You've probably heard of Micronesia, just like Polynesia and Melanesia. These are regions in the Pacific Ocean comprised of islands with federated states. Politically speaking, the islands together form a continent. They are of economic and tourist interest. Therefore, this article will tell you everything you need to know about Micronesia and its characteristics.
What is Micronesia
Micronesia is a region located in the Pacific Ocean and part of a continent made up primarily of islands and archipelagos: Oceania. Micronesia consists of hundreds of small islands scattered throughout the western Pacific Ocean and is politically divided into eight territories. The total population of Micronesia is approximately 350.000.
There are 5 independent states, Palau, Federated States of Micronesia, Kiribati, Nauru and Marshall Islands, but there are also 3 states that are dependent states of the United States, they are: Northern Mariana Islands, Wake and Guam. Control of the islands changed hands several times during the XNUMXth century and the first half of the XNUMXth century.
There are several local languages ​​in Micronesia, which are part of the Austrian language, which is further divided into the Oceanian and Polynesian languages. Even so, English remains a widely spoken language throughout the island, and in some areas, mainly Guam, there are residents who speak Spanish for religious reasons.
Micronesia is one of the three main cultural regions in this part of the Pacific Ocean, along with Melanesia and Polynesia.
Some history
The name Micronesia means "small islands" in Greek, but the Portuguese navigator Ferdinand Magellan, the first European to reach the region in 1521, called them "islands of robbers," probably because they were attacked by the locals. In honor of King Charles II of Spain, Spain named the islands the Caroline Islands until 1885 when the Germans arrived and attempted to establish a protectorate.
The Spanish government protested and appealed to the Vatican. The Treaty of Paris of December 1898 ended the war between Spain and the United States. Madrid sold the Caroline Islands to Germany for 25 million pesetas. In 1914, Japan occupied the islands and agreed with the United States on a plan to demilitarize the entire region, but that agreement fell apart in 1935. The Japanese attack on the U.S. Air Force base at Pearl Harbor began in Micronesia.
In 1947, the United Nations Security Council and the US government decided the fate of Japan's overseas possessions and agreed that the islands would be administered by the United States. In November 1986, President Ronald Reagan officially declared the end of US rule in Micronesia. In 1987, the Federated States of Micronesia established diplomatic relations with the Marshall Islands. A year later, Israel and Papua New Guinea recognized the territory of Micronesia as new republics, followed by Japan and China in 1989.
Geography
Together with Palau, the states of Micronesia form the Caroline Islands, located about 800 kilometers east of the Philippines. Comprising 607 islands spread over an area of ​​2500 square kilometers, the effective area of ​​the state is 700 square kilometers, more than half of which is Pohnpei Island. The terrain is mountainous. Although rainfall patterns decrease from east to west, the islands are still affected by heavy downpours. The average annual temperature is 27°C. The combination of high and consistent temperatures results in lush vegetation.
It extends from the equator to 140Âş north latitude. Although it has a maritime area more than three times that of Spain (more than 1.600.000 square kilometers), it only has 700 kilometers of land, 6.112 kilometers of coastline and 4.467 kilometers of lagoons.
Economy of Micronesia
Economic activity in the Federated States of Micronesia consists primarily of subsistence agriculture and fishing. Furthermore, the government employs two-thirds of the adult population. Regarding economic support, the state receives funding largely from the Compact of Free Association assistance provided by the United States. Tourism potential is limited by isolation, a lack of adequate facilities, and limited domestic air and water transportation.
Legislative power rests with the Congress, a unicameral system with 14 members: 4 senators serving 4-year terms and 10 representatives from their districts serving 2-year terms. This structure is part of Micronesia's political characteristics.
The Federated States of Micronesia defines itself as "a voluntary federation of four semi-autonomous states that retain considerable autonomy to manage their internal affairs and resources, including external relations and entering into partnership agreements with third countries." These aspects are closely interconnected with the economic development of the archipelago and the sustainability of the country.
The supreme judicial body is the Supreme Court of the Federated States of Micronesia, whose members are appointed by the President with the approval of two-thirds of Congress. Justices serve for life.
Export
Spain and Micronesia do not enjoy stable trade relations. This translates into inconsistent flows throughout the year, totaling just over €350.000 in 2018. Exports are significantly higher than imports. This results in a positive trade balance of €341.530 and a coverage ratio of 5,141%.
Micronesia represents approximately 0% (0,0002%) of total Spanish exports. This diminishes the country's importance in terms of bilateral trade. It ranks as Spain's 207th largest trading partner by export volume. However, trade with Micronesia declined in 2018. Despite a positive trend in previous years, trade with Micronesia fell by 56% in 2018 , dropping from €650.000 to €348.300.
Trade suffers from the effect of saw spikes, suffering from great instability. The annual flows of exports are produced according to specific needs of the country and therefore there are strong increases and decreases. In addition, the low volume of exports increases this effect.
I hope that with this information you can learn more about Micronesia and its characteristics.