5 Facts of Micronesia

The capital of Micronesia is Palikir

The Federated States of Micronesia are an island nation composed of 271 square miles located in Micronesia. The islands are about 1,802 miles north of Australia. The Federated States of Micronesia are composed of four states, Chuuk, Kosrae, Pohnpei and Yap.

5 Facts You Might Not Know

1

Historians have noted that the first settlers into the Federated States of Micronesia may have settled there 4,000 years ago and may have traveled from Melanesia or islands such as Borneo and Malaysia.The people of the Federated States of Micronesia are fisherman and seafarers and continue to hone the art of canoeing only using the stars, waves and sea animals for navigating the ocean.

2

The first Europeans to visit the Federated States of Micronesia were the Portuguese and afterwards, were followed by other travelers from Spain, Germany and Japan. The Federated States of Micronesia was occupied by Germany, Japan and then part of a U.S. Trust Territory before gaining independence on May 10, 1979.

3

The Federated States of Micronesia do have a President but also have a free association with the United States written into their constitution. The Federated States of Micronesia maintains its livelihood based upon farming and fishing. It has no major industries and has a very small tourism industry.

4

The Federated States of Micronesia's farming products include tropical fruits, betel nut, tropical vegetables, black pepper, sweet potatoes, coconuts and bananas. The average temperature of the Federated States of Micronesia varies around the mid-to-upper 80s and they have two seasons, rainy and dry season.

5

The Federated States of Micronesia are prone to tsunamis and typhoons with the most violent approaching in the September through December months. The land in the Federated States of Micronesia is mostly undeveloped with few working roads, few cars and limited electricity available to the island populace.