TLDR
Micronesia, the region, contains five independent countries: the Federated States of Micronesia, Kiribati, the Marshall Islands, Nauru, and Palau. Two more places, Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands, are US territories, not countries. Nauru is the smallest, Kiribati is the most populous, and “Micronesia” the region is not the same thing as “Micronesia” the country.
Table of Contents
- The countries at a glance
- The five countries of Micronesia
- Is Guam a country? The two US territories
- Micronesia the region vs. the Federated States of Micronesia
- Micronesia vs. Polynesia vs. Melanesia
- Can you visit?
- FAQ
The countries at a glance
Population figures are rounded estimates; areas are land area only, since the ocean territory of each is enormous.
| Place | Capital | Population | Land area | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Federated States of Micronesia | Palikir | ~115,000 | ~700 km² | Sovereign country |
| Kiribati | South Tarawa | ~120,000 | ~810 km² | Sovereign country |
| Marshall Islands | Majuro | ~42,000 | ~180 km² | Sovereign country |
| Nauru | Yaren (de facto) | ~12,000 | ~21 km² | Sovereign country |
| Palau | Ngerulmud | ~18,000 | ~460 km² | Sovereign country |
| Guam | Hagåtña | ~170,000 | ~540 km² | US territory |
| Northern Mariana Islands | Saipan | ~47,000 | ~460 km² | US commonwealth |
Put together, the land area of all seven is smaller than Delaware, spread across an ocean area bigger than the contiguous United States.
The five countries of Micronesia
Federated States of Micronesia
Four states make up this country: Yap, Chuuk, Pohnpei, and Kosrae. The capital, Palikir, is on Pohnpei, which also holds Nan Madol, a city of basalt-log platforms built on a reef flat. Chuuk Lagoon is the draw for divers: a US air raid in February 1944 sank dozens of Japanese ships there, and many sit upright in shallow water. Yap is known for its stone money, giant limestone discs that still count in local customary exchanges. The US dollar is the currency, and English is the common language across a country with several indigenous ones.
Kiribati
Kiribati is the odd one. Its 33 atolls are scattered across roughly 3.5 million square kilometers and straddle both the equator and the 180th meridian. The government moved the International Date Line in 1995 so the whole country shares one calendar day, which is why Kiritimati (Christmas Island) greets the new year before almost anyone. Only the Gilbert Islands group is geographically Micronesian; the Phoenix and Line Islands lie further east, closer to Polynesia. Most people live on South Tarawa, one of the most crowded places in the Pacific. Kiribati is also among the countries most exposed to sea level rise, with the highest ground on most atolls only a few meters above the water. The CIA World Factbook entry for Kiribati gives the basic figures.
Marshall Islands
The Marshall Islands are two chains of atolls, Ratak and Ralik, with Majuro as the capital and main gateway. This is where the US tested 67 nuclear weapons between 1946 and 1958 at Bikini and Enewetak. Bikini Atoll is now a dive site with sunken warships, but residents were displaced and the legacy is still a live political issue. Marshallese and English are both official.
Nauru
Nauru is a single raised island of about 21 square kilometers, the smallest island nation on Earth and the smallest republic. It has no official capital; government offices sit in the Yaren district, so Yaren is listed as the de facto capital. Decades of phosphate mining, built on ancient seabird droppings, stripped the interior into coral pinnacles and left a thin ring of habitable coast. You can drive around the whole island in about 25 minutes. See the CIA World Factbook entry on Nauru for economy and demographics.
Palau
Palau is the one most travelers have heard of, for good reason. The Rock Islands Southern Lagoon is a UNESCO World Heritage site, and Jellyfish Lake has stingless golden jellyfish. Palau’s population is spread across more than 300 islands, with indigenous Palauans and several distinct ethnic groups as the dominant communities. Palau also requires every visitor to sign an environmental pledge, stamped into the passport on arrival. The capital, Ngerulmud, was purpose-built in 2006 on the island of Babeldaob; Koror, the largest city, is where daily life actually happens.
Is Guam a country? The two US territories
No. Guam is an unincorporated US territory, and it is the largest and most populous island in Micronesia. People born there are US citizens. The United Nations lists it among the Non-Self-Governing Territories, meaning it has not completed a formal act of self-determination. Hagåtña is the capital, and the US military is a major presence.
The Northern Mariana Islands, a chain of 14 islands north of Guam, are a US commonwealth. Saipan is the capital and the main island, with Tinian and Rota the other populated ones. Residents are also US citizens.
Wake Island complicates the picture. It is a US-administered atoll in the northern Pacific, and the Marshall Islands claims it. It has no permanent population, so most lists skip it.
Micronesia the region vs. the Federated States of Micronesia
The name is the source of most confusion. “Micronesia” (Greek for “small islands”) is a cultural-geographic region of thousands of small islands in the western Pacific. “Federated States of Micronesia” is one country inside that region, often shortened to FSM or just Micronesia in news.
So when someone says “Micronesia is a country,” they are usually referring to the FSM. When a geography teacher says “the countries in Micronesia,” they mean all five. Palau and the Marshall Islands, for example, are in Micronesia but not part of the FSM.
Micronesia vs. Polynesia vs. Melanesia
The three regions are an old European classification, but the labels persist:
- Micronesia: small islands, mostly north of the equator in the western Pacific. The countries above.
- Polynesia: the large triangle from Hawaii to New Zealand to Easter Island, including Samoa, Tonga, and French Polynesia.
- Melanesia: south and west, including Papua New Guinea, Fiji, Vanuatu, and the Solomon Islands.
The lines are fuzzy. Kiribati’s southeastern islands and Nauru’s cultural ties show how much the categories overlap in practice.
Can you visit?
All five countries and both territories are open to visitors, but getting there takes planning. Flights are few, often routed through Guam, Honolulu, or Fiji, and some run only a few times a week.
- Federated States of Micronesia, Marshall Islands, Palau: all three have a Compact of Free Association with the United States. US citizens can enter without a visa, and citizens of these nations can live and work in the US. Other nationalities should check each government’s entry rules before booking.
- Kiribati and Nauru: separate entry rules apply, and onward flight and accommodation proof is commonly requested. Nauru has one weekly-style schedule of flights, so book lodging first.
- Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands: US territories with their own immigration provisions. US citizens need no visa, and visitors from some countries can use a visa waiver program, though the rules differ between the two.
Check the current requirements on your own government’s travel advisory page before booking. Details shift, and some countries have limited medical facilities.
FAQ
What is the smallest country in Micronesia? Nauru, at about 21 square kilometers and roughly 12,000 people.
What is the most populous? Among the sovereign countries, Kiribati has the most people, with the FSM close behind. Guam, a territory, has more than either.
What is the largest by land area? Of the five countries, Kiribati is largest by land at about 810 km², narrowly ahead of the FSM. By ocean area, Kiribati is far larger than any of them.
How many countries are in Micronesia? Five sovereign countries: the Federated States of Micronesia, Kiribati, the Marshall Islands, Nauru, and Palau. Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands are US territories.
Is Micronesia a country? “Micronesia” alone is a region. The country is the Federated States of Micronesia.
