Languages spoken in Micronesia
Palikir
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The main language spoken in the Federated States of Micronesia is:
English - the sole official and common language, used across the four states.
Chuukese, Pohnpeian, Kosraean, and Yapese - recognized regional languages, each spoken within their respective states.
Ulithian, Woleaian, Nukuoro, and Kapingamarangi are also spoken by smaller communities.
English is the sole official language of the Federated States of Micronesia, with several regional languages recognized at state and municipal levels.
| Geography |
Location: Oceania, island group in the North Pacific Ocean, about three-quarters of the way from Hawaii to Indonesia; the Caroline Islands
Map references: Oceania
Area:
total: 702 sq km
Geography - note: composed of four states - Chuuk, Kosrae, Pohnpei, and Yap - each with its own unique history and cultural traditions; the majority of the population lives in coastal areas of the high islands, with the mountainous interior largely uninhabited
| People |
Population: 75,817-101,009 (varies significantly by source and year, reflecting outmigration; 2022-2023 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 27-28.24%
15-64 years: 61.10-67.3%
65 years and over: 4.95-5.7%
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 74.44 years
male: 72.34 years
female: 76.66 years
Nationality:
noun/adjective: Micronesian(s)
Ethnic groups: Chuukese/Mortlockese 48.8-49.3%, Pohnpeian 24.2-29.8%, Kosraean 6.2-6.3%, Yapese 5.2-5.7%, other 8.9-13.6% (2010-2016 est.)
Religions: Roman Catholic 52.6-54.7%, Protestant 41.1-41.7% (Congregational, Baptist, Seventh Day Adventist), Church of Jesus Christ 1.5% (2010-2016 est.)
Languages: English (official and common language), Chuukese, Kosraean, Pohnpeian, Yapese, Ulithian, Woleaian, Nukuoro, Kapingamarangi
| Government |
Country name:
conventional short form: Federated States of Micronesia; motto "Peace, Unity, Liberty"
Data code: FM
Government type: federal assembly-independent presidential republic under a non-partisan democracy; a UN member state under a Compact of Free Association (COFA) with the United States
National capital: Palikir
Executive branch:
chief of state and head of government: President Wesley Simina
Independence: 10 May 1979 (republic proclaimed); 3 November 1986 (Compact of Free Association with the US took effect)
Background: the Caroline Islands became part of a UN Trust Territory under US administration following WWII; the eastern four island groups adopted a constitution in 1979 and formed the Federated States of Micronesia (the westernmost group became Palau); independence came in 1986 under the Compact of Free Association with the US, amended in 2004; as COFA signatories, eligible Micronesians can live, work, and study anywhere in the US and its territories without a visa
| Economy |
Economy - overview: lower-middle-income Pacific island economy; economic activity consists largely of subsistence farming, fishing, and government, which employs two-thirds of the adult working population; heavily reliant on Compact of Free Association assistance from the US (58% of funding in 2013); few commercially valuable mineral deposits; tourism potential limited by isolation and inadequate transport infrastructure; concerns over US aid uncertainty following the sunsetting of direct assistance
GDP (purchasing power parity): $432.679-451 million (2024-2025 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: 0.7% (2024)
GDP - per capita: $4,768 PPP (2025 est.)
Currency: United States dollar (USD)