GEOSCIENCE DIVISION
Map Cook Islands Federated Sates of Micronesia Fiji Kiribati Nauru Niue Papua New Guinea Republic of Marshall Islands Republic of Palau Samoa Solomon Islands Tonga Tuvalu Vanuatu
Country
Population
Land Area
Climate
Water resource
Water consumption
Country Cook Islands Cook Islands
Population 21,750 (July 2007 est.)
Land Area 236.7 km2
Climate
Water resource
Water consumption
Country Federated Sates of Micronesia Federated Sates of Micronesia
Population 107,862 (July 2007 est.)
Land Area 702 km2
Climate
Water resource Avg Rainfall: 4,928 mm per annum
Water consumption
Country Fiji Fiji
Population 918 675 (July 2007 est.)
Land Area 18,270 km2
Climate
Water resource Avg Rainfall: 2000 - 3000 mm per annum
Water consumption
Country Kiribati Kiribati
Population 107,817 (July 2007 est.)
Land Area 811 km2
Climate
Water resource Avg Rainfall: South of the equator: 1,300 mm Tarawa: 2,000 mm Northernmost islands: over 3,200mm Eastern Line Islands: less than 1,000 mm
Water consumption
Country Nauru Nauru
Population 11,528 (July 2007 est.)
Land Area 21 km2
Climate
Water resource Avg Rainfall: 2,090 mm per annum
Water consumption
Country Niue Niue
Population 1,625m(GoN statistics 2006)
Land Area 260 km2
Climate
Water resource Avg Rainfall: 2,180 mm per annum
Water consumption
Country Papua New Guinea Papua New Guinea
Population 5,795,887 (July 2007 est.)
Land Area 462,840 km2
Climate
Water resource Avg Rainfall:1000-80000 mm per annum
Water consumption
Country Republic of Marshall Islands Republic of Marshall Islands
Population 20,842
Land Area 458 km2
Climate
Water resource Avg Rainfall: 3,700 mm per annum
Water consumption
Country Republic of Palau Republic of Palau
Population 61,815(July 2007 est.)
Land Area 11,854.3 km2
Climate
Water resource Avg Rainfall: Southern attols: 4,000mm Northern attols:2,000 mm per annum
Water consumption
Country Samoa Samoa
Population 214,265
Land Area 2,944 km2
Climate
Water resource Avg Rainfall: 3,000 mm per annum
Water consumption
Country Solomon Islands Solomon Islands
Population 566,842
Land Area 28,450 km2
Climate
Water resource Avg Rainfall:1500-5000 mm per annum
Water consumption
Country Tonga Tonga
Population 116,921
Land Area 748 km2
Climate
Water resource Avg Rainfall: Varies from north and south of tonga with an estimated average of 2500 mm per annum
Water consumption
Country Tuvalu Tuvalu
Population 11.992 (July 2007 est.)
Land Area 26 km2
Climate
Water resource Avg Rainfall: 3000mm per annum
Water consumption
Country Vanuatu Vanuatu
Population 211,971 (July 2007 est.)
Land Area 12,200 km2
Climate
Water resource Avg Rainfall: 2000 - 4000 mm per annum
Water consumption
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Federated States of Micronesia
Geography
Total Area 702 km2
Land 702 km2
Water 0 km2
Highest Elevation  791 m

Land Use
Arable 16.67%
Perm. Crop 8.33%
Other 75% (2005)

People
Population 107,862 (July 2007 est.)
Population Growth Rate -0.154% (2007 est.)

Economy
GDP per capita (PPP) $2,300 (2005 est.)

Water Statistics
Avg Rainfall

4,928 mm per annum
Federated States of Micronesia


Status of Water Resources


The main sources of fresh water are surface water, groundwater and rainwater. The primary source of fresh water in most of the Island States compromises of both underground, surface water and rainwater; the small islands for each state are fully dependable on rain water and shallow wells due to the low elevation of the islands.

In the FSM’s raised coralline islands, the freshwater lens is tapped through shallow, hand-dug wells to supplement the rainwater catchments and storage tanks which are widely used and commonly the main source of drinking water in the outer islands.

Problems with Water Resources and Associated Environment Issues

The major concerns and issues are impacts of climate change; deforestation of the watersheds; and sanitary controls on the watershed activities – both human and animal.

The deforestation of the islands watersheds is one of the major issues in the FSM. In the early 1980's deforestation of the interior of Pohnpei and resultant pollution of the watershed resulted in the creation of a 5100 ha forest reserve. When survey teams tried to mark out the boundaries of the reserves, they were threatened by angry villagers. The government quickly backed down and land clearance, largely to plant kava (a valuable social drug crop), continued.

Water quality and resultant health concerns have also been a major issue in FSM. In April 2000, an outbreak of cholera on Pohnpei, affected approximately 3,500 persons and caused 20 deaths, was the result of poor waste water control.

In most parts of FSM, the underground water sources have potentially high iron content. In a study for FSM relating to a high quantity of water extraction from an aquifer but the disturbance of high iron content is an issue among the people and the EPA office that have the full responsibility on water quality assurances.

The FSM IWRM council requires more incentive to integrate on water resource management and its components. Since, the small island countries are slowly developing, a concrete or solid legislation requires effective efforts to initiate the protection of the underground and surface water areas.

Diagnostic Report
Demonstration Proposal
Hot Spot Analysis

Information on this page obtained from Integrated Water Resources Management programme's Diagnostic Reports (SOPAC 2007)