Compare Micronesia, Federated States of (2002) - Spratly Islands (2003)

total: less than 5 sq km

land: less than 5 sq km

water: 0 sq km

note: includes 100 or so islets, coral reefs, and sea mounts scattered over an area of nearly 410,000 sq km of the central South China Sea

Area - comparative

four times the size of Washington, DC (land area only)

NA

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 US. Present concerns include large-scale unemployment, overfishing, and overdependence on US aid.

The Spratly Islands consist of more than 100 small islands or reefs. They are surrounded by rich fishing grounds and potentially by gas and oil deposits. They are claimed in their entirety by China, Taiwan, and Vietnam, while portions are claimed by Malaysia and the Philippines. About 50 islands are occupied by China (about 450 soldiers), Malaysia (70-90), the Philippines (about 100), and Vietnam (about 1,500). Brunei is a claimant but has no outposts. (2002)

Birth rate

NA births/1,000 population

-

Budget

revenues: $161 million ($69 million less grants)

expenditures: $160 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1998 est.)

-

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

926 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: none

conventional short form: Spratly Islands

Currency

US dollar (USD)

-

Death rate

NA deaths/1,000 population

-

Debt - external

$66.5 million

-

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission: Ambassador Larry DINGER

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

-

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

none

all of the Spratly Islands are claimed by China, Taiwan, and Vietnam; parts of them are claimed by Malaysia and the Philippines; in 1984, Brunei established an exclusive fishing zone that encompasses Louisa Reef in the southern Spratly Islands but has not publicly claimed the island; claimants in November 2002 signed the "Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea", a mechanism to ease tension but which fell short of a legally binding "code of conduct"

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

-

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 remote 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 with the US in which Micronesia received $1.3 billion in financial and technical assistance over a 15-year period until 2001. Since these revenues accounted for 57% of consolidated government revenues, reduced Compact funding resulted in a severe depression. Economic activity recovered in 1999-2001. The country's medium-term economic outlook appears 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.

Economic activity is limited to commercial fishing. The proximity to nearby oil- and gas-producing sedimentary basins suggests the potential for oil and gas deposits, but the region is largely unexplored, and there are no reliable estimates of potential reserves; commercial exploitation has yet to be developed.

Electricity - consumption

NA kWh

-

Electricity - production

NA kWh

-

Electricity - production by source

fossil fuel: NA%

hydro: NA%

nuclear: NA%

other: NA%

-

Elevation extremes

lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m

highest point: Dolohmwar (Totolom) 791 m

lowest point: South China Sea 0 m

highest point: unnamed location on Southwest Cay 4 m

Environment - current issues

overfishing, climate change, pollution

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

-

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); note - a proposed constitutional amendment to establish popular elections for president and vice president failed

election results: Leo A. FALCAM elected president; percent of Congress vote - NA%; Redley KILLION elected vice president; percent of Congress vote - NA%

-

Exports

$22 million (f.o.b.)

-

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

-

GDP

purchasing power parity - $269 million

note: GDP is supplemented by grant aid, averaging perhaps $100 million annually (2001 est.)

-

GDP - composition by sector

agriculture: 50%

industry: 4%

services: 46% (2000 est.)

-

GDP - per capita

purchasing power parity - $2,000 (2001 est.)

-

GDP - real growth rate

2% (2001 est.)

-

Geographic coordinates

6 55 N, 158 15 E

8 38 N, 111 55 E

Geography - note

four major island groups totaling 607 islands

strategically located near several primary shipping lanes in the central South China Sea; includes numerous small islands, atolls, shoals, and coral reefs

Highways

total: 240 km

paved: 42 km

unpaved: 198 km (1996)

-

Household income or consumption by percentage share

lowest 10%: NA%

highest 10%: NA%

-

Imports

$149 million f.o.b.

-

Imports - commodities

food, manufactured goods, machinery and equipment, beverages

-

Imports - partners

US, Australia, Japan

-

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

-

Infant mortality rate

NA deaths/1,000 live births

-

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

2.5% (2001 est.)

-

International organization participation

ACP, AsDB, ESCAP, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IFC, IFRCS (associate), IMF, 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

Land use

arable land: 5.71%

permanent crops: 45.71%

other: 48.58% (1998 est.)

arable land: 0%

permanent crops: 0%

other: 100% (1998 est.)

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; members elected by popular vote; 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)

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

-

Life expectancy at birth

total population: NA years

male: NA years

female: NA years

-

Literacy

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 89%

male: 91%

female: 88% (1980 est.)

-

Location

Oceania, island group in the North Pacific Ocean, about three-quarters of the way from Hawaii to Indonesia

Southeastern Asia, group of reefs and islands in the South China Sea, about two-thirds of the way from southern Vietnam to the southern Philippines

Map references

Oceania

Southeast Asia

Maritime claims

exclusive economic zone: 200 NM

territorial sea: 12 NM

NA

Merchant marine

none

note: includes a foreign-owned ship registered here as a flag of convenience: United States 1 (2002 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

Spratly Islands consist of more than 100 small islands or reefs, of which about 45 are claimed and occupied by China, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan, and Vietnam

National holiday

Constitution Day, 10 May (1979)

-

Nationality

noun: Micronesian(s)

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

-

Natural hazards

typhoons (June to December)

typhoons; serious maritime hazard because of numerous reefs and shoals

Natural resources

forests, marine products, deep-seabed minerals

fish, guano, undetermined oil and natural gas potential

Net migration rate

NA migrant(s)/1,000 population

-

Political parties and leaders

no formal parties

-

Population

135,869 (July 2002 est.)

no indigenous inhabitants

note: there are scattered garrisons occupied by personnel of several claimant states (July 2003 est.)

Population below poverty line

NA%

-

Population growth rate

NA% (2002 est.)

-

Ports and harbors

Colonia (Yap), Kolonia (Pohnpei), Lele, Moen

none; offshore anchorage only

Radio broadcast stations

AM 5, FM 1, shortwave 0 (1998)

-

Radios

9,400 (1996)

-

Railways

0 km (2003)

-

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)

international: satellite earth stations - 5 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean) (2002)

-

Telephones - main lines in use

11,000 (2001)

-

Telephones - mobile cellular

newly installed in Pohnpei and Yap

-

Television broadcast stations

2 (1997)

-

Terrain

islands vary geologically from high mountainous islands to low, coral atolls; volcanic outcroppings on Pohnpei, Kosrae, and Truk