employees |
Land boundaries | - | 0 km |
Land use | - | arable land: 5.71%
permanent crops: 45.71% other: 48.58% (2001) |
Languages | - | English (official and common language), Trukese, Pohnpeian, Yapese, Kosrean, Ulithian, Woleaian, Nukuoro, Kapingamarangi |
Legal system | - | based on adapted Trust Territory laws, acts of the legislature, municipal, common, and customary laws |
Legislative branch | - | unicameral Congress (14 seats; four - one elected from each state to serve four-year terms and 10 - elected from single-member districts delineated by population to serve two-year terms; members elected by popular vote)
elections: elections for four-year term seats last held 4 March 2003 (next to be held March 2007); elections for two-year term seats last held 8 March 2005 (next to be held March 2007) election results: percent of vote - NA%; seats - independents 14 |
Life expectancy at birth | - | total population: 69.75 years
male: 67.96 years female: 71.62 years (2005 est.) |
Literacy | - | definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 89% male: 91% female: 88% (1980 est.) |
Location | body of water between Africa, the Southern Ocean, Asia, and Australia | Oceania, island group in the North Pacific Ocean, about three-quarters of the way from Hawaii to Indonesia |
Map references | Political Map of the World | Oceania |
Maritime claims | - | territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm |
Merchant marine | - | total: 2 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 2,423 GRT/1,551 DWT
by type: cargo 1, passenger/cargo 1 foreign-owned: 2 (United States 2) (2005) |
Military - note | - | Federated States of Micronesia (FSM) is a sovereign, self-governing state in free association with the US; FSM is totally dependent on the US for its defense |
Military branches | - | no ministry of defense and no standing armed forces; the paramilitary Maritime Wing, a small maritime law enforcement unit, is responsible to the Division of Maritime Surveillance within the Office of the Attorney General (2003) |
National holiday | - | Constitution Day, 10 May (1979) |
Nationality | - | noun: Micronesian(s)
adjective: Micronesian; Chuukese, Kosraen(s), Pohnpeian(s), Yapese |
Natural hazards | occasional icebergs pose navigational hazard in southern reaches | typhoons (June to December) |
Natural resources | oil and gas fields, fish, shrimp, sand and gravel aggregates, placer deposits, polymetallic nodules | forests, marine products, deep-seabed minerals, phosphate |
Net migration rate | - | -21.01 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.) |
Political parties and leaders | - | no formal parties |
Population | - | 108,105 (July 2005 est.) |
Population below poverty line | - | 26.7% |
Population growth rate | - | -0.08% (2005 est.) |
Ports and harbors | Chennai (Madras; India), Colombo (Sri Lanka), Durban (South Africa), Jakarta (Indonesia), Kolkata (Calcutta; India) Melbourne (Australia), Mumbai (Bombay; India), Richards Bay (South Africa) | Tomil Harbor |
Radio broadcast stations | - | AM 5, FM 1, shortwave 0 (2004) |
Religions | - | Roman Catholic 50%, Protestant 47% |
Sex ratio | - | NA |
Suffrage | - | 18 years of age; universal |
Telephone system | - | general assessment: adequate system
domestic: islands interconnected by shortwave radiotelephone (used mostly for government purposes), satellite (Intelsat) ground stations, and some coaxial and fiber-optic cable; cellular service available on Kosrae, Pohnpei, and Yap international: country code - 691; satellite earth stations - 5 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean) (2002) |
Telephones - main lines in use | - | 10,100 (2001) |
Telephones - mobile cellular | - | 1,800 (2002) |
Television broadcast stations | - | 3; note - cable TV also available (2004) |
Terrain | surface dominated by counterclockwise gyre (broad, circular system of currents) in the southern Indian Ocean; unique reversal of surface currents in the northern Indian Ocean; low atmospheric pressure over southwest Asia from hot, rising, summer air results in the southwest monsoon and southwest-to-northeast winds and currents, while high pressure over northern Asia from cold, falling, winter air results in the northeast monsoon and northeast-to-southwest winds and currents; ocean floor is dominated by the Mid-Indian Ocean Ridge and subdivided by the Southeast Indian Ocean Ridge, Southwest Indian Ocean Ridge, and Ninetyeast Ridge | islands vary geologically from high mountainous islands to low, coral atolls; volcanic outcroppings on Pohnpei, Kosrae, and Chuuk |
Total fertility rate | - | 3.25 children born/woman (2005 est.) |
Unemployment rate | - | 16% (1999 est.) |