The Federated States of Micronesia (FSM), or simply Micronesia (), is an island country in Micronesia, a region of Oceania. The federation encompasses the majority of the Caroline Islands (excluding Palau) and consists of four states—from west to east: Yap, Chuuk, Pohnpei, and Kosrae—that span the western Pacific just north of the equator for a longitudinal distance of almost . Together, the states comprise around 607 islands and a combined land area of approximately .
The entire island federation lies across the northern Pacific accordingly: northeast of Indonesia and Papua New Guinea, south of Guam and the Marianas, west of Nauru and the Marshall Islands, east of Palau and the Philippines, about north of eastern Australia, southeast of Japan, and some southwest of Honolulu of the Hawaiian Islands.
The country's total land area is relatively small, but its waters occupy nearly of the Pacific Ocean, giving the country the 14th-largest exclusive economic zone in the world. The nation's capital is Palikir, on Pohnpei Island, and its largest city is Weno, an island municipality in the Chuuk Lagoon.
Each of its four states is centered on one or more main volcanic islands, and all but Kosrae include numerous outlying atolls. The FSM spreads across part of the Caroline Islands in the wider region of Micronesia, which region consists of thousands of small islands divided among several countries. The term Micronesia may refer to the Federated States of Micronesia or to the region as a whole.
The FSM was a part of the former Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands (TTPI), a United Nations Trust Territory administered by the United States from 1947 to 1994. On May 10, 1979, the islands ratified a constitutional government and then became a sovereign state after attaining independence on November 3, 1986—under a Compact of Free Association with the United States. Other neighboring island entities (also former members of the TTPI) also formed constitutional governments, becoming the Republic of the Marshall Islands and the Republic of Palau. The FSM has a seat in the United Nations and has been a member of the Pacific Community since 1983.
History
Early settlement and Nan Madol The ancestors of the Micronesians settled over four thousand years ago. A decentralized chieftain-based system eventually evolved into a more centralized economic and religious culture centered on Yap Island.
Nan Madol, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, consisting of a series of small artificial islands linked by a network of canals, is often called the Venice of the Pacific. It is located on the eastern periphery of the island of Pohnpei and used to be the ceremonial and political seat of the Saudeleur dynasty that united Pohnpei's estimated 25,000 people from about AD 500 until 1500 when the centralized system collapsed.
European contact and colonial rule
European explorers—first the Portuguese in search of the Spice Islands (Indonesia) and then the Spanish—reached the Carolines in the sixteenth century. The Treaty of Tordesillas gave these lands to Spain and the Spanish incorporated the archipelago to the Spanish East Indies through the capital, Manila, and in the 19th century established several outposts and missions. In 1887, they founded the town of Santiago de la Ascensión in what today is Kolonia on the island of Pohnpei.
In the 1870s, Germany began extending its sphere of influence in the Caroline Islands, leading to the Carolines Question of 1885 in which Pope Leo XIII was asked to determine if Germany or Spain had authority over the islands. The result was a confirmation of Spanish authority over the islands, but Germany would have free access to the islands.
Following defeat in the Spanish–American War, the Spanish sold the archipelago to Germany in 1899 under the German–Spanish Treaty of 1899. Germany incorporated it into German New Guinea. (A few remote islands, notably Kapingamarangi, were not specifically named in the treaty, but this remained unnoticed until the late 1940s and, while acknowledging the historical curiosity in 1949, Spain has made no modern claims to the islands.)
During World War I, it was captured by Japan. Following the war, the League of Nations awarded a mandate for Japan to administer the islands as part of the South Seas Mandate.Foster, S., Hezel, F.X. "Micronesia." Encyclopedia Britannica, February 27, 2025. https://www.britannica.com/place/Micronesia-republic-Pacific-Ocean
World War II and the aftermath
Operation Hailstone Truk Lagoon served as a significant base for the Imperial Japanese Navy during World War II. In February 1944, the U.S. Navy launched Operation Hailstone, a massive air and surface attack on Truk Lagoon. Over two days, U.S. carrier aircraft and surface vessels targeted Japanese warships, merchant vessels, and shore installations, resulting in the sinking of numerous ships and the destruction of hundreds of aircraft. This operation severely diminished Japan's naval capabilities in the Pacific.Hornfischer, James (2016). The Fleet at Flood Tide: America at Total War in the Pacific, 1944–1945. Random House Publishing Group
U.S. administration under the United Nations Following World War II, the islands of Micronesia were placed under the administration of the United States as part of the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands. This arrangement was formalized on 2 April 1947, with the adoption of United Nations Security Council Resolution 21, which approved the terms of trusteeship for the Pacific Islands formerly under Japanese mandate.United Nations Security Council. (1947). Trusteeship of Strategic Areas (Resolution No. 21)
Path to independence On May 10, 1979, four of the Trust Territory districts ratified a new constitution to become the Federated States of Micronesia. Palau, the Marshall Islands, and the Northern Mariana Islands chose not to participate. The FSM signed a Compact of Free Association with the United States, which entered into force on November 3, 1986, marking Micronesia's emergence from trusteeship to independence. Independence was formally concluded under international law in 1990, when the United Nations officially ended the Trusteeship status pursuant to Security Council Resolution 683. The Compact was renewed in 2004.
In February 2021, due to a bitter leadership dispute, the Federated States of Micronesia announced it would quit the Pacific Islands Forum in its formal process of withdrawal. However, in June 2022, the Suva Agreement was reached and the Federated States of Micronesia agreed to remain in the forum.
Politics
The Federated States of Micronesia is governed by the 1979 constitution, which guarantees fundamental human rights and establishes a separation of governmental powers. This constitution structures the national government to be similar to—but not exactly like—that of the United States. The unicameral Congress has fourteen members elected by popular vote. Four senators—one from each state—serve four-year terms; the remaining ten senators represent single-member districts based on population and serve two-year terms. Congress elects the President and Vice President from among the four state-based senators to serve four-year terms in the executive branch. Their congressional seats are then filled by special elections.
An appointed cabinet supports the president and vice president. There are no formal political parties.
Defense and foreign affairs
In international politics, the Federated States of Micronesia has often voted with the United States concerning United Nations General Assembly resolutions.General Assembly - Overall Votes - Comparison with U.S. vote lists Micronesia as in the country with the fourth high coincidence of votes. Micronesia has always been in the top four.
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, allows for immigration and employment for Micronesians in the U.S., and establishes economic and technical aid programs.
The FSM has foreign relations with 56 countries, including the Holy See and the Sovereign Military Order of Malta. 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. The FSM was an active member of the Pacific Islands Forum. 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. In February 2022, following the Russian invasion of Ukraine, FSM severed its diplomatic relations with Russia and called the invasion "unjustified and brutal".
States
The four states in the federation are, from west to east: FlagStatesCapitalCurrent GovernorLandPopulationPopulationdensitykm2sq miper km2per sq mi Yap Colonia Francis Itimai (Acting) 118.1 45.6 10,739 91 236 Chuuk Weno Alexander R. Narruhn 127.4 49.2 33,885 266 689 Pohnpei Kolonia Stevenson Joseph 345.5 133.4 26,102 75 196 Kosrae Tofol Tulensa Palik 109.6 42.3 5,092 46 120
These states are further divided into municipalities.
Geography
The Federated States of Micronesia consists of 607 islands extending across the archipelago of the Caroline Islands east of the Philippines. The islands have a combined area of .
The islands are grouped into four states, which are Yap, Chuuk (called Truk until January 1990), Pohnpei (known as "Ponape" until November 1984), and Kosrae (formerly Kusaie). These four states are each represented by a white star on the national flag. The capital is Palikir, on Pohnpei.
Two terrestrial ecoregions lie within the country's borders: Carolines tropical moist forests and Yap tropical dry forests. It had a 2019 Forest Landscape Integrity Index mean score of 7.55/10, ranking it 37th globally out of 172 countries.
Biodiversity The Federated States of Micronesia (FSM) is recognized as a biodiversity hotspot, hosting approximately 3,025 animal species and 1,553 plant species. The diversity of terrestrial plants and animals within the FSM varies from east to west due to differences in climate, geology, topography, and geographical isolation.
Over 457 plant species have been introduced to the islands of the FSM by early Micronesians and subsequent settlers. The FSM comprises 607 islands extending 2,900 km across the Caroline Islands, with a combined area of 702 km2. The FSM has 58 Key Biodiversity Areas.
The region is characterized by thousands of isolated small coral atolls and higher volcanic islands, contributing to its high biodiversity. The FSM's National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan outlines efforts to protect and conserve its rich biodiversity. The FSM's marine biodiversity is under pressure due to growing population demands, leading to increased degradation of marine resources.
Climate