» Truk, Federated States of Micronesia
There is nothing cooler than an evening on a good Micronesian island: with white sand, almost without even the usual marine debris, with palm trees with coconuts removed so that a tourist doesn’t get hit on the head, with a beautiful sunset promising tomorrow’s adventures. The repellent does not cope well with mosquitoes, but this is not visible from the photo.
The morning is even more beautiful. We are divers in a dive hotel in one of the most important dive sites. 
A good Micronesian island of the day is Truk, until 1944 the largest naval base Japanese in the South Pacific, and now a worldwide mecca for wreck diving. 
Truk
From a dive hotel with a closed area with grass and palm trees, you can and should only go out into the sea, but we take a car and drive around Truk, and Truk turns out to be absolutely beautiful.
Independent since 1986, but the postal code system remains American for now: 
On the shield on the left is the heavenly Truk, which is in our heads and hearts (it is worth noting the marked asphalt roads, the collected garbage and the trimmed lawn. No one drinks), on the right is Truk, our days: 
The real situation is this: Truk is not an island, but a lagoon in which there are several islands of approximately the same size. We are not going around Truk, but around Weno - the island with the airport, all the business and tourists. Veno is an island, a city, a state capital, and a village, gradually turning into each other. 
Veno
The main road: 
Veno is fighting for the title of owner of the crappiest main road around the island in Micronesia, but loses to the main one: on Tarawa there is an insane number of potholes and you drive nervously, as if on a grater; on Truk, the potholes have already merged into single half-flooded channels of sorts and the driving has become calmer. 
The main road has narrowed, how can you miss an American school bus? 
The jungle is gradually digesting the machines and units that could not cope with the Truk road: 
But in much better condition. 
Village. 
A man walking towards you with an empty bucket seems to be hinting: 
Good-natured locals hang out. Good nature ends with sunset: Truk is the most dangerous, most vile place. Micronesians have the same problems with alcohol as some aboriginal peoples, Indians, and residents of northern Siberia, but alcohol is not limited to anything other than church propaganda, and by the evening fights begin, robbing rich strangers, or worse. 
They are buried in the yard if the site allows: 
The young man stands under a canopy and hides his hands: 
Fiber-optic communication line has been extended: 
The young man was carrying coconuts, got tired and sat down: 
Girls posing: 
Soft Borders: 
There are very few historical houses of European and Japanese colonists left, but they are incredibly beautiful: 
Here are the churches, like everywhere else, in large numbers and in perfect order: 
The turtle over the gate is straight out of pre-European history, when public halls were decorated with something cool, like drawings (or skeletons) of useful people sea inhabitants. Actually, modern churches usually stand on the site of temples demolished by the first missionaries. 
Sometimes the main road emerges from the jungle village and winds along the crystal turquoise waters of the lagoon 
So that the diver does not forget why he needs all this, every license plate, T-shirt and souvenir reminds:
Located in the waters Pacific Ocean, just north of New Guinea, and are part of the Caroline Islands archipelago. The country belongs to the geographical region of Oceania and has an independent status, but at the same time plays the role of an Associated State in alliance with the United States of America, largely dependent on their economic assistance.
Peculiarities
The Federated States of Micronesia consists of 607 islands of varying sizes, some of which are connected by causeways or bridges. However, only 65 islands of the archipelago are inhabited, and a significant part of the territory is privately owned. The main activities of the islanders are agriculture, fishing, livestock raising and the production of wooden ships. Tourist destination It is poorly developed here due to the remoteness from the outside world and limited financial opportunities. Most large islands They are of volcanic origin and abound in mountainous hills, the surface of which is covered with dense forests. All land areas are surrounded by coral reefs and atolls. The underwater world is extremely rich and diverse. The forests are home to many rare animals and mammals. When staying in Micronesia, you should take into account the peculiarities of the local culture and try to comply with generally accepted norms of behavior. In particular, the islanders do not like to be photographed or filmed, although due to their mentality they are very sociable and always hospitable towards foreigners.
general information
The main religions in the archipelago are Catholicism and Protestantism. The area of the territory is just over 700 square meters. km. The population is about 110,000 people. Official language– English, although besides it there are several other local dialects. The main currency on the islands is the American dollar. Time zone +10. Local time ahead of Moscow by 7 hours. Telephone code countries +691.
A brief excursion into history
The first Micronesian settlements began to appear here around 2,000 BC, and the local residents were divided into various social groups that had unequal status. Civilization came here in 1527, when the first Spanish ships appeared in the coastal waters of the Caroline Islands. At the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries, Germany bought these lands from the Spaniards. During the First World War, the islands were captured by the Japanese, who established sugar cane plantations here. A few decades later, after the end of World War II, the Americans occupied the archipelago, and in 1986 the Federated States of Micronesia acquired the status of a sovereign state in free association with the United States, with the latter taking on the burden of ensuring security and financing the FSM.
Climate
This Pacific region is dominated by an equatorial and subequatorial climate with minor seasonal variations. Throughout the year, the average air temperature on the islands ranges from +25 to +35 degrees, and it often rains. From August to December, typhoons with strong hurricane winds hit the territory of Micronesia. The greatest part of precipitation occurs in April, when tropical downpours pour down like a continuous wall. The most acceptable times of the year to visit the FSH are the periods from January to March and from the second half of May to July, when the likelihood of natural disasters is minimized.
Visa and customs regulations
When visiting the country for less than 1 month, you do not need a visa. In this case, each state is considered separately and the period of 30 days is counted again from the moment of crossing the border of any of the 4 administrative territories. All 4 states have a customs border, where generally accepted customs standards apply regarding the transportation of certain goods. There is no Russian embassy in Micronesia, and the nearest one is located in the Philippines.
How to get there
Each of the FSR states has its own international airport, and the island of Yap has a deep-sea port that regularly receives large ocean liners. There are no direct flights with the CIS countries, so you can get to the archipelago by air either from Tokyo, Japan or from Manila, Philippines. There are also flights from the Hawaiian Islands (Honolulu Airport) and the island of Guam, also part of the United States.
Transport
Within the country, private buses and taxis are actively used as the main means of transportation. Public transport missing here. There are regular ferry services between the islands. If you wish, it is worth renting a car, especially since the prices for this type of service are quite reasonable.
The most interesting
Administratively, the FSM is divided into 4 states: Chuuk, Kusai, Pohnpei and Yap. Each of them has several islands and atolls, while having its own administrative center. The most populous state is Chuuk. It is home to over 53,000 islanders. The capital of Chuuk is the island city of Veno, which has its own airport, several hotels and excellent diving conditions. The state of Pohnpei is home to the capital of the entire country, the city of Palikar, with a population of about 20,000 people. It is located on the island of Pohnpei, part of the state of the same name. This area of land is considered one of the wettest on the planet. More than 7600 mm of precipitation falls here annually. The surface of the island is replete with an abundance of coconut palms and pandanus trees, and mangroves grow along the coast. Not far from Palikara is the city of Colonia, which has a developed tourism infrastructure, including hotels, restaurants and entertainment venues. The ruins are the main attraction of Pohnpei ancient city Nan-Madol, related to the origins of megalithic culture. The third state of the country, Kusai, includes several land areas, including the island of the same name with the local capital Tofol, geographically considered the easternmost point of the Carolina Archipelago, not far from Hawaii. The fourth state of the country, Yap, consists of 4 large islands, 7 small and several dozen atolls. It is known for its distinctive culture and ancient traditions. In addition, the local lagoons offer excellent conditions for scuba diving, and the island's shores are ideal for hiking and admiring the ocean views.
The main advantage of the Federated States of Micronesia is its magnificent natural landscapes and ocean expanses, so revered by numerous diving and snorkeling enthusiasts. To explore the underwater beauty of the local atolls and coral reefs, you can use any island or tiny piece of land by going there by boat or boat. On the island of Veno, Mount Tonachau attracts attention with a picturesque waterfall and ancient petroglyphs on the walls of mysterious rock caves. In addition, fragments of military equipment and bunkers of Japanese soldiers who took refuge on the island during the Second World War have been preserved here. Since then, a lighthouse has risen on the coast, with a lighthouse equipped on it. observation deck. The original traditions and culture of Micronesia are most clearly represented on the island of Yap, where you can see the ancient stone money of the islanders and enjoy the dancing of local beauties dressed in National costumes. On the islands of the state of Kusai, in the thickets of the tropical forest, you can see traces of ancient civilizations, including partially surviving fragments of the temple of the goddess Shinlaku and the ruins of Menka, with medicinal plants growing along them.
In the state of Chuuk, a real find for diving enthusiasts is the unique Truk Lagoon, which is a free underwater museum, where instead of the traditional shining, well-kept halls, fans of deep-sea diving are offered a real sandy battlefield, dotted with the remains of guns, planes and ships that sank during the battles of World War II war. Along the entire coastline Pohnpei Island, there is a ring highway that allows you to easily get to its most picturesque places. Here, first of all, Mount Nana Laud is notable, its height reaches 800 meters. Several dozen rivers originate from it, cutting the island territory. Along them there are many waterfalls, the most famous of which are Keprohi, Sauvartik and Lidudunlap. These places are recommended for lovers of eco-tourism, especially since comfortable campsites are located right among wild natural landscapes, allowing travelers to have a good rest and relaxation. Like all other regions of the archipelago, Pohnpei is distinguished by a wealth of animal life, and in the local waters among the vegetation you can see anemones, soft, hard and fire corals. As you dive, you often encounter the following common Marine life Pacific Ocean like sharks, manta rays, sea turtles and all kinds of tropical fish. Throughout the year, the islanders celebrate several national holidays. They are held very fun and solemnly, so if you are in the country on one of these days, you should definitely experience such an event in order to become imbued with the culture and traditions of this amazing people.
The Federated States of Micronesia is one of the most remote, and therefore attractive, countries in the world. It has a lot of advantages and even if it is not a popular tourist Mecca on a planetary scale, it arouses genuine interest among travel lovers and serves as an excellent reason to get acquainted with distant and mysterious shores, lost in the vast waters of the Pacific Ocean.
An island nation in the Pacific Ocean comprising the central and eastern Caroline Islands and Kapingamargagi Atoll.
Territory - 701.4 sq. km. The capital is Palikir.
Population - 140 thousand people. (1998), predominantly Micronesians.
The official language is English.
Religion - most believers are Christians.
In the XVII-XIX centuries. Micronesia belonged to Spain from 1898-1914. Germany, since 1920 a mandate territory of Japan, since 1947 a UN trust territory under US administration. Since 1986 it has been a “freely associated” state with the United States. This status means that the Federated States of Micronesia (FSM) has full sovereignty, excluding defense issues, which remain the prerogative of the United States. Admitted to the UN in 1991.
State structure
Micronesia is a federal state consisting of 4 states with their own governments: Chuuk (formerly Truk), Kosrae, Pohnpei (Ponape) and Yap. States have a high degree of independence in almost all spheres of public life.
The Constitution of 1979 is in force, modeled on the US Constitution. According to the form of government, the FSM is a republic of a special type. The political regime is democratic. There are no political parties.
Legislative power belongs to the federal unicameral parliament - the National Congress of the FSM, consisting of 14 senators (4 senators are elected, one from each state for a period of 4 years, 10 in single-member districts with approximately an equal number of voters for a period of 2 years).
The head of state and government is the President, elected by members of the FSM National Congress from among 4 state senators for a term of 4 years. At the same time, the Vice President is elected.
The government of the states is established by their own constitutions and is generally similar to the federal one.
Legal system
Micronesia's legal system is based on US law. In certain areas of relations (land, family, inheritance), norms of local customary law also apply, the role of which is recognized by the Constitution.
Labor law in Micronesia has not received significant development, since the country has a small number of employees. The Constitution and legislation do not directly establish the right to organize into trade unions, strike and collective bargaining, or limit working hours. By 2000, not a single trade union had been formed in the FSM.
The Federation and the states continue to use the Criminal Code of the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands, introduced by the American administration. Everyone uses their own version of this act, which they independently amend. Yap State adopted the US Model Penal Code. The main difference from the United States in the field of criminal law is the prohibition of the death penalty established by the FSM Constitution (Article IV Section 9).
The FSM Constitution's Bill of Rights includes procedural guarantees of individual rights in criminal proceedings that closely mirror the corresponding provisions of the US Constitution. The adversarial process system borrowed from the United States is contrary to the national traditions of the Micronesians. Due to this a large number of criminal cases do not end up in the courts, but are resolved through conciliation procedures with the participation of the families of the perpetrator and the victim in accordance with local customs.
Judicial system. Control authorities
The judicial system is headed by the FSM Supreme Court, consisting of 3 judges sitting in two divisions: first instance and appellate. This is the only federal court. Supreme Court judges are appointed by the FSM President for life with the approval of Congress.
Each FSM state has its own supreme court with a similar structure. Only in the state of Kosrae there is no appellate division - this function is performed by the Supreme Court. There are also a small number of local (municipal) courts on the islands.
The criminal prosecution system is headed by the Attorney General, who is both the head of the Department of Justice (a member of the Cabinet) and the chief legal adviser to the government. Since 1991, the vast majority of cases have come under state jurisdiction.
All states except Kosrae recognize the institution of traditional leaders, who play a significant role in resolving various types of disputes.
The highest financial control body is the public auditor, appointed by the President with the advice and consent of Congress for a period of 4 years.
The Federated States of Micronesia (FSM) is a state of 607 islands in the largest ocean southeast of the Philippines, stretching 2,700 km north of the equator. It occupies the central and eastern parts of the Caroline Islands (the western part belongs to Palau), as well as the Kapingamarangi Atoll.
Geography
Only 40 of the islands are of significant size, the rest are small islets and coral atolls. Only 65 islands are inhabited. In terms of island area (702 km2), the Federated States of Micronesia is one of the smallest states in the world.
The FSM is represented by four states, formed according to a single principle: each consists of one or several large islands of volcanic origin and includes numerous atolls (the only exception is the state of Kosrae, whose territory does not include atolls). Large islands (they are called “high” islands here) are located in a ring of coral reefs. They are mountainous and covered with forest thickets. Small islands are represented by atolls: ring-shaped coral islands with a shallow lagoon.
The FSM has an equatorial climate, and the temperature here is about 30°C all year round. In this part of the Pacific Ocean there is an area where typhoons originate: on average, up to 25 typhoons pass through the FSM islands per year, sometimes catastrophic, with destructive hurricane winds of 240 km/h.
Nature
Nature has generously endowed the islands of this part of Micronesia, unlike many neighboring ones: evergreen tropical forests grow on fertile volcanic soil, part of the land is occupied by savannas, large coral islands are dominated by coconut palms, pandanus, breadfruit and bananas, and mangroves stretch along the coast. Numerous rivers run down the mountain slopes, fed by abundant rainfall: on the island of Pohnpei, for example, there are about 300 rainy days a year.
Story
The ancestors of the current inhabitants of the Federated States of Micronesia settled the islands more than 4 thousand years ago. Before the arrival of Europeans, a special hierarchy with leaders and a caste society developed here. Evidence of the existence of an ancient civilization is “ dead city» Nan Madol, built on monumental coral platforms lined with basalt slabs. Residential buildings and temples stood on the platforms. This civilization fell into decline even before the arrival of Europeans, who discovered a society in which money was circulated in the form of large stone disks with a hole in the center.
The Portuguese were the first representatives of the Old World to set foot on the islands in the 16th century. Following them, the Spaniards appeared here - in the 17th century. they declared the islands their possessions, but did not receive actual control over the territories. In 1898, after losing the war with the United States, Spain sold the islands to Germany.
During the First World War in 1914, the islands were occupied by Japan, which forced the assimilation of the islanders, which affected their appearance, language and names. After the war, the territories of the future state remained under Japanese control.
During World War II, bloody battles took place on the islands between American and Japanese troops. In 1945, the Japanese were expelled from Micronesia, and the archipelago came under US control.
For a long time, the islands were governed by the US military administration, until the independent Federated States of Micronesia were proclaimed in 1986.
The Federated States of Micronesia is an archipelago consisting of low coral islands and higher volcanic ones, with mountainous central parts. The volcanic islands are surrounded by lagoons, separated from the ocean by coral barrier reefs of dozens of small islands. There are passages in the reefs through which ocean-going ships approach large islands.
The population of the island republic is almost entirely represented by the peoples of the Pacific Islands. A small proportion of the population are descendants of those born from marriages between Japanese and Micronesians during the Japanese occupation of the islands. The assimilation of the islanders by the Japanese was carried out so categorically that many older people on the islands still speak Japanese.
The traditions and customs of the FSM peoples are almost the same on all islands. Here they still build houses of local pillar construction without walls, the function of which is performed by gable roofs reaching to the ground, covered with palm leaves or mats. In addition, Micronesians retained ancient technology making wooden boats without a single metal nail. Leaders still play the same important role in the life of the community as in the old days. The ancient clan system has been preserved in the villages, and on some islands even the custom of wearing loincloths and skirts made of plant fibers has remained.
Intensive contacts with Western world in recent decades, they have changed the mentality of the younger generation of FSM citizens, who are no longer guided by traditional values, but strive to join the achievements of Western civilization.
Despite the fact that the Federated States of Micronesia formally gained independence back in 1986, they retained the status of “free association with the United States.” Thus, the United States is obliged to provide national defense, and the FSM economy is largely dependent on American economic assistance. The Treaty of “Free Association” with the United States allows citizens of the country to choose their place of residence within the United States, which they actively use when leaving a country that is experiencing serious difficulties.
The country's main problems remain high unemployment, declining fish catches and a high degree of dependence on American aid. The country doesn't even have its own monetary unit, which is now being replaced by the US dollar.
The economy of the Federated States of Micronesia, which has no significant mineral resources other than phosphates, is based mainly on agriculture and fishing. Europeans and Asians brought citrus fruits, cassava, sweet potatoes, various tropical fruit trees, chocolate trees, and black pepper to the islands. Local residents clear small areas of forest for plantations. Except fishing, which caused significant damage to the ichthyofauna of the islands, the population is also collecting mollusks and crustaceans on the reef.
IN Lately The role of tourism is increasing, and an increasing number of islanders are involved in the service sector (for example, in the production of traditional souvenirs). The development of tourism is hampered by the remoteness of the islands, but the number of people coming to see the beauty of the islands and the “dead city” of Nan Mandol, which has received the fame of the “Venice of the Pacific Ocean,” is constantly growing.
general information
Location: North Pacific.Official name
Administrative staff: 4 states (Kosrae state - Kosrae island; Pohnpei state - Pohnpei, Ant, Pakin, Oroluk, Mokip, Pingelap islands, Nukuoro and Kapingamarangi atolls; Chuuk state - Namonuito, Namoluk, Laol, Pis, Talap atolls, Pular, Puluwat islands, Kuop, Nama, Losap, Mortlock, Chuuk Islands; Yap State - Yap, Maap, Rumung, Gagil-Tamil Islands).
Origin of the islands: volcanic, coral.
Administrative center: Palikir city (Pohnpei island) - 7000 people. (2009).
Languages: English (official), Chuukese, Kosrae, Pohnpeian, Japanese, Ulithian, Nukuoro, Kapingamarangi.
Ethnic composition: Chuuk, Ponape, Kosrae, Yap, Yap of the outer islands, Asians, Polynesians.
Religions: Catholicism, Protestantism.
Currency unit: U.S. dollar.
The most important port: Column (Palikir, Pohnpei Island).
Major airports: international airports Pohnpei, Chuuk (Chuuk Island), Kosrae (Kosrae Island), Yap (Yap Island).
Neighboring countries and territories: in the southeast - , in the southwest - , in the north - Guam and the Northern Islands, in the east - Nauru and the Marshall Islands, in the west - Palau and .
Numbers
Area: islands - 702 km 2, state territory (including water area) - more than 2.6 million km 2.Number of islands: 607.
Population: 106,104 people. (2013).
Population density: 151.1 people/km 2 .
Urban population: 23% (2010).
Highest point: Mount Dolomvar (791 m), according to other sources - Mount Nana Laud (Pohnpei Island, 798 m).
Climate and weather
Equatorial and subequatorial, trade wind-monsoon type.Two seasons: dry (January - March) and wet (April - December).
Direction of the wind: from November to December - northeast trade winds, the rest of the year - southwest monsoons.
Average annual temperature: +26-33°C.
Average annual precipitation: from 2250 mm to 3000-6000 mm (in the mountains on the island of Kusai).
Relative humidity: 75%.
Frequent destructive typhoons (from June to December).
Economy
GDP: $310 million (2011), per capita - $3000 (2011).
Minerals: phosphates.
Agriculture: crop farming (citrus fruits, cassava, sweet potato, various tropical fruit trees, chocolate tree, black pepper), livestock farming (poultry farming, pig farming).
Industry: food (fish canning).
Fishing (tuna).
Traditional crafts.
Service sector: tourism, trade.
Attractions
■ Pohnpei Island: “dead city” Nan Madol (XIII century), Japanese coastal artillery cannons from the Second World War (Sokes Ridge), Sohes Rock (180 m).■ Kosrae Island: temple of the goddess Shinlaku, ruins of buildings of the 14th century, sunken pirate ship Bully Hayes Wreck (1874), Japanese defensive tunnels in Lelu Hill ( highest point islands), underwater cave Blue Hole (“Blue Hole”), Cape Hiroshi Point, basalt dam between the islands of Kosrae and Lele.
■ Chuuk Island: sunken ships and planes from the Second World War, Mount Tonachau (229 m), Nefo Cave.
■ Yap Island: giant stone “coins”, Tabivol (178m).
■ Ulithi Atoll: remains of sunken ships from the Second World War.
Curious facts
■ The island of Yap was a major German naval port before the First World War, as well as an important hub for international transoceanic cable telegraph communications.■ In 1978, the islands of Micronesia received the status of a “territory freely associated with the United States”; in 1979, the FSM Constitution was adopted, but officially the year of independence is called 1986, when the “trusteeship” of the United States was finally ended.
■ The Federated States of Micronesia has been a member of the UN since 1991, as well as a number of regional organizations such as the Pacific Forum.
■ Most of the inhabitants of the island of Pohnpei are monochromats (monochromasia is congenital complete color blindness; a person suffering from monochromasia distinguishes colors only by their brightness). The reasons for this phenomenon in this particular region have not been precisely established.
■ Since the 18th century. Russian trade and scientific ships began to visit the islands of Micronesia. In 1828, the Russian navigator, geographer and admiral F.P. Litke (1797-1882) discovered the islands of Ponape (Pohnpei), Ant and Pakin and named them in honor of Admiral D.N. Senyavin - Senyavin Islands.
■ Under the terms of the Compact of “Free Association,” the United States allocated $1.3 billion to the FSM between 1986 and 2001. Then the amount of annual assistance was reduced, but constant multimillion-dollar cash flows from the United States were promised until 2023.
■ Micronesia is a general name for groups of small islands in Oceania, in the western part of the Pacific Ocean, north of the equator, about 1,500 islands in total. The name "Micronesia" literally translates from ancient Greek as "small island".
general information
The largest islands of Micronesia are of volcanic origin (height up to 791 m), surrounded by coral reefs. The climate is equatorial and subequatorial. Precipitation ranges from 2250 mm to 3000-4500 and 6000 mm (in the mountains on the island of Kusape) per year. The part of the Pacific Ocean where Micronesia is located is an area where typhoons occur (on average there are 25 typhoons per year). The islands are covered with evergreens tropical forests and savannas; The coral islands are dominated by coconut palm and pandanus.
Since the seventeenth century, the Caroline Islands belonged to Spain. In 1898, Spain sold them to Germany. In 1914, the islands were captured by Japan, and during the Second World War they were occupied by US troops, who began to administer them under a UN mandate. In 1978, the Caroline Islands received the status of a “freely associated territory with the United States.” In 1979, the constitution of the Federated States of Micronesia was adopted.
The basis of Micronesia's economy is fishing, copra production, and vegetable growing. Cattle, pigs, and goats are raised on the islands. To develop its fishing zone, Micronesia cooperates with the USA, Australia, Japan, South Korea. Every year, 25 thousand tourists visit Micronesia, mainly from Australia and Japan. The length of asphalt roads is 226 km. Half of the export consists of copra; pepper, fish, handicrafts, and coconut oil are also exported. The main foreign trade partners are the USA and Japan. Micronesia receives significant cash subsidies from the United States and uses the American dollar as its currency.
Culture
The traditional culture of the population of the Federated States of Micronesia is pan-Micronesian (with the exception of the culture of the two Polynesian atolls of Nukuoro and Kapingamarangi). However, it has undergone significant changes over several centuries of foreign domination. But even today on many islands there are houses of local pillar construction without walls, the function of which is performed by gable roofs reaching to the ground, covered with palm leaves or mats. Micronesians still master the art of making wooden boats without a single metal nail. Leaders play a significant role in the public life of the FSM. Perhaps the culture of the Yapese remained the most conservative (folklore, dancing, houses on stone foundations under palm leaves, loincloths for men and fluffy skirts made of plant fibers for women).
Intensive contacts in recent decades with the Western world have changed the mentality of the younger generation of Micronesian citizens, who are no longer guided by traditional values, but strive to join the achievements of Western civilization.
Story
The ancestors of the Micronesians settled the Caroline Islands more than 4 thousand years ago. Over the centuries, two social groups emerged in Micronesian society - the “noble” and the “common”; the former did not engage in physical labor and differed from the latter in their special tattoos and jewelry. The territorial associations were headed by chiefs (tomol), but their power was not the same on different islands. On about. Temen (Pohnpei state) the remains of an ancient civilization were discovered - stone city Nan-Madol. It consisted of monumental structures erected on reefs - platforms made of coral rubble and lined with basalt slabs. Residential and temple complexes, buried the dead and performed various rituals. According to legends, the city was the center of the vast Saudeler power and was destroyed by the conquerors, after which Pohnpei split into five territorial entities. Similar monuments were found on the island. Lelu (Kosrae state). On the island of Yap in later times, there apparently existed a centralized state entity that had economic and religious functions. Tribute was collected from conquered tribes. The first Europeans found on Yap one- and two-tier platforms with temples and men's houses, as well as peculiar money in the form of large stone disks with a hole in the center.
The Caroline Islands were discovered European sailors in the 16th–17th centuries. In 1526, di Menezighi discovered the Yap Islands, and in 1528, Alvaro Saavedra first saw the Truk Islands (modern Chuuk). In 1685, Captain Francisco Lazeano rediscovered the island of Yap and named the island Caroline (after King Charles II of Spain). Later this name was transferred to the entire archipelago, which was declared the possession of the Spanish crown. However, the discovery of its islands continued in subsequent years. The first Spanish Catholic missionaries, arriving in 1710 on the Sonsorol Islands and in 1731 on Ulithi Atoll, were killed by the islanders, and the Spanish abandoned attempts to colonize the Caroline Islands until the 1870s.
From the end of the 18th century. Commercial and scientific British, French and even Russian ships began to visit the archipelago. Thus, in 1828, the Russian navigator F.P. Litke discovered the islands of Ponape (Pohnpei), Ant and Pakin and named them in honor of Admiral D.N. Senyavin. Since 1830, American whalers have often visited here. In the 1820s and 1830s, Pohnpei was home to British sailors who were shipwrecked while carrying an English missionary to Kosrae. In 1852, American evangelists founded a Protestant mission on the islands of Pohnpei and Kosrae. German and English traders began to penetrate the archipelago.
In 1869, Germany established a trading station on Yap, which became the center of the German trading network in Micronesia and Samoa. In 1885, the German authorities announced their claims to the Caroline Islands, which Spain considered its own. Thanks to the mediation of the Pope, a German-Spanish treaty was concluded, recognizing the archipelago as Spanish possession, but giving German traders the right to create trading posts and plantations on them. Spanish soldiers and missionaries arrived on the islands, but they met fierce resistance on Pohnpei. The islanders rebelled and destroyed plantations.
After losing the war with the United States, Spain agreed in 1898 to cede the Caroline and Mariana Islands to Germany. From 1906 they were controlled from German New Guinea. The German colonial authorities introduced universal labor service for adult islanders and began extensive road construction. In response, the people of Pohnpei rebelled and killed Governor Beder. The uprising was suppressed by the German fleet only in 1911. In the fall of 1914, Micronesia was occupied by Japanese troops.
Officially, Japan received a mandate from the League of Nations to govern Micronesia only in 1921. It used the territory of the Caroline Islands for economic purposes (fishing, production of cassava flour and alcohol from sugar cane), to create naval and air bases. Japan pursued a policy of forced assimilation towards the indigenous population. Tens of thousands of Japanese were resettled on the islands, to whom the best lands. Japanese settlements emerged. Traces of Japanese domination were preserved in the appearance of the Carolinians, in their language and names.
Since 1944, bloody battles began on the islands between American and Japanese troops. By 1945, Japanese forces had been expelled from Micronesia, the archipelago came under US military control, and in 1947 the Caroline Islands (along with the Marianas and Marshall Islands) became a US-administered UN trust territory, the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands (TPIS). In 1947–1951 The territory was administered by the US Department of the Navy, then transferred to the control of the civil administration of the US Department of the Interior. In 1962, administrative authorities were moved from Guam to Saipan (Mariana Islands). In 1961, the Council of Micronesia was created, but all power remained in the hands of the American High Commissioner. In 1965, the first elections to the Micronesian Congress took place. In 1967, Congress created the Future Political Status Commission, which recommended seeking independence or a "free association" relationship with the United States with full internal self-government. Since 1969, negotiations have been held between representatives of the Congress of Micronesia and the United States.
On July 12, 1978, the population of Truk (Chuuk), Ponape (Pohnpei), Yap and Kusaie (Kosrae) counties voted in a referendum for the creation of the Federated States of Micronesia. The Marianas, Marshall Islands and Palau refused to join the new state. On May 10, 1979, the FSM Constitution was adopted, and in the fall the first elections to the National Congress, as well as the governors of four states, were held. The president of the country was the former president of the Congress of Micronesia, Toshiwo Nakayama, who took office in January 1980.
During 1979–1986 The United States has consistently transferred management functions to a new head of state and government. Issues of foreign policy and defense of the FSM remained the prerogative of the United States. In 1983, the population approved the status of “free association” with the United States in a referendum. On November 3, 1985, the PTTO was officially dissolved and the US trusteeship regime ended. On December 22, 1990, the UN Security Council approved the abolition of trusteeship and the FSM became an officially independent state.
In 1991, Micronesian President John Haglelgam (1987–1991), who lost the parliamentary elections, resigned as head of state. In 1991–1996 Bailey Alter (Pohnpei State) served as President from 1996–1999. – Jacob Nena (Kosrae State), 1999–2003 – Leo Amy Falkam, and since 2003 – Joseph John Urusemal. A draft constitutional amendment that would have provided for direct elections of the president and vice president was rejected.
The country's main problems remain high unemployment, declining fish catches and a high degree of dependence on American aid.
