FEDERATED STATES
OF MICRONESIA

• Official name: Federated States of Micronesia
• Location: Pacific
• International organisations: African, Caribbean and Pacific Group of States, Pacific Islands Forum, United Nations
• Borders: None
• Coastline: Pacific Ocean
• Land area: 702 Km2
• Population: 110,000
• Annual GDP (PPP) per capita: US$2,200 (2009 CIA estimate). World ranking: 150
• Ethnicity: Most of the population is Micronesian. There are European and Japanese minorities.
• Languages: English is the official language. The people speak Micronesian languages including Trukese and Pohnpeian.
• Religion: Most of the population are Christians, evenly divided between Catholics and Protestants.
• Form of government: Presidential democratic republic. Micronesia is divided into four states.
• Capital: Palikir
• Constitution: The Constitution of the Federated States of Micronesia came into effect on 10 May 1979.
• Head of state: The President, elected by the legislature from among its own members for a four-year term.
• Head of government: The President, who appoints the Cabinet.
• Legislature: The Marshall Islands has a unicameral legislature, the Congress, which has 14 members. Four are elected from the four states for four-year terms, and ten elected from single-member constituencies for two-year terms.
• Electoral authority:
• Freedom House 2011 rating: Political Rights 1, Civil Liberties 1
• Transparency International Corruption Index: no rating
• Reporters Without Borders Press Freedom 2010 Index: no rating
• Heritage Foundation Economic Freedom 2010 Index: 50.3% (145 of 178 countries rated)

Political history

The Micronesian islands were explored by the Portuguese and the Spanish in the 16th century, and were named the Caroline Islands by the Spanish explorer Francisco Lezcano in 1686. They were administered from the Spanish Philippines until 1899, when Spain sold them to Germany. They were administered as part of German New Guinea until 1914, when they were occupied by Japan by agreement with the Allied powers. In 1920 they were assigned to Japan as a League of Nations mandate. They were occupied by the United States in 1945 and in 1947 became part of the United Nations Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands, administered by the US.

The four Caroline islands of Khorsrae, Ponape, Truk (Chuuk), Popape and Yap gained autonomy in 1979 and became known as the Federated States of Miconesia. In 1986 the Trust Territory was dissolved and the islands became fully independent in December 1990. Under a Compact of Association with the US, the US is responsible for the country's defence. There are no political parties in Micronesia and politics is largely a matter of personalities. Manny Mori has been President since May 2007.

Updated November 2011