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During World War II, fierce fighting was
fought in the archipelago of the Carolinians, which
includes the Micronesian Federation, between the United
States and Japan. When the United States conquered the
islands from Japan, which has managed the area since
1920, at the end of the war, virtually all the Japanese
who moved there were deported.
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ABBREVIATIONFINDER:
List of most commonly used acronyms containing Micronesia. Also includes historical, economical and political aspects of the country.
In 1947, the United States and the United Nations
Security Council signed an agreement that made the
Carolinians, together with the Marshall Islands and the
Northern Mariana Islands, a United States patronage
(Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands) under UN
supervision. This meant that the islands were placed
under US protection and the United States was given the
right to establish military bases in the area and
prevent other states from doing the same. Under US rule,
a reliance on US aid was founded, which remains today.
In the early 1960s, the first demands for
independence came from the people of the islands.
Negotiations with the United States began in 1969 and
ten years later, the four territories that today make up
the federal states of the Micronesia Federation adopted
a federal constitution. That same year, the first
elections were held for a parliament, and Tosiwo
Nakayama was elected the first president of the
federation.
The relationship with the United States was first
settled in 1986 when an agreement on the so-called
"Compact of Free Association" was concluded. The
agreement states that the country is independent but
that the United States is responsible for its defense.
In addition, the United States pledged to make an annual
financial contribution up to 2001, totaling $ 1.3
billion. The financial parts of the agreement would then
be renegotiated every 15 years. In 2003, the agreement
was extended for another 20 years.
 The UN Security Council approved the independence of
the Micronesia Federation in 1990 and the following year
the country became a UN member.
From 1987, John Haglelgam was president, but since he
was not re-elected to Congress in 1991, he could not be
considered for a second term in office. He was succeeded
by former Vice President Bailey Olter. This was
re-elected in 1995 but was succeeded by illness the
following year by Vice President Jacob Nena. At the 1997
and 1999 congressional elections, all members were
re-elected for a further term.
Jacob Nena was succeeded in 1999 at the presidential
post by Leo Falcam of Pohnpei. In the 2003 congressional
elections, Falcam lost his place in the congress. He was
therefore unable to be re-elected as President and in
May of that year he was replaced by Joseph J. Urusemal
of the island of Yap. He was the country's president for
a four-year term.
In May 2007, Emanuel "Manny" Mori was elected
president. He was re-elected for a new four-year term in
2011. Mori, who is of Japanese origin, comes from the
state of Chuuk. He had a banking career behind him when
he entered politics.
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