Federated States of Micronesia

Sea Hawk helicopter (US Navy) flies over the waters of Chuuk, Micronesia.

The FSS Tosiwo Nakayama, a Guardian-class patrol boat of the Federated States of Micronesia

In international politics, the Federated States of Micronesia has often voted with the United States with respect to United Nations General Assembly resolutions.[9]

The FSM is a sovereign, self-governing state in free association with the United States of America, which is wholly responsible for its defense. The FSM National Police operates a Maritime Wing Unit. The Compact of Free Association allows FSM citizens to join the U.S. military without having to obtain U.S. permanent residency or citizenship,[10] allows for immigration and employment for Micronesians in the U.S., and establishes economic and technical aid programs.

FSM has foreign relations with 56 countries, including the Holy See and the Sovereign Military Order of Malta.[11] FSM was admitted to the United Nations based on the Security Council's recommendation on August 9, 1991 in Resolution 703 and the General Assembly's approval on September 17, 1991 in Resolution 46/2.[12] The FSM was an active member of the Pacific Islands Forum.[13] However, in February 2021, FSM announced it would be formally withdrawing from the Forum in a joint statement with Marshall Islands, Kiribati and Nauru after a dispute regarding Henry Puna's election as the Forum's secretary-general.[14][15]

A map of the Federated States of Micronesia

The four states in the federation are, from west to east:

Flag	States[16]	Capital	Current Governor	Land		Population[17]	Population density
				km2	sq mi[18]		per km2[17]	per sq mi
	Yap	Colonia	Jesse J. Salalu[19]	118.1	45.6	16,436	94	243
	Chuuk	Weno	Alexander R. Narruhn[20]	127.4	49.2	54,595	420	1088
	Pohnpei	Kolonia	Reed P. Oliver[21]	345.5	133.4	34,685	98	255
	Kosrae	Tofol	Carson K. Sigrah[22]	109.6	42.3	7,686	66	170

These states are further divided into municipalities.

Historically, Spain had a claim to sovereignty over a few islands including Kapingamarangi in Pohnpei State. A commission of cardinals under Pope Leo XIII arbitrated a dispute for the Caroline Islands and others extending from the equator to 11°N latitude and from 133°E to 164°E longitude. Germany and Spain on 17 December 1885 agreed in a treaty that they were a part of the Spanish East Indies. In 1899, Spain sold "las Carolinas" to Germany. Kapingamarangi is far south of the Carolines and the people are racially and culturally Polynesian, not Micronesian or Carolinian. In 1948, Emilio Pastor Santos of the Spanish National Research Council found that the charts and maps up to 1899 had shown that Kapingamarangi and a few other islands had never been considered part of the Carolines, were not included in the description of the territory transferred to Germany and were never ceded by Spain; therefore, Spain retained sovereignty. In 1949, the Cabinet of Diplomatic Information of the Spanish Ministry of Foreign Affairs declared, "The Ministry recognises that it is a certain fact and historic truth due to Article 3 of the Treaty of July 1, 1899, that Spain reserved a series of rights in Micronesia and for another thing, the specifications of the territories which Spain ceded in 1899 leaves apart certain groups of islands in the same zone."[23]

There are no territorial disputes concerning Micronesia as of 2021.[24]

The major coastal communities are mangrove forests, seagrass beds, lagoons and coral reefs, biologically and physically linked. About 300 species of coral, 1000 species of fish and 1200 species of mollusks are recognized in Micronesia. In the mangrove forests there are shrimps, crabs and fish, as well as birds that feed on them. Seagrass meadows appear offshore following the mangroves. The lagoons provide food for the reef inhabitants and contain various kinds of plankton. The biodiversity and complexity of the coral reefs increases markedly from east to west, with 150 species of hard coral at Kosrae, 200 at Pohnpei and 300 at Chuuk. Coral productivity in this area is among the highest in the world, absorbing about 2500 grams of carbon per square meter per year, against 2200 grams in the tropical forest and 125 grams in the open sea.

Inland, from the tidal zone to the top of the mountains there is a varied range of vegetation, cloud forest, upland, palm, plantation, areas dominated by climbers of the genus Merremia, savannas, native secondary forest, fragments of introduced trees, cultivated areas, freshwater swamps, swamps of the palm Nypa fruticans, atoll forests, forests in rocky areas and beaches. There are about 1230 species of ferns and flowering plants, of which 782 are native, including 145 native fern species. On Pohnpei Island, there are about 750 plant species, of which 110 are endemic. Another 457 species have been introduced.

Satawal Island, Yap State

The Federated States of Micronesia has a tropical rainforest climate (Köppen: Af). The weather is warm, humid and rainy all year round. The islands are located north of the equator and are affected by constant trade winds, which temper the climate. Minimum temperatures range all year round between 22 and 25°C, and maximum temperatures between 30 and 32°C. The abundant precipitations oscillate between 2500 and 5000 mm per year, although in the faces oriented to the wind they can surpass 6000 mm. Mount Nahnalaud, only 750 m high, on the island of Pohnpei, receives an average of 10,160 mm, being one of the rainiest places on earth, with almost always overcast skies. In general, the rains are produced by showers and storms of short duration but very intense. The driest places are the flat atolls, where rainfall can drop below 3000 mm. The driest months are January and February, with no less than 250 mm and 20 days of rain.

People performing a welcome ceremony on the Ulithi atoll

The indigenous population of the nation, which is predominantly Micronesian, consists of various ethnolinguistic groups. It has a nearly 100% Pacific Islander and Asian population: Chuukese 48.8%, Pohnpeian 24.2%, Kosraean 6.2%, Yapese 5.2%, Yap outer islands 4.5%, Asian 1.8%, Polynesian 1.5%, other 6.4%, unknown 1.4%. A sizable minority also have some Japanese ancestry, which is a result of intermarriages between Japanese settlers and Micronesians during the Japanese colonial period.[36]

There is also a growing expatriate population of Americans, Australians, Europeans, and residents from China and the Philippines since the 1990s. English has become the common language of the government, and for secondary and tertiary education. Outside of the main capital towns of the four FSM states, the local languages are primarily spoken. In the Catholic mission of Pohnpei, among the Mercedarian missionaries, considered an institution in the country, Spanish is also spoken. Growth remains high at more than 3% annually, offset somewhat by net emigration.

A beach in Chuuk

English is the official and common language. Aside from English, the following Austronesian languages are spoken:[16][37]

Cathedral of Ponape Belltower, in Kolonia, on the island of Pohnpei, built in 1909 by German Capuchin missionaries

Most Micronesians are Christian. Several Protestant denominations, as well as the Roman Catholic Church, are present in every Micronesian state.[38] Most Protestant groups trace their roots to American Congregationalist missionaries.[38] On the island of Kosrae, the population is approximately 7,800; 95 percent are Protestants.[38] On Pohnpei, the population of 35,000 is evenly divided between Protestants and Catholics. Most immigrants are Filipino Catholics who have joined local Catholic churches, e.g. Our Lady of Mercy Catholic Church in Pohnpei.[38]

On Chuuk and Yap, an estimated 60 percent are Catholic and 40 percent are Protestant.[38] Religious groups with small followings include Baptists, Assemblies of God, Salvation Army, Seventh-day Adventists, Jehovah's Witnesses, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormons), and the Baháʼí Faith.[38] There is a small group of Buddhists on Pohnpei,[38] and a small group of Ahmadiyya Muslims in both Pohnpei and Kosrae. Attendance at religious services is generally high; churches are well supported by their congregations and play a significant role in civil society.[38]

In the 1890s, on the island of Pohnpei, intermissionary conflicts and the conversion of clan leaders resulted in religious divisions along clan lines which persist today.[38] More Protestants live on the western side of the island, while more Catholics live on the eastern side.[38] Missionaries of many religious traditions are present and operate freely.[38] The Constitution provides for freedom of religion, and the Government generally respects this right in practice.[38] The US government received no reports of societal abuses or discrimination based on religious belief or practice in 2007.[38]

Life expectancy was 66 for men and 69 for women in 2018.[39][40]

Pingelap in Pohnpei State is notable for the prevalence of an extreme form of color blindness called Achromatopsia, and known locally as maskun.[41][42] Approximately 5% of the atoll's 3000 inhabitants are afflicted.[41][42]

Baseball is very popular in the FSM.[43]

The sport of association football in the Federated States of Micronesia is run by the Federated States of Micronesia Football Association. They control the Micronesian Games, the nation's football championship and the Micronesia national football team.

The Federated States of Micronesia Athletic Association is the governing body for the country's sports and athletics.[44][45]

Yapese men dancing in traditional dress

A shop in Pohnpei selling traditional souvenirs

Traditional dances on the main islands includes "stick dancing" on Pohnpei, Chuuk and Yap, standing dances on Chuuk and sitting dances on Yap[47] and Chuuk. The Yapese are particularly known for their skills in dancing. The Yapese stick dance is performed by men, women and children together, while standing dances are performed either by women or men and boys, but never both together. The men participate in various dancing competitions, which are segregated by caste; the lower castes have some distinct dances, such as a woman's standing dance, but can only dance when authorized by a person of a higher caste.[48]

The following papers have been published in the FSM:

• Pohnpei[49]
  • The Kaselehlie Press — from 2001. English. Published biweekly.
  • Senyavin Times — from 1967 to the 1970s. Bilingual (Pohnpeian and English).
• Chuuk[50]
  • Truk Chronicle — from 1979 to the 1980s. Published biweekly in English, with some articles in Carolinian.
• Kosrae[51]
  • Kosrae State Newsletter — from 1983 to 2004. Published monthly in Kosraean.
• Yap[52]
  • The Yap Networker — from 1999 to 2005. Published weekly in English.

There have been very few published literary writers from the Federated States of Micronesia.[53] In 2008, Emelihter Kihleng became the first ever Micronesian to publish a collection of poetry in the English language.[54]