It can be said that each of the four States exhibits its own distinct culture and tradition, but there are also common cultural and economic bonds that are centuries old. For example, cultural similarities are evidenced in the importance of the traditional extended family and clan systems found on each island.

Although united as a country, the people are actually a heterogeneous mixture with different customs and traditions bound together by recent history and common aspirations. The cultural diversity is typified by the existence of eight major indigenous languages, and its peoples continue to maintain strong traditions, folklore and legends.

The four states of the FSM are separated by large expanses of water. Prior to Western contact, this isolation led to the development of unique traditions, customs and language on each of the islands.

English is the official language, and there are eight major indigenous languages of the Malayo-Polynesian linguistic family spoken in the FSM: Yapese, Ulithian, Woleaian, Chuukese, Pohnpeian, Kosraean, Nukuoro, and Kapingamarangi.

There is a rich oral history. Part of this history is a unique musical heritage. The traditional music is carried forward from generation to generation, although upon tuning into the local radio station the visitor is far more likely to hear the distinctive sounds of Micronesian pop music, which has also developed its own character from state to state. Influenced obviously by traditional music, the FSM's pop music also draws from influences as diverse as American country and western, reggae, and modern europop.

Short samples of this music from each of the states are provided below.

Technical note: The clips below run approximate 30 seconds each, and are provided in three different formats. To hear these clips, your browser will need to be configured to handle that particular file type. For example, MP3 files are of the highest audio quality, but are also the largest files (approximately 600K for each sample) - Real Audio (RA) files are of the lowest audio quality, but are only around 100K for each clip.

Chuuk	Kosrae	Pohnpei	Yap
Choose Format:	Choose Format:	Choose Format:
Randall Mathias "A Metek" from the album Little Refonuwach	Unknown Artist from a Kosrae radio station compilation	Rudi & Taki Mendiola "Wein Pohnpei" from the album Pwand Ahi Ndawei
Copyright 1999, Randall Mathias More Information	Copyright 1999, Hairom Livaie More Information	Copyright, 1999, Rudi & Taki Mendiola More Information

The basic subsistence economy is based on cultivation of tree crops (primarily breadfruit, banana, coconut and citrus) and root crops (primarily taro and yam) supplemented by fishing. Small scale agriculture and various traditional fishing practices continue today.

Sharing, communal work, and the offering of tributes to the traditional leaders are fundamental to the subsistence economic system and the culture of the island societies of the FSM. The basic economic unit is the household, which consists primarily of extended families. Larger solitary social groups found on most of the FSM islands are matrilineal clans. Traditional political systems, such as the Nahmwarki Political System on Pohnpei and the Council of Pilung on Yap, continue to play an important role in the lives of the people of the FSM today.

Religion is predominantly Christian, divided between Roman Catholic and Protestant -other churches include Latter-Day Saints, Seventh-Day Adventist, Assembly of God, Jehovah's Witnesses, and the Baha'i Faith.