|RConstitution:|N Republic in free association with the USA.
|RNational holiday:|N May 10.
|RNature and climate:|N Consists of all together 607 islands in the western Pacific Ocean. Most of these islands were formerly known as the Caroline Islands nd are coral islands.
Average temperature throughout the year 26°C.
Percipitation 4200 mm.
|RPeople:|N Nine Micronesian and Polynesian ethnic groups of which Trukese 41% and Pohnpeian 26% are the largest.
|REconomy:|N The economy is based on self-subsistence. Major industries are tourism and craft items of shell, wood and pearls.
Most important crops are copra, pepper, tropical fruits, vegetables, coconuts and cassava.
|RHistory:|N It is assumed that these islands were settled by argonauts from Philippines and Indonesia about 1500 BC.
Ferdinand Magellan visited some of the islands about 1500 AD and Spain claimed sovereignty over the area from 1565. In 1899 the Caroline islands were sold to Germany.
After World War I they became a League of Nations mandate to Japan.
After World War II they were a UN Trust Territory administrated by the USA.
An agreement of free association between Micronesia and the USA was signed in 1986 and the UN trusteeship was dissolved in 1990.
