FEDERATED STATES OF MICRONESIA
A. THE COUNTRY
Federated States of Micronesia amounts to a small land area of ~700 sq.
km., while occupying more than 2,600,000 sq. km. of the Pacific Ocean.
Over 600 coralline islands are made up of four states – Chuuk, Pohnpei,
Yap and Kosrae. Government is a democratic federated presidential
republic that is in free association with the U.S.A. which administers
defence and foreign policy. The economy is predominantly subsistence
farming and fishing. Over 90% of government income is from U.S. aid.
B. THE PEOPLE
The population is ~111,800 and official language English.
~91.7% are Micronesian, ~8.3% Other (U.S. citizens, Filipinos).
The people are influenced by Western consumerism as encouraged by U.S.
aid and are tempted to migrate to the U.S.A.
C. RELIGIONS AND CHRISTIANITY/PENTECOSTALISM
Christianity is challenged by traditional cultural elements such as the
use of magic and of sakau, the herbal drink used as a communal narcotic.
~96.65% claim to be Christian, ~1.4% Ethnoreligionisst, ~0.85%
Non-religious, ~0.6% Chinese, ~0.5% Baha’i.
In the Christian category:
~52.56% are Catholic (mainly in Yap), ~49% Protestant (mainly in
Pohnpei, Chuuk, and Kosrae). ~0.68% Independent.
Evangelicals represent ~24.3% of the population.
Charismatics represent ~4.2% and of those ~2.8% are Pentecostals.
Donna Siemens
References:
http://en.wikipedia.org
Operation World, Jason Mandryk. Colorado Springs: Biblica Publishing, 2010.