Islam in Federated States of micronesia: history and Muslim population data

History of Islam in Federated States of micronesia

It gained its independence in 1986 from the United States of America’s administrated United Nations’ Trust, which lasted since 1947, but remains in Compact of free Association with the United States. The islands were under Spanish control from 1886 to 1899, then purchased by Germany and remained under their control until 1914, when Japan took them over and remained there until 1945.

The states have a total area of 701 sq km, comprising 607 islands spread through 2.6 million sq km of the Western Pacific Ocean, and divided among four states: Chuuk (127 sq km and half of the population), Kosrae (110 sq km and a tenth of the population), Pohnpei (345 sq km and a third of the population), and Yap (118 sq km and a sixth of the population).

In 1907, the Muslim population consisted of eleven Malay policemen working with the German forces in Pohnpei. This constituted 0.07% of the total population. The Muslim population increased to 26 or 0.02% in 1994 but decreased to two or 0.0% in 2010. Thus, assuming that the percentage of Muslims will increase by 0.01 of a percentage point per decade; then the Muslim population is expected to be around one hundred or 0.1% of the total population throughout the second half of this century.

Historical Muslim population dataset for Federated States of micronesia

The figures below are from the CoMPS historical dataset. Population values are expressed in thousands; 2100 is a modelled projection, not a present-day count.

For the full time series and visualisation, use the interactive map above.