Federated States of Micronesia
Links to Federated States of Micronesia Embassies and Consulates
Fast Facts
Coutntry Full name: |
Weights & Measures: Imperial |
| Population: 114,000 |
Country Dialing Code: +691 |
| Languages Spoken: Official - English |
Time Zones: GMT/UTC +10 & GMT/UTC + 11 |
Electric Plugs:  120V 60Hz |
Currency: Name: US Dollar Code: USD Symbol: US$ |
Exchange rate: The Federated States of Micronesia uses the US Dollar Currency
Weather
Go to the Federated States of Micronesia whenever the boss gives you time off. The temperature hovers around a balmy 81°F (27°C) all year, so don't worry about the weather. If it's a little more humid between July and November, at least you're never far from a cooling dip in the ocean. The islands are off the tourist trail so there's no distinct high season and few visitors at any time of year
Temperatures on all FSM islands average 26-27°C (80-81°F) year round. The wettest months are in late spring and summer; rainfall is heaviest on Pohnpei, where the interior gets as much as 10,000mm annually, making it one of the rainiest places on earth. Yap is the driest island. On the more northern islands you could almost be guaranteed that the temperature will be between 20°C (68°F) and 30°C (86°F) at any time of the day, any day of the year. Closer to the equator things are a bit warmer and days usually creep into the low thirties (high eighties). Humidity is usually high but the even temperature and fresh sea breezes mean conditions are never too stuffy. Heavy rainfall occurs between June and December but closer to the equator rainfall is distributed more evenly throughout the year, bulging a bit around December-January.
Money & Cost
In part because the islands are so spread out, and in part because the economy is reliant upon imported items, the Federated States of Micronesia can be an expensive place to travel. Your airfare will be the biggest outlay, but accommodation is also pretty expensive - there's not much in the way of budget rooms, and if you want to stay at a beach resort you'll be shelling out about US$150.00 a night. Budget travellers will need to stick to around US$80.00 a day, and travelling comfortably, including car hire, starts from around US$120.00 a day. Expect to shell out upwards around US$200.00 daily if you go diving.
US dollars are the official currency of the country, and there's really no point bringing anything else. US dollar travellers' cheques are accepted just about everywhere, with most large hotels, restaurants and shops accepting them as cash. There are no commercial banks on Chuuk or Kosrae, so make sure you've got enough cash to get by before you visit these areas. Credit cards are widely accepted on Pohnpei, and they're making inroads on Kosrae, Chuuk and Yap.
Tipping 10% to 15% is catching on in Pohnpei but, despite the American influence, it's not really done elsewhere in the FSM. Most things are sold with a fixed price, although there are a few fruit markets where you could give your haggling skills a polish. Don't expect miracles.
Currency
Name: US Dollar
Symbol: US$
Average Room Prices |
|||
Low |
Mid |
High |
Deluxe |
US$45-50 |
US$60-70 |
US$80-150 |
US$150+ |
Average Meal Prices |
|||
Low |
Mid |
High |
Deluxe |
US$5-10 |
US$10-15 |
US$15-25 |
US$25+ |
Getting there and around
Getting There
The main gateways into the Federated States of Micronesia are Honolulu, Manila and Guam (flights arrive there from the USA, Australia and Asia). A Circle Micronesia air pass originating in Los Angeles or San Francisco, or a Visit Micronesia pass originating in Guam, will let you hop around the islands.
There is a US$10.00 departure tax from Pohnpei, US$15.00 from Chuuk and US$10.00 from Kosrae. Yap has no departure tax.
Getting Around
Pohnpei, Chuuk, Yap and Kosrae are linked by air, and there are small airstrips on just about every other island in the Federated States of Micronesia. The major islands have extensive road systems. Most roads are unpaved, with the main drag in town and the road to the airstrip being notable exceptions. Weno Island (Chuuk) has an efficient share taxi system, while Pohnpei has private taxis. You really need to rent a car - from around US$40.00 a day - if you want to have a good look around the larger islands.
Yap and Pohnpei both have local carriers that fly to the outer islands, but boat is the cheapest means of travel between islands. Chuuk has an extensive weekday system of commuter boats between its islands, and private speedboats do short runs throughout the country. Field trip ships link district centres with the outer islands - they're primarily cargo boats, but they're a good, cheap way to get around, with the added bonus that you'll meet a lot of locals. The trips may take several days and can be pretty grubby and tiring.
History
Pre-20th-Century History
The most popular theory of Micronesian history holds that the first settlers canoed here from the Philippines and Indonesia, pulling their outriggers up on the sands of Yap between 4000 and 2000 BC. Much later, voyagers from Melanesia worked their way from Kosrae to Pohnpei, Chuuk and Yap. Interestingly enough, no Micronesian people have legends telling of their life before they got to the islands. The early Micronesians had no metals and worked mainly in stone - many impressive carvings have been left by these cultures. They were also superb ocean navigators and had a rich oral history, which was largely destroyed by European invasion.
In 1521, Ferdinand Magellan sailed past Micronesia on his way around the world, and in the following decades the islands were used as a stopover by expeditions on their way to the Spice Islands. Because they were a bit low on European-style wealth, the islands didn't attract much attention during this period. It wasn't until 1817 that Europeans started to seriously chart Micronesia. British whalers started arriving in the 1800s, followed closely by American whalers. Not exactly the cream of society, the whaling crews often harassed and killed the islanders, with the islanders frequently replying in kind. Whalers brought venereal diseases, as well as other scourges like the flu and measles - in 1854 a smallpox epidemic killed 50% of Pohnpei's population. During the whaling period Kosrae's population dropped from 6000 to 300.
Whalers were followed by Protestant missionaries, who imposed Western clothing, language and laws along with their religion. In 1899 Germany tried to catch up in the imperialist race by purchasing Micronesia from the Spanish. The Germans planned to make a mint from copra production. Micronesians were encouraged to plant coconuts and work for the new colonists - some were forcibly transported from their islands to the plantations, while communally held land was appropriated and handed over to private investors.
Modern History
When WWI began, Germany fled Micronesia and the Japanese waltzed in. Japan developed the infrastructure and administration necessary to annexe Micronesia, and in 1920 the League of Nations gave it a mandate over the islands. The Japanese aimed to make Micronesia a mirror of their homeland, installing Buddhist temples and Shinto shrines, geisha houses and public baths. Administrative centres became little Tokyos. Eventually Japanese outnumbered Micronesians, and the islands' social infrastructure became geared to their needs, with Micronesians treated as second-class citizens. Although Micronesia was largely a resource for the Japanese, the colonial power created a strong economy and a high level of agricultural activity.
On 7 December 1941 Japan bombed Pearl Harbor, but it also took possession of Guam. It wasn't until February 1944 that the USA retaliated with an attack on Chuuk Lagoon, the Japanese fleet's most important base in the central Pacific. Over 200,000 tons of equipment were sunk over two days, and the USA neutralised the base. Fighting was heavy in Micronesia and surrounding islands over the coming months, with particularly long and brutal battles taking place in the Marianas, to the north, and Palau, to the west. The war destroyed almost all the infrastructure built by the Japanese, and a great many Micronesians were caught in the crossfire, although history tends to ignore them.
When the war ended the occupation continued, with the Americans taking over from the Japanese. The US Navy took command of the islands and sealed them off to visitors - the Yanks had plans for Micronesia. The Marshall Islands in Micronesia's east were given the unhappy task of playing nuclear guinea pig. Between 1946 and 1958, 66 bombs were exploded over the islands, doing wonders for the Marshallese gene pool. In 1947, the UN set up a Trust Territory in the Pacific, taking in Chuuk, Kosrae, Pohnpei and Yap. The USA was given administrative rights over the islands, setting up a series of military bases and preventing anyone else from doing the same. Throughout this period Micronesia remained under US military control.
Although the USA was supposed to prepare the Micronesians for self-government, the Americans preferred a combination of neglect and increased dependency. The economy relied entirely on government services and money flowing from the USA, and had absolutely no industrial or agricultural basis. In 1965, the US agreed to form a Congress of Micronesia - a body elected by islanders to determine the islands' future - but executive control remained with the US High Commissioner. And, just in case, the CIA bugged the Congress' offices.
The arrival of a whole bunch of idealistic young Peace Corps volunteers in 1966 did nothing for the US cause. Although they were supposed to spread the word about the wonders of American society, they ended up educating the Micronesians about their legal and social rights, thereby sparking off serious moves towards independence. In July 1978, Chuuk, Kosrae, Pohnpei and Yap voted to share a constitution, and in May 1979 they became the Federated States of Micronesia (FSM). Under a 15-year compact signed with the USA in 1982, Micronesia agreed to let the US control its relations with other countries and maintain its exclusive military access to the islands. In turn, the US guaranteed annual funding. The compact was officially implemented in 1986. In 1991 the FSM was admitted to the United Nations. In 1997 president Bailey Olter suffered a stroke; he was replaced by his vice president, Jacob Nena. In May 1999 Leo Falcam was elected as president for a two-year term. In the same year the government signed a two-year 'Compact of Free Association' with the US, effectively making it an American protectorate in exchange for a hefty annual injection of funds.
Recent History
Recently, the Federated States of Micronesia have been exploring different forms of revenue raising as they are still heavly reliant on US money. Current sources of income are fishing fees, selling its internet domain name (.fm) to radio stations and Sakau (kava) crops. In 2003, the compact with the US was renegotiated for a further 20 years in a deal worth US$3500000000 .
In July 2002, Supertyphoon Chataan hit Chuuk. Thirty-seven people died and almost 1300 people lost their homes, while enormous crop damage caused debilitating food shortages. In April 2004, Yap was hit by Supertyphoon Sudal, which destroyed or damaged just about every building on the atoll; one person died, 1500 people were left homeless, and water, electricity and phone services were lost.
Source: www.lonelyplanet.com
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