Federated States of Micronesia, Island country in western Pacific Ocean, Micronesia.
The Federated States of Micronesia is an island nation in the western Pacific, spread across six hundred seven islands distributed among the states of Yap, Chuuk, Pohnpei, and Kosrae, with 702 square kilometers (271 square miles) of land area north of the equator. The islands sit within western Pacific waters with extensive coral reefs and tropical vegetation.
Micronesian seafarers settled the islands more than three thousand years ago, establishing complex societies. Spanish colonization in the sixteenth century was followed by German and Japanese administration before the territory came under American trusteeship after World War II and gained independence through the Compact of Free Association in 1986.
The four states preserve distinct cultural traditions including stone money systems on Yap, sophisticated navigation skills between atolls, and centuries-old cultivation methods for sakau, a ceremonially used pepper plant. More than thirty different languages are spoken across the archipelago, each with its own heritage and traditional stories.
International flights reach Pohnpei and Yap through Guam, while domestic flights connect the four states. The U.S. dollar serves as official currency. The dry season from December through April offers more comfortable travel conditions than the rainy period from May through November. Visitors should handle beachwear respectfully outside bathing areas.
More than two thousand small coral formations surround the inhabited islands, many remaining in an untouched state. Local navigators continue using traditional wave patterns and star charts for journeys between atolls, knowledge passed orally through generations.
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