This region consists of many hundreds of small islands spread over a large region of the western Pacific. The only empire known to have originated in Micronesia was based in Yap.

The term "Micronesia" was first proposed to distinguish the region in 1831 by Jules Dumont d'Urville; before this the term "Polynesia" was in use to generally describe the islands of the Pacific.

Much of the area was to come under European domination quite early. Guam, the Northern Marianas, and the Caroline Islands (what would later become the FSM and Palau) were colonized early by the Spanish. These island territories were part of the Spanish East Indies and governed from Spanish Philippines since the early 17th century until 1898.

Full European expansion did not come, however, until the early 20th century, when the area would be divided between: the United States, which took control of Guam following the Spanish-American War of 1898, and colonized Wake Island; Germany, which took Nauru and bought the Marshall, Caroline, and Northern Mariana Islands from Spain; and the British Empire, which took the Gilbert Islands (Kiribati).

In 1979 the Federated States of Micronesia, a UN Trust Territory under US administration, adopted a constitution.

In 1986 independence was attained under a Compact of Free Association with the US, which was amended and renewed in 2004.

Present concerns include large-scale unemployment, overfishing, and overdependence on US aid.

Source: CIA World Fact Book

Population: 107,862 (July 2007 est.)

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Age structure: 0-14 years: 35.9% (male 19,726/female 19,011) 15-64 years: 61.2% (male 32,891/female 33,071) 65 years and over: 2.9% (male 1,379/female 1,784) (2007 est.)

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Median age: total: 21.2 years male: 20.8 years female: 21.7 years (2007 est.)

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Population growth rate: -0.154% (2007 est.)

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Birth rate: 24.14 births/1,000 population (2007 est.)

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Death rate: 4.66 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.)

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Net migration rate: -21.02 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2007 est.)

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Sex ratio: NA (2007 est.)

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Infant mortality rate: total: 28.15 deaths/1,000 live births male: 31.08 deaths/1,000 live births female: 25.08 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.)

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Life expectancy at birth: total population: 70.35 years male: 68.52 years female: 72.28 years (2007 est.)

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Total fertility rate: 3.07 children born/woman (2007 est.)

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HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: NA

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HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: NA

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HIV/AIDS - deaths: NA

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Nationality: noun: Micronesian(s) adjective: Micronesian; Chuukese, Kosraen(s), Pohnpeian(s), Yapese

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Ethnic groups: 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% (2000 census)

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Religions: Roman Catholic 50%, Protestant 47%, other 3%

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Languages: English (official and common language), Trukese, Pohnpeian, Yapese, Kosrean, Ulithian, Woleaian, Nukuoro, Kapingamarangi

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Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 89% male: 91% female: 88% (1980 est.)

Economic activity consists primarily of subsistence farming and fishing. The islands have few mineral deposits worth exploiting, except for high-grade phosphate. The potential for a tourist industry exists, but the remote location, a lack of adequate facilities, and limited air connections hinder development. The Amended Compact of Free Association with the US guarantees the Federated States of Micronesia (FSM) millions of dollars in annual aid through 2023, and establishes a Trust Fund into which the US and the FSM make annual contributions in order to provide annual payouts to the FSM in perpetuity after 2023. The country's medium-term economic outlook appears fragile due not only to the reduction in US assistance but also to the current slow growth of the private sector.

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GDP (purchasing power parity): $277 million; note - supplemented by grant aid, averaging perhaps $100 million annually (2002 est.)

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GDP (official exchange rate): $232 million (2005)

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GDP - real growth rate: 0.3% (2005 est.)

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GDP - per capita (PPP): $2,300 (2005 est.)

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GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 28.9% industry: 15.2% services: 55.9% (2004 est.)

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Labor force: 37,410 (2000)

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Labor force - by occupation: agriculture 0.9%, industry 34.4%, services 64.7% note: two-thirds are government employees (FY05 est.)

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Unemployment rate: 22% (2000 est.)

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Population below poverty line: 26.7% (2000)

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Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%

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Inflation rate (consumer prices): 2.2% (2005)

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Budget: revenues: $127.3 million ($69 million less grants) expenditures: $144.2 million; including capital expenditures of $17.9 million (FY05 est.)

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Agriculture - products: black pepper, tropical fruits and vegetables, coconuts, bananas, cassava (tapioca), sakau (kava), betel nuts, sweet potatoes; pigs, chickens; fish

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Industries: tourism, construction; fish processing, specialized aquaculture; craft items from shell, wood, and pearls

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Industrial production growth rate: NA%

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Electricity - production: 192 million kWh (2002)

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Electricity - consumption: 178.6 million kWh (2002)

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Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (2002)

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Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (2002)

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Current account balance: -$34.3 million (FY05 est.)

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Exports: $14 million (f.o.b.) (2004 est.)

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Exports - commodities: fish, garments, bananas, black pepper, sakau (kava), betel nut

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Exports - partners: Japan, US, Guam (2006)

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Imports: $132.7 million f.o.b. (2004)

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Imports - commodities: food, manufactured goods, machinery and equipment, beverages

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Imports - partners: US, Japan, Hong Kong (2006)

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Debt - external: $60.8 million (FY05 est.)

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Economic aid - recipient: $86.3 million note: under terms of the Compact of Free Association, the US pledged $1.3 billion in grant aid during the period 1986-2001; the level of aid has been subsequently reduced (2004)

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Currency (code): US dollar (USD)

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Exchange rates: the US dollar is used

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Fiscal year: 1 October - 30 September