Culture and history

FSM combines four states - Yap, Chuuk, Pohnpei, Kosrae - with its own languages and customs.

Culture is formed by clan/clan systems, marine orientation and the art of ocean navigation by stars and waves; canoes with outriggers and community houses (nahs on Pohnpei, men's houses on Yap) are centers of public life.

Heritage symbols: the megalithic complex of Nan Madol (Pohnpei), the inter-island exchange network of sawei (Yap) and the famous "stone money" (rai) as markers of status and exchange.

Pandan music, dancing and weaving are combined with Christian traditions and local beliefs; in Pohnpei, the drink sakau (a variant of kava) plays an important role.

Historical trajectory: Spanish, then German and Japanese periods, battles of World War II, then - US custody as part of Trust Territory.

The 1979 constitution formalized the federation, and the Compact Free Association with the United States (since 1986) enshrined modern statehood.

Today, FSM's identity is a balance between island traditions, multilingualism and diaspora, adapting to climate challenges and preserving ocean cultural heritage.