U.S. Department of State Annual Report on International Religious Freedom for 2001 - Micronesia, Federated States of
| Publisher | United States Department of State |
| Publication Date | 26 October 2001 |
| Cite as | United States Department of State, U.S. Department of State Annual Report on International Religious Freedom for 2001 - Micronesia, Federated States of, 26 October 2001, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/3bdbdd9618.html [accessed 21 May 2023] |
| Comments | The International Religious Freedom Report for 2001 is submitted to the Congress by the Department of State in compliance with Section 102(b) of the International Religious Freedom Act (IRFA) of 1998. The law provides that the Secretary of State shall transmit to Congress by September 1 of each year, or the first day thereafter on which the appropriate House of Congress is in session, "an Annual Report on International Religious Freedom supplementing the most recent Human Rights Reports by providing additional detailed information with respect to matters involving international religious freedom." The 2001 Report covers the period from July 1, 2000 to June 30, 2001. |
| Disclaimer | This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. |
The Constitution provides for freedom of religion, and the Government generally respects this right in practice.
There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom during the period covered by this report, and government policy continued to contribute to the generally free practice of religion.
The generally amicable relationship among religions in society contributed to religious freedom.
The U.S. Government discusses religious freedom issues with the government in the context of its overall dialog and policy of promoting human rights.
Section I. Religious Demography
The country's total area is approximately 260 square miles, and the population is approximately 133,000. Most Protestant denominations as well as the Roman Catholic Church are present on the four major islands of the country. The most prevalent Protestant denomination is the United Church of Christ. Baptists, Seventh Day Adventists, members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (Mormon), and adherents of the Baha'i Faith also are represented. On the island of Kosrae, 99 percent of the population are members of the United Church of Christ; on Pohnpei approximately 50 percent of the population are Protestant and 50 percent are Catholic; on Chuuk and Yap, approximately 60 percent are Catholic and 40 percent are Protestant. There is a small group of Buddhists on Pohnpei.
Most immigrants are Filipino Catholics, who join local Catholic Churches.
On the island of Pohnpei, clan divisions mark religious boundaries in some measure. More Protestants live on the western side of the island, while more Catholics live on the eastern side.
Missionaries of many faiths work within the nation, including Seventh Day Adventists, and members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.
Section II. Status of Religious Freedom
Legal/Policy Framework
The Constitution provides for freedom of religion, and the Government generally respects this right in practice. The Bill of Rights forbids establishment of a state religion and governmental restrictions on freedom of religion. There is no state religion.
Foreign missionary groups operate without hindrance on all four islands.
Restrictions on Religious Freedom
Government policy and practice contributed to the generally unrestricted practice of religion.
There were no reports of religious prisoners or detainees.
Forced Religious Conversion
There were no reports of forced religious conversion, including of minor U.S. citizens who had been abducted or illegally removed from the United States, or of the Government's refusal to allow such citizens to be returned to the United States.
Section III. Societal Attitudes
In general there are amicable relations between the religious communities.
Section IV. U.S. Government Policy
The U.S. Government discusses religious freedom issues with the government in the context of its overall dialog and policy of promoting human rights.
