The Human Truth Foundation

Micronesia (Federated States of Micronesia)

https://www.humantruth.info/micronesia.html

By Vexen Crabtree 2013

#micronesia

Micronesia
Federated States of Micronesia
Flag
StatusIndependent State
Social and Moral Index154th best
CapitalPalikir
Land Area 3 170km21
LocationAustralasia, Micronesia
GroupingsSmall Islands
Population0.1m2
Life Expectancy70.71yrs (2017)3
GNI$3 696 (2017)4
ISO3166-1 CodesFM, FSM, 5835
Internet Domain.fm6
CurrencyDollar (USD)7
Telephone+6918

1. Overview

In 1979 the Federated States of Micronesia, a UN Trust Territory under US administration, adopted a constitution. In 1986, independence was attained under a Compact of Free Association with the US, which was amended and renewed in 2004. Present concerns include large-scale unemployment, overfishing, and overdependence on US aid.

CIA's The World Factbook (2013)9

Book CoverThe four unique states of Kosrae, Pohnpei, Chuuk and Yap have distinct cultures, traditions and identities as colourful and diverse as the multitudes of coral formations that live in their fringing reefs. Known collectively as the Federated States of Micronesia (FSM), these four states are otherwise unrelated, and travellers looking to experience a variety of lifestyles are in luck.

Kosrea is a Pacific paradise and arguably FSM´s most beautiful island. Its people are true believers, and here everything shuts down on Sunday and full focus is given to vibrant all-singing, all-dancing church ceremonies (with a relaxed island twist).

Pohnpei is home to mysterious ancient ruins and a plethora of lush landforms, and retains a system of chiefs and clan titles - a distinct style of governance that still exerts significant social and political influence.

Chuuk is renowned for its wreck diving, and while it is just coming to terms with international tourism, the uncompromising nature of the Chuukese holds firm.

Last, but not least, Yap is a fiercly traditional state retaining a true island spirit. Its people retain their architecture, customs, religions and gigantic stone money - it´s an eternally fascinating place.

"The World" by Lonely Planet (2014)10

2. Micronesia National and Social Development

#economics #human_development #wealth

UN HDI (2021)11
Pos.Higher is better
Value11
1Switzerland0.962
2Norway0.961
3Iceland0.959
...
131Marshall Islands0.639
132India0.633
133Ghana0.632
134Micronesia0.628
135Guatemala0.627
136Kiribati0.624
137Honduras0.621
138Sao Tome & Principe0.618
Australasia Avg0.70
World Avg0.72
q=191.
Gross National Income Per-Capita (2021)11
Pos.Higher is better
PPP $11
1Liechtenstein$146 830
2Singapore$90 919
3Qatar$87 134
...
154Nepal$3 877
155Myanmar (Burma)$3 851
156Zimbabwe$3 810
157Micronesia$3 696
158Cameroon$3 621
159Sudan$3 575
160Benin$3 409
161Senegal$3 344
Australasia Avg$12 519
World Avg$20 136
q=193.
Social & Moral
Development Index
12
Pos.Lower is better
Avg Rank12
1Denmark27.0
2Norway29.9
3Sweden31.8
...
151Benin111.7
152Zambia111.8
153Gambia111.9
154Micronesia112.3
155Somaliland112.4
156Togo112.4
157Malawi112.7
158Libya112.9
Australasia Avg95.6
World Avg88.6
q=199.

The United Nations produces an annual Human Development Report which includes the Human Development Index. The factors taken into account include life expectancy, education and schooling and Gross National Income (GNI) amongst many others..

The Social and Moral Development Index concentrates on moral issues and human rights, violence, public health, equality, tolerance, freedom and effectiveness in climate change mitigation and environmentalism, and on some technological issues. A country scores higher for achieving well in those areas, and for sustaining that achievement in the long term. Those countries towards the top of this index can truly said to be setting good examples and leading humankind onwards into a bright, humane, and free future. See: Which are the Best Countries in the World? The Social and Moral Development Index.

3. Micronesia's Demographics and Migration

#birth_control #demographics #fertility #health #immigration #life_expectancy #longevity #migration #overpopulation #population #yemen

Population:

Micronesia's population is predicted to rise to 128 767 by 2030. This country has a fertility rate of 2.67. The fertility rate is, in simple terms, the average amount of children that each woman has. The higher the figure, the quicker the population will grow, although, to calculate the rate you also need to take into account morbidity - the rate at which people die. If people live healthy and long lives and morbidity is low, then, 2.0 approximates to the replacement rate (two new children for each set of parents who die), which would keep the population stable. If all countries had such a fertility rate, population growth would end. The actual replacement rate in most developed countries is around 2.1. The highest fertility rate ever detected in a single year was in Yemen in 1985, at 8.86.13

Population2
Pos.2018
Population2
1China1.4b
2India1.4b
3USA327.1m
...
177Samoa0.2m
178St Lucia0.2m
179Kiribati0.1m
180Micronesia0.1m
181Grenada0.1m
182St Vincent & Grenadines0.1m
183Tonga0.1m
184Seychelles97 096
World Avg39.0m
q=195.
Life Expectancy
Higher is better
11
Pos.2021
Years11
1Monaco85.9
2Hong Kong85.5
3Japan84.8
...
106Mongolia71.0
107Uzbekistan70.9
108El Salvador70.7
109Micronesia70.7
110Venezuela70.6
111Jamaica70.5
112Belize70.5
113Vanuatu70.4
World Avg71.28
q=195.
Fertility Rate
2.0 is best
14
Pos.202214
1US Virgin Islands2.00
2Ecuador2.00
3Nepal2.01
...
112Albania1.38
113Bosnia & Herzegovina1.35
114Jamaica1.34
115Micronesia2.67
116Canada1.33
117Marshall Islands2.67
118=Mauritius1.32
118=Finland1.32
World Avg2.47
q=208.
Old-Age Dependency Ratio
Lower is better
15
Pos.2016
Per 10015
1Uganda04.3
2Mali04.5
3=Chad04.7
...
75Bangladesh10.6
76=Nepal10.8
76=Bhutan10.8
76=Micronesia10.8
79Honduras11.0
80=Turkmenistan11.0
80=Maldives11.0
82Mongolia11.8
World Avg18.3
q=185.

Migration:

Immigrants16
Pos.2017
%16
1UAE88.4%
2Kuwait75.5%
3Qatar65.2%
...
108Cape Verde2.8%
109Burundi2.8%
110Chile2.7%
111Micronesia2.6%
112Azerbaijan2.6%
113Kiribati2.6%
114Samoa2.5%
115Zimbabwe2.4%
World Avg9.4%
q=195.
Emigrants17
Pos.2010
%17
1Dominica104.8%
2Palestine68.4%
3Samoa67.3%
...
28Portugal20.8%
29Lesotho20.5%
30El Salvador20.5%
31Micronesia19.7%
32Belarus18.4%
33Eritrea18.0%
34Croatia17.1%
35Liechtenstein17.1%
World Avg11.5%
q=192.

4. Micronesia's Human Rights, Equality & Tolerance

#equality #freedom #freethought #gender_equality #homosexuality #human_rights #international_law #morals #politics #prejudice #religious_tolerance #tolerance #women

Compared to Australasia (2025)18
Pos.Lower is better
Avg Rank18
1New Zealand13.3
2Australia16.0
3Kiribati70.1
4Marshall Islands75.0
5Tuvalu76.7
6Micronesia78.2
7Palau80.7
8Nauru82.3
9Fiji87.1
10Vanuatu98.7
11Samoa100.4
12Tonga105.5
13Solomon Islands108.9
Australasia Avg79.23
q=14.
Human Rights, Equality & Tolerance (2025)18
Pos.Lower is better
Avg Rank18
1Sweden6.1
2Denmark8.6
3Norway9.0
...
79Tuvalu76.7
80Namibia77.7
81Dominican Rep.78.0
82Micronesia78.2
83Armenia78.5
84St Kitts & Nevis79.1
85El Salvador79.5
86Philippines79.6
World Avg86.55
q=199.

The best countries in the world at ensuring human rights, fostering equality and promoting tolerance, are Sweden, Denmark and Norway19. These countries are displaying the best traits that humanity has to offer. The worst countries are Somalia, N. Korea and Afghanistan19.

21 datasets are used to calculate points for each country, including multiple decades of data on supporting press freedom, eliminating modern slavery, supporting personal, civil & economic freedoms, its average Freedom in the World rating, commentary in Human Rights Watch reports, its nominal commitment to Human Rights, speed of uptake of HR treaties, opposing gender inequality, the rate of gender bias (from 7 indicators), the year from which women could participate in democracy, its success in fighting anti-semitic prejudice, LGBT equality and freethought. The regions with the best average results per country are Scandinavia, Baltic States and Europe19, whereas the worst are Africa, The Middle East and Asia19.

For more, see:

Human Rights & Tolerance:

Freedom in the World
Lower is better
Pos.2024
Score
1=Norway1.0
1=Canada1.0
1=Cape Verde1.0
...
15=New Zealand1.0
15=Netherlands1.0
15=Germany1.0
15=Micronesia1.0
15=Iceland1.0
15=Marshall Islands1.0
15=Ireland1.0
15=Italy1.0
Australasia Avg1.8
World Avg3.7
q=205.
Nominal Commitment to HR
Higher is better
20
Pos.2009
Treaties20
1Argentina24
2=Chile23
2=Costa Rica23
...
183Tonga6
184=Pakistan6
185Tuvalu5
186=Micronesia5
186=Singapore5
186=Nauru5
189Marshall Islands4
190=Myanmar (Burma)4
Australasia Avg8.7
World Avg15.1
q=194.
HR Treaties Lag
Lower is better
21
Pos.2019
Avg Yrs/Treaty21
1Ecuador2.15
2Uruguay2.25
3Tunisia3.65
...
183Papua New Guinea15.23
184Brunei15.29
185Tonga15.55
186Micronesia15.55
187Somalia15.71
188Kiribati15.80
189Solomon Islands15.81
190Nauru16.16
Australasia Avg14.35
World Avg10.02
q=195.

Gender Equality:

See:

Year Women Can Vote
Lower is better
Pos.Total
Year
1New Zealand1893
2Australia1902
3Finland1906
...
172Zimbabwe1978
173=Marshall Islands1979
173=Palau1979
173=Micronesia1979
176Iraq1980
177=Vanuatu1980
178Liechtenstein1984
179=Djibouti1986
Australasia Avg1962
World Avg1930
q=189.

Prejudice:

LGBT Equality
Higher is better
22
Pos.2017
Score22
1Netherlands103
2Belgium90
3Sweden86
...
87=Nauru20
87=Marshall Islands20
87=Guinea-Bissau20
87=Micronesia20
87=Armenia20
92Mozambique17
93=Laos15
93=Haiti15
Australasia Avg07.1
World Avg12.6
q=196.
Freedom of Thought
Lower is better
23
Pos.202123
1=Belgium1.0
1=Taiwan1.0
1=Netherlands1.0
...
16St Kitts & Nevis1.8
17=Namibia1.8
17=Mozambique1.8
17=Micronesia1.8
17=USA1.8
17=Slovenia1.8
17=Palau1.8
17=Burkina Faso1.8
Australasia Avg2.6
World Avg3.0
q=196.

5. Micronesia's Health

#alcohol #birth_control #demographics #health #life_expectancy #longevity #micronesia #obesity #overpopulation #parenting #population #vaccines

Compared to Australasia (2025)24
Pos.Lower is better
Avg Rank24
1Australia49.3
2New Zealand51.2
3New Caledonia57.9
...
8Tonga110.1
9Tuvalu112.1
10Kiribati117.2
11Micronesia122.8
12Samoa124.2
13Vanuatu125.3
14Solomon Islands125.5
15Nauru133.3
16Papua New Guinea133.4
Australasia Avg112.00
q=17.
Health (2025)24
Pos.Lower is better
Avg Rank24
1Monaco14.3
2Liechtenstein30.1
3Isle of Man32.1
...
150Bolivia121.9
151Syria122.2
152Djibouti122.6
153Micronesia122.8
154Guatemala123.6
155Samoa124.2
156Timor-Leste (E. Timor)124.4
157Honduras125.3
World Avg96.74
q=212.

The countries with the best overall approach to public health, in terms of both public policy and individual lifestyle choices, are Monaco, Liechtenstein and The Isle of Man25. These countries are worth emulating. And, although often through no fault of the average citizen, the worst countries are S. Sudan, Angola and Nigeria25.

21 datasets are used to calculate points for each country, including multiple decades of data on its average life expectancy, its alcohol consumption rate, its fertility rate, its smoking rate, its suicide rate, its food aid and health contributions and WHO compliance, the prevalence of overweight adults, its adolescent birth rate and its immunizations take-up. The regions with the best average results per country are Scandinavia, Europe and The Balkans25, whereas the worst are Africa, Micronesia and Melanesia25.

For more, see:

Health:

Micronesia has some poor policies and cultural issues which cause some public health problems. Micronesia does better than average when it comes to its alcohol consumption rate26. When it comes to most other metrics, Micronesia does not do well. It does worse than average for its adolescent birth rate27, its average life expectancy11 (still good for Australasia), its fertility rate14 and in its immunizations take-up28 (one of the worst in Australasia). The prevalence of overweight adults has increased by 14% during the last 40 years. Life expectancy in Micronesia improved by +3.7yrs in the 30 years from 1990, less than the global average of +7.9yrs. Micronesia's peak fertility rate was 6.94 in 1970.

Life Expectancy
Higher is better
11
Pos.2021
Years11
1Monaco85.9
2Hong Kong85.5
3Japan84.8
...
106Mongolia71.0
107Uzbekistan70.9
108El Salvador70.7
109Micronesia70.7
110Venezuela70.6
111Jamaica70.5
112Belize70.5
113Vanuatu70.4
Australasia Avg70.11
World Avg71.28
q=195.
Alcohol Consumption
Lower is better
26
Pos.2016
Per Capita26
1Bangladesh0.0
2Kuwait0.0
3Libya0.0
...
46Timor-Leste (E. Timor)2.1
47Mozambique2.4
48=Samoa2.5
48=Micronesia2.5
48=Guatemala2.5
51Congo, DR2.6
52=Uzbekistan2.7
52=Ghana2.7
Australasia Avg4.3
World Avg6.2
q=189.
Fertility Rate
2.0 is best
14
Pos.202214
1US Virgin Islands2.00
2Ecuador2.00
3Nepal2.01
...
112Albania1.38
113Bosnia & Herzegovina1.35
114Jamaica1.34
115Micronesia2.67
116Canada1.33
117Marshall Islands2.67
118=Mauritius1.32
118=Finland1.32
Australasia Avg2.82
World Avg2.47
q=208.
Overweight Adults
Lower is better
29
Pos.2016
%29
1Vietnam18.3
2India19.7
3Bangladesh20.0
...
179Saudi Arabia69.7
180Qatar71.7
181Kuwait73.4
182Micronesia75.9
183Samoa77.6
184Tonga78.5
185Kiribati78.7
186Niue80.0
Australasia Avg73.3
World Avg49.0
q=191.

Children's Health:

Adolescent Birth Rate
Lower is better
27
Pos.2022
Per 100027
1Hong Kong1.6
2Denmark1.8
3S. Korea2.1
...
96Vietnam35.0
97Uruguay35.2
98Romania35.4
99Micronesia35.7
100Costa Rica35.7
101St Lucia36.3
102St Kitts & Nevis36.8
103Trinidad & Tobago37.7
Australasia Avg40.2
World Avg43.8
q=195.
Infant Immunizations 2011-2015
Higher is better
28
Pos.2015
Avg %28
1=Hungary99.0
1=China99.0
3Uzbekistan98.9
...
160Lebanon79.4
161San Marino79.3
162Gabon78.7
163Micronesia78.2
164Philippines77.9
165Sweden77.8
166Ivory Coast76.9
167Congo, DR76.5
Australasia Avg86.4
World Avg88.3
q=194.

6. Micronesia's Responsibility Towards The Environment

#biodiversity #climate_change #deforestation #environmentalism #food #internationalism #meat #over-exploitation #the_environment #veganism #vegetarianism

Compared to Australasia (2025)30
Pos.Lower is better
Avg Rank30
1New Zealand75.8
2Australia76.6
3Fiji89.1
4Vanuatu93.0
5Tonga96.1
6Papua New Guinea104.5
7Samoa107.0
8Kiribati111.4
9Micronesia114.6
10Cook Islands119.6
11Solomon Islands121.6
12Marshall Islands123.1
13Palau124.5
Australasia Avg93.28
q=16.
Responsibility Towards The Environment (2025)30
Pos.Lower is better
Avg Rank30
1Sri Lanka34.9
2Uruguay43.2
3Switzerland45.0
...
173Kazakhstan109.8
174Barbados110.1
175Kiribati111.4
176Micronesia114.6
177Bhutan115.3
178Belarus116.0
179Uzbekistan116.1
180Cook Islands119.6
World Avg84.93
q=199.

All countries' current and historical approach towards the environment is gauged via 21 datasets, including multiple decades of data on its forested percent change 2000-2020, its environmental performance, energy to GDP efficiency, its sign-up rate to major international accords on protecting the environment, the rate of rational beliefs on the environment in the population, reducing annual meat consumption per person and its score on the Green Future Index.

The countries that do the best (Sri Lanka, Uruguay and Switzerland) tend to have avoided the excesses of early industrial countries, and have not yet repeated the same mistakes of environmental destruction - at least, not on the same scale. The regions with the best average results per country are Central America, South America and Scandinavia. The worst are Eritrea, The Vatican City and Timor-Leste (E. Timor), and the worst regions Micronesia, Australasia and Melanesia.

For more, see:

With respect to its responsibility towards the environment, Micronesia comes 176th in the world. This rank is calculated from 4 data sets. Micronesia does better than average for its forested percent change 2000-202031. When it comes to most other metrics, Micronesia does not do well. It does worse than average in its environmental performance32 (amongst the worst in Australasia), reducing annual meat consumption per person33 and in its sign-up rate to major international accords on protecting the environment.

Forest Area Change 2000-2020
Higher is better
31
Pos.Total31
1Guernsey82.6%
2Bahrain75.2%
3Iceland64.7%
...
72Czechia1.5%
73Slovakia1.3%
74Portugal1.0%
75Micronesia0.9%
76Iraq0.9%
77Russia0.7%
78French Polynesia0.6%
79Germany0.6%
Australasia Avg0.1%
World Avg-0.1%
q=234.
Environmental Performance
Higher is better
32
Pos.201832
1Switzerland87.4
2France84.0
3Denmark81.6
...
119Tanzania50.8
120China50.7
121Thailand49.9
122Micronesia49.8
123Libya49.8
124Ghana49.7
125Timor-Leste (E. Timor)49.5
126Senegal49.5
Australasia Avg55.2
World Avg56.4
q=180.
International Accords on the Environment
Higher is better
Pos.Total
Avg Rate
1Sweden83%
2Canada82%
3Norway81%
...
161Cambodia47%
162Kyrgyzstan46%
163Libya46%
164Micronesia46%
165Cape Verde46%
166Guinea-Bissau46%
167Bosnia & Herzegovina45%
168Laos44%
Australasia Avg48.2%
World Avg57.5%
q=197.
Micronesia is particularly vulnerable to the effects of climate change and was one of the early adopters of the Kyoto Protocol in 1999.
Meat Consumption
Lower is better
33
Pos.2021
kg33
1Congo, DR03.0
2Burundi03.5
3Bangladesh04.3
...
121Romania67.1
122Malta67.8
123Switzerland68.0
124Micronesia70.4
125Denmark70.5
126Seychelles70.6
127S. Africa71.6
128Kazakhstan71.8
Australasia Avg74.2
World Avg52.5
q=185.

7. Micronesia's Modernity and Learning

#capitalism #economics #education #health #inequality #life_expectancy #modernity #social_development #technology #the_internet

Compared to Australasia (2020)34
Pos.Lower is better
Avg Rank34
1New Zealand15.2
2Australia16.6
3Palau47.4
...
5Fiji71.5
6Samoa99.8
7Marshall Islands111.1
8Vanuatu125.6
9Kiribati127.3
10Micronesia133.6
11Tuvalu138.2
12Solomon Islands154.5
13Papua New Guinea158.4
Australasia Avg97.01
q=13.
Modernity & Learning (2020)34
Pos.Lower is better
Avg Rank34
1Finland7.1
2Belgium12.9
3Denmark13.6
...
154Honduras132.2
155Ivory Coast132.4
156Senegal132.6
157Micronesia133.6
158Lesotho133.7
159Angola133.8
160Congo, (Brazzaville)135.5
161Burkina Faso136.5
World Avg86.31
q=190.

The most modern countries, with the best results from education, the highest levels of research, and with the easiest access to information on the Internet, are Finland, Belgium and Denmark35. The worst countries are Eritrea, S. Sudan and Sierra Leone35. Despite improves in global education, access to tertiary (adult) education is becoming increasingly unequal between the rich haves and the poor have-nots36.

Education, at all levels and ages, is the single most vital support for equality as well as being a country's most vital economic and social resource. [...] Every successful aspirant to modernisation and economic development, from Japan to South Korea, China to Chile, has got there with a big emphasis on education.

Bill Emmott (2017)37

15 datasets are used to calculate points for each country, including multiple decades of data on Research and Development, Secondary Education, Length of Schooling, Intellectual Endeavours, Maths, Science & Reading, Religiosity, IQ, the percent of citizens with access to the internet, Freedom On The Internet, IT Security, IPv6 Uptake and digital quality of life. The regions with the best average results per country are Scandinavia, Baltic States and Europe35, whereas the worst are Melanesia, Africa and Micronesia35.

For more, see:

Modernity and Education:

Length of Schooling
Higher is better
38
Pos.2021
Years38
1Australia21.1
2New Zealand20.3
3Greece20.0
...
142Kiribati11.8
143Nauru11.7
144Tajikistan11.7
145Micronesia11.5
146Vanuatu11.5
147Cambodia11.5
148Lebanon11.3
149Rwanda11.2
Australasia Avg13.4
World Avg13.5
q=193.

Technology and Information:

Internet Users
Higher is better
39
Pos.201639
1Iceland100%
2Faroe Islands99%
3Norway98%
...
128Kyrgyzstan34%
129Egypt33%
130Cuba32%
131Micronesia31%
132Vanuatu31%
133Syria30%
134Sri Lanka29%
135Samoa29%
Australasia Avg44.3%
World Avg48.1%
q=201.
IPv6 Uptake
Higher is better
40
Pos.2017
Ratio40
1Belgium55.4
2Germany41.8
3Switzerland35.1
...
123=Mongolia0.0
123=Samoa0.0
123=Albania0.0
123=Micronesia0.0
123=Algeria0.0
123=Djibouti0.0
123=Guyana0.0
123=Namibia0.0
Australasia Avg1.55
World Avg3.82
q=176.

Economic Inequality and Poverty:

Inequality in Life Expectancy
Lower is better41
Pos.201941
1Iceland2.40
2=Singapore2.50
2=Hong Kong2.50
...
115Trinidad & Tobago14.90
116Philippines15.30
117Iraq15.90
118Micronesia16.10
119Tajikistan16.70
120=Dominican Rep.17.00
120=Sao Tome & Principe17.00
122Bhutan17.10
Australasia Avg13.47
World Avg14.59
q=184.
Income Inequality (Gini Coefficient)
Lower is better
42
Pos.2023
%42
1Slovakia24.1%43
2Slovenia24.3%43
3Belarus24.4%44
...
115Tuvalu39.1%45
116Suriname39.2%46
117Morocco39.5%47
118Micronesia40.1%47
119Jamaica40.2%43
120Peru40.3%46
121Tanzania40.5%48
122Uruguay40.6%46
Australasia Avg34.8%
World Avg36.5%
q=167.

Income inequality data is rarely available for Micronesia (country) - only for 2 years between 1980 and 2019.

8. Religion and Beliefs

#buddhism #christianity #hinduism #islam #judaism

Data from the Pew Forum, a professional polling outfit, states that in 2010 the religious makeup of this country was as follows in the table below49:

Christian95.3%
Muslim0.1%
Hindu0.1%
Buddhist0.4%
Folk Religion2.7%
Jewish0.1%
Unaffiliated0.9%

The CIA World Factbook has slightly different data, and states: Roman Catholic 52.7%, Protestant 41.7% (Congregational 40.1%, Baptist 0.9%, Seventh-Day Adventist 0.7%), other 3.8%, none or unspecified 0.8% (2000 Census)50.

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