Federated States of Micronesia

The Federated States of Micronesia (FSM) is made up of four states—Pohnpei, Chuuk, Yap, and Kosrae—each with its own distinct Micronesian language. The country spans more than 600 islands across the northern Pacific, situated north of Papua New Guinea.

FSM is an independent nation in free association with the United States, a status established in 1986. New Zealand and FSM formalised diplomatic relations in 1988. FSM manages its own domestic and foreign affairs, while the United States retains responsibility for defence and security.

New Zealand’s relationship with FSM is built on shared interests in key Pacific issues, including climate change, sustainable fisheries management, and regional security. Both countries are active members of the Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) and participate in regional organisations such as the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP) and the Pacific Community (SPC).

Development cooperation and sustainability

New Zealand provides bilateral development support to the FSM as part of our wider North Pacific development programme, which also includes the Marshall Islands and Palau.

Our engagement focuses on key areas such as economic resilience, sustainable fisheries management, climate change adaptation, tertiary education scholarships, and child and maternal health. For example, New Zealand partners with FSM’s National Oceanic Resources Management Authority to strengthen capacity in combating illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing. We also work with UNICEF to improve child and maternal health outcomes across the North Pacific.(external link)

Some of this support is delivered through the North Pacific Development Fund(external link) which provides small grants to community-led projects that promote income generation, job creation, training, disaster preparedness, and broader community development.

FSM scholars are eligible for the Manaaki New Zealand Scholarship Programme(external link) which offers undergraduate and postgraduate tertiary scholarships, thematic short-term training, and vocational/professional short-term training. More information, including availability and application processes, are available here(external link).

For detailed information on New Zealand’s development cooperation activities—including project descriptions, timeframes, sectoral focus, and expenditure—visit DevData(external link).

Trade and investment

Due to the geographic distance between New Zealand and the FSM, two-way trade remains modest. For the latest data on New Zealand’s trade profile with FSM, visit the New Zealand Trade Dashboard(external link).

FSM has one of the largest Exclusive Economic Zones (EEZ) in the world, covering approximately 2.9 million square kilometres. Fisheries licensing is the country’s largest source of domestic revenue, while the majority of overall revenue is provided through the Compact of Free Association with the United States.

People and culture

New Zealand and the FSM share a warm and growing relationship, grounded in our shared Pacific identity and cultural connections. Our partnership reflects mutual interests in regional cooperation, sustainable development, and resilience across the Pacific.