Micronesia, Federated States of (2001) | Ashmore and Cartier Islands (2004) | |
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Administrative divisions | 4 states; Chuuk (Truk), Kosrae, Pohnpei, Yap | - |
Age structure | 0-14 years:
NA% 15-64 years: NA% 65 years and over: NA% |
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Agriculture - products | black pepper, tropical fruits and vegetables, coconuts, cassava (tapioca), sweet potatoes; pigs, chickens | - |
Airports | 7 (2000 est.) | - |
Airports - with paved runways | total:
6 1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 914 to 1,523 m: 2 (2000 est.) |
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Airports - with unpaved runways | total:
1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2000 est.) |
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Area | total:
702 sq km land: 702 sq km water: 0 sq km note: includes Pohnpei (Ponape), Truk (Chuuk) Islands, Yap Islands, and Kosrae |
total: 5 sq km
land: 5 sq km water: 0 sq km note: includes Ashmore Reef (West, Middle, and East Islets) and Cartier Island |
Area - comparative | four times the size of Washington, DC | about eight times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC |
Background | 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 United States. Present concerns include large-scale unemployment, overfishing, and overdependence on US aid. | These uninhabited islands came under Australian authority in 1931; formal administration began two years later. Ashmore Reef supports a rich and diverse avian and marine habitat; in 1983, it became a National Nature Reserve. Cartier Island, a former bombing range, is now a marine reserve. |
Budget | revenues:
$161 million ($69 million less grants) expenditures: $160 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1998 est.) |
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Capital | Palikir | - |
Climate | tropical; heavy year-round rainfall, especially in the eastern islands; located on southern edge of the typhoon belt with occasionally severe damage | tropical |
Coastline | 6,112 km | 74.1 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 |
conventional long form: Territory of Ashmore and Cartier Islands
conventional short form: Ashmore and Cartier Islands |
Currency | US dollar (USD) | - |
Debt - external | $111 million (1997 est.) | - |
Dependency status | - | territory of Australia; administered by the Australian Department of Transport and Regional Services |
Diplomatic representation from the US | chief of mission:
Ambassador Diane E. WATSON embassy: address NA, Kolonia mailing address: P. O. Box 1286, Kolonia, Pohnpei, Federated States of Micronesia 96941 telephone: [691] 320-2187 FAX: [691] 320-2186 |
none (territory of Australia) |
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) |
none (territory of Australia) |
Disputes - international | none | Indonesian groups challenge Australia's claim to Ashmore Reef; Australia has closed the surrounding waters to Indonesian traditional fishing and has created a national park in the region while continuing to prospect for hydrocarbons in the vicinity |
Economic aid - recipient | under terms of the Compact of Free Association, the US will provide $1.3 billion in grant aid during the period 1986-2001 | - |
Economy - overview | 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 remoteness of the location and a lack of adequate facilities hinder development. In 1996, the country experienced a 20% reduction in revenues from the Compact of Free Association - the agreement between the US and Micronesia in which Micronesia receives $1.3 billion in financial and technical assistance over a 15-year period until 2001 - as a result of the second step-down under the agreement. Since these revenues accounted for 57% of consolidated government revenues, reduced Compact funding resulted in a severe depression. While Micronesia's economy appears to have bottomed out in 1999, the country's medium-term economic outlook remains fragile due to likely further reductions in external grants made under the US Compact funding. Geographical isolation and a poorly developed infrastructure remain major impediments to long-term growth. | no economic activity |
Electricity - consumption | NA kWh | - |
Electricity - production | NA kWh | - |
Electricity - production by source | fossil fuel:
NA% hydro: NA% nuclear: NA% other: NA% |
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Elevation extremes | lowest point:
Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: Totolom 791 m |
lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
highest point: unnamed location 3 m |
Environment - current issues | overfishing | NA |
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 |
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Ethnic groups | nine ethnic Micronesian and Polynesian groups | - |
Exchange rates | the US dollar is used | - |
Executive branch | chief of state:
President Leo A. FALCAM (since 21 July 1999); Vice President Redley KILLION (since 21 July 1999); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government head of government: President Leo A. FALCAM (since 21 July 1999); Vice President Redley KILLION (since 21 July 1999); 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 NA May 1999 (next to be held NA May 2003) election results: Leo A. FALCAM elected president; percent of Congress vote - NA%; Redley KILLION elected vice president; percent of Congress vote - NA% |
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Exports | $73 million (f.o.b., 1996 est.) | - |
Exports - commodities | fish, garments, bananas, black pepper | - |
Exports - partners | Japan, US, Guam | - |
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 | the flag of Australia is used |
GDP | purchasing power parity - $263 million (1999 est.)
note: GDP is supplemented by grant aid, averaging perhaps $100 million annually |
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GDP - composition by sector | agriculture:
19% industry: 4% services: 77% (1996 est.) |
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GDP - per capita | purchasing power parity - $2,000 (1999 est.) | - |
GDP - real growth rate | 0.3% (1999 est.) | - |
Geographic coordinates | 6 55 N, 158 15 E | 12 14 S, 123 05 E |
Geography - note | four major island groups totaling 607 islands | Ashmore Reef National Nature Reserve established in August 1983 |
Highways | total:
240 km paved: 42 km unpaved: 198 km (1996) |
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Household income or consumption by percentage share | lowest 10%:
NA% highest 10%: NA% |
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Imports | $168 million (c.i.f., 1996 est.) | - |
Imports - commodities | food, manufactured goods, machinery and equipment, beverages | - |
Imports - partners | US, Japan, Australia | - |
Independence | 3 November 1986 (from the US-administered UN Trusteeship) | - |
Industrial production growth rate | NA% | - |
Industries | tourism, construction, fish processing, craft items from shell, wood, and pearls | - |
Inflation rate (consumer prices) | 2.6% (FY98/99) | - |
International organization participation | ACP, AsDB, ESCAP, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IFC, IMF, Intelsat, IOC, ITU, OPCW, Sparteca, SPC, SPF, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, WHO, WMO | - |
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) | 1 (2000) | - |
Irrigated land | NA sq km | 0 sq km (1998 est.) |
Judicial branch | Supreme Court | - |
Labor force | NA | - |
Labor force - by occupation | two-thirds are government employees | - |
Land boundaries | 0 km | 0 km |
Land use | arable land:
NA% permanent crops: NA% permanent pastures: NA% forests and woodland: NA% other: NA% |
arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (all grass and sand) (2001) |
Languages | English (official and common language), Trukese, Pohnpeian, Yapese, Kosrean | - |
Legal system | based on adapted Trust Territory laws, acts of the legislature, municipal, common, and customary laws | the laws of the Commonwealth of Australia and the laws of the Northern Territory of Australia, where applicable, apply |
Legislative branch | unicameral Congress (14 seats; members elected by popular vote; four - one elected from each of state - to serve four-year terms and 10 - elected from single-member districts delineated by population - to serve two-year terms)
elections: elections for four-year term seats last held 2 March 1999 (next to be held NA March 2003); elections for two-year term seats last held 6 March 2001 (next to be held NA March 2003) election results: percent of vote - NA%; seats - independents 14 |
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Literacy | definition:
age 15 and over can read and write total population: 89% male: 91% female: 88% (1980 est.) |
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Location | Oceania, island group in the North Pacific Ocean, about three-quarters of the way from Hawaii to Indonesia | Southeastern Asia, islands in the Indian Ocean, midway between north-western Australia and Timor island |
Map references | Oceania | Southeast Asia |
Maritime claims | exclusive economic zone:
200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM |
territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 12 nm continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm |
Merchant marine | none (2000 est.) | - |
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 | defense is the responsibility of Australia; periodic visits by the Royal Australian Navy and Royal Australian Air Force |
National holiday | Constitution Day, 10 May (1979) | - |
Nationality | noun:
Micronesian(s) adjective: Micronesian; Kosrae(s), Pohnpeian(s), Trukese, Yapese |
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Natural hazards | typhoons (June to December) | surrounded by shoals and reefs that can pose maritime hazards |
Natural resources | forests, marine products, deep-seabed minerals | fish |
People - note | - | the landing of illegal immigrants from Indonesia's Rote Island has become an ongoing problem |
Political parties and leaders | no formal parties | - |
Population | 134,597 (July 2001 est.) | no indigenous inhabitants
note: Indonesian fishermen are allowed access to the lagoon and fresh water at Ashmore Reef's West Island (July 2004 est.) |
Population below poverty line | NA% | - |
Ports and harbors | Colonia (Yap), Kolonia (Pohnpei), Lele, Moen | none; offshore anchorage only |
Radio broadcast stations | AM 5, FM 1, shortwave 0 (1998) | - |
Radios | NA | - |
Railways | 0 km | - |
Religions | Roman Catholic 50%, Protestant 47%, other and none 3% | - |
Suffrage | 18 years of age; universal | - |
Telephone system | general assessment:
adequate system domestic: islands interconnected by shortwave radiotelephone (used mostly for government purposes) international: satellite earth stations - 4 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean) |
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Telephones - main lines in use | 11,000 (2001) | - |
Telephones - mobile cellular | NA | - |
Television broadcast stations | 2 (1997) | - |
Terrain | islands vary geologically from high mountainous islands to low, coral atolls; volcanic outcroppings on Pohnpei, Kosrae, and Truk | low with sand and coral |
Unemployment rate | 16% (1999 est.) | - |
Waterways | none | - |