View source for Geography of the Federated States of Micronesia

{{Short description|none}} <!-- "none" is preferred when the title is sufficiently descriptive; see [[WP:SDNONE]] -->
{{CIA}}
{{Country geography
|name= Federated States of Micronesia
|map = Map of the Federated States of Micronesia CIA.jpg
|continent =[[Pacific Ocean]]
|region = [[Oceania]]
|coordinates = {{coord|6|55|N|158|15|E|type:country}}
|area ranking = 176th
|km area = 702
|percent land = 100
|km coastline = 6112
|borders = None
|highest point = [[Nanlaud]] on [[Pohnpei]] <br> {{convert|2566|ft|m|order=flip|abbr=on}}
|lowest point = [[Pacific Ocean]] <br> 0 m
|longest river =
|largest lake =
|exclusive economic zone = {{convert|2,996,419|km2|mi2|abbr=on}}
}}
'''[[Geography]] of the [[Federated States of Micronesia|Federated States of Micronesia (FSM)]]''', a [[country]] located in the western [[Pacific Ocean]], and in the [[Micronesia]] cultural and ecological sub-region of [[Oceania]]. While its total land area is very small at {{convert|702|km2|sqmi|abbr=on}}, it has the 14th largest [[exclusive economic zone]] at {{convert|2,996,419|km2|mi2|abbr=on}}.
==Geography==
{{Details|List of islands of the Federated States of Micronesia}}
The country consists of [[List of islands of the Federated States of Micronesia|607 islands]] extending {{convert|1800|mi|km|order=flip|abbr=off|sp=us}} across the [[Caroline Islands|Caroline Islands Archipelago]]. They are east of the [[Philippine Islands]], and north of the island of [[New Guinea]]. The federal capital is [[Palikir]], on [[Pohnpei|Pohnpei island]].
The 607 islands are grouped into four states, and from west to east are:
*[[Yap State]]
*[[Chuuk State]]  — ''before 1990 named Truk''.
*[[Pohnpei State]]  — ''before 1985 named Ponape''.
*[[Kosrae State]]
Separated from the main islands in southern Pohnpei State are the two islands of [[Nukuoro]] and [[Kapingamarangi]]. They are geographically part of the [[Micronesia]] region, but are linguistically and culturally part of the [[Polynesia]] region. The indigenous languages spoken on these two islands are in the [[Samoic languages|Samoic family]] of [[Polynesian languages]].
===Location===
The [[Federated States of Micronesia]] are an island group in the [[Caroline Islands|Caroline Islands Archipelago]] of the western [[Pacific Ocean]], in the [[Micronesia]] sub-region of [[Oceania]].
Located about three-quarters of the way from [[Hawaii]] to [[Indonesia]] at [[Geographic coordinates]]: {{coord|6|55|N|158|15|E|type:country}}<br/>
Map references are [[Oceania]] and [[Micronesia]].
===Dimensions===
'''Area:'''
*Land area — {{convert|702|km²|mi2|sp=us}}
*Water area (freshwater) — {{convert|0|km²|mi2|sp=us}}
*Total area — {{convert|702|km²|mi2|sp=us}}
The country's total area is four times the size of [[Washington, D.C.]] in the U.S.
'''Coastline:'''
The combined [[coastline]]s of the country's 607 islands equal {{convert|6112|km|mi|abbr=on}}.
'''Maritime claims:'''
*Territorial sea (12&nbsp;nmi) —
*[[Exclusive economic zone]] (200&nbsp;nmi) — {{convert|2,996,419|km2|mi2|abbr=on}}
===Terrain===
The country's 607 islands vary from high mountainous ones to low coral [[atoll]]s. Geologically, there are [[volcanic rock]] outcroppings on the islands of [[Pohnpei]], [[Kosrae]], and [[Chuuk Lagoon|Chuuk]].
====Elevation extremes====
*Lowest point — [[shoreline]] [[mean sea level]] of the [[Pacific Ocean]]  — {{convert|0|m|ft|abbr=on}}
*Highest point — [[Nanlaud]] on [[Pohnpei]] at {{convert|2566|ft|m|order=flip|abbr=on}} <ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.geonames.org/2081845/mount-nanlaud.html|title=Mount Nanlaud|publisher=[[GeoNames]]|access-date=12 May 2013}}</ref> as indicated on the definitive [[USGS]] 1:25,000 scale topographic survey. <ref name="USGS">{{cite web|url=http://www.lib.utexas.edu/maps/topo/pacific_islands/txu-oclc-17153631-ponape-south-b.jpg|title=Ponape South|publisher=[[US Geological Survey]]|date=1983|access-date=22 Jan 2017}}</ref>
==== Extreme points ====
The extreme points of the [[Federated States of Micronesia]], the landforms that are farther north, south, east or west — than any other location in the country.
* Northernmost point — Mogmog [[islet]], [[Ulithi|Ulithi Atoll]], [[Yap State]].
* Easternmost point —  unnamed headland on [[Kosrae|Kosrae island]], [[Kosrae State]].
* Southernmost point — [[Kapingamarangi]] atoll, [[Pohnpei State]].
* Westernmost point —  [[Ngulu Atoll]], Yap State.
==Environment==
'''Environment—current issues:'''
Overfishing, land and water [[pollution]].
'''Environment—international agreements:'''
*Party to — [[Biodiversity]], Climate Change-[[Kyoto Protocol]], [[Desertification]], [[Hazardous Wastes]], [[Law of the Sea]], [[Ozone Layer Protection]].
*Signed, but not ratified — none of the selected agreements
===Land use===
*Arable land — 2.86%
*Permanent crops — 24.29%
*Other — 72.86%
*Irrigated land — none
'''Products:'''
[[Tropical timber|Tropical woods]] and [[lumber]], marine products, deep-seabed minerals, surface mined [[phosphate]].
===Climate===
The Federated States of Micronesia enjoys a tropical climate, with quite even, warm temperatures throughout the year.
Precipitation is generally plentiful, with heavy year-round rainfall. Pohnpei reputedly is one of the wettest places on earth, with up to 330 inches (8.4 m) of rain per year. Nevertheless, drought conditions do occur periodically throughout FSM, especially when the [[El Niño]] condition moves into the Western Pacific, when groundwater supplies can dwindle to emergency proportions.
{{Weather box
|width = auto
| location = [[Palikir]] (Köppen Af)
| metric first = Yes
| single line  = Yes
| collapsed = Yes
| Jan high C = 29.9
| Feb high C = 30.0
| Mar high C = 30.2
| Apr high C = 30.2
| May high C = 30.3
| Jun high C = 30.4
| Jul high C = 30.6
| Aug high C = 30.8
| Sep high C = 30.9
| Oct high C = 30.9
| Nov high C = 30.7
| Dec high C = 30.3
| Jan mean C = 26.8
| Feb mean C = 26.9
| Mar mean C = 27.1
| Apr mean C = 26.9
| May mean C = 26.9
| Jun mean C = 26.8
| Jul mean C = 26.6
| Aug mean C = 26.7
| Sep mean C = 26.8
| Oct mean C = 26.8
| Nov mean C = 26.8
| Dec mean C = 27.0
| year mean C =
| Jan low C = 23.8
| Feb low C = 23.9
| Mar low C = 24.0
| Apr low C = 23.7
| May low C = 23.6
| Jun low C = 23.3
| Jul low C = 22.7
| Aug low C = 22.6
| Sep low C = 22.7
| Oct low C = 22.7
| Nov low C = 22.9
| Dec low C = 23.7
|precipitation colour = green
|Jan precipitation mm=377
|Feb precipitation mm=279
|Mar precipitation mm=353
|Apr precipitation mm=462
|May precipitation mm=502
|Jun precipitation mm=464
|Jul precipitation mm=504
|Aug precipitation mm=515
|Sep precipitation mm=464
|Oct precipitation mm=469
|Nov precipitation mm=421
|Dec precipitation mm=392
|source 1 = Climate-Data.org<ref>{{cite web
|url = https://en.climate-data.org/location/50424/
|title = Climate: Palikir
|publisher=Climate-Data.org
|access-date = 30 July 2020}}</ref>
}}
{{Weather box
|width = auto
| location = [[Tafunsak]] (Köppen Af)
| metric first = Yes
| single line  = Yes
| collapsed = Yes
| Jan high C = 30.2
| Feb high C = 30.1
| Mar high C = 30.1
| Apr high C = 30.0
| May high C = 30.2
| Jun high C = 30.2
| Jul high C = 30.2
| Aug high C = 30.7
| Sep high C = 30.7
| Oct high C = 30.8
| Nov high C = 30.6
| Dec high C = 30.2
| Jan mean C = 27.5
| Feb mean C = 27.4
| Mar mean C = 27.4
| Apr mean C = 27.2
| May mean C = 27.4
| Jun mean C = 27.3
| Jul mean C = 27.1
| Aug mean C = 27.5
| Sep mean C = 27.4
| Oct mean C = 27.5
| Nov mean C = 27.4
| Dec mean C = 27.4
| year mean C =
| Jan low C = 24.8
| Feb low C = 24.7
| Mar low C = 24.7
| Apr low C = 24.5
| May low C = 24.6
| Jun low C = 24.4
| Jul low C = 24.1
| Aug low C = 24.3
| Sep low C = 24.2
| Oct low C = 24.3
| Nov low C = 24.3
| Dec low C = 24.6
|rain colour=green
|Jan rain mm=396
|Feb rain mm=479
|Mar rain mm=496
|Apr rain mm=577
|May rain mm=490
|Jun rain mm=451
|Jul rain mm=445
|Aug rain mm=414
|Sep rain mm=383
|Oct rain mm=344
|Nov rain mm=412
|Dec rain mm=506
|source 1 = Climate-Data.org<ref>{{cite web
|url = https://en.climate-data.org/location/711432/
|title = Climate: Tafunsak
|publisher=Climate-Data.org
|accessdate = 22 October 2020}}</ref>
}}
====Natural hazards====
Tropical [[typhoon]]s are an annual threat, from June to December. The country is located on southern edge of the typhoon belt, with occasionally severe damage, particularly to the low-lying atolls.
[[Tsunami]]s and [[rising sea levels]] are other natural threats.
==See also==
*[[Micronesia]] — ''sub-region of Oceania''.
*[[Melanesia]] — ''sub-region to the south''.
*[[Polynesia]] — ''sub-region to the east''.
*[[Geography of Oceania]]
==References==
{{reflist}}
{{commons category|position=left|Geography of the Federated States of Micronesia}}
{{Geography of Oceania}}
[[Category:Geography of the Federated States of Micronesia| ]]