Pohnpei State is one of four States in the Federated States of Micronesia or FSM. The others are Chuuk, Yap, and Kosrae.  Pohnpei is the seat of government of this loosely bound federation of island states in the north central Pacific.  The island group that the FSM belongs to is the Caroline Islands, an archipelago of 607 islands extending 1,800 miles east to west between the Marshall Islands and the Philippines.  Pohnpei is 3,200 miles southwest of Honolulu and 1,000 miles southeast of Guam. 

Pohnpei State consists of a central, relatively large tropical volcanic island, Pohnpei Island, (where our volunteers will teach), and eight nearby atolls.  The center of the island is mountainous, with numerous waterfalls and swimming ponds at their base, over 40 rivers, and lush vegetation, making access to much of the interior difficult.  The island’s high point is 800 meters high and has an average rainfall of 400 inches, making it one of the wettest places on earth.  The perimeter road around the island, only completed in the 1990’s, is about 50 miles.  There are many mangrove forests and swamps, brackish waters, and good fishing and scuba diving in the surrounding tropical waters.   The island is central to a barrier reef with 25 much smaller islands, most with pristine tropical beaches.      

Most people earn their living from subsistence agriculture and fishing. The GDP per capita is about $2,200.  FSM has exports of fish, garments, and betel nuts primarily to Japan in the amount of $19 million; annual imports are $133 million, primarily from the United States, which is possible because of a large flow of incoming grants and assistance to the country.  Over half the workers are employed by the government.  Fishing rights to the vast ocean area of FSM bring in $20 million annually, which is about 30% of the country’s domestic income.  Tourism is a budding industry, with spectacular scuba diving throughout the FSM. 

The FSM has a Compact of Free Association with the United States which gives its government and citizens special funds and benefits (including money from which this program is sponsored.) The US will provide $92 million a year “in direct assistance”, and tens of millions in government grants, for the duration of the current Compact.  The Compact was first entered into in 1986 and was renewed in 2004.  The FSM gained independence in 1986; from the end of World War II to that time it was administered by the United States under a mandated United Nations Trusteeship, as were the Marshall Islands and Palau.  Between World Wars the region was under Japanese domination, and before that German and Spanish. 

Pohnpeian is the language of Pohnpei, but English is widely used among the educated classes.  Elementary school, grades 1 – 8, is compulsory.  Admittance to public high school is by examination.  About one-third of students who take the examination pass and are able to attend the public high school, PICS, which is where WorldTeach volunteers will be teaching.  The high school curriculum is very similar to that of the United States. 

On Pohnpei is the College of Micronesia (COM-FSM) campus, an attractive and serious community college that attracts students throughout Micronesia.  Also there is the Micronesian Seminar, the premier think-tank on Micronesia headed by the venerable Francis X. Hezel, S.J., who has published numerous papers, produced a continuing series of videos, and been a most respected academic on Micronesia, especially on the social issues that the region faces.  Anyone interested in Micronesia will want to visit the MicSem website and read widely on the diverse topics Fr. Hezel has so insightfully addressed.  The MicSem houses an outstanding library on Micronesia.

Nearby are the mysterious ruins of Nan Madol, a pre-historic royal residence and later burial grounds that was built on the fringing reef by the Saudeleurs, the early rulers of Pohnpei.  It is built on 90 small islands and has large structures built of huge basalt pillars, some weighing as much as five tons.  Nan Madol is sometimes called the “Venice of the Pacific” because of all the connecting waterways.  Construction on Nan Madol was thought to have begun between 500 -750 AD and the site was used until 1500 AD. 

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Web Resources for the Federated States of Micronesia