Tropical; heavy year-round rainfall, especially in the eastern islands; located on southern edge of the typhoon belt with occasionally severe damage; Natural hazards are typhoons (June to December).

The 607 islands vary geologically from high mountainous islands to low, coral atolls; there are volcanic outcroppings on Pohnpei, Kosrae, and Truk.

Highest point: Dolohmwar (Totolom) 791 m

National holiday

Constitution Day, 10 May (1979)

Constitution

10 May 1979

Austronesian seafarers settled on the islands around 2000 BC. From 1500 BC, new maritime empires emerged, including the Yapese Empire and the Saudeleur Dynasty. European explorers discovered the Carolines up until the late 19th century. In World War II, the U.S. bypassed the islands in its leapfrog campaign across the northwest Pacific.

In 1979, the Federated States of Micronesia, a UN Trust Territory under US administration, adopted a constitution. On 3 November, 1986, independence was attained under a Compact of Free Association with the US; economic provisions of the Compact are being renegotiated. Previously, the area had been colonized by the Japanese, the Germans, and the Spanish

Independence

3 November, 1986 (from the US-administered UN Trusteeship)

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

Each of the four states has its own culture and traditions, but there are also common cultural and economic bonds that are centuries old. For example, cultural similarities like the importance of the traditional extended family and clan systems can be found on all the islands. The islands are known for their stick dancing traditions.

• official tourism website

• 6.963889158.2080561 Kolonia - (Pohnpei)
• 5.332222163.0227782 Lele
• 7.45151.853 Weno (formerly Moen)

If you are going to be in the FSM for less than 30 days you do not need an entry permit. Anyone who will be staying longer than that needs an entry permit. For citizens of the United States, Palau, and the Marshall Islands, this entry permit lasts 1 year. For everyone else, it lasts 60 days. You can get your entry permit on arrival, but if you're traveling for a purpose other than tourism, you need to apply for it in advance.

Most people will need to prove their citizenship with a passport that has at least 120 days of remaining validity, but if you're from Palau, Marshall Islands, or the United States, you can use your birth certificate or an FSM entry permit in lieu of a passport (but a passport still works, too).

If you need to apply for an entry permit on arrival, you must present an FSM Arrival and Departure Record. This is furnished by a carrier before entering the FSM. You will need a completed application form in addition to this.

United Airlines operates a thrice-weekly "island hopper" flight (CO956 eastbound, CO957 westbound) traveling Honolulu—Majuro—Kwajalein—Kosrae—Pohnpei—Chuuk—Guam and vice versa. The full flight is fourteen and a half hours, leaving in the early morning and terminating in the evening, with a stop of about one hour on each island. There are also nonstop flights from various islands to both Honolulu and Guam.

Honolulu is the most direct gateway into the islands from North America. Guam is the most direct gateway from most places in Asia and Australia, although it is also possible to fly into the islands from Manila via Palau.

The major international ports are; Chuuk, Pohnpei and Yap. There are inter-island trading ships based in these major ports which visit the outlying islands.

Even though there are no scheduled bus services on the island, some buses are available to hire or charter. Also, on Yap there is a school bus that runs twice daily from Colonia to the villages.

Taxi services are available throughout the islands and are inexpensive.

There are self-driven cars available in the major towns of the islands. However, It is required to have a National Driver's License or International Driving Permit.

The ancient Yapese may be known for their rai stones ("stone money"), but the official currency of the FSM nowadays is the U.S. dollar ("$", ISO currency code: USD). It is divided into 100 cents.