What is the terrain and geography like in Micronesia?
"Micronesia" denotes "small islands," an apt description for the geography of the FSM, which has 607 islands, 65 of them inhabited. The total land area is a modest 270.8 square miles. Geologically, the FSM varies from high mountainous islands to low, coral atolls to volcanic outcroppings. Pohnpei Island, 13 miles in diameter and 129 square miles in area, includes almost half the FSM's land area. Pohnpei readily shows its volcanic origins with many hills and cliffs, as well as basalt outcroppings such as Sokeh's Rock, a striking landmark at the entrance to Kolonia Harbor.
Pohnpei is thickly forested, is rimmed by mangrove forests, and has a few man-made sandy beaches. Pohnpei is surrounded by a large lagoon with an outer barrier reef about 2 miles from shore. Within the lagoon are more than 25 volcanic and coral islands.
Geographic Location | Oceania |
Total Area |
271 Square Miles 702 Square Kilometers |
Land Area |
271 Square Miles 702 Square Kilometers |
Coastline |
3,798 Miles 6,112 Kilometers |
Geographic Coordinates | 6 55 N, 158 15 E |
Terrain | islands vary geologically from high mountainous islands to low, coral atolls; volcanic outcroppings on Pohnpei, Kosrae, and Chuuk |
Highest Point | 791 Meters |
Highest Point Location | Dolohmwar (Totolom) 791 m |
Lowest Point Location | Pacific Ocean 0 m |
Natural Resources | forests, marine products, deep-seabed minerals |
Time Zone |
UTC+11 (16 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) time zone note: Micronesia has two time zones |