什麼是密克羅尼西亞

正式名稱密克羅尼西亞聯邦（Federated States of Micronesia）

西太平洋共和國，由加羅林羣島的雅浦（Yap）、丘克（Chuuk）、波納佩（Pohnpei）和科斯拉伊（Kosrae）四個島州組成。面積701平方公里。人口約118,000（2001）。首都︰帕裏克爾，位於最大的島嶼波納佩島。聯邦的人民為密克羅尼西亞人。語言：馬來－玻里尼西亞語、英語。宗教：基督教（居主要地位）。貨幣︰美元（U.S.$）。各島及環礁東西連綿約2,800公里，南北寬約965公里。美國政府的撥款是歲入的主要來源，自給自足的農業和捕魚業為主要經濟活動。政府形式為與美國有自由聯盟協定的共和國，一院制。國家元首暨政府首腦為總統。

大約在3,500年前，來自東美拉尼西亞的人可能已在各島上定居。17世紀時成為西班牙的殖民地，第一次世界大戰後受日本統治，第二次世界大戰時被美軍佔領，1947年成為聯合國太平洋島嶼託管地的一部分，由美國監管。1979年成為聯邦，實行內部自治。1982年與美國簽訂自由聯盟協定，根據該協定，至2001年為止，美國須為密克羅尼西亞的防禦負責。1990年代末，共和國竭力解決經濟困難。

Micronesia

Republic, western Pacific Ocean. It comprises the four island states of Yap, Chuuk (Truk), Pohnpei (Ponape), and Kosrae, all in the Caroline Islands. Area: 271 sq mi (701 sq km). Population (1997 est.): 109,000. Capital: Palikir on the island of Pohnpei, the largest island. The people of the Federated States are Micronesian. Languages: Malayo-Polynesian languages, English. Religions: Christianity (predominant). Currency: U.S. dollar. The islands and atolls extend about 1,750 mi (2,800 km) east-west and about 600 mi (965 km) north-south. U.S. government grants constitute the main source of revenue; subsistence farming and fishing are the principal economic activities. It is a republic in free association was the U.S., and has one legislative house; its head of state and government is the president. The islands were probably settled by people from eastern Melanesia some 3,500 years ago. They were colonized by Spain in the 17th century and came under Japanese rule after World War I. They were captured by U.S. forces during World War II, and in 1947 they became part of the U.N. Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands, administered by the U.S. The islands became an internally self-governing federation in 1979. In 1982 the Federated States signed a compact of free association with the U.S., which is responsible for Micronesia's defense until 2001. In the late 1990s, the republic was struggling to solve its economic difficulties.