The capital of the country of the federated states of Micronesia. Micronesia - Federated States of Micronesia. State structure. Legal system. Civil law. Criminal law. Judicial system. What peoples live on the territory of the state
Federated States Micronesia is a country located in Oceania, near the Caroline Islands archipelago. Its territory consists of islands in the north Pacific Ocean, which are located near Hawaii and. The total area of the country is 702 sq. km. Coastline is 6112 km.
The country's territory is represented by islands (high mountainous islands are replaced by low ones), coral atolls, and volcanic outcrops. The four main island groups consist of 607 islands.
Map of the Federated States of Micronesia
The country has rich vegetation with various unique species. On the slopes above volcanic islands Heavy tropical vegetation, including tropical hardwoods, is characteristic. Various types of tropical plants and flowers grow in the forests of Micronesia. Coconut palms grow on coral atolls. The country's flora includes: hibiscus, orchids, banana, eucalyptus, mahogany, ironwood, papaya, plumeria. Fauna presented various types birds, tropical bats, rare species of deer, lizards, which can be found in various parts of the country. Several species of turtles and stingrays live in the waters of Micronesia. In addition, other species live here, such as marlin, tuna, barracuda, and sailfish. Representatives marine fauna They live in the open sea, on reefs, lagoons and coastal areas. Natural resources: timber, deep sea minerals, phosphate.
The climate of Micronesia is tropical. It is typical for him a large number of precipitation all year round, mainly in the east of the country. In the south there is a typhoon belt that sometimes causes serious damage.
The Federated States of Micronesia is a constitutional government in free association with the United States. The head of state is the president, who is also the head of government. The Cabinet includes the vice president and the heads of eight executive departments.
Administrative division - 4 states. The capital is Palikir. The most big cities: Weno (Chuuk State), Colonia (Yap State), Colonia (Pohnpei State), Tofol (Kosrae State).
The country's population is 106,104 people. The people living in the country are mainly Chuuk (48.8%), Ponape (24.2%), Kosrae (6.2%), Yap (5.2%), Yap of the outer islands (4.5%), Asians ( 1.8%), Polynesians (1.5%). English - official language. Religion: Roman Catholics (52.7%), Protestants (41.7%), others (3.8%). Literacy - 91% men, 88% women. Urban population: 23%. Population density: 160.41 people/km². Average age: for men - 22.8 years, for women - 24 years. Average life expectancy: 70.09 years - men, 74.16 years - women.
The country's economic activities are based on subsistence agriculture and fishing. The islands have several known mineral deposits. There is potential for tourism development. But this development is slowed down by isolation, lack of adequate facilities, as well as restrictions in water connections, so most tourists prefer other options to holidays in the Federated States of Micronesia, for example, a tour to Alanya. Under the terms of the original treaty, the US provided $1.3 billion in grants and assistance from 1986-2001. The government is funded primarily by the Compact and aid provided by the United States.
Exported goods: fish, clothing, bananas, black pepper, betel nut. Export partners: Thailand, Japan, USA, Hong Kong, China. Imported goods: food, industrial goods, machinery and equipment, drinks. Import partners: Thailand, USA, Japan,
general information
The largest islands of Micronesia are of volcanic origin (height up to 791 m), surrounded by coral reefs. The climate is equatorial and subequatorial. Precipitation ranges from 2250 mm to 3000-4500 and 6000 mm (in the mountains on the island of Cusape) per year. The part of the Pacific Ocean where Micronesia is located is an area where typhoons occur (on average there are 25 typhoons per year). The islands are covered with evergreen tropical forests and savannas; The coral islands are dominated by coconut palm and pandanus.
Since the seventeenth century Caroline Islands belonged to Spain. In 1898, Spain sold them to Germany. In 1914, the islands were captured by Japan, and during the Second World War they were occupied by US troops, who began to administer them under a UN mandate. In 1978, the Caroline Islands received the status of a “freely associated territory with the United States.” In 1979, the constitution of the Federated States of Micronesia was adopted.
The basis of Micronesia's economy is fishing, copra production, and vegetable growing. Cattle, pigs, and goats are raised on the islands. To develop its fishing zone, Micronesia cooperates with the USA, Australia, Japan, and South Korea. Every year, 25 thousand tourists visit Micronesia, mainly from Australia and Japan. Length of paved highways is 226 km. Half of the export consists of copra; pepper, fish, handicrafts, and coconut oil are also exported. The main foreign trade partners are the USA and Japan. Micronesia receives significant cash subsidies from the United States and uses the American dollar as its currency.
Culture
The traditional culture of the population of the Federated States of Micronesia is pan-Micronesian (with the exception of the culture of the two Polynesian atolls of Nukuoro and Kapingamarangi). However, it has undergone significant changes over several centuries of foreign domination. But even today on many islands there are houses of local pillar construction without walls, the function of which is performed by gable roofs reaching to the ground, covered with palm leaves or mats. Micronesians still master the art of making wooden boats without a single metal nail. Leaders play a significant role in the public life of the FSM. Perhaps the culture of the Yapese remained the most conservative (folklore, dancing, houses on stone foundations under palm leaves, loincloths for men and fluffy skirts made of plant fibers for women).
Intensive contacts in recent decades with Western world changed the mentality of the younger generation of Micronesian citizens, who are no longer guided by traditional values, but strive to join the achievements of Western civilization.
Story
The ancestors of the Micronesians settled the Caroline Islands more than 4 thousand years ago. Over the centuries, two social groups emerged in Micronesian society - the “noble” and the “common”; the former did not engage in physical labor and differed from the latter in their special tattoos and jewelry. The territorial associations were headed by chiefs (Tomol), but their power was not the same on different islands. On about. Temen (Pohnpei State) remains discovered ancient civilization – stone city Nan-Madol. It consisted of monumental structures erected on reefs - platforms made of coral rubble and lined with basalt slabs. Residential and temple complexes, buried the dead and performed various rituals. According to legends, the city was the center of the vast Saudeler power and was destroyed by the conquerors, after which Pohnpei split into five territorial entities. Similar monuments were found on the island. Lelu (Kosrae state). On the island of Yap in later times, there apparently existed a centralized state entity that had economic and religious functions. Tribute was collected from conquered tribes. The first Europeans found on Yap one- and two-tiered platforms with temples and men's houses, as well as peculiar money in the form of large stone disks with a hole in the center.
The Caroline Islands were discovered by European navigators in the 16th and 17th centuries. In 1526, di Menezighi discovered the Yap Islands, and in 1528, Alvaro Saavedra first saw the Truk Islands (modern Chuuk). In 1685, Captain Francisco Lazeano rediscovered the island of Yap and named the island Caroline (after King Charles II of Spain). Later this name was transferred to the entire archipelago, which was declared the possession of the Spanish crown. However, the discovery of its islands continued in subsequent years. The first Spanish Catholic missionaries, arriving in 1710 on the Sonsorol Islands and in 1731 on Ulithi Atoll, were killed by the islanders, and the Spanish abandoned attempts to colonize the Caroline Islands until the 1870s.
From the end of the 18th century. Commercial and scientific British, French and even Russian ships began to visit the archipelago. Thus, in 1828, the Russian navigator F.P. Litke discovered the islands of Ponape (Pohnpei), Ant and Pakin and named them in honor of Admiral D.N. Senyavin. Since 1830, American whalers have often visited here. In the 1820s and 1830s, Pohnpei was home to British sailors who were shipwrecked while carrying an English missionary to Kosrae. In 1852, American evangelists founded a Protestant mission on the islands of Pohnpei and Kosrae. German and English traders began to penetrate the archipelago.
In 1869, Germany established a trading station on Yap, which became the center of the German trading network in Micronesia and Samoa. In 1885, the German authorities announced their claims to the Caroline Islands, which Spain considered its own. Thanks to the mediation of the Pope, a German-Spanish treaty was concluded, recognizing the archipelago as Spanish possession, but giving German traders the right to create trading posts and plantations on them. Spanish soldiers and missionaries arrived on the islands, but they met fierce resistance on Pohnpei. The islanders rebelled and destroyed plantations.
After losing the war with the United States, Spain agreed in 1898 to cede the Caroline and Mariana Islands to Germany. From 1906 they were controlled from German New Guinea. The German colonial authorities introduced universal labor service for adult islanders and began extensive road construction. In response, the people of Pohnpei rebelled and killed Governor Beder. The uprising was suppressed by the German fleet only in 1911. In the fall of 1914, Micronesia was occupied by Japanese troops.
Officially, Japan received a mandate from the League of Nations to govern Micronesia only in 1921. It used the territory of the Caroline Islands for economic purposes (fishing, production of cassava flour and alcohol from sugar cane), to create naval and air bases. Japan pursued a policy of forced assimilation towards the indigenous population. Tens of thousands of Japanese were resettled on the islands, to whom the best lands. Japanese settlements emerged. Traces of Japanese domination were preserved in the appearance of the Carolinians, in their language and names.
Since 1944, bloody battles began on the islands between American and Japanese troops. By 1945, Japanese forces had been expelled from Micronesia, the archipelago came under US military control, and in 1947 the Caroline Islands (along with the Marianas and Marshall Islands) became a UN Trust Territory administered by the US - a Trust Territory Pacific Islands(PTTO). In 1947–1951 The territory was administered by the US Department of the Navy, then transferred to the control of the civil administration of the US Department of the Interior. In 1962, administrative authorities were moved from Guam to Saipan (Mariana Islands). In 1961, the Council of Micronesia was created, but all power remained in the hands of the American High Commissioner. In 1965, the first elections to the Micronesian Congress took place. In 1967, Congress created the Future Political Status Commission, which recommended seeking independence or a "free association" relationship with the United States with full internal self-government. Since 1969, negotiations have been held between representatives of the Congress of Micronesia and the United States.
On July 12, 1978, the population of Truk (Chuuk), Ponape (Pohnpei), Yap and Kusaie (Kosrae) counties voted in a referendum for the creation of the Federated States of Micronesia. The Marianas, Marshall Islands and Palau refused to join the new state. On May 10, 1979, the FSM Constitution was adopted, and in the fall the first elections to the National Congress, as well as the governors of four states, were held. The president of the country was the former president of the Congress of Micronesia, Toshiwo Nakayama, who took office in January 1980.
During 1979–1986 The United States has consistently transferred management functions to a new head of state and government. Issues of foreign policy and defense of the FSM remained the prerogative of the United States. In 1983, the population approved the status of “free association” with the United States in a referendum. On November 3, 1985, the PTTO was officially dissolved and the US trusteeship regime ended. On December 22, 1990, the UN Security Council approved the abolition of trusteeship and the FSM became an officially independent state.
In 1991, Micronesian President John Haglelgam (1987–1991), who lost the parliamentary elections, resigned as head of state. In 1991–1996 Bailey Alter (Pohnpei State) served as President from 1996–1999. – Jacob Nena (Kosrae State), 1999–2003 – Leo Amy Falkam, and since 2003 – Joseph John Urusemal. A draft constitutional amendment that would have provided for direct elections of the president and vice president was rejected.
The country's main problems remain high unemployment, declining fish catches and a high degree of dependence on American aid.
Micronesia
Federated States of Micronesia
Square: 701.4 sq. km
Administrative division: 4 states (Truk, Kosrae, Pohnpei, Yap)
Capital: Palikir (on Pohnpei Island)
Official language: English
Currency unit: U.S. dollar
Population: 108.2 thousand (2004)
Population density per sq. km: 154 people
Proportion of urban population: no data available
Ethnic composition of the population: Micronesians of various ethnic groups; the largest group inhabits Truk Island (over 50% of the total population)
Religion: Catholics and Protestants are approximately equally represented
Basis of the economy: agriculture and tourism
Employment: in the service sector - St. 55%; in agriculture - approx. 44%; in industry (processing of agricultural products) – approx. 1.5%
GDP: 277 million USD (2002)
GDP per capita: 2.5 thousand USD
Form of government: federalism
Form of government: presidential republic
Legislature: unicameral parliament
Head of State: the president
Head of the government: the president
Party structures: none
Fundamentals of government
The Federated States of Micronesia (FSM) is located in the western Pacific Ocean, on the Central and Eastern Caroline Islands, discovered by Spanish sailors in 1528. In 1899, Spain sold the islands to Germany, but during the First World War they were transferred to Japan. Since 1947, it has been a UN trust territory under US administration (as part of the Pacific Islands). In 1986, the islands of Truk, Kosrae, Pohnpei, Yap, as well as the small atolls adjacent to them, received the status of a free association. Since September 17, 1991, the FSM has been an independent state.
The Constitution currently in force was drafted during the period of US trusteeship. On May 12, 1978, it was adopted by referendum, and came into force a year later - on May 10, 1979. In addition to the preamble, it contains fourteen sections and ninety-four articles. The decision to adopt amendments to the Constitution is made exclusively by popular vote.
The head of state and head of government is the president, elected by the senators (see below) for a term of four years. A vice president is elected at the same time as the president. The President and Vice President cannot be from the same state.
Federal legislative power is exercised by a unicameral parliament - National Congress. Four deputies, one from each state, are elected for a term of four years (they occupy a priority position and are called senators), ten - for a period of two years (from Truk - five deputies, from Pohnpei - three, from Kosrae and Yap - one each) .
Executive power is exercised by the government, headed by the president.
Each state has its own constitution, generally similar to the federal one, and also has its own legislative bodies and its own government. The states are led by governors who are elected by the population.
Judicial system
The federal judicial body is Supreme Court, which simultaneously exercises the functions of a court of first instance and a court of appeal. The judges of the Supreme Court are appointed by the head of state, but he must first consult with senators about his choice.
At the state level, there are local Supreme Courts, which are also authorized, in addition to conducting trials in the first instance, to accept and consider appeals. The exception is the state of Kosrae, the smallest of all (it contains no more than 7% of the total population), - there is no appellate division in the Supreme Court of this state.
Local (municipal) courts operate on inhabited atolls.
The functions of constitutional control are exercised by the Supreme Court.
Leading political parties
There are no registered political parties in the Federated States of Micronesia. In May 2007, Emmanuel Mori, a native of the island of Truk, previously, since 1999, a deputy of the National Congress, became president.
The president
Since May 2007 – Emmanuel Mori
This text is an introductory fragment. From the book The Newest Book of Facts. Volume 1 [Astronomy and astrophysics. Geography and other earth sciences. Biology and Medicine] authorWhat is Pohnpei, the largest island of the Federated States of Micronesia, famous for? This small island(an area of less than 40 square kilometers) is remarkable for the diversity of its flora. It is home to 767 varieties of plant species, 111 of which are no longer found
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The Federated States of Micronesia (FSM) is a state of 607 islands in the largest ocean southeast of the Philippines, stretching 2,700 km north of the equator. It occupies the central and eastern parts of the Caroline Islands (the western part belongs to Palau), as well as the Kapingamarangi Atoll.
Geography
Only 40 of the islands are of significant size, the rest are small islets and coral atolls. Only 65 islands are inhabited. In terms of island area (702 km2), the Federated States of Micronesia is one of the smallest states in the world.
The FSM is represented by four states, formed according to a single principle: each consists of one or more big islands of volcanic origin and includes numerous atolls (the only exception is the state of Kosrae, whose territory does not include atolls). Large islands (they are called “high” islands here) are located in a ring of coral reefs. They are mountainous and covered with forest thickets. Small islands are represented by atolls: ring-shaped coral islands with a shallow lagoon.
The FSM has an equatorial climate, and the temperature here is about 30°C all year round. In this part of the Pacific Ocean there is an area where typhoons originate: on average, up to 25 typhoons pass through the FSM islands per year, sometimes catastrophic, with destructive hurricane winds of 240 km/h.
Nature
Nature has generously endowed the islands of this part of Micronesia, unlike many neighboring ones: evergreens grow on fertile volcanic soil rainforests, part of the land is occupied by savannas, large coral islands are dominated by coconut palms, pandanus, breadfruit and bananas, and mangroves stretch along the coast. Numerous rivers run down the mountain slopes, fed by abundant rainfall: on the island of Pohnpei, for example, there are about 300 rainy days per year.
Story
The ancestors of the current inhabitants of the Federated States of Micronesia settled the islands more than 4 thousand years ago. Before the arrival of Europeans, a special hierarchy with leaders and a caste society developed here. Evidence of the existence of an ancient civilization is “ dead city» Nan Madol, built on monumental coral platforms lined with basalt slabs. Residential buildings and temples stood on the platforms. This civilization fell into decline even before the arrival of Europeans, who discovered a society in which money was circulated in the form of large stone disks with a hole in the center.
The Portuguese were the first representatives of the Old World to set foot on the islands in the 16th century. Following them, the Spaniards appeared here - in the 17th century. they declared the islands their possessions, but did not receive actual control over the territories. In 1898, after losing the war with the United States, Spain sold the islands to Germany.
During the First World War in 1914, the islands were occupied by Japan, which forced the assimilation of the islanders, which affected their appearance, language and names. After the war, the territories of the future state remained under Japanese control.
During World War II, bloody battles took place on the islands between American and Japanese troops. In 1945, the Japanese were expelled from Micronesia, and the archipelago came under US control.
For a long time, the islands were governed by the US military administration, until the independent Federated States of Micronesia were proclaimed in 1986.
The Federated States of Micronesia is an archipelago consisting of low coral islands and higher volcanic ones, with mountainous central parts. The volcanic islands are surrounded by lagoons, separated from the ocean by coral barrier reefs of dozens of small islands. There are passages in the reefs through which ocean-going ships approach large islands.
Population island republic almost entirely represented by Pacific Island peoples. A small proportion of the population are descendants of those born from marriages between Japanese and Micronesians during the Japanese occupation of the islands. The assimilation of the islanders by the Japanese was carried out so categorically that many older people on the islands still speak Japanese.
The traditions and customs of the FSM peoples are almost the same on all islands. Here they still build houses of local pillar construction without walls, the function of which is performed by gable roofs reaching to the ground, covered with palm leaves or mats. In addition, Micronesians retained ancient technology making wooden boats without a single metal nail. Leaders still play the same important role in the life of the community as in the old days. The ancient clan system has been preserved in the villages, and on some islands even the custom of wearing loincloths and skirts made of plant fibers has remained.
Intensive contacts with the Western world in recent decades have changed the mentality of the younger generation of FSM citizens, who are no longer guided by traditional values, but strive to join the achievements of Western civilization.
Despite the fact that the Federated States of Micronesia formally gained independence back in 1986, they retained the status of “free association with the United States.” Thus, the United States is obliged to provide national defense, and the FSM economy is largely dependent on American economic assistance. The Treaty of “Free Association” with the United States allows citizens of the country to choose their place of residence within the United States, which they actively use when leaving a country that is experiencing serious difficulties.
The country's main problems remain high unemployment, declining fish catches and a high degree of dependence on American aid. The country does not even have its own currency, which is now replaced by the US dollar.
The economy of the Federated States of Micronesia, which has no significant mineral resources other than phosphate, is based primarily on agriculture and fishing. Europeans and Asians brought citrus fruits, cassava, sweet potatoes, various tropical fruit trees, chocolate trees, and black pepper to the islands. Locals cleared for plantations small areas forests. In addition to fishing, which has caused significant damage to the ichthyofauna of the islands, the population is also engaged in collecting mollusks and crustaceans on the reef.
Recently, the role of tourism has increased, and an increasing number of islanders are involved in the service sector (for example, in the production of traditional souvenirs). The development of tourism is hampered by the remoteness of the islands, but the number of people coming to see the beauty of the islands and the “dead city” of Nan Mandol, which has received the fame of the “Venice of the Pacific Ocean,” is constantly growing.
general information
Location: North Pacific.Official name
Administrative staff
: 4 states (Kosrae state - Kosrae island; Pohnpei state - Pohnpei, Ant, Pakin, Oroluk, Mokip, Pingelap islands, Nukuoro and Kapingamarangi atolls; Chuuk state - Namonuito, Namoluk, Laol, Pis, Talap atolls, Pular, Puluwat islands, Kuop, Nama, Losap, Mortlok, Chuuk Islands; Yap State - Yap, Maap, Rumung, Gagil-Tamil Islands).Origin of the islands
: volcanic, coral.Administrative center
: Palikir city (Pohnpei island) - 7000 people. (2009).Languages: English (official), Chuukese, Kosrae, Pohnpeian, Japanese, Ulithian, Nukuoro, Kapingamarangi.
Ethnic composition
: Chuuk, Ponape, Kosrae, Yap, Yap of the outer islands, Asians, Polynesians.Religions: Catholicism, Protestantism.
Currency unit
: U.S. dollar.The most important port: Column (Palikir, Pohnpei Island).
Major airports
: international airports Pohnpei, Chuuk (Chuuk Island), Kosrae (Kosrae Island), Yap (Yap Island).Neighboring countries and territories: in the southeast - , in the southwest - , in the north - Guam and the Northern Islands, in the east - Nauru and the Marshall Islands, in the west - Palau and .
Numbers
Area: islands - 702 km 2, state territory (including water area) - more than 2.6 million km 2.Number of islands
: 607.Population: 106,104 people. (2013).
Population density: 151.1 people/km 2 .
Urban population: 23% (2010).
The most high point
: Mount Dolomvar (791 m), according to other sources - Mount Nana Laud (Pohnpei Island, 798 m).
Climate and weather
Equatorial and subequatorial, trade wind-monsoon type.Two seasons: dry (January - March) and wet (April - December).
Direction of the wind
: from November to December - northeast trade winds, the rest of the year - southwest monsoons.Average annual temperature: +26-33°С.
Average annual precipitation: from 2250 mm to 3000-6000 mm (in the mountains on the island of Kusai).
Relative humidity: 75%.
Frequent destructive typhoons (June to December).
Economy
GDP: $310 million (2011), per capita - $3000 (2011).
Minerals: phosphates.
Agriculture: crop farming (citrus fruits, cassava, sweet potato, various tropical fruit trees, chocolate tree, black pepper), livestock farming (poultry farming, pig farming).
Industry: food (fish canning).
Fishing (tuna).
Traditional crafts.
Service sector: tourism, trade.
Attractions
■ Pohnpei Island: “dead city” Nan Madol (XIII century), Japanese coastal artillery cannons from the Second World War (Sokes Ridge), Soches Rock (180 m).■ Kosrae Island: temple of the goddess Shinlaku, ruins of buildings of the 14th century, sunken Pirates' ship Bully Hayes Wreck (1874), Japanese defensive tunnels in Lelu Hill (the highest point of the island), Blue Hole underwater cave, Hiroshi Point, basalt dam between the islands of Kosrae and Lele.
■ Chuuk Island: sunken ships and planes from the Second World War, Mount Tonachau (229 m), Nefo Cave.
■ Yap Island: giant stone “coins”, Tabivol (178m).
■ Ulithi Atoll: remains of sunken ships from the Second World War.
Curious facts
■ The island of Yap was a major German naval port before the First World War, as well as an important hub for international transoceanic cable telegraph communications.■ In 1978, the islands of Micronesia received the status of a “territory freely associated with the United States”; in 1979, the FSM Constitution was adopted, but officially the year of independence is called 1986, when the “trusteeship” of the United States was finally ended.
■ Federated States of Micronesia - a member of the UN since 1991, as well as a number of regional organizations, such as the Pacific Forum.
■ Most of the inhabitants of the island of Pohnpei are monochromats (monochromasia is congenital complete color blindness; a person suffering from monochromasia distinguishes colors only by their brightness). The reasons for this phenomenon in this particular region have not been precisely established.
■ Since the 18th century. Russian trade and scientific ships began to visit the islands of Micronesia. In 1828, the Russian navigator, geographer and admiral F.P. Litke (1797-1882) discovered the islands of Ponape (Pohnpei), Ant and Pakin and named them in honor of Admiral D.N. Senyavin - Senyavin Islands.
■ Under the terms of the Compact of “Free Association,” the United States allocated $1.3 billion to the FSM between 1986 and 2001. Then the amount of annual assistance was reduced, but constant multimillion-dollar cash flows from the United States were promised until 2023.
■ Micronesia is a general name for groups of small islands in Oceania, in the western part of the Pacific Ocean, north of the equator, about 1,500 islands in total. The name "Micronesia" literally translates from ancient Greek as "small island".
The content of the article
MICRONESIA, Federated States of Micronesia (FSM), a state in the northwestern part of Oceania between 0 and 14° N latitude. and 136 and 166° E. (2500 km from west to east), occupies 607 islands of the Caroline archipelago (except for the islands of Palau, or Belau, in the west). Consists of four states: Yap, Chuuk (formerly Truk), Pohnpei (formerly Ponape) and Kosrae (formerly Kusae). The total land area is 702 square meters. km. (including Pohnpei 0.34 thousand sq. km., Chuuk 0.13 thousand sq. km., Yap 0.12 thousand sq. km., Kosrae 0.12 thousand sq. km.). Only 40 islands are significant in size. The largest of them are islands with the same names as the states. The capital is the city of Palikir on Pohnpei Island.
NATURE
Based on their geological structure, they distinguish between low coral islands, rising 3–5 m above sea level, and higher volcanic ones (Yap, Chuuk, Pohnpei, Kosrae), with elevated mountainous central parts. Volcanic islands are surrounded by lagoons separated from the ocean by coral barrier reefs, often consisting of several dozen small islands. Many reefs have passages that allow ships to approach large islands.
The state of Yap includes seven small and four large islands (Yap, Map, Rumung, Gagil-Tomil) and 134 atolls, stretching from west to east over 1,100 km. Yap Island is characterized by hilly terrain with maximum height 178 m (Mount Tabivol) and fertile soils. It is surrounded by a barrier reef. Most of the population of the state of the same name lives on the island of Japan. The administrative center of the state is the city of Colonia. The largest atoll of the Caroline Islands, Ulithi Island (8 sq. km) consists of 40 small islands. Fais Atoll in the Yap group is known for its phosphorite reserves.
Chuuk State, which occupies a central position in the FSM, is located 1,440 km east of Yap and consists of 15 small island groups scattered in the Pacific Ocean over a latitudinal distance of 480 km in the north and 960 km in the south. The state also includes the atolls of Namonuito (second in area in the world), consisting of 10 islands, Namoluk (triangular in shape), Laol, Pis, Talap, the islands of Pular, Puluwat, Kuop, Nama, Losap, Mortlock (100 islands in three groups - Etal, Lukunor and Satavan). The Chuuk Islands themselves are a compact group of 14 mountainous islands of volcanic origin (Moen, Tol, Dublon, Fefan, Uman, etc.) with total area 72 sq. km, surrounded coral reef. Main city Chuuk Moen State is located on the island of the same name. Lagoon surrounding the 14 central islands of the Chuuk group with an area of 2000 square meters. km, serves as an excellent harbor for the port on the island of Dublon. Settlements are confined to the coasts of the islands.
The state of Pohnpei occupies the most large island, surrounded by a reef consisting of 2.5 dozen islands, half of which are of volcanic origin. The state also includes the islands of Ant (2 large and 12 small), Pakin, Oroluk (with small islands), Mokil (Urak, Manton, Mokil islands with excellent timber and several hundred small ones), Pingelap (Pingelap itself, Takai and Tagulu , united by one reef), as well as two isolated atolls, Nukuoro and Kapingamarangi (also known as Greenwich).
The soils of Pohnpei are fertile, lush forest vegetation covers the slopes that rise straight from the shores up to Mount Nana Laud (798 m), located in the center of the island. Numerous rivers and springs originate from it. drinking water. On this island is the capital of the state, Palikir, with the seats of government and congress, modern airport And sea port. The administrative center of the state is the city of Colonia.
The state of Kosrae is located on the island of the same name and the surrounding reef in the extreme east of the FSM. The island is mountainous with a highly dissected topography (the highest point is Mount Finkol, 634 m above sea level), covered with thickets of excellent timber. The soils are fertile. There are significant reserves of river drinking water. The island of Kosrae is surrounded by a reef and has four convenient bays (Okat, Lelu, Taf and Utwe). The main settlements - Tafunsak, Lelu, Malem and Utwe - are located on the coast and are connected by an unpaved road. The main city of the state is Lelu. There is local air service to Pohnpei. The airport is operational.
The FSM climate is equatorial, more humid in the east of the archipelago, where the cyclone zone passes. Conventionally, two seasons are distinguished: dry (January - March) and wet (April - December). From November to December, northeast trade winds predominate; the rest of the year, southwest monsoon winds blow, bringing heavy rainfall. Pohnpei has an average of 300 rainy days a year. Average annual precipitation is 3000–4000 mm. Seasonal fluctuations in air temperature are insignificant, average monthly temperatures are 24–30° C. The length of daylight hours is the same throughout the year.
The vegetation is represented mainly by virgin moist equatorial forests on the mountain slopes. On volcanic islands it is significantly more diverse than on coral islands. The coasts of volcanic islands are often covered with mangroves. On both types of islands, coconut palms, breadfruit trees, pandanus trees, and bananas grow. Europeans and Asians introduced citrus fruits, cassava, sweet potatoes, various tropical fruit trees, chocolate trees, and black pepper.
The land fauna is not very diverse. Bats, rats (brought on ships by the first Europeans), and lizards are represented. Many types of birds. Extremely diverse and rich animal world ocean, including many species of fish, crustaceans, bivalves, dolphins, and sometimes whales and dugongs.
POPULATION
As of July 2003, there were 108,143 people living in the FSM. Age composition of the population: under 15 years old - 38%, aged from 15 to 64 years old - 59%, over 65 years old - 3%. Average life expectancy is 69.13 years. Population growth in 2003 was 0.04%. The birth rate reaches 26.47 per 1000 inhabitants, the mortality rate is 5.1 per 1000. The emigration rate is 20.98 per 1000. Infant mortality is 32.39 per 1000 births.
The Compact of “Free Association” with the United States allows citizens of the country to freely choose their place of residence within the United States. Currently, in the USA (on the island of Guam, the Hawaiian Islands and on the mainland) approx. 15 thousand FSM citizens.
The ancestors of modern inhabitants of the Caroline Islands come from South-East Asia. Racially, they form a special group, formed as a result of the mixing of Australoid and Mongoloid elements. The atolls of Nukuoro and Kapingamarangi are inhabited by Polynesians. Ethnically, there are 9 groups.
The official language of the FSM and the language of international communication is English. The languages of the indigenous population of the archipelago belong to the Eastern Oceanic group of the Oceanian branch of the Austronesian family: Yapese, Woleai, Ulithi and Sonsorol, Caroline, Truk, Kosrae, Nukuoro and Kapingamarangi. The last two are Polynesian languages. The writing of local languages is based on the Latin script. Many older people speak Japanese.
50% are Catholics, 47% are Protestants, less than 1% of the population adheres to local traditional beliefs.
Ethnic composition and employment.
The ancestors of the modern inhabitants of the Caroline Islands come from Southeast Asia. According to the latest theories, Micronesia was settled in two ways - through the islands of the Malay Archipelago, and possibly the Japanese Islands, and also through Vanuatu (formerly the New Hebrides). The inhabitants of the Caroline Islands, like all Micronesians, form a special group racially, formed as a result of the mixing of Australoid and Mongoloid elements. They are characterized by fairly dark skin, wavy, straight and curly hair, and average height. The appearance of some Carolinians also contains Japanese, Chinese and European features. The atolls of Nukuoro and Kapingamarangi are inhabited by Polynesians.
Traditional activities local population– fishing and agriculture. Small areas of forest cleared from forest are used for the cultivation of coconut palms, breadfruit, pandanus, yams, sweet potatoes, cassava, bananas, taro, and sugar cane. Currently, citrus fruits, various fruits (pineapples, papaya, mangoes, etc.), chocolate trees, and peppers (black and betel) are also grown. The population also engages in fishing and collecting mollusks and crustaceans on the reef. IN last years service employment is growing tourism business(hotels, restaurants, agencies) and airports. In the cities, Carolinians work as petty employees and engage in handicrafts, in particular, making souvenirs.
Language and writing.
The official language of the FSM is English, which is also the language of interethnic communication. The languages of the indigenous population of the archipelago belong to the Eastern Oceanic group of the Oceanian branch of the Austronesian family - Yapese, Woleai, Ulithi and Sonsorol, Caroline, Truk, Kosrae, Nukuoro and Kapingamarangi. The last two are Polynesian languages. The writing of local languages is based on the Latin script. English is taught in all schools. Many older people speak Japanese.
Religion.
The overwhelming majority of the population is Christian, with approximately equal numbers of Catholics and Protestants. In some states Protestants predominate (over 98% in Kosrae), in others Catholics predominate (Chuuk State). Less than 1% of the population adheres to local traditional beliefs.
POLITICAL SYSTEM
The FSM is a democratic, federal presidential republic in a relationship of “free association” with the United States. The head of state and government is the president. Like the vice president, he is elected by Congress from among its members for a term of four years. In 2003, Joseph John Urusemal was elected President of Micronesia.
The highest legislative body is the National Congress, consisting of 14 members. 4 of them (sometimes called senators) are elected by the population for 4 years (one from each state), the remaining 10 are elected for 2 years in single-member constituencies (5 in Chuuk, 3 in Pohnpei, 1 each in Yap and Kosrae). The last elections took place in 2003. The minimum age to vote is 18 years.
Each of the 4 states has a governor and legislature elected by the people.
There are no official political parties.
The highest judicial body is the Supreme Court.
The FSM is a member of the UN (since 1991) and its specialized organizations, as well as a number of regional organizations, such as the Pacific Forum.
It does not have its own armed forces. According to the Treaty of Free Association, the country's military protection is provided by the United States.
ECONOMY
Micronesia's economy is based on subsistence and semi-subsistence agriculture and fishing. The islands have few mineral resources, except for phosphates. There is significant potential for the development of the tourism industry, but the remote location, lack of developed infrastructure and an established transport communication system are holding it back. Private sector grows slowly.
After the value of GDP reached $145 million in 1989, it declined in subsequent years and was estimated to be approximately $100 million in 2002, or approx. 2 thousand dollars per capita. Real GDP growth in 2002 reached 1%. Agriculture contributed 50% of the value of GDP, industry – 4%, services – 46%.
The inflation rate in 2002 was 1%. OK. 28% of the population lives below the official poverty level. Two thirds of the hired labor force works in the public sector. Unemployment in 1999 reached 16%.
Agriculture provides 60% of the country's food needs. Almost 50% of the working population year-round or during agricultural work. They grow coconut palm, breadfruit, pandanus, yams, sweet potatoes, cassava, bananas, taro, citrus fruits, papaya, mango, chocolate tree, pepper (black and betel) and other crops. Goats, sheep and buffalo are raised on Pohnpei. Some agricultural products are exported, mainly coconut products. The coconut palm, its leaves and nuts are the main food of the islanders. In recent years, the role of fishing in the country's economy has been increasing, since the ocean resources within the maritime economic zone (2.6 million sq. km.) are its property. Licensed fishing is carried out by Japan, Taiwan, South Korea, Mexico and USA. The Micronesian Maritime Academy operates in Yap, training personnel for the development of fisheries.
Foreign tourism is developing. Every year the country is visited by approx. 25 thousand tourists, mainly from Australia and Japan. The industry is dominated by construction, fish processing, aquaculture, production of handicrafts and souvenirs from shells, wood and mother-of-pearl.
The main export items are copra (more than 50% of the export value), pepper (black and betel), fish (mainly tuna), trochus shells, coconut derivatives (edible and cosmetic oil, soap, creams), bananas, and local handicrafts. Export volume is 73 million dollars per year. Goods are exported primarily to Japan, the USA and Guam.
The value of imports is estimated at 168 million dollars (1996). FSM imports up to 40% of food products, industrial goods, cars and other machinery, and petroleum products. Main import partners: USA, Australia and Japan.
The total length of highways is 240 km, of which 42 km. have a hard coating. The main ports are Kolonia (Yap), Kolonia (Pohnpei), Lele, Moen. In 2002, there were 7 airports, 6 of which were paved.
Micronesia has 11 thousand telephone lines and 2 thousand Internet users, 6 radio and 2 television stations. The population owns 9.4 thousand radios and 2.8 thousand televisions.
The budget consists of taxes, exports of agricultural products, seafood, and licensing of tuna fishing by foreign countries in the maritime economic zone. US financial assistance helped cover the excess of expenses over income. In accordance with the Treaty of Free Association, in 1986–2001 the United States provided financial and technical assistance totaling $1.3 billion. Under the 2002 agreement, this assistance was significantly reduced. External debt 53.1 million dollars. Currency unit – US dollar.
SOCIETY AND CULTURE
Education.
According to the FSM constitution, education is financed from the central and regional budgets. Primary and secondary schools are owned by the state and religious missions. State governments provide basic education and teacher training, while central governments support and coordinate education at all levels. Professional education youth receive education at the Micronesian College in Palikir (opened in 1972, has faculties of business, pedagogy, applied arts, etc.), the Micronesian Vocational Center on the island of Kosrae, in the schools of agriculture and commerce on Pohnpei, the Javier High School on Chuuk, as well as in educational institutions in the USA (on the mainland, Guam and the Hawaiian Islands).
Healthcare.
Medical care to the population is provided in full by state medical institutions. True, in recent years private dental and medical practice has appeared on Pohnpei. The FSM government recruits doctors for the Public Health Program through the US National Health Service and the UN Development Program. It also implements various programs on health, nutrition and sanitation. World Organization Health (WHO), the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) and the South Pacific Commission (SPAC). There are hospitals in every state, several dispensaries and more than 100 outpatient clinics operate in the country. In difficult cases, patients are sent to hospitals on Guam and the Hawaiian Islands.
Culture.
The traditional culture of the FSM population is pan-Micronesian (with the exception of the culture of the two Polynesian atolls of Nukuoro and Kapingamarangi). However, it has undergone significant changes over several centuries of foreign domination. But even today on many islands there are houses of local pillar construction without walls, the function of which is performed by gable roofs reaching to the ground, covered with palm leaves or mats. Micronesians still master the art of making wooden boats without a single metal nail. Leaders play a significant role in the public life of the FSM. Perhaps the culture of the Yapese remained the most conservative (folklore, dancing, houses on stone foundations under palm leaves, loincloths for men and fluffy skirts made of plant fibers for women).
Intensive contacts with the Western world in recent decades have changed the mentality of the younger generation of FSM citizens, who are no longer guided by traditional values, but strive to join the achievements of Western civilization.
STORY
The ancestors of the Micronesians settled the Caroline Islands more than 4 thousand years ago. Over the centuries, two social groups emerged in Micronesian society - the “noble” and the “common”; the former did not engage in physical labor and differed from the latter in their special tattoos and jewelry. The territorial associations were headed by chiefs (Tomol), but their power was not the same on different islands. On Temen Island (Pohnpei state) the remains of an ancient civilization were discovered - the stone city of Nan Madol. It consisted of monumental structures erected on reefs - platforms made of coral rubble and lined with basalt slabs. Residential and temple complexes were built on the platforms, the dead were buried and various rituals were performed. According to legends, the city was the center of the vast Saudeler power and was destroyed by the conquerors, after which Pohnpei split into five territorial entities. Similar monuments were found on Lelu Island (Kosrae state). On the island of Yap in later times, there apparently existed a centralized state entity that had economic and religious functions. Tribute was collected from conquered tribes. The first Europeans found on Yap one- and two-tiered platforms with temples and men's houses, as well as peculiar money in the form of large stone disks with a hole in the center.
The Caroline Islands were discovered by European navigators in the 16th and 17th centuries. In 1526, di Menezighi discovered the Yap Islands, and in 1528 Alvaro Saavedra first saw the Truk Islands (modern Chuuk). In 1685, Captain Francisco Lazeano rediscovered Yap and named the island Caroline Island (after King Charles II of Spain). Later this name was transferred to the entire archipelago, which was declared the possession of the Spanish crown. However, the discovery of its islands continued in subsequent years. The first Spanish Catholic missionaries, who arrived in 1710 on the Sonsorol Islands and in 1731 on Ulithi Atoll, were killed by the islanders, and the Spanish abandoned attempts to colonize the Caroline Islands until the 1870s.
From the end of the 18th century. Commercial and scientific British, French and even Russian ships began to visit the archipelago. So, in 1828, the Russian navigator F.P. Litke discovered the islands of Ponape (Pohnpei), Ant and Pakin and named them in honor of Admiral D.N. Senyavin. Since 1830, American whalers have often visited here. In the 1820s and 1830s, Pohnpei was home to British sailors who were shipwrecked while carrying an English missionary to Kosrae. In 1852, American evangelists founded a Protestant mission on the islands of Pohnpei and Kosrae. German and English traders began to penetrate the archipelago.
In 1869, Germany founded a trading station on Yap, which became the center of the German trading network in Micronesia and Samoa. In 1885, the German authorities announced their claims to the Caroline Islands, which Spain considered its own. Thanks to the mediation of the Pope, a German-Spanish treaty was concluded, recognizing the archipelago as Spanish possession, but giving German traders the right to create trading posts and plantations on them. Spanish soldiers and missionaries arrived on the islands, but they met fierce resistance on Pohnpei. The islanders rebelled and destroyed plantations.
After losing the war with the United States, Spain agreed in 1898 to cede the Caroline and Mariana Islands to Germany. From 1906 they were controlled from German New Guinea. The German colonial authorities introduced universal labor service for adult islanders and began extensive road construction. In response, the people of Pohnpei rebelled and killed Governor Beder. The uprising was suppressed by the German fleet only in 1911. In the fall of 1914, Micronesia was occupied by Japanese troops.
Officially, Japan received a League of Nations mandate to govern Micronesia only in 1921. It used the territory of the Caroline Islands for economic purposes (fishing, production of cassava flour and alcohol from sugar cane), to create naval and air bases. Japan pursued a policy of forced assimilation towards the indigenous population. Tens of thousands of Japanese were resettled on the islands, and the best lands were given to them. Japanese settlements emerged. Traces of Japanese domination were preserved in the appearance of the Carolinians, in their language and names.
Since 1944, bloody battles began on the islands between American and Japanese troops. By 1945, Japanese forces had been expelled from Micronesia, the archipelago came under the control of US military authorities, and in 1947 the Caroline Islands (along with the Marianas and Marshall Islands) became a UN Trust Territory administered by the US - the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands (TPI). From 1947 to 1951, the territory was administered by the US Department of the Navy, then transferred to the civil administration of the US Department of the Interior. In 1962, administrative authorities were moved from Guam to Saipan (Mariana Islands). In 1961, the Council of Micronesia was created, but all power remained in the hands of the American High Commissioner. In 1965, the first elections to the Congress of Micronesia were held. In 1967, Congress created the Commission on the Future Political Status, which recommended seeking independence or establishing relations of “free association” with the United States with full internal self-government. Since 1969, negotiations have been held between representatives of the Congress of Micronesia and the United States.
On July 12, 1978, the population of the districts of Truk (Chuuk), Ponape (Pohnpei), Yap and Kusaie (Kosrae) voted in a referendum for the creation of the Federated States of Micronesia. The Marianas, Marshall Islands and Palau refused to join the new state. On May 10, 1979, the FSM Constitution was adopted, and in the fall the first elections to the National Congress, as well as the governors of four states, were held. The president of the country was the former president of the Congress of Micronesia, Toshiwo Nakayama, who took office in January 1980.
Throughout 1979–1986, the United States consistently transferred management functions to a new head of state and government. Issues of foreign policy and defense of the FSM remained the prerogative of the United States. In 1983, the population approved the status of “free association” with the United States in a referendum. On November 3, 1985, PTTO was officially dissolved and the US trusteeship regime ended. On December 22, 1990, the UN Security Council approved the abolition of trusteeship and the FSM became an officially independent state.
Micronesia at the end of the 20th century and the beginning of the 21st century
In 1991, Micronesian President John Haglelgam (1987–1991), who lost the parliamentary elections, resigned as head of state. The presidency was held by Bailey Olter (Pohnpei State) from 1991–1996, by Jacob Nena (Kosrae State) from 1996–1999, by Leo Ami Falkam from 1999–2003, and by Joseph John Urusemal since 2003. A draft constitutional amendment that would have provided for direct elections of the president and vice president was rejected.
The country's main problems remain high unemployment, declining fish catches and a high degree of dependence on American aid.