Micronesia is an island nation located in the western Pacific Ocean and is composed of 607 islands with a population of around 105,000 people. The economy of Micronesia is largely dependent on tourism and fishing, with a GDP per capita estimated at US$3,841 in 2017. Foreign relations are primarily focused on its partnership with the United States through the Compact of Free Association, which provides economic assistance and defense protection for Micronesia from the US. In terms of politics, Micronesia has a unicameral parliament system that is headed by a President who is elected by popular vote every four years. In 2017, President Peter Christian was re-elected as president following his first term in office since 2015. See militarynous for Micronesia military and defense.
Yearbook 2017
Micronesia Federation. In March, elections were held for the Legislative Assembly, Congress. Eight of the ten members elected in two years were re-elected for a new term. Unlike 2015, two female candidates ran for office but none of them were elected. As there are no political parties, all candidates lined up individually. Parallel to the election, a referendum was held on a constitutional amendment that would allow dual citizenship. The proposal then fell not enough votes for. According to Countryaah.com, for changes in the constitution, three quarters of the votes are required in three of the country’s four states. See ABBREVIATIONFINDER for frequently used acronyms and abbreviations related to as well as country profile of Micronesia.
In July, a court ordered the government to release four Nepali refugees who were held captive on a leaking boat for nearly two years. The government claimed that the conditions met the requirements set by the UNHCR and that the country lacks legislation on how refugees should be treated. However, the judge ruled that the Micronesian Federation is obliged to comply with international laws to defend the dignity and rights of all individuals. According to the verdict, the four refugees would be allowed to live in an apartment, where they would have to be between seven in the evening and seven in the morning. They would also report to the authorities every two weeks.
