Micronesia

American  

[mahy-kruh-nee-zhuh, ‑shuh] / ˌmaɪ krəˈni ʒə, ‑ʃə /

noun

1. one of the three principal divisions of Oceania, comprising the small Pacific islands north of the equator and east of the Philippines, whose main groups are the Mariana Islands, the Caroline Islands, and the Marshall Islands.

2. Federated States of Micronesia, a group of islands in the western Pacific, in the Caroline Islands, comprising the islands of Pohnpei, Truk, Yap, and Kosrae: formerly a part of the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands and now a self-governing area associated with the United States. 271 square miles (701 square kilometers).

---

Micronesia British  

/ ˌmaɪkrəʊˈniːzɪə /

noun

1. one of the three divisions of islands in the Pacific (the others being Melanesia and Polynesia); the NW division of Oceania: includes the Mariana, Caroline, Marshall, and Kiribati island groups, and Nauru Island

2. an island group in the W Pacific, formerly within the United States Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands: comprises the islands of Truk, Yap, Ponape, and Kosrae: formed in 1979 when the islands became self-governing: status of free association with the US from 1982. Languages: English and Micronesian languages. Religion: Christian majority. Currency: US dollar. Capital: Palikir. Pop: 106 104 (2013 est)

---

Etymology

Origin of Micronesia

C19: from _micro- + Greek nēsos island; so called from the small size of many of the islands; on the model of Polynesia

Example Sentences

Simply racing down the track in the preliminary round of the men’s 100 meters — the round before “Round 1” — meant everything to the 26-year-old runner from Micronesia.

From Seattle Times

Numbers for people who are from Chuuk, one of the four states in the Federated States of Micronesia, are harder to pinpoint.

From Seattle Times

Stretched across boards and swatches of windsurfer sails, the staffs suggest rafts, whether of the actual sort Davis saw while traveling in Micronesia or symbolic ones on which to brave rising sea levels.

From Washington Post

Pacific Islanders, also known as Pasifika people, come from or are living in Polynesia, Micronesia and Melanesia in the South Pacific Ocean.

From Seattle Times

The producers of Memoirs Pasifika hope to increase interest in events that influenced contemporary Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, the Marshall Islands, Palau and the Federated States of Micronesia, Pacific Daily News reported Sunday.

From Washington Times